NEWTON IMPRESSES IN GAME WITH DEVONPORT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 957, 28 April 1930, Page 6

NEWTON IMPRESSES IN GAME WITH DEVONPORT

CLOSE TACTICS BY BACKS Newton made an extremely good showing against Devonport, when the Shore thirteen won, 16—8, in an unusually fast first-of-season game at the Devonport Domain on Saturday afternoon. While Devonport lost as many chances as the opposition, it was not superior by eight points on the play. Newton lasted well—certain evidence of successful preliminary training—and did all its scoring in the second spell. The score was 11 —8 at one time, but shore clinched the game when Saxon caught up a badly-passed ball and raced down-field for a try which L. O’Leary goaled. Some said Tate “shepherded” Saxon from a Newton tackier, but the referee, Mr. V. R Simpson, ruled a try.

Without revealing remarkable speed Newton’s backs played well in close work. With a dependable set of young forwards to keep the heavier Shore pack in check, Newton’s backs attempted several hard runs. Additional speed would have made some of these movements successful. Sheer pace, for instance, gave Shore its first try when Dixon flung himself past a nonplussed defence to score in a corner. Again, L. O’Leary outran - defenders to score behind the posts just before half-time. A fast rush gave Tate a try in the second spell, and. here, for Newton, at least, there was another element of doubt. The defenders thought Tate had gone over the touchline and the Shore man was able to run behind the posts, for L. O’Leary to convert. On top of this came Saxon’s goaled try. Ferguson and McLeod scored for Newton, and Brimble landed one goal. L. O’LEARY PROMINENT The brightest back play was given by L. O’Leary, who played a really fine game on the wing for Shore. O’Leary put in some splendid runs. The other wing, Tate, played soundly, but Seagar, at centre, was indifferent. Coghlan worked manfully at half, and Trevor O’Leary and Rhodes, at fiveeighths, were invariably prominent in Shore’s spasmodic rushes. A convincing showing was made by Shore’s new fullback, O’Donnell, who played grade football for Akarana last season. Newton had a new fullback, too —Dempsey, of the Marist Rugby Club. Even deprived of the services of Alf Scott, Shore has a sound pack, and the seasoned campaigners, McCarthney. Dixon, Ruby and Saxon, did well on Saturday. Casey and Paul were useful. The appearance with Newton of two Leaguers from Pacific Club, Dunedin, Fagan, wing-threequarter, and Butler, a front row man, roused interest. Both did well. Hill strove pluckily at centre-threequarter, assisted by Brimble on the wing. The tackling of these two and of the insides, McLeod and Beattie, was reliable. Cammick played an efficient game behind the scrum. Francis’s enterprise and leadership of the losers’ pack caught the attention. He .was* supported well by Middleton. Ferguson, Pollock (a Waikato Rugby player), and Allan, formerly of Kingsland-Athletic.