Great Forward Play

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 999, 16 June 1930, Page 6

Great Forward Play

INTER-ISLAND LEAGUE GAME

South’s Spectacular Finish

FORWARD play, magnificent in its grim intensity and raw vigour, was the dominating feature of the inter-island League match at Carlaw Park on Saturday. It was one of the finest games in years, witnessed by a record crowd for this season.

The match was not all forward play. It was dominated in the lirst spell by the lean-limbed Southern rucksters, but in the second spell the backs on both sides gave many brilliant exhibitions of individual and sectional efforts.

Throughout the game, the tackling of the South Island was magnificent.

The North backs were definitely on top midway through the second spell, when the Southerners faltered a little in th€> terrific pace they had set in the early stages. But Eckhoff and O’Brien rallied their men in magnificent stylo toward the close. The North developed unexpected flaws both in attack and defence, and the Southerners secured a well-merited draw on the run of play. The contention that the North Island was unlucky not to win was not as sound as it looked. When the game was submitted to a searching analysis, several fatal errors were disclosed 121 the North Island's tactics. It made tho mistake of playing a forward pure and simple as a back, and it was handicapped by too much solo effort in key positions in the team, added to which the defence slumped badly in tho closing stages. A typical example was McKenzie’s try. The man who made it was Dodds, who won out on a very old but very effective piece of strategy. He swung just a trifle wide of his marker, Wetherill, whose hesitancy in downing his man gave Dodds just that fraction of a second’s play in which to enable Brisbane to be drawn out of position. A long, swift transfer to McKenzie completed the move, and the damage was done. The South was unfortunate to lose Townsend at half-time, and New Zealand as a whole was doubly unfortunate when INI. O’Brien, the best rucking forward on the field, broke a bone in his leg. This regrettable but purely accidental occurrence took place in the dying stages of play, just when O’Brien had made a tremendous solo burst from mid-field. which definitely stamped him as a certainty for the New Zealand team.

The South Island played a style of game which, to be perfectly candid, may win some matches, but which was not in the best interests of the big tour ahead. The spoiling tactics of the Southerners did not permit of passing combination on an extended front, and it seemed to many that Eckhoff was permitted too much lati- * tude. GREAT FORWARDS Apart from that, the South Island captain was one of the outstanding players of the match. He tackled in deadls* fashion, and his strong, resolute play was an inspiration to his team O’Brien has already been referred to. It is sufficient to say that these two were supported by a great pack of workers, always on the ball, and triers to the last second of the game. Calder’s fine try at the finish was an example of tb s. Dobbs and Griffiths also did well. Apart from Eckhoff’s abnormal effectiveness as wing-forward, Amos and Dodds were the king-pins of the Southern backs. Amos was magnificent on defence, but not so effective on attack. Dodds, however, made up for this by several splendid dashes, and he proved a very tough handful for even such an experienced player as Wetherill. Pearce showed great pace on the wing, and McKenzie, too, did well on attack. Palamountain put tip a highly creditable performance at fullback. S. Clark gave a great all-round display in the North Island pack. He pulled his weight in the tight, and was outstanding in the loose by his breakaway dashep and his fine following up. A. Clarke scored a brilliant try, and played a good, sound game. He would have been more use than Timms out in the open. It was scarcely fair to judge the latter on his play in a position for which he was not suited. Stephenson and Trautvetter proved themselves a pair of hard grafters, and Menzies showed that he is still a fine forward. The North’s inside backs did not go well together. This was one -of the chief reasons why the North did not win the match. If Shortland was still suffering from injuries, he would have been better off if he had not taken the field. He appeared in a subdued light throughout. Meyer did not come up to expectations. He was subjected to a very severe test, and he seemed to crack up toward the close, sending out ■ a number of wild passes. He made one good run near the end of the game. Wetherill did many good things, .and quite a lot of bad ones. lie is a hard man to play up to at any time. Brisbane was easily the best back. He was solid and reliable, and was a constant danger to the opposition, which never knew the moment he might cut loose. Neither Tittleton nor Perry got many opportunities, but both played good, solid games. Duftv's play is difficult to sum up. Ho started slowly, and then in the second spell he ran into a streak of extreme bril’ianco. his goal and linekicking making him one of the outstanding players of the match up to that stage. But he disclosed flaws in his play toward the end. appearing to lack condition, and the ability to get into position quickly for a tackle. Peering register:—North Island: Tries by Brisbane (2). A. Clarke and Timms, five goals by Dufty. 22 points. Pouth Island: Trie.s by O'Brien. McKenzie. Pearce and Cnlder. throe goals by Pearce and two by Eckhoff, 22 points.