BRIGHT TRIAL GAME

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

BRIGHT TRIAL GAME

POSSIBLES V. PROBABLES Quite a bright display of the code was witnessed at Car law Park on Satuhrday in the Possibles v. Probables match, arranged to assist the New Zealand selectors in choosing this season’s All Black side for Australia. T ial games seldom lack fine Individual efforts, but with them, team play, as a rule, is quite a lost art. and spectators find difficulty in rousing enthusiasm oven though both sides may consist: - f crack exponents. Saturday’s game, however, was a little more sweetly flavoured, and it proved a most suitable forerunner to the inter-island clash. ITobablcs managed a decisive vicB tory by 22 points to 8. but really that H fact has least at all to do with the game. It was a test of the merits ol* individuals and not teams, and an interesting touch was to witness two

sides in action, made up of an accumulation of players from North and South Auckland. West Coast, Otago, Wellington. and the various City clubs. One notable feature was the tine hooking of Stevens (Probables), against Pascoe, and this undoubtedly proved one of the deciding factors in the game. D. Simons, the old Shore player, who now resides in Wellington, made a good showing with.his magnificent linckicks, which earned him much applause, but he spoiled his play by being easily bustled. O’Leary and Seagar, amon£: the rearguarders for Possibles, were sound, the latter proving a rival to Simons with his kicking. Tim Peekliam was watched closely uy the opposition, and certainly did not get away with as much as he does in

ordinary club games,, while Riley, the Ponsonby back, proved himself to oe a heady and clever player. “Pope 1 ' Gregory was a shiner and had good support at centre in Paki, of South Auckland. W'atene, on the wing, played with all of his characteristic neatness, but possibly did not do as well as he would have done at fullback. His kicking was unreliable. Among the forwards. Barchard, the young but solid City forward, worked like a Trojan throughout and earned a good name. Fagan did well, while Francis, who was only seen in action during the second spell, played with all of his usual dash and scored a good try.