FOOTBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 June 1938, Page 5

FOOTBALL

inTer-island match. EASY WIN FOR SOUTH. SUPERIOR IN ABILITY AND TEAM WORK.| (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. June 12. Taking complete charge in the first spell, the South Island Rugby football team scored an easy win over the North Island,223,3 —3, in the annual match, played at Athletic Park, Wellington, on Saturday. South scored six tries, five in the first half; one was converted, and three more points came from a penalty goal. North scored a penalty goal. The mastery of the South team in nearly every department came as a surprise to the 10,000 spectators, who expected a more even game, not only because both teams looked well on paper, but because the playing conditions promised to preclude high scoring. But the southerners proved far superior in football ability anc team work and their splendid control of the ball overcame the difficult conditions. It was a game in which new reputations were built and others slumped; but a satisfying result was that form was revealed well above that shown by the same players when they represented New Zealand last year. There was heavy rain for five minutes at the end of the first half. There was no wind, however, throughout the game. The result woult have been no different a a dry ground, except that South s winning margin might have been greater. Splendid control of the wet ball, superior team work, and far greatei enterprise were the main factors in South’s win, and they applied both forward and back. The forwards looked more like All Blacks as the teams lined out behind Sullivan and Mitchell, and so it proved. All big men, they moved surprisingly fast. They won more scrums and rucks, and sometimes pushed' North right off the ball. In Wynyard, Bowman and McKenzie the North Island had three tall and experienced line-out men, and in this department North were superior. Most of the advantage was lost, however, because the ball was too slippery to take cleanly or get back quickly to the rearguard. Sometimes it lolled about among the upstretched hands. Team work by big, fast forwards in the loose is regarded as typical New Zealand Rugby. The South pack produced such movements, but the North forwards failed to move together. For that reason, as a pack they appeared sluggish by comparison. The difference was that the South pack was nevermore than a yard behind its leader; the North was usually far behind. King, for the South Island, played the sort of ganre that earned him the All Black captaincy last year, and not far behind were Milliken and Williams. These three were the foundation of a fine pack—all have developed since last year. In the line-outs they matched the tall northerners, out-pushed them in the tight, and quite overshadowed them in the loose. No less credit is due to Parkhill and Quaid, both of whom played at top form. The former began many dangerous attacks, and the speed with which the latter arrived to finishoff a number of movements was an eyeopener. It was typical of the South forwards’ team work that, after Saxton had cut through from a scrum, three forwards, Williams, Parkhill and Quaid, should finish the movement that gave the third try. McDonald, the big Marlborough forward, thoroughly earned his selection. His speed was surprising, and his weight invaluable. Mason and George must not be passed over. Both went well in the front row, although in the loose George was more prominent. In hunting as a pack, and in controlling the ball with hand or foot, the

North pack was greatly inferior. They rushed to the attack from the kick-off, but from then until the final quarter South made most of the running. Toward the end the North forwards made the game tighter and gave the backs a number of opportunities. The teams took the field as follows:— North Island:— Fullback: R. Masters (North Auckland). Three-quarters: J. Dick (Auckland), J. L. Sullivan (Taranaki), W. J. Phillips (King Country). Five-eighths: K. Cameron (King Country), C. A. Crossman (King Country), Half-back: L. T. Russell (Waikato). Front-row forwards: E. S. Jackson (Hawke’s Bay), D. Dalton (Hawke’s Bay), T. Pearce (Auckland). Middlerow forwards: J. G. Wynyard (Waikato), A. W. Bowman (Hawke’s Bay), R. McKenzie (Manawatu), T. Lockington (Auckland). Back-row forward: W. Carson (Auckland). South Island: —Full back: J. M. Taylor (Otago). Three-quarters: T. C. Morrison (South Canterbury), A. W. Wesney (Southland), N. A. Mitchell (Otago). Half-back: C. K. Saxton (South Canterbury). Front-row forwards: L. George (Southland), C. E. Quaid (Otago). G. Mason (Buller). Middle-row .forwards: C. W. Williams (Canterbury), R. R. King, West Coast), H. Milliken (Canterbury), M. McDonald (Marlborough). Back-row forward: A. A. Parkhill (Otago). The referee was Mr J. A. Wilson, Wellington. In the first spell Berghan, Morrison (2), Quaid (converted by Wesney), and Roberts scored tries for the South and Wesney kicked a penalty goal. For the North, Masters kicked a penalty goal. In the second spell Mitchell scored a try for the South Island while the North failed to add to their score. IN OTHER CENTRES. Auckland: Grafton 6, Grammar 3; Ponsonby 8, University 0; Manukau 8, Otahuhu 3; North Shore 3, Marist 3. Christchurch: Old Boys 15, Albion 3; Sunnyside 12, Merivale 8; Air Force 3, Christchurch 0; Sydenham 10. Varsity 3; Athletic 22, Technical 9. Manawatu: Kia Toa 12, St. Patrick’s 0; Massey College 8, Old Boys 8; United 9, Feilding 8. Wanganui: Wanganui Old Boys 9, Marist 6; Kaierau 13, Technical Old Boys 4. Hawke’s Bay: Maori Agricultural College 14, Marist Brothers Old Boys 13; Hastings 18. Havelock North 0; Hastings High School Old Boys, 13, Celtic 12; Pirates 14, Napier High School Old'Boys 0. BULLER BEATS MARLBOROUGH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) BLENHEIM, June 11. The Marlborough Rugby Union celebrated its golden jubilee today, the principal attraction being a representative match in which Buller beat Marlborough by 16 points to 9. WIN FOR SOUTHLAND. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, June 11. The Southland Rugby team beat Bay of 'Plenty in- its -first representative match of the season today by 5 points to 3. The weather was showery and the ground heavy. INTER=STATE GAMES N.S.W. TEAMS VICTORIOUS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. SYDNEY, June 12. ■, Two inter-State Rugby Union football matches were played in Sydney on Saturday. ■'New South Wales beat Queensland 11 — 6 and New South. Wales beat Victoria 14—12. Two more inter-State games will be played on Monday, the King’s Birthday holiday, to prepare for the All Blacks’ visit.