Lions' Visit To Gisborne Was A Memorable One

One thing about the Lions' visit is for sure....it will be a long time before any of the 15,000 spectators who saw the match at Rugby Park see a better or more exciting one. The Poverty Bay-East Coast team lost the game by 23 points to to 14, but they won the admiration and acclaim of all present and became famous overnight as the team "which cut the Lions down to size". Given a little more luck, victory could have been within their grasp. Their magnificent forward pack, led by Alan Rowlands, and trained in the final stages by Richard White, demonstrated to the rest of New Zealand that the Lions could be subdued. Their success made headline news throughout the country. "No doubt which was the better team in the second half"...."Gave the tourists the hardest testing they have had anywhere to date"...."Lions pack wilted under relentless pressure" --these were some of the national press comments after the game.

The Lions arrived on Monday after their runaway victory against Hawkes Bay. On Monday night they were guests of the Rugby Union at a buffet dinner at the park. Wednesday morning they attended a shearing demonstration by Godfrey Bowen (see next issue of "Photo News"). Wednesday was overcast, with almost no wind--ideal weather for football but not for photographers--and so the game was not spoiled by the lowering sun at Rugby Park. Wednesday night there was a cabaret, and on Thursday morning the visitors left for Auckland by special plane.

Big crowd gathered at railway station to welcome Visitors

At the buffet dinner, Lions obliged with a song

A dangerous moment in the first spell which shows a good line-up of forwards on both sides. As Millar gets rid of the ball from a tackle, Karaka is on hand to pick up and get in a clearing kick.

Mulligan, the Lions' half, went almost straight into the game at the end of a 12,000 mile air trip from home. He was flown out as a replacement because of injuries suffered by the Lions in Australia. Here he is, still flying.

After the match, Lions captain Dawson commented: "We enjoyed the game and were pleased to scrape through with a win against the very spirited play of the Combined team".

(Note: Some additional pictures relating to the Lions' visit to Gisborne will be included in the next issue of "Photo News".)

Marques and Green try for the ball in a line-out, but by the look of things here, Rickard will gain possession.

Reedy and Thomas collide as Watson takes Waddell (with the ball) from behind. While it lasted, the snappy back play of the Lions was a pleasure to watch.

The scorers in the game were: For the Lions: Price, two tries; O'Reilly, two tries; Thomas, one try; Davies, one conversion, two penalties. For Combined: Reedy, two tries; L. Karaka, one try; S. Rutene, penalty; K. Karaka, conversion.

O'Reilly, Karaka and Price in a piece of play in front of the grandstand.

The Lions full-back, T. E. Davies, from Wales, played a sterling game. But for him the Combined team's score would have been much higher. He was the best of the British backs on defence.

The tension was on when this shot was taken as Hooper, surrounded by forwards of both teams, tries to clear in front of the goal posts.

Price scored three very classy tries in the first spell, and O'Reilly was away several times, all of which led spectators to think that they were going to see the fabled Lions backs really turn on the kind of Rugby, which Napier saw.

But the local boys soon showed that backs can be only as good as the opposition will allow.

Karaka's memorable bundling of O'Reilly into touch right on the goal-line is illustrated in the three pictures above.

Johnson made a marvellous job of marking the dangerous O'Reilly and bringing hint to earth. The Lion winger came some mighty croppers.

These two pictures further demonstrate how completely the sparkle was taken out of the British backs. Again they both feature O'Reilly and Johnson.

Follows in sequence after the remarkable shot on Page One of this supplement, with O'Reilly and Johnson on the ground.

Green and Marques clash for ball in line-out.

Two shots showing the Lions back in action

Tuta Taare gets the ball from the scrum--a first spell picture.

In this picture, taken late in the second spell, both sets of forwards are showing the strain of hard-fought game. But British forwards were feeling it most. Lions pack included some big men. Williams is 6ft 3in, weighs 16st 41b; Marques is 6ft 5in, weighs 15st 71b.

It was a great day for the locals. As the game progressed, it became obvious that the pattern of play was going to be different from the Springbok game, when the visitors overran the home team in the second spell. The later stages of this game showed P.B.-E.C. fighting back and gaining supremacy over their illustrious opponents. Best game ever seen on Rugby Park was the general verdict.