RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 238, 21 July 1941, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

RAKAIA LEAD COMPETITION.

HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS BEATEN

With only/ one more Saturday’s play in the senior competition of the Ashburton Rugby Union, Rakaia are one point ahead of Old Boys. This position has been brought about by the surprise defeat of High School Old Boys at tlfe hands of Technical Old Boys. High School Old Boys (last year’s champions) wore before Saturday level with,- Rakaia at the top of the senior competition.

Playing much-improved football and showing unrelaxing vigour, Technical Old Boys were unlucky in not beating High School Old Boys by a bigger margin than 8-5. Repeatedly they missed tries and kicks at goal by the very narrowest of margins. At Methven, Rakaia defeated the borne team by 18-3. In the second half, the visitors established a commanding lead. Results At a Glance. Senior Grade — Technical Old Boys 8, Old Boys 5. i Rakaia IS, Methven 3. Junior Grade— Technical Old Boys 26, Mount Somers 0. Celtic 10, Hinds 8. Third Grade— Mayfield beat Celtic by default Methven 34, Technical Old Boys 3. Tinwald 9, Old Boys 5. Fourth Grade— High School A 6, Technical Old Bovs 6. Technical 3, Methven 0. Rakaia 9, High School B 3. Fifth GradeTechnical A 15, Primary Schools 3. High School 43, Technical B 0 SENIOR GRADE OLD BOYS GO DOWN. Old Boys were opposed on Saturday by a team that fought every inch of the way and had Technical Old Boys possessed more finish and combination

as well as a little more luck the margin by which they defeated last year’s champion side would not have been a narrow three points, but quite three times as great. The result of this match has an important bearing on the senior competition for Rakaia takes the lead, one point ahead of Old Boys.

While lacking in brilliance and combination, Saturday’s struggle did. not lack excitement. With a single point separating the teams, for • the major part of the second half both sides were straining every nerve to attain the ascendancy. Time and time again in the first half the Technical pack swarmed over the Old Boys line to miss scoring by hair-breadtli margins and kicks at goal by inches. For Technical it. was an unlucky half.

The Old Boys forwards commanded a fair share of the ball and while the black backs showed more combination than their opponents they failed completely to find a loophole in the defence. More than once the Old Boys forwards heeled and D. White sent the ball out along the backs to the speedy winger, S. Lemon. Lemon bore down at top-speed, but every time he was grounded hard. M. Chilton, who was marking Lemon, played a sterling game tackling hard and low. His. contribution to Technical’s win was important for a weak man in his position would have allowed Lemon to '( fly through. The hard tackling of he and other team mates constantly brought Old Boys to a standstill. While Chilton was the pick of the Technical backs, A. Sutton, at fullback is worthy of commendation. He was very sound, his handling and kicking being of a good standard. On one occasion he fielded the ball near his own line, evaded several of the opposing men and put the ball out at half-way. T. Cates, who potted the goal that decided the match, was a useful man, as was also J. Quaid. Although constantly grounded S. Lemon showed more dash and determination that any of the other Old Boys backs. N. Hawke was an untiring worker in the Technical pack while for Old Boys A Mathieson played an invaluable game in the loose. The Play. Technical Old Boys attacked from the opening whistle and early in the game were unfortunate when L. Mair narrowly missed with a penalty kick and a minute or two later a pot at goal just failed. Every Old Boy iback handled in a bright movement that saw the blacks on the offensive, hut S. Lemon, the winger, was grounded hard on. the 25-yard line. Lemon shortly after penetrated right to the Technical line, to be met with a.similar fate. From play about the Old Boys twenty-five, L, Muir opened the scoring with a neat field goal. Technical Old Boys 4, Old Boys 0.

Technical Old Boys went very near to scoring on several occasions in the remainder of the half, and Old Boys had to force twice in quick succession. Whenever Old Boys broke through, dogged tackling prevented them from making any substantial progress. The score was unchanged at half-time, L. Muir missing a comparatively easy penalty kick just before the interval.

Old Boys swept to the attack from the start of the second half, but once more S. Lemon met his match in M. Qhilton, and J. Quaid broke through fast to clear for Technical. Old Boys went into the lead when Gt. Eyles made an opening for A. Mathieson, who went over to score in a handy position. C. Campbell converted, giving/Old Boys 5, Technical Old Boys 4. Both sides put every ounce of vigour they had into the game from this stage, and Technical Old Boys put the issue beyond doubt when, with only a few minutes to go, T. Catos put over a good field goal. The final score was: Technical Old Boys 8, Old Boys 5. Mr C. McKenzie was the referee.

ANOTHER WIN FOR RAKAIA. Further evidence of the strength of the Rakaia seniors was given on Saturday when they decisively beat Methven playing at Methven, by 18 points to 3. The home team put up a surprisingly good fight in the first-halt of the match when the pack, although decidedly lighter than Rakaia, obtained a large share of the ball from scrums. When Rakaia settled down, however, they wbre on top for the remainder of the game. I. Belirns played a most impressive game for Rakaia in flic five-eighths line, his kicking being of a high stand-' ard. In the visiting forwards, Shannon played a solid game while in the home pack Brooker, an old stalwart, was well to the fore. E. Newman at full-back for Methven extricated the team from some nasty positions, and P. O’Reilly, at first five-eighths was often in the picture. Methven opened the scoring when P. O’Reilly gained possession from a scrum on the Rakaia 25-yard line and sent in to W. Middleton who cut out two opponents and touched down in a handy position. The kick failed. Rakaia retaliated and after Belirns made an opening the ball passed along the yisiting backs for 0. McLachlan to go over in the corner. Behrnes put over a very difficult kick. Rakaia 5, Methven 3. Soon after the start of the second half Methven were penalised and Behrnes made sure of the kick. A spectacular run from just outside the Methven 25 saw Behrnes add three more points. He converted his own try from right in front of the goal mouth., Rakaia 13, Methven 3. Loose play in the Methven 25 gave 0. Oomie an opportunity to snatch up the ball and go over to score. Behrnes once more converted, making the final score: Rakaia 18, Methven 3. Methven rallied in the closing minutes of play,, but their efforts were without success. Mr H. E. Cook controlled the nlatch.