SENIOR GRADE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 212, 23 June 1950, Page 5

SENIOR GRADE

FOOTBALL

POINTS TO DATE With the second matches in the second round of Ashburton Rugby Union’s senior grade to be played tomorrow, the competition is still at an interesting stage, with - only one team (Celtic) undefeated. However, this team has had some close calls, and cannot be said to have control, as they had two draws, one with the second team Methven 3-all, and the other with the second to last team, Hampstead, which has shown an allround improvement in general play since its first game in the senior grade. Celtic’s most impressive win to date was the defeat of Old Boys in the second match of the season by 15-3. Technical Old. Boys have not produced their true' form as yet, and are equal in third position with Allenton, who have played solidly without being spectacular. It is a recognised fact that T. 0.8. forward pack is one of the strongest, if not the strongest, in the competition, and. if the backline could function more smoothly, they would be a difficult combination to beat. Last year’s winners, Rakaia, have failed to reveal the combination which earned them the supremacy last year. For the first time for many years, the Old Boys team is at the bottom of the ladder, which is very surprising, when it is considered that the backline is perhaps the speediest in the competition. However, due to injuries, the team has had to be reshuffled, ■and this has caused a lack of combination. With a bit more luck this team may have won one or two games, but there is still ample opportunity for this team, along with other bottom teams, to climb nearer to the top. The points are : Celtic 6, Methven 51, Tech. 0.8. 4, Allenton 4, Rakaia 3, Hampstead IS, Old Boys 0. The evenness of most matches can be gauged from the fact that 'most points during the season have been scored by the fifth team Rakaia, which has aggregated/ 64 points to date. Strangely enough, the bottom team, Old Boys, have scored the next highest total, 54, with Allenton next, having scored 51 points. Rather surprising is Celtic’s position, second to last, with 45 points, the bottom team, Hampstead having played orle game less than the others and scoring 40 points. Methven and Technical Old Boys have both scored 47 points during the season. An unusual feature of the junior competition is that four country teams are leading. Points in this grade are: Methven 7, Rakaia 61, Hinds 61, M’ayfield 5, Tech 0.8. 31, Celtic 3, Old Boys 2, Tinwald 11, Allenton 1. Positions in other grades to date are*. Third grade—Celtic •7, Methven 7, High School 6, Tech. 0.8. 5, Hinds 3, Rakaia 2, Allenton 1. Fourth grade—Technical A 7, Rakaia 5, Methven 5, High School 3, Allenton 3, Technical B 0. Fifth grade—Methven D.H.S. 3, High School 3, Rakaia 2, Technical 2. Primary 0. Sixth grade—Methven D.H.S. 3. West 2, Rakaia 1, East 0.