COLLEGE RIFLES WIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 135, 10 June 1935, Page 12

COLLEGE RIFLES WIN.

A surprise came when Manukau Rovers went down by six points to three before College Rifles in the curtain-raiser on Eden Park No. 1, after a scrambling game which, although vigorous, never reached high standard on either side. In the first half the Kifles forwards played with vigour and' more than held their own with the black pack. Their first score came when Hichardson broke away on the right flank and crossed wide out. The blue forwards continued to press, while the Manukau backs failed to show much penetration. Whenever they indulged in a. passing, rush the ball travelled across, field. Early in the second spell Wales kicked ,a great gonl from jiist inside half-way from a free kick. The Mannkau backs then adopted kick find rush. tactics, as well as working the line, and finally Poulton broke away from a loose: scramble to score after a dash of 40 yards' - For the remainder of. the game play was fairly fast, the Manukau backs play ins better than they had done previously, while the Rifles pack showed that they were by nomeans done, by storming the black line for. the last few minutes of play. •;• Throughout the game the Rifles forwards toiled hard.' In the first spell, particularly, .they. Tvero. winning the ball from a good proportion'of the scrums, while time after time they came away in raking loose rushes which proved veryihard to stop. 'The only department in which they were overshadowed was line-out play,' where the taller Manukau forwards held a marked superiority, of which their backs took advantage in the second half by kicking to the "line time and time again. McDonald Batty and K. Stewart all used their weight in the tight, while Barker and Gregson continually harried 1 the' Manukau backs. Well though the Rifles pack worked, they'-received'.poor support from their rearguard, the inside- backs showing no penetration at any stage of the game. As a result the three-quarter line, Richardson, Wales and Pedrotti, who all showed dash Individually, were starved. Kirk played up to his best form at full-back. . The Manukau pack were not at their, best, although they improved considerably in the second spell, when they gave their backs better service. Constable and Skipper were the most prominent in the loose. Trott and Pepper being the backbone of the vanguard in the tight. It was to.the failure "of their backs to take advantage of several opportunities early in the second spell that Manukau owed tlrolr defeat. In the absence of Heazlewood Berridgo played fiill-bnck, giving a fair display in a strnnge position. However, it is a question whether Mnnukau would not have been better servod had he come to second five-eighths in the second spell' to add some sting to the attack, when Manukau were getting plenty of the ball. Brimble played well at tunes, while McCormick gave only a patchy display and Fulton wns not at his best, with the result that the wings got few opportunities. •