RUGBY LEAGUE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26510, 27 August 1951, Page 8

RUGBY LEAGUE

SYDENHAM BEATEN BY HORNBY LINWOOD LEADING BY ONE POINT With Linwood leading Hornby by only one point with one more game to play th« Rugby League championship is still very open. Linwoed has still to meet Papanui. Hornby has one of the lower teams. Addington, to play. . Results were:— Hornby 23, Sydenham 8. Riccarton 22, Papanui 18. Linwood 21, Christchurch 12,. Addington 13, Prebbleton 2. Championship points are: Linwood 22, Hornby 21, Riccarton 14, Sydenham 12, Papanui 12, Prebbleton 11, Addington 8, Christchurch 4. HORNBY v. SYDENHAM In what promised to be an even game, Hornby had an easy win over Sydenham by 25 points to 8 in the main game at the Show Grounds. Hornby owed its win to the fine display of the forwards, who. besides winning the ball from the scrums, endeavoured at all times to open the game up tor their backs. On the other hand the Sydenham forwards, who generally excel in this aspect of the game, attempted barging through. Against the solid tackling of Hornby these attempts failed to gain ground, and it was surprising to see them persevered with. Except for individual bursts, the back play of both sides was rather disappointing. The Sydenham back line, although seeing little of the ball from set scrums, combined much better than did their opponents, but much of their passing went across-field, due to the solid tackling and cover defence of both Hornby’s backs and forwards. Another fault of the Sydenham players was their half-hearted tackling. Their reluctance to go low was taken full advantage of by opponents who at times burst through at will to gain much valuable ground. Well served by Kibblewhite behind the scrum, the Hornby backs, however, did not settle down to a happy combination, and most of their play was individual. A lot of back movements broke down at the second five-eighths, G. Neiman, who attempted too much alone. As usual, K. Henry, at full-back, was a tower of strength with his fine handling, sure tackling, and well-judged kicking. R. Wilson, the Hornby centre, strove hard all through to straighten up the attack and make play for his wingers, Taurua and Robinson, who capped solid displays with a try apiece. . Leaders of a very even and solid Hornby forward pack were Bainbridge, Butts, and Pomare, with Luke, the breakaway, doing a lot of covering work The best all-round Sydenham forward was Pimley, who was the one member of the pack to attempt to open up the play for his backs. Butterfield and Beales spoiled an otherwise solid display by attempting to barge through when supports were waiting for the ball. The Sydenham backs were disorganised when they lost Hill, injured, early in the game, and failed to produce the football they are capable of. Stapley was responsible for all his side’s points with four penalty goals. With a olentiful supply of the ball and the advantage of a stiff breeze, Hornby called the tune in the first spell and led at half-time by 10 points to 2. Pomare : scored two good tries, which he also con- . verted. Stapley kicked a good penalty goal for Sydenham. Sydenham was ex- : pected to show better form in the second ■ spell with the advantage of the wind, but again disappointed, and although Stapley narrowed the margin with three penalties, 1 Hornby soon forged ahead again. Tries 1 by Wilson, Taurua, and Robinson, two of which Henry converted, placed the issue beyond doubt. Referee: Mr K. Cox. RICCARTON V. PAPANUI Riccarton beat Papanui 22-18 in an even match at the Show Grounds. Neither team played good football, but the game was often bright and open. Riccarton scored the first points early in the game. From a scrum near the line C. Bater dived over to score, and M. Turner converted. Papanui attacked strongly, and took play to the Riccarton line. From a ruck the ball came out to . the Papanui first five-eighths, M. Pahi, [■ who jinked his way through half a dozen n players to score in the corner. Riccarton scored soon after when S. Keenan, the " first five-eighths, cut through and ran j from the half-way to touch down under j the posts. Turner converted. Just before ~ half-time Pahi again scored for Papanui. .’ Clinton converted with a good kick. ■; From the kick-off in the second half n Clinton, who played at first five-eighths, . raced through to score under the posts. ” He converted his own try. Riccarton ■ scored immediately after. S. Keenan cut y through and passed to W. Keenan, who s went over for an easy try. Turner coni's verted from out in front. R. Marsh, the y Papanui second five-eighths, intercepted a I; pass on the half-way mark and outpaced I: the opposition to score under the bar. a Clinton converted. Riccarton was awarded d a penalty, and Turner goaled from an easy position. In the last few minutes of d the game Riccarton kept up the attack, !- and S. Keenan intercepted to score by I- the posts. Turner converted. ■r The referee was Mr E. J. Smith.

LINWOOD v. CHRISTCHURCH Linwood staged a good recovery in the last 10 minutes of play to beat Christchurch by 21 points to 12 in the game at Athletic Park. A. McDonald, the Christchurch hooker, gave his backs possession from most of the scrums, but apart from some good breaks by C. Paskell, the five-eighths, they failed to gain much ground. The Christchurch forwards, however, played grand football in the loose. Led by J Crofts, they were always formidable, and repeatedly carried play to Linwood territory. The Linwood back line was eager to open up the game, but had to rely on making thfiir openings from the loose. F. Lees, the centre three-quarters, directed the attack with discretion to give Linwood a lead by 10 points to 0 at the interval. Good work by Crofts and the other Christchurch forwards, assisted by neat kicking by Paskell, early in the second spell, gave the side a lead which it held until within 10 minutes of full time. At this stage Linwood took complete charge of the game to score three excellent tries, two of which went to C. Atkinson, the wing three-quarters. Atkinson showed plenty of speed and determination, and on his recent displays must be a possibility for representative honours. For Linwood, tries were scored by Atkinson (3), T. Ockwell, and L. Knight F Hudson converted two tries and kicked a penalty goal. Tries were scored for Christchurch by Crofts and S. Collins Paskell kicked a penalty, a field goal, and converted a try. The referee was Mr A. Hamburger.

WEST COAST SCHOOLBOYS All West Coast schoolboys are asked to report to Mr Rathburn at 11 a.m. in front of the Cathedral. Advt.

ADDINGTON V. PREBBLETON Prebbleton was heavily outnumbered in Its game with Addington at the Jerrold street reserve, but was not disgraced in defeat. Playing only three men in the scrum, Prebbleton managed to secure a very large share of the ball, but without J. Haig and W. McKenzie in the backs, lacked the aggression to further this advantage. Addington won by 13 points (two goals from tries and a try) to 2 (a penalty goal). The Addington forwards might have been expected to monopolise the ball, but the substitute Addington hooker, G. Lander, was able to get hiS feet to the ball as often as D. Ward has done for Addington in previous matches against fiercer competition than an unsupported front row. In the loose, too, Addington did not have things all their own way, and the only Addington player who impressed in this department was K. Smith. Prebbleton drew first blood when the first five-eighths, I. Beri, kicked an excellent penalty goal just before halftime. and this was the only score in the first spell. D. Henderson, a big Addington forward, scored an excellent try soon after play was resumed. He led a forward rush from half-way. down the centre of the field and crossed under the posts. He converted the try himself. There was no further score until five minutes before full time, when the Addington right wing three-quarters, N. Murray, made a determined 40 yards run to the corner, and passed in to C. Hales, his first five-eighths, who crossed the line in a tackle for a good try. Henderson again converted. Just on full-time Addington attacked again in force, and from a foot raid on the line the Addington breakaway. G_ Westall. dived over for a try 15 yards from the corner. Henderson missed a fairly simple kick. The game ended immediately The referee was Mr H. Williams.

SCHOOLBOYS’ TOURNAMENT ([few Zealand Press Association; HAMILTON, August 25. The South Auckland team, playing good football, had a meritorious win over Wellington by 21 points to 3 in the tins round of the New Zealand Schoolboys League tournament at Huntly yesterday Auckland was far too strong for Taranaki and won by the wide margin of 44 P °Th t e main'game yesterday was the South Island championship match between Canterbury and West Coast, which ended in a draw, neither side scoring.