RUGBY LEAGUE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27435, 23 August 1954, Page 9

RUGBY LEAGUE

SYDENHAM WINS CHAMPIONSHIP TWO-POINT LEAD FROM HORNBY The Canterbury Rugby League’s! championship was concluded oh Saturady. It was won by Sydenham, Which convincingly beat Papanui. Hornby finished in front in the Viviaii Cup series, but still has to play off with Sydenham, which holds the cup. Sydenham has played consistently good football throughout the season, scoring 246 points and having only 65 scored against it. Saturday’s results were: Sydenham 3t, Papanui C Hornby 14, Marist 5. Linwood 11, Woolston 7. Championship points are:—Sydenham 20, Hornby 18, * Linwood 12, Papanui 12, Marist 9, Woolston 7, Christchurch 6. .Vivian Cup points are:—Hornby 10, Sydenham 8, Linwood 6, Woolston 6, Papanui 4, Marist 4, Christchurch 4. HORNBY v. MARIST The main game at the Show Grounds resulted in a win for Hornby, which beat Marist by 14 points to 5. The game did not at any stage reach any great heights, many handling mistakes being made by both sides. Hornby did not at apy stage seme likely to be beaten. Its combination and better team-work gave it the edge on Marist throughout. Marist made many psomiSing attacks, but they generally lacked finish. Hornby also did not produce its best form, and showed a lack of combined play. Most of the movements were individual, with players going too far on their own with supports outside them.

A pleasing feature of the game was the good form shown by some of the younger players on both sides. The two Courtneys, Tongue, and Lumsden for Hornby, and Mulcare, Moore, and B. Curtain in the Marist side, all played very promisingly.

G. and D. Neimah, C. Courtney, Tongue, and Tod were the most prominent backs for Hornby, with the pack being well led by Rutherford, Lumsden, and Tilson. The Marist back-line was a little disjointed, as some of the regular players were absent. Johnstone, Shaw, and Harris played well. The Marist forwards gave a much improved display and Were always led by Moore, a much-improved player, and Mulcare. They were well supported by Merce\ and Middleton.

Soon after the start, Hornby attacked, the ball going out, to G. Neiman, who cut through and went over for a good try, which he also converted. Hornby kept up the attack, and D. Neiman was the next scorer, going over wide out for an unconverted try. Although Marist did its share of attacking, it failed to finish off promising movements. Shortly after the start of the second spell, Hornby went further ahead when B. Woodgate bullocked his way across after loose play on the Marist line. The next try went to McSeveney, who received the ball on his own wing and ran right round the opposition to touch down in the opposite corxTowards the end of the game, Marist scored a well-deserved try after fine work by Mulcare and Moore. Hislop was on the spot to snap up the ball andHa?ris° The tfy WaS conve r te d by Referee: Mr W. Wilkinson. LINWOOD v. WOOLSTON At the Show Grounds a depleted Woolston team offered strong opposition to Linwood before it was beaten by 10 points J? not untll the second spell that Woolston fielded a full side, but its hard tackling and unorthodox attacks kept Linwood working hard for a time. However, the combination of the Linwood backs finally put the side in charge'of the game, which altogether was a rather disappointing finish to the season. ,t rie . 8 were scored by R. Wilson and M. Carlyle (2). Wilson converted one try- G. Pitcher scored a try for Woolston, and J. Sewell 'and G. Churcher kicked penalty goals. Referee: Mr V. Warr. SYDENHAM v. PAPANUI Down- 6-0 at half-time, Sydenham recovered to beat Papanui by 32 points to 6 in the first game at the Show Grounds, defended strongly in the first half, but found the rejuvenated Sydenham attacks in the second impossible to contain.

, J - T'nning s handling at full-back suffered by comparison with that of his Sydenham opposite, D. Gardiner, who alio punted well tor gaps in the Papanui defence. Among the Papanui" backs. P. o Rourke made several determined runs, R. Marsh by his tackling broke down sevnral promising Sydenham attacks, and E. Griffiths was unlucky not to have more chances to show his penetration. B. Campbell, at half-back, played very steadily. The Papanui forwards played well against their more experienced opponents. K. Pearce and R. Kenneth dewell 3bly ’ ™ d J ' Bond led th< 1“ elt The Sydenham backs, in addition to their speed, had the combination to Use oPPort un ,iUM they were-given by T Kilkelly’s hooking. J. Guy. P. Yaxley, p. Williams, and R. Clarke all impressed by their strong running and combined play. Sydenham also had livelyforwards to complement its clever backs, tout tries being scored by the Sydenham forwards. J. Butterfield, R. Turton, and J. Beale often took part in snappy combined movements with their insidd backs, and T. Kilkelly and I. Pimley worked hard in tight play. Bond scored the first points with a penalty goal for Papanui. After several Sydenham attacks had failed, Bond kicked another goal from yards out. Campbell, just before half-time, kicked another goal for Papanui. On the resumption of play Sydenham launched several fast back movements and then a rush by the Sydenham forwards gave Turton a try, which was not converted. Turton made ground before sending the ball in-field, where it went along the back line to Yaxley, who scored. Pimley then scored under the posts after a passing rush among the Sydenham forwards and backs, and Gardiner converted. Sydenham then dominated play, and five tries were scored in fairly quick succession, the Papanui defence being left completely at a loss. For Sydenham. Yaxley (2), Turton. Pimley, Beales, Williams, Parkes, and Butterfield scored tries, Gardiner converting four of them. Papanui’s points came from two penalty goals by Bond-and one by Campbell. Referee: Mr C. Hills.