THREE COACHES PLAY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 14

THREE COACHES PLAY

Matches At Rugby Park The coaches of three senior Rugby teams played in matches at Rugby Park on Saturday. In the first match, the Marist coach, the former South Island and Otago representative, K. J. O'Connor, locked in the forwards for the whole game and his weight was a welcome addition.

Belfast, the opposing teain, had several of those listed as reserves playing in the side from the beginning. When a wing three-quarters, P. Martlew left the field injured, M. Frost, a forward, went into the backs and the team’s coach. E. Brown, joined the forwards. Then, in the main game, Merivale suffered heavily through injuries in the later stages. Both breakaway forwards, J. Jardine and M. Bourne, left the field and were replaced, and when the halfback, R. Watson, received a knock, he moved to full-back, with the full-back. T. Gallagher, going into the five-eighths and R Wilson playing at half-back. Watson was even more shaken when he made a tackle a few minutes later. He left the field and the coach. D. Doake, a former Canterbury full-back and coach of the K-Force team in Japan, went to full-back.

SCHOOL GAME St. Bede’s And Xavier Draw

Xavier College, in its first year in the secondary schools’ competition, drew with St. Bede's College, 6-all in a very close and sometimes dour match at Wilson’s road on Saturday.

Nearly all the worthwhile movements took place in the second spell. The first half, with both sides struggling to find combination and hampered by close marking and poor handling, made little impression. After half-time the game came to life and both sides produced some enterprising movements. The teams were:—

Xavier College:. B. Hawkins; J. Harnett. P. Doig, B. Forman; K. McMenamin, L. Price; B. Graham; P. Alexandre; L. Smith, W. Southon, J. O’Connor, B. Kilpatrick; G. Lane, B. Loftus, K. Marryatt. St. Bede's College: O. C. Dyer; J. B. Graham, D. W. Gledhill, B. F. O'Sullivan; J. M. Thomas, R. G. Jefferson; J. G. Clarkson; M. J. Hanham; D. D. Wilson, B. J. Collins, H. L. Morley, M. J. Foley; K. B. Wilkins, P. J. Mannix, K. J. Stone. In the first few minutes of the game, Thomas was injured and was replaced by E. J. Hobbs. St. Bede’s College did much of the attacking in the first 10 minutes and subjected the Xavier College fullback, Hawkins, to moments of hectic pressure. He made one mistake in this spell, but it was his only one and for the rest of the match he gave an excellent display.

Xavier College was also well served by a wily half-back. Graham, who used his considerable skill in keeping St. Bede’s College from scoring. As the half progressed the Xavier College forwards, shorter and perhaos a little lighter, had more success than they should have had in the lineout and Graham fed his backs quickly. St. Bede's College was well on the defensive and after several determined assaults Hawkins appeared outside his three-ouarters and scored easily in the corner. It was the only try of the match and it says much for the defence of both sides that the numerous movements in the second spell .failed to to bring further points. After their early lifeless efforts the St. Bede’s College forwards dominated play for three parts of the second half, but a ruthless defence and two efficient loose forwards. Alexandre and Kilpatrick, kept the attackers out. even if several of them were bundled into touch or tackled on the goal-line.

The St. Bede’s College backs were faster, but their handling was not sure. The five-eighths. Jefferson and Graham, received so much attention from the loose forwards, who stood well out from the line-outs, and the opposing second five-eighths. McMenamin. who stood in line with his scrum, that they either had to kick or be tackled with the ball. The left wing three-quarters, O’Sullivan. had few chances, but in the dying stages he made several penetrating runs along the sideline, and only a valiant tackle by Hawkins prevented a try. The centre threequarters. Gledhill, the fastest on the field, could rarely use hfs speed, but his kick at goal a few yards inside half-way and well angled, was a brilliant effort in the dying stages. ,In tii« Xavier College forwardi,

Lo p tus hooked we’l. and Marrvat* and Lane showed co rr ”'ner»d* K le energy in the The locks. O’Connor and Southon. did well in the I’uonuts in suite of their lack o* height. qn-,o most si’ocoss e iil lineout forward for St Bade’s College, in th** second s* > **lL was Hanh-uv*.

”-br» showed n profic’oncv bpvond his years. Collins’ and Morley gave him good assistance in fus department. Mnnnix was enod and nN-tremelv ru e " , ed. and Wilkins v-nre himse’f nut wit’* strenuous efforts and le f t the field a few minutes before time.

For St. Bede’s College. Gledhi’l and Jefferson kicked nenaltv goals and for Xavier College. Hawkins kicked a penalty goal and scored a try. The referee was Mr R. E. G. Cameron