Nelson, Wanganui Finalists In Quadrangular Tourney

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28981, 24 August 1959, Page 14

Nelson, Wanganui Finalists In Quadrangular Tourney

•’The Press'' Special Service

WELLINGTON. Aug. 23. Nelson College and the Wanganui Collegiate School on Saturday easily qualified for the final of the annual quadrangular Rugby tournament, which will be played at Wellington College today. .. _ _ „ Nelson crushed Wellington College, 17-3, and Wanganui beat Christ’s College, 33-3. Saturday’s games were played in ideal conditions before a large crowd. . _ - Supporters may be expected to favour Nelson on Saturday’s form. A rugged pack and fairly capable backs could prove too much for Wanganui, who may have difficulty in giving their robust bacta the chances they enjoyed against Christ s College. _ , These same finalists played a drawn game in last year’s final at Wanganui Nelson lead the tournament tallies with nine wins, Christs College and Wellington have seven, and Wanganui four. ....... Wellington College, which did better against Nelson than the score would indicate, may be expected to

side-step the wooden spoon and leave it to Christ’s College. Wanganui raked a spiritless Christ’s College team fore and aft in the first spell of Saturday's cur-tain-raiser. Second five-eighths, A. G. Dasent, swept through for a try. and a back-row man, C. J. Pope, got round the side of a scrum for a second try. to give the all whites a half-time lead of 6-0. Weak Defence

The black and white’s forwards battled back, but their good work was undone by weak defence in the five-eighths. Hardly a hand was laid on Wanganui first five-eighths, M. Wright, when he cut through in set play for a try. Winger R. Wake converted to give the whites an 11-0 lead.

Christ’s College forwards were not deterred. They took charge in the last 20 minutes and inspired their backs to attack. Christ's College obtained an unconverted try when Wanganui failed to clear a crosskick to the left wing. Centre P. R. Black was the scorer.

Only one try figured in the 11 points Nelson had on the board at half-time, and that was an opportunist effort by Nelson centre, E. W Hewett, who gathered a ball fullback P. E. Neal passed over the head of the Wellington left wing, L. Tone. Full-back T. J. Morris converted the ’ try and kicked two penalties—one for an incident in the scrum tunnel before the ball had even been produced. Nelson’s Morris was the goal-kicker of the day, but Wellington’s No. 8, B. W. Winefield, landed a fine goal to draw his side level at 3-3. It was Wellington's last score. Wore Down Forwards

Nelson wore Wellington down in the forwards In the second spell. After a fine forward passing rush, Nelson used their backs, and leftwing M. K. J. Robinson touched down in the corner The Nelson forwards answered their supporters’ call for an encore. Again they fed their backs, got to the ball when the movement broke down near the line, rucked and provided half-back, A. L. Birks, with the ball and send first five-eighths, C. S. Hogg, in on the blind side. After full-back P. E. Neal—who was the best back on the ground—first five-eighths K. N. Sturrock was the soundest of the Wellington rearguard. But' the black backs never really clicked. The side’s captain and centre, the smallish I. N. Uttley, suffering from influenza was well tackled by his marker. Hewitt. Uttley had little drive till toward the end, when he nearly had Wellington through on two occasions.

Careless handling let the Nelson) backs down. They seldom did better than Wellington’s rearguard In the set movements, though they always! looked capable of better things. j