RUGBY Linwood Regains Its One-Point Lead

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29265, 25 July 1960, Page 18

RUGBY Linwood Regains Its One-Point Lead

The defeat of University by Christchurch on Saturday in the fourteenth round of the Canterbury Rugby Union’s senior championship for the Harewood Trophy, increased Linwood’s lead in the competition by half a point, but in its two games now remaining to be played it must meet the second and third placeholders, Christchurch and University.

Next Saturday, Linwood wil meet Christchurch in what should be the deciding match of the series. If Linwood can win, it must also win the championship. If it loses, Christchurch and Linwood will share the lead and the championship will be decided the next Saturday when Linwood will meet University and-Christchurch will meet Technical-Shirley. Only if Linwood loses both its last matches and Christchurch its last, can University, the championship winner for the last four years, hope to win the title for the fifth successive year. University’s last games are against Sydenham and Linwood. Results:— Harewood Trophy Christchurch 22, University 20. Linwood 13, Merivale 0. Technical-Shirley 11, Sydenham 3. D.C.L, Shield Old Boys 11, Marist 3. Albion 9, Belfast 5. Sunnyside-Spreydon 11, New Brighton 3. At the conclusion of the fourteenth round the position of teams was:— Harewood Trophy

WONDERFUL FOOTBALL Christchurch 22: C. Devine (3), C. Mullany tries; D. Arnold a field goal; G. Waterreus a penalty goal and two conversions

University 20: J. D. Pask, J. N. Creighton tries; B. M. J. Dineen four penalty goals and a conversion.

For the second time this season University lost to Christchurch by a narrow margin in a highscoring game. Again the match ■was notable for some wonderful football and intense excitement as each side’s score mounted. It reached a climax three minutes before no-side when University, which had taken the lead for the first time in the game with only eight minutes remaining, had victory snatched from its grasp by the enterprise of C. Devine, who intercepted to score his third and his side’s last try. The conversion of it by G. Waterreus gave Christchurch a two-point winning margin. Devine opened the scoring with a fine try after two minutes, but J. D. Pask equalised three minutes later after a bullocking run which tossed aside four tacklers. Devine scored his second try after another fine run and a penalty goal by Waterreus gave Christchurch a 9-3 lead. Dineen reduced this with a penalty goal end shortly . afterwards equalised with another. The scone at halfttfne was 9-ail. Within three minutes of the resumption, Mullany scored when Christchurch won a quick heel on the line and Waterreus converted. A magnificently-cool field goal by D. Arnold gave Christchurch an 8-point lead, but this was reduced to three when 3. N. Creighton scored a try which Dineen converted. This occurred after 10 minutes of play. Another 10 minutes passed and Dineen kicked another penalty goal to equalise and with only eight minutes remaining he kicked his fourth penalty goal to give University ■the lead. With six minutes to go Arnold’s second attempt at a field goal just dropped short, and three minutes later, when University was trying to dear within its twenty-five, Devine shot through to intercept a blind-side pass and score close to the posts. Waterreus made no mistake with the kick. Not only was this game the most entertaining club match on the oval for many weeks, but Christchurch’s tactics of using its backs as the medium of attack were a triumph for the efficacy of back play as opposed to the tighter game again played by University. Christchurch never tired of spinning the ball and using variations in its attack. University seldom used its becks in attack from set plays and ■there was no variety in its mode of attack. It was Devine’s day. Besides scoring three wonderful tries, he looked the part of a first-class wing in everything he did. B. A. Watt, returning to elub football after a lapse of several weeks, often had to contend with a lobbed pass from E. Conder, but his handling and elusive running gave his backs an excellent start Conder’s service for the most part was good and his general play above reproach. The other outstanding back on the field was Arnold. In everything he did he looked good. His field goal, after a particularly fine piece of evasive play, was a fine one. C. Mullany was another who gave a good display, and R. M. Smith made several good runs. Of the two full-backs, Waterreus was the better. Dineen often waited tor the bounce and his general defensive play was not up to his usual high standard. University’s troubles began behind the scrum where M. R. Taiaroa was badly out of form. R. D. Hoskin, who alternated at first five-eighths and second fiveeighths. was called upon to take many low passes and he and his line seldom got moving. The line as a whole was not used enough. Pask, for his several determined runs, was the best of the University backs. J. W. Dalmer scarcely saw the ball all day and D. C. Leary was another with little to do.

Cbristahurch’s win was against ffihe ran of play. University, through ibs great pack of for-

1 wards, had Christchurch pinned in its own half for long periods, but lack of initiative too often allowed Christchurch to escape. P. G. Bark and B. R. Smither were outstanding in the loose in which phase of play Creighton also showed up. M. R. Dunn and M. W. Alden had a great dud in the line-outs with S. F. Hill and W. McCallum, and were also in the forefront of many rushes. In the Christchurch pack, Hill and J, Thompson gave great displays, and G. Burgoyne and K. Orsboum were others who showed up. Mr R. W. Phizacklea was referee. Henderson’s Points Old Boys 11; S. K. Henderson a try, a conversion, a penalty goal and a field goal. Marist 3: B. Coulter a try. The leading team in the D.C.L. Shield competition, Marist, was beaten by Old Boys by 11 points to 3 at Rugby Park. In spite of that score the teams were fairly evenly matched but Old Boys had the decisive advantage of S. K. Henderson, who got all the side’s points. His potted goal was a gem.

Old Boys had a slight territdrial advantage in the first half but Marist mounted the better back attacks in the second half without being able to finish them off. There was a lot of hard forward play, sometimes too hard, and the number of times front rows were penalised marred the match for the spectators. Marist missed several attempts at penalty goals with the cehtre, G. Laing, and the full-back, B. Reilly, as kickers. One attempt by Laing was in front of the posts. The Old Boys forwards, led by E. Hern and J. F. Roberts, worked hard and well but they failed to give the half-back, R. L. Young, the protection he needed. One result was that many of Young’s passes were not quite in the right place for A. J. Krisnic. This often caused Krisnic to hesitate slightly and the speedy and determined R. Dalton, outside him, did not get the chances he might have. Dalton did pave the way for Henderson to run almost half the length of the field for his try. At full-back, A. D. Aldersley gave a good display of clean taking and his line kicking was better than that of his opposite, Reilly. After doing little of note in the first half, the Marist backs made several threatening runs in the second half. B. Coulter was an attacking half and he scored the side’s try, but many of the best runs were made by the second five-eighths, J. Collier, and E. Noonan, on the wing. Noonan’s swerving made him a threat when he got near the goal line. In the Marist forwards, J. Le Lievre did a great deal of the tight toil and the number 8, O. Stopforth, was outstanding in the loose and among the backs. The line-out play was untidy on both sides as the ball bobbled about a lot as various players tried to knock it back. However, Old Boys had some success with a low throw to I. H. Plummer, at second in the line and G. Gordon did some good jumping for Marist. Mr F. B. Campber. was referee. LINWOOD’S LATE RUN Linwood 13: W. F. McCormick, J. Havill tries; McCormick a field goal and two conversions. Merivale 0. Four minutes after play began W. F. McCormick kicked a field goal, in the early game at the oval between Linwood and Merivale, but it was only in the last eight minutes that Linwood scored its other 10 points. For most of the Intervening period Linwood had by far the better of the play in a game which, although not rising to very great heights, was entertaining enough. In the tighter play Merivale managed to hold its own, but it could not cope with the jumping of R. Abel in the line-outs, nor with the loose forward forays of J. Havill, A. Mansfield and N. Hamilton. In the back play Merivale made too many mistakes with its handling, and these were seized upon by the bustling Linwood forwards and backs. Early in the second half Merivale made a very spirited bid to wrest control from Linwood, and for a time succeeded, but this phase passed and only on odd occasions did Merivale look likely to open its score.

The only Linwood backs who distinguished themselves were R. Stubbersfield. who gave another of the fine displays that have marked his Rugby this year, and the full-back, McCormick. He had plenty to do, but his task was made easier by the innocuous and injudicious kicking of the Merivale backs. He thrived on this.

The best of the Merivale backs were H. Edwards, at first fiveeighths, who had to contend with a mediocre service and who yet managed to play a very good game, and C. Henderson. At full-back he saved Merivale countless times. Much of Merivale’s inability to penetrate the Linwood defences was caused by T. Toomey’s penchant of trying to prop back inside his marker. Early in the second half when a try seemed assured, he repeated this and the movement died.

Always an impressive forward, A. Holland gave another fine display. Abel, through his line-out and general play, is one who must surely be considered for the representative squad, and D. Couch and L Foubister were in the thick of all the tight play. For Merivale. B. Loveridge played a great game before he left the field injured, and E. West and M. Drury were others who stood out. Mr L S. Kirk was referee. EVEN MATCH Technical-Shirley 11: J. Taurua, B. Arthur tries; A. McNabb a field goal and a conversion. Sydenham 3: R. Cotton a try. This was a very even match, but the Technical-Shirley backs made the most of their opportunities and turned the game in their side’s favour. Under constant pressure from the active Sydenham flankers, the Technical-Shirley half-back, W.- Collins, cleared the ball quickly, and the five-eighths, S. Quirk and A. McNabb probed the defence. The Sydenham backs were just as formidable at times, with the second five-eighths, J. Whitehead, making several determined runs. The most impressive Sydenham forward was M. Lome. Strong and aggressive, he often tore through the loose mauls, and was only brought down by weight of numbers. The flanker, D. Bryson, was as energetic as ever, but he found Quirk difficult to catch. The Technical-Shirley forwards

were very quick to the loose ball, with B. Arthur, T. Egerton, and R. Grenfell often to the front. J. Taurua was a ball of energy in the tight, and scored a most determined try in the first spell. Late in the second spell the Tech-nical-Shirley backs produced an excellent movement which ended with the centre, D. Taylor, side-stepping two defenders to touch down 10 yards from the post. But in forcing down he bounced the ball and the referee, Mr K. Noonan, immediately ruled a twenty-five. SECOND-HALF EFFORT Albion 9: I. Lawson a try; A. Harrison a penalty goal, a field goal. Belfast 5: J. Thompson a try; G. Wells a conversion. Because of its untiring efforts in the second half Albion deserved its win. The lighter Albion forwards kept the Belfast pack penned in its twenty-five for much of this half, and the Albion backs did everything but score. The Belfast five-eighths, G. Radford and L. Odgers, made one or two determined runs which were supported by the loose forwards, but the defence always held.

Perhaps the best of the Albion backs was the full-back, A- Harrison. He did everything well, and his penalty goal from a difficult angle and a first-class field goal from just inside the Belfast half and close to the line clinched the game in his side’s favour. The Albion first fiveeighths, J. Adams, played a good tactical game and used a high up-and-under to unsettle the Belfast defence. The veteran Belfast full-back, E. Brown, saved well at times, and the half-back, T. Wright, gave his fiveeighths a fast and accurate service. In two even packs, M. Partridge and D. Kerr stood out for Albion, and G. Wells, G. Woodsford, and G. Pateman were prominent for Belfast. Mr H. P. Kearney was the referee. RAGGED GAME Sunnyside-Spreydon 11: R. Payne and P. Harris tries; P. Owens a conversion; E. Clark a penalty goal. New Brighton 3: A. Louis a try. Sunnyside-Spreydon made play to the best of its ability, and was responsible for most of a ragged game’s brighter moments. At half-back V. Sykes proved enterprising on attack, but did not relish or perform well some of the more menial tasks incumbent on his position. His outlook remained that of a weaving runner with a natural change of pace and a good eye for an opening—consequently he was more at home in open territory. K. Gill, like his opposite number, was a rather static first five-eighths. The remaining Sunnyside-Sprey-don backs, with R. Payne at centrethreequarters perhaps the most effective, produced at least one good break apiece. N. Hooper on the right wing possessed a telling swerve which could have been used to advantage with improved positional play on his part. Frequent line-outs kept both packs busy—neither gaining a definite advantage. The SunnysideSpreydon lock, R. Hughes, was the most consistent jumper, and he was well supported by A. Gemmell and E. Clark. As usual A. Heatley played the best all round forward game, with B. Reidman an improving number eight. M Le Beau stood out among the New Brighton forwards, although T. Melesi matched his efforts in tight play. Of the loose forwards B. Duncan was the only one to imNothing went smoothly in the New Brighton backline, and it was left to the full-back, A. Louis, to make the only scoring run. His solo effort after fielding a wild kick was indeed a good one, involving a dash of about 40 yards right through the Sunnyside-Spreydon team and round behind the posts. R. Bowick appeared a solid though disillusioned second five-eighths. W. J. Harris on the right wing had a couple of isolated runs. Mr R. J. Condliffe was the referee.

P W. D. L. F. A. Pts. Ch. Lin. 14 12 2 161 69 12 Chch. 14 11 3 207 122 11 Univ. 14 10 1 3 227 98 101 Tec-Sh. 14 8 2 4 142 114 9 Meri. 14 1 6 145 134 71 Syd. 14 1 1 6 101 116 71 D.C.I Shield Mar. 14 6 2 6 161 127 7 Bel. 14 4 3 7 148 183 51 jO.B. 14 5 __ 9 128 141 5 Alb. 14 4 2 8 138 202 5 S-Sp. 14 3 11 115 180 3 N. Br. 14 1 — 13 57 244 1