Rugby League Linwood Suffers First Defeat

Press, Volume C, Issue 29525, 29 May 1961, Page 15

Rugby League Linwood Suffers First Defeat

Psponui gave further proof of it* recent improvement by causing Linwood’s first defeat of the season in the main Rugby League game at the Show Grounds on Saturday. As a result of Papanui'* win, Hornby returns to share the lead in the championship with Linwood. A feature of Saturday’s games was the close scoring in all three senior matches. Results are:— Papanui 5. Linwood 3. Hornby 3, Marlst 0. Sydenham 3, Christchurch 2. Championship points are: Larwood 11, Hornby 11, Papar.ui 8, Christchurch 5, Sydenham 3, Manat 2. PAPANUI V. LINWOOD The main game at the Show Grounds, between Papanui and Linwood, produced fine football t om start to finish. Papanui m v.ntalned its big improvement and matched the championship leader in all phases of the play The value ot possession was well illustrated in the game. In the first half Linwood gained the greater share of the ball from the scrums and was able to use its capable baekllne to - great extent. However, in the .-trond half it was Papanui which saw most at the ball and its backline was then able to stow its paces. Attack and counter-attack w as the order of the game but w.th the defence of both sides of a very high standard the try scoring was confined to one from each team. It was the most exciting encounter of the season with the issue in doubt to the final whistle. A dropped goal was much appreciated by the crowd, especially as the two points gained provided the w.nning margin for Papanui. The forward play of each side was very good with' not a shirker on the ground. Linwood’s pack took the honours in the first half and appeared to do everything a little faster than its opponent. The Papanui pack showed a big improvement after half-time and towards the end ot the game more than held its own. The fine all-round performances of R. Feuta, E. Tavendale and K. Pearce for Papanui and M. Carlyle. John Flanagan and R. McLean, for Linwood were features of the forward play. Much of the credit for Pananui's excellent back play should go to the half-back, G. Sandford, who sgi the line In motion with his sure passing. He also excelled In his backing up and fine cover defence. R. Meaciem and J. Bond worked well together In the five-eighths line. Bond, with a try and a dropped goal, scored his side's only points. R. Carey frequently showed up with strong bursts and solid tackling and A. Amer's speed kept the cover defence busy. I. Mclntyre was sound at full-back and his excursions Into the backline were well timed. A little uncertainty with their handling marred the play of Linwood's five-eighths, R Pounsford and G. Maloney, and it was unfortunate that at times the ball did not reach the centre, P. White, fast enough. White was at his best and always looked a danger with bls speed off the mark. His

tickling was much sounder than usual.

Neither of toe wingers, P. Lennon or P. Manderson, received many chances on attack but both were very sound on defence. For Papanui J. Bond scored a try and a field goal. Unwood s points came from an unconverted try by P. White. The referee was Mr B. Wilson. r HORNBY V. MARIBT The co-leaders of the competition, Hornby, could do no better than gain a three-point win , iow’b'-ranked Marist. Marlst s effort to contain Hornby was remarkable, for the side’s only representative players. J. Walsh and M. Mohi. v ere unavailable, while Hornby’s display was not worthy of a leading team. Against some very solid tackling, Hornby was prevented from settling down, but when its backs gained an overlap or when Marirt's tackling faded, they looked extremely dangerous. Hornby probably wou’d have won by more had it fieided a reliablie goal-kicker Ten attempts at goal bv three different kickers all failed. Hornby’s captain. M. L. Cooke, set a fine example but his efforts did not receive the lupport they deserved. When he and I. Drayton broke into the open thev appeared the fastest forwards on the ground However. Marist’s tackling us Al? lly ke P t ln check. The return of John Brav helned revive confidence in his brother. Richard In recent fames Richard has seemed lost without his brother playing inside him. R. Geddes’s ‘and P. Skirton’s speed on the wine was too often neglected although Geddes scored the only points of the match after Cooke had made the initial break. With a greater share of the bail than usual, Marist had opportunities to score but co”ld not finish of movements. The forwards played more as a team than did the Hornby pack and one who stood out for his work in the tight was P McQuinn. G. Tainui took the hooking honours. _At half-back for Marist, Pat Smith gave a very workmanlike display and the combination of Smith and B. Ellice generally outplayed its opposites. Tn only his second game of the code C. Ellice ran hard and tackled soundly. For Hornby Geddea scored a tiy. The referee was Mr J. Beals CHRISTCHCRCH v. SYDENHAM Scoring one try to a penalty. Sydenham beat Christchurch by 3 points to 2 in the curtainraiser at the Show Grounds Oval in a match devoid of much good play. Cbxdstchureh, which has shown great improvement in previous matches this season, did not deserve to win as it received a tremendous share of the ball from the set scrums but was not able to make effective use of it. Good goalkicking could also have won the match for Christchurch as several penalties were taken from kickable distances but were astray of their mark. R. Bercini. who kicked the losers’ only penalty, was unlucky with at least two others. One. from fairly close in, hit the cross-bar and at least one other just grazed an upright. R. Franklin. Christchurch’s hooker, proved once again that he is possibly the most consistent hooker in the competition by giving his team the lion’s share of the ball. However. after the ball left the scrum there was far too much I