RUGBY ROUND-UP Clarke’s Kicks Off Target

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30213, 19 August 1963, Page 15

RUGBY ROUND-UP Clarke’s Kicks Off Target

tn one of ths liveliest and most exciting games of Rugby seen tn Hamilton for many years Waikato beat Wellington. 24-23. on Saturday. But the winning margin should have been much greater. The All Black full-back. D. B Clarke, failed to convert any of the six tries and he landed only one penalty—a magnificent kick inside his own half. On the other hand. M. Williment converted Wellington’s four tries and also kicked a penalty. It was a feast of good Rugby, with 10 tries. For Waikato. Graham Clarke. H A. Mackenzie. R Tenana (2> L. W. Parker and R. Pickering scored tries. R. W Kemp kicked a field goal and D B Clarke a penalty. For Wellington, tries were scored by R. Caulton (2). Williment and K. Gray Willlment converted all four and also kicked a penalty. Double Completed Southland convincingly beat Otago. 17-9. at Rugby Park on Saturday to complete a double

for the season. Again it was O’Dowda converted one. For Counties, T. Motu scored a try. converted by P. Worrall. Southland’s pack that paved the why for the win. With a weight and size disadvantage. the Southland forwards had a terrier-like tenacity and were never far from the ball. Contrary to general expectations. Otago’s manpower did not pave the way to try-scoring missions by a fleet set of backs The hard tackling of Southland and a near-impregnable cover defence saw to that. The "star" of the game was the Southland No. 8, A. J Soper, who besides giving the Otago first five-eighths. W. A Davies, no room to move in. came to light as a goal-kicker after the full-back. B. J. Cullen, missed some easy shots. A. J. Tait (21. Soper and G A. Townsend scored tries for Southland, and Soper kicked a penalty and converted one try For Otago. E S Diack kicked two penalty goals and D. H Montgomery scored a try. Hanan Shield Drive and fitness in the forwards won the Hannan Shield for North Otago in the challenge Rugbv match against South Canterbury at Oamaru on Saturday by 12 points to 9. North Otago led. 9-6. at half-time, and went on to win. 12-9. Each side scored a try’ and two penalty goals, with North Otago's winning margin being a field goal. Easy For Northland Northland gained a feast of the ball against East Coast, winning 31-13 after being 15-8 at half-time, at Ruatona on Saturdav. The former All Black hooker, D. Webb, won the scrums with monotonous regu’arity. and in the lineouts, E Dean and M. Hull took the lion's share of possession. For Northland tries were scored bv R. Yates (2>. J. Toki. J. Houlihan. R Marshall, and W Colson. E. Thompson converted five and kicked a penalty goal For East Coast, J. Lima and D Mclntosh scored tries. D. Hooper converted one and K. Karaka kicked a penalty goal. Still Unbeaten Taranaki defeated Counties. 8-5. at New Plymouth on Saturday and so maintained its season’s unbeaten record. The improving Counties team gave Taranaki a hard battle and it was not until half way through the second half that Taranaki scored the winning try Taranaki won by virtue of a hard-driving forward pack and a splendid trv by the former .All Black. J. F McCullough. R Coles also scored a try and B

Scrappy Game Marlborough and Wairarapa drew, 8-8> at Lansdowne Park on Saturday. Mlich of the play was scrappy but the closeness of the scoring kept interest high. Wairarapa’s points came from tries by D. J. Lochore and G Mahupuku and a conversion by T. K. Hawea. W. Botham and C. Lee scored for Marlborough, with a conversion by P O’Brien Second XV Wins A well-drilled Auckland second XV defeated a full strength King Country side, 14-12, at Eden Park on Saturday. Auckland’s points came from two tries by B. Keyes and two penalty goals and a conversion by P. Fletcher. For King Country. S Meads and J. Ingham scored tries and I. Aitken kicked two penalty goals.