Long Wait

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30218, 24 August 1963, Page 9

Long Wait

Because of the scattered population, Rugby on Banks Peninsula is hard to administer, but there is no lack of enthusiasm, and as in most classes of Rugby, schoolboys are the most enthusiastic of the lot. Since 1925 the primary schoolboys on Banks Peninsula have played in an annual seven-a-side tournament for the Marsh '"up. This year, Le Bons Bay, one of the smallest schools in the district, won the cup for the first time. The cup, which is made from a First World War shell case, was presented in 1925 for competition by teams under the age of 12 years by the late Mr H. Marsh.

Eight teams entered for the tournament this year and an extremely good standard of Rugby was reached. The final match was between Le Boris Bay and Little River, Le Bon’s Bay winning 11-5; but although it was a comfortable margin it -was an exciting match, featuring many good moves.

However, although all credit was due to the finalists, the team that perhaps gained the greatest applause from the spectators was the Akaroa Convent team. It was beaten, 21-0, by Pigeon Bay in the first round, but for a team with an average age of only eight and a half years in an under 12 grade it did very well against bigger and stronger boys.