N.Z. Rugby Round-Up Wellington Back To Form

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30219, 26 August 1963, Page 14

N.Z. Rugby Round-Up Wellington Back To Form

(N.Z. Press Association) • WELLINGTON, August 26. Wellington's Ranfurly Shield hopes rose after a fine, 13-6, win over Otago at Athletic Park on Saturday. The forwards brought vastly improved skill and concentrated punch to their work and took over the game from a disorganised Otago pack. Their hand-to-hand passing was a feature of the game, and took Wellington on to the attack time and time again. Wellington led. 11-0, at half-time after playing with the wind, but Otago came back with more purpose In the second half. However, Wellington returned to form and took an even firmer grip. For Wellington, tries were scored by R. W. Caulton (3) and M. P. Dennehy; M Williment kicked two conversions and a penalty. For Otago. E. S. Diack kicked two penalties. Poor Showing

Any chance the Southland team has of making a good impression on the Impending Northern tour was largely discounted by a poor showing against South Canterbury at Invercargill, on Saturday. In conditions suited to bright football, Southland was dis-

appointing. The forwards again did their work well, but the backs fell far short. The game suggested that if improvement is not forthcoming, the team is in for a poor time on North Island grounds. Southland scored the only three points of the game, a penalty goal by B. J. Cullen tn the first half. Bubble Burst North Otago’s Rugby bubble burst on Saturday when it was deservedly beaten, 14-6, by an Otago B side at Carisbrook on Saturday. Otago led, 8-3, at half-time. North Otago had two excuses in its favour: it missed the outstanding generalship of the half-back, K. G. McGregor, and many of the team have played six representative games in the past three weeks.

For Otago, W. J. McAuley (2) and B. Thomas scored tries; P. J. McDonald converted one and kicked a penalty. T. O’Neill scored a dropped goal and I. S. Coe kicked a penalty for North Otago. Resist Challenge Buller successfully resisted the third and strongest challenge for the Seddon Shield when it beat West Coast. 9-6, at Westport on Saturday. Coast started with plenty of fire in the forwards but they seemed to loose their thrust midway in the first spell. Scorers for Buller were I Halsall (field goal and a penalty) and B. Roche (try). For West Coast. A. King kicked a field goal and a penalty. Still Unbeaten Taranaki maintained its unbeaten record this season in defeating the hitherto unbeaten Bay of Plenty Rugby team, 11-9 at New Plymouth on Saturday Taranaki had a tremendous first quarter when it buried Bay of Plenty in a swarm of driving forwards and hard-running backs. The second half sawplay fluctuate from end to end Taranaki having the edge especially in the backs. For Taranaki, K. C. Briscoe D. J. Mathieson and R. h' Brown scored tries: B. O’Dowda converted one. For Bav of Plenty, M. Heimann kicked a field goal and C. Fox two penalties. Waikato Wins Waikato defeated Thames Valley. 14-10, at Te Aroha after holding a 14-5 lead at half-time. _ s 9 orers tor Waikato were G ? nd R - Tenana (tries), D. ® Clarke (two penalties and a conversion). For Thames Valley. J. Mita and J. Maxwell (tries). T. Reedy and R. Kerby

(one conversion each). Wellington B beat Nelson, 31-24, in a spectacular Rugby match at Athletic Park. Wellington led, 31-8, at one stage, but Nelson came back with some fine attacking Rugby. Tries for Wellington were scored by R. C. Sutton (3), C S. Hogg, D. M. Hughes. D. R Macintyre, and C. H. Toomey; J. R. Watt converted five. For Nelson. B. E. McPhail (2). O. Nicholas and P. de Nicolo scored tries; M. Delaney converted three, kicked a penalty and dropped a goal. Auckland B decisively beat Poverty Bay 22-3. at Gisborne The visitors were too speedy and their team-work much superior. For Auckland, B. Keyes. H. Wallace (two) and A. Tohill scored tries; P. Fletcher converted two and kicked two penalty goals. For Poverty Bay. M. Hollis kicked a penalty goal Railways Clash

North Island Railways trounced South Island Railways. 16-0, at Frankton, all the scoring coming in the second half.

Tries for North Island were scored by N. Etiha. P. Rona, G. Stewart and A. Kimura: J Somerville and C. Hughes kicked conversions.