University B Won In Second Half

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30420, 20 April 1964, Page 14

University B Won In Second Half

UNIVERSITY B 25: B M. Ween ink (2), P. D. Gaffikin and P. J. Hogg tries: T. ,L Morris three penalty goals and two conversions. MERIVALE 11: M. Head, J. Grocott, and P. Brown tries; L. McCaughan a conversion. The first half of .the match was a delightful exposition of the new rules. Both teams passed crisply and ran strongly, and the score at half-time, Illi, was an accurate indication of the merits of the teams. But in the second' half, University B was almost in com plete control. Its forwards, led by A. W. Davies, asserted a surprising dominance in the tight, and in the loose the University forwards were clearly superior. On only three occasions did Merivale move into the University half, and on one of those occasions University scored a try. The winning of almost every line-out through the high jumping of Gaffikin and K. McDonald gave the young University backline every opportunity to show its paces. E. Hewitt, a superb handler at first fiveeighths. got his line, moving well, and only stubborn defence kept University to 14 points in the second half. Lacked Possession

After the first half it was unfortunate in some respects that the Merivale forwards could not gain a reasonable share of possession: for McCaughan and J. M. Taylor looked a dangerous pair of five-eighths, and Head,, who scored a fine try in the first half, was perhaps the fastest player on the field. Prominent in the University

pack were Gaffikin in the tight and Hogg, J. P. Morgan and P. Grayson in the loose. Grocott and B. Loveridge were the best of a Merivale pack which could never quite manage to cope with the fire of the University forwards. Weenink, who scored two good tries, was an enterprising wing for University, and McCaughan, Taylor and Head all played well for Merivale. The referee was Mr P. s Breach.