Power Play By Old Boys

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30752, 17 May 1965, Page 16

Power Play By Old Boys

OLD BOYS 42: A. G. Steele (3), K. Taylor (2), D Dailey, D. J. Graham and P A. Hatchwell scored tries. M. J. Millar converted six tries and kicked two penalties. MARIST 0.

Lack of speed both in the backs and forwards, hesitant, and in many cases non-existent tackling: these basically were the reason Marist was beaten in such a humiliating manner For the first few minutes Marist looked quite a capable side. It capitalised on a poor liaison between the Old Boys’ inside backs to go close to scoring twice, but thereafter the team was usually occupied in a for lorn chase of the speedy Old Boys’ three-quarters. Nothwithstanding the poor calibre of the opposition, Old Boys gave a fine display. In cessantly urged on by D. J Graham, the forwards drove into the rucks, smothered quickly the few attempts by Marist to use its backs, and all the time were hunting the loose ball.

Given a surfeit of possession, the Old Boys’ backs gave a skilful display of attacking Rugby. Once W. Trehowan and T. Merhtens settled down they set the three-quarters moving smoothly. P. A. Hatchwell was able to go outside his marker nearly every time the ball came to him and once that happened the great pace of Steele and Taylor was always a threat. Old Boys scored some de Discipline, Purpose

SUBURBS 11: P. Carlton a try and conversion; W. Cottrell a try; L. Davis a penalty. HEW BRIGHTON 6: E. G. P. March a try; G. Stanley a penalty.

With well disciplined and purposeful play from both forwards and backs. Suburbs was able to dominate the game against New Brighton at Sunnvside. While the forwards, well led by M. O'Malley, J. Doughty and A. White, controlled the line-outs and rucks. L. Davis and W. Cottrell combined shrewdly, finding the line when danger threatened and probing for defensive weaknesses.

Davis gained much ground with well-directed kicks, and Cottrell, besides handling and kicking well, ran strongly and with judgment. Outside Cottrell, P. Carlson was a quick and resourceful second fiveeighths, and also defended as ably as his fellow backs. O’Malley, as well as doing his share in the tight, covered and tackled tenaciously, contributing to a defence against which New Brighton toiled in vain. Only for a brief period in the second spell was New’ Brighton in the game. The forwards, in spite of the good play of I. H. Penrose and E. Leask, were unable to play their usual bustling game, and the backs had no answer to the close marking and sure tackling of Suburbs', either being caught in possession or fumbling and dropping passes.

G Stanley was constantly worried by both Davis and the opposing forwards, and his place kicking was below standard. D. Cutting came through a difficult day with credit. Referee: Mr L. S. Hunt.

liightful tries as the result of orthodox passing by the backs and backing up by the forwards. One movement, ended by the flanker, D. Dailey, swept 80 yards with a bewildering succession of players handling. And three times there was the superb sight of a wing flying for the corner flag after the whole line had handled. Towards the end of the match it was embarrassing to watch as the Marist defence fell away completely and Old Boys ran through almost at will. Graham. Dailey and Mclntosh were formidable loose forwards for Old Boys and M. Col'l'ins and D. Hill also were prominent in the loose.

Mehrtens gave a fine display at first five-eighths once his handling improved. His sure and well-timed passing and his ability to make the initial gap gave his outsides every opportunity. Hatchwell was fast and determined and Steele made some spectacular runs. J. F. Burns did his best to hold the Marist pack together; but to no avail. Referee: Mr L. S. Kirk.