CHAMPAGNE RUGBY

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31031, 11 April 1966, Page 3

CHAMPAGNE RUGBY

(New Zealand Press Association)

TIMARU.

Champagne-style Rugby thrilled 5000 people when the Japanese Doshisha University XV convincingly beat a South Island Marist XV by 29-19 at Fraser Park, Timaru, yesterday.

The Marist side, lacking combination, held the Japanese well in most phases, but it was the speed and mobility of the visitors that baffled the Marist players.

From the outset the Doshisha forwards, countering the weight and height disadvantage well, swept to the Marist goal-line to open the scoring early. In the line-outs Doshisha used the low throw to the front of the line or hurled the ball right out into mid-field where the fleet-footed university backs were quick to snap it up.

Using a tricky swerve and ducking and diving through his opposites, the Japanese right-wing, S. Maniwa. cracked on the pace early in the game to score two fine tries. The Marist side caught the mood of the day and with the back-line spearheaded by the former South Island representative five-eights, T. McAra, the Japanese found themselves

having to counter their share of attacks.

Both sides tackled well and the Doshisha men impressed by the way they lowered their heavier opponent. Speed was the keynote of the Japanese display—speed to the loose ball, speed to the tackle and speed on attack. The Marist side tried to match the mood and style of the Japanese and acquitted itself well. The forwards, led in the loose by Timaru’s M. Foley, looked good when they used “bulldozing" tactics near the line.

The Dunedin lock, D. Quirk, was another Marist forward to stand out and he scored a fine try. N. Hanham (Ashburton) broke well from a scrum. McAra was willing to try anything and he was continually starting play off from most unlikely positions. B. Teen (Timaru), the wing three-quarter, played well until he was injured. His replacement. B. McAllister, was an able substitute. On the other wing, R. Eathorne (Greymouth) looked fit and fast as did the second fiveeighths, P. O’Brien (Blenheim).

Scorers were:—Doshisha: Tries, Sakata (3), Maniwa (2), Fujikawa and Nishimura, conversions, Maniwa (4). South Island Marist: Tries. Caldwell. Quirk, Jefferson, McAllister, conversions, Cullen (2). penalty, Cullen. At half-time the score was 18-13 to Doshisha.