Sparkling Play At Rugby Park

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31043, 26 April 1966, Page 20

Sparkling Play At Rugby Park

CHRISTCHURCH 32: D. Tindall (3), W. M. Birtwistle (2) and N. Kearns tries; G. J. Waterreus, four conversions and two penalty goals. LIHCOLH COLLEGE 13: N. G. Gow and P. A. Le Lievre tries; J. M. Keoghan, two conversions and a penalty goal.

A brilliantly fine day, a firm turf, and the Christchurch team in full cry were the ingredients of a most digestible Rugby pie for spectators at Rugby Park. Playing the heady brand of football which has made the team's name a byword in the senior competition, Christchurch entertained the crowd and bewitched the opposition with a series of movements craftily conceived and splendidly executed. The collective brilliance of the backs produced many scintillating movements, six of them culminating In tries. The forwards played their part, too, by using their weight more effectively in the battle for the ball and by backing up assiduously. For almost half the game, Lincoln College's role amounted to no more than a “bit part.” Then, just as Christchurch was preparing to administer the coup de grace in the Last three minutes, Lincoln wrested the initiative and scored two good tries from movements which started on Its own 2Syd line. The efforts of the two teams in th efirst 35min gave no bint of the brilliance which was to follow. In this Initial period the lineouts were untidy, the front rows heaved and bucked in several scrums, good tackling was abandoned in favour of shoulder charging, and the rucks were simply sprawling masses of humanity, with the ball trapped on the bottom. During these tedious ex-

changes, both teams looked like burglars fumbling for the correct combination to a safe Christchurch discovered it first, and scored four tried in nine minutes to establish itself as a certain winner.

From then on, it was merely a question of what style the teams would follow. To their credit, both chose enterprise. Referee: Mr D. M. Hume.