BARBER ENDS O.B. HOPES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31090, 20 June 1966, Page 16

BARBER ENDS O.B. HOPES

CHRISTCHURCH M: Q. Waterreus a try, a conversion, and four penalty goals; B. J. Barber two tries, G. Walkinehaw a try.

OLD BOYS 6: M. J. Millar two penalty goal*.

Barber's tries, scored in the last five minutes of the firs spell. removed competitive interest from a match which promised much but yielded very moderate entertainment.

At the start of the season Old Boys played very attractively and oven if W. Birtwistle was again unable to play, Christchurch fielded a set of enterprising backs. But Christchurch won in a canter, largely through the surprisingly poor tackling of Old Boys.

As expected. Christchurch’s heavier and more experienced forwards were usually in command. and won for their backs regular possession from lineouts. But Old Boys failed to make use of the ball when they had It. Their finest performance, against University A, was marked by the rapidity with which the ball was flicked along the tine, giving fast threequarters room tn which to move. On Saturday the second fiveeighths. P HatchweH, appeared to be under instructions to charge as hard and as stralgh’ as he could at D Arnold. Arnold may sometimes play careleswly, but such a challenge could not be ignored, and Arnold reminded spectators of h e high reputation as a tackler So although A. G. Steel, on the Old Boys left-wing. could occasionally make play for him sef, R. Colombas on the other was given no chance at aU. Waterreus, with 17 points, had an excellent game, for he gave

thrust to attacks each ttme he came up to run with the backs. He made one superb pick-up a* firii ype«d which started him on a spectacular mid-field break and Barber’s second try. R Morris, on the right-wing tackled particularly well and aN the backs showed form spasmodically.

The Chriatchurch forward®, too, went in fits and starts, but Barber’s quick eye and speec J. Baird’s robust leadership and the jumping of R. Tuhuru before he was sent off injured, rtood out

Miliar left the forwards some times to rove about as extra full-back, and his pack did not distinguish itself K HSM and D. Crockett made occasdona’ swift advances, but the forward? were strangely slow to link with the first five-eighths, T Mehrtens. when he ran on the short side. On several occasions he looked in vain for an oppor tunity to in-pase, but found only Christchurch defenders. Steel came in from the blind side once to make a break but with Codombus out sr’de him he tried to dummy Waterreus and Old Boys lost a certain try. There were very few other chances. Referee: Mr J. D. McKeown.