INTER-SCHOOL RUGBY MATCH DRAWN

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

INTER-SCHOOL RUGBY MATCH DRAWN

Predictions before their Interschool match suggested that the most Important moments would be provided by the St. Andrew's College backs and the Christ’s College forwards. In fact for much of the game, the opposite was true and it was not until near the end that the vaunted St. Andrew’s backs showed their true worth. Then it was only to force a desperate draw.

Six-all was a satisfactory result. It was only the second draw since meetings between the schools began in 1922; the other was in 1930. The teams were:— Christ’s College: C. C. Hartnell; D. D. C. Campbell, N. W. Piper, A. J. Cook; C. J. C. Wright, R. J. Wilkin; A. T. M. Penny; H. D. Black; P. V. A. Anderson, J. H. C. Morris, S. A. L. Read, R. I. K. Hart; I. T. Morten, D. M. Sheard, E. J. G. Harkness. St. Andrew’s College: I. Wright; R. Moore, W. Steel, M. Moore; N. Bary, M McEwan; M. Fisher; G. King; R. Murdoch, D. Mclntosh, H. Ruffel, L. Jeffs; A. Ferguson, S. Rice, G. Twiss. Christ’s College led, 6-0 at half-time from tries by the half. Penny, and a flanker, Hart. On resumption, Steel, the centre and captain, scored for St. Andrew’s, and M. Moore scored almost on time. St. Andrew's had its chance, but the responsibility weighed heavily on the kicker, Ruffel. He missed four penalty and two conversion attempts, all from similarly wide positions.

If the back play was far from spectacular until perhaps the last quarter, it was an enthralling match which reached a fine, tense climax.

Outweighted and looked down upon from the Hne-outs, the St. Andrew’s forwards did well to keep the side in Christ's College territory for two long periods in the first half.

The No. 8, King, and Mclntosh were consistent toilers. But, in between times, Christ’s College came out to score. Big forwards like the captain, J. H. C. Morris, and I. T. Morten, both more than list, and H. D. Black, a grand number eight who unfortunately was a passenger late in the game because of a leg injury, took Christ’s back to the other end. And behind the scrum. Penny was dominantlng play. He played to his forward strength, he fed his backs at the right times, and he scored one try and began the other from going around the blind side of lineouts near the line. Outside him Wilkin judged his kicks well, Piper made some threatening runs, especially one from an interception in the second half, and Hartnell saved time and again at full-back. In the first half, the St. Andrew’s backs could do little. There were some promising individual burets which suggested better things but that was all and the number of times players dropped the ball precluded any success. Then, in the last quarter, they blossomed and the speedy Moore twins burst for the line, usually after the basis had been laid by Steel or the full-back

Wright. Wright made two excellently judged entries to the line, one of which led to the equalising try. Referee: Mr A. F: Gurnsey.