Linwood Still Unbeaten In Senior Rugby

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31381, 29 May 1967, Page 16

Linwood Still Unbeaten In Senior Rugby

Linwood retained its lead in the senior Rugby championship when it beat Christchurch, 6-3, in a gruelling and rugged match at Lancaster Park on Saturday.

A penalty try awarded to Linwood by the referee (Mr J. Lang) provided the sensation of the match. The Linwood wing, R. Woolhouse, chased a kick over the Christchurch goal-line but the ball went dead. To the surprise of the crowd of more than 3000 the referee awarded a penalty try because a Linwood forward had been obstructed.

However, the referee allowed W. F. McCormick to take the conversion from where the try was awarded, instead of underneath the posts. McCormick missed the kick and then as the teams were running back to half-way, Mr Lang, after being appealed to by the Linwood captain, allowed McCormick to take another kick in front of the posts. This went over but the extra two points were not put on the score. Albion kept second place, one point behind Linwood, by beating Suburbs, 6-5, and University A confirmed its recent good form by decisively defeating New Brighton, 16-6. Shirley won its fifth match In succession by beating Sydenham, 11-3. Old Boys beat MerivalePapanui in a match in which

penalty goals dominated the scoring, and Lincoln College lost its seventh match when it went down 11-19 to the improving Marist team. For the first time this season grounds were slightly heavy, and this was reflected in the greater number of lineouts in most matches. In the main game at Lancaster Park between Christchurch and Linwood there were 91 line-outs —one of the highest totals this season. Results were:— University B 3, Belfast University A M, New Brighton 4. Linwood », Christchurch 3. Old Boys 15, Herlvale-Papa-nul *. Shirley 11, Sydenham 3. Albion 4, Suburbs 5. Marist W. Lincoln College 11.

W L. D. F A. Pts Lin 7 _ 114 48 7 Alb 6 1 84 62 6 Chch 5 2 93 44 5 Univ A .... 5 2 — 102 56 & Shirl 5 2 96 N. Bri .... 4 3 — 67 75 4 0. Boys .. 4 3 — 83 87 4 Suburbs 4 3 — 69 48 4 Belf 2 4 1 65 73 21 2 4 1 83 78 21 Univ B .... 1 4 2 63 82 2 Syd 1 6 61 97 1 M-Pap 1 6 — 53 128 1 L. Coll .... - 7 — 60 129 0