Good Start By Shirley Team

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31660, 22 April 1968, Page 14

Good Start By Shirley Team

SHIRLEY U: W. Boyle, C. R. Laidlaw and C. J. Read tries; I. Behrnes a conversion. OLD BOYS 3: M. Brown a try. Although Shirley did not take the lead until 10 minutes from full time, it looked a winning team when it turned at halftime to take the wind with a deficit of only three points. Pressure on Old Boys increased steadily but the final points margin was somewhat unflattering to the losing team. There was a high wind during the first spell, sometimes there was driving rain, the ball and ground were slippery, and Shirley’s tight-knit forwards were slightly but consistently more competent on a forwards’ day. Not that the game was without movement. Both sides mounted some useful attacks through the backs, and Old Boys looked particularly dangerous in the first spell. Shirley, now in blue jerseys and white shorts and socks —a step further away from the old Technical club, but one closer to the high school —made a good start to the season. There may be some difficulties about lineout possession against the better teams but Shirley has a sound and devoted pack and useful backs. M. Russell, the hooker, won some important tight heads. M. J. Toner and Read were often prominent in the driving play. A small crowd took particular interest in Laidlaw, who gave a most competent display. Conditions denied him the opportunity to demonstrate the length of his passing, but he directed play with authority, and there was the touch and timing of a Palmer putt in his little grubber kicks. Seizing the ball as it came from the side of a scrum on the line, Laidlaw scored a try which put the issue beyond doubt. Boyles, a lively little fiveeighths. scored Shirley’s first try when he raced in to a pass at an angle, taking a line wide enough to beat the loose forwards and the full-back. Shirley’s other try was scored from mishandling by Old Boys after a line-out success. A second All Black, A. G. Steel, had only one real chance. T. Mehrtens made a clean break, but the final pass to Steel was forward when a try seemed certain. Mehrtens, at first five-eighths for most of the game, was in splendid form.

and R. Grenfell, the full-back, played extremely well. M. J. Millar led the forwards well, and R. McKenzie on the flank was particularly useful, but the Old Boys forwards slowly yielded under considerable strain. Considering the state of the ground and the weather, it was a reasonably attractive game, the better for the fact that only four penalties were awarded in it. Referee: Mr L. S. Kirk.