Rongotai And Shirley Draw Rugby, 11-All

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32028, 1 July 1969, Page 17

Rongotai And Shirley Draw Rugby, 11-All

A lighter, but more mobile Shirley Boys’ High. School team took a surprising lead and then hung on grimly to draw 11-11 with Rongotai College in their annual Rugby match at Shirley yesterday. Rongotai had a much more powerful forward pack which overwhelmed Shirley in the first 10 minutes of the game. Suddenly Shirley took an advantage and at half-time, with the score 8-0, looked likely to win. The teams:—

Shirley Boys’ High School. —B. Lodge, J. Gallagher, S. Bryson, B. Rose,. C. Bates (captain), M. Williams, E. Askew, P. Lynch, M. Stringer, B. Churstchain. S. Mitchell, B. Sheppard, R. Yates, I. Cameron, W. Uru. W. Clothier replaced Uru and D. Read replaced Sheppard during the game.

Rongotai College.—K. Ball, D. Work, M. Needham, D. Ashby, D. Abrahamson, R, Anderson, J. McColl, K. Wiltshire, P. King, M. Biyce, T. Moke, J. Lyne, I. Harris, H. Peterson (captain), K. Jenkinson.

The game was marked by many stoppages for injuries, and three times the referee warned Rongotai players for indiscriminate kicking. He twice called the captains together to ask them to quieten the forwards. The Rongotai forwards began ip fiery fashion and Moke set up secondary play with quick breaks from line-outs. Both teams resorted to kick and chase tactics, most kicks being expertly covered by the full-backs. Ball and Lodge. Player Hurt

Only desperate defence kept the Rongotai backs from scoring until midway through the first half, when a spirited rush by Shirley forwards was

stopped in front of the Rongotai posts and in a fierce ruck Uru was left rolling in pain on the ground. The referee warned several Rongotai players for Indiscriminate kicking and Uru was taken from the field on a stretcher. Gallagher goaled from the penalty awarded and from the kick-off Shirley won a quick ruck and the captain, Bates, at second five-eighths, went inside two men with expert dummies to score under the posts. Again from the kick-off Shirley swarmed down the side-line and crossed, but was called back for a forward pass. As in many school games, the second half produced stirring displays by both teams. Rongotai repeated the earlier performance of Shirley and within a few minutes scored 11 points. Good Tries The Rongotai back-line was faster and more dangerous than Shirley’s and the wings, Ashby and Work, were strong, hard runners. Ashby was given just a little room and he immediately scored two fine tries. Shirley’s backs were retarded by the hesitant passing of the half-back, Askew, but in all other respects they were sure and sound. Askew made up for slow service with several dashing runs. from the scrum and often caught the Rongotai half-back with the ball. Mitchell skilfully used a tap-back from the line-outs for Shirley, but ineffective blocking' prevented an advantage. The Shirley flankers, Mitchell and Churstchain, were the fastest forwards on the field but the most impressive was the tall Rongotai player Moke, who was effective as a block, or jumper in line-outs, and succeeded with crashing tackles in cover-defence. Referee: Mr B. I. Fifield,