Senior Rugby Ends On Dull Note

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32383, 24 August 1970, Page 11

Senior Rugby Ends On Dull Note

Sydenham retained its unbeaten record in the Challenge Shield competition when it beat High School Old Boys in the final round of club Rugby matches on Saturday.

Sydenham had won the shield the previous Saturday and what little interest remained in the competition was centred on whether Marist or Old Boys would finish runner-up.

Marist beat MerivalePapanui in the early game at Rugby Park and with Old Boys going down to Sydenham in the second game, the green-and-whites were able to give their club a modicum of success in this its twenty-flfth anniversary year. Although the heavy grounds were of little help, not one of the three games produced much Rugby of note. Sydenham, which had won many friends by its displays in the second half of the season, probably lost any who were at Rugby Park when its forwards came up from a scrum “swinging” and one punch concussed the Old Boys hooker, D. White.

Good Tries (YDENHAM I: R. Whitfield and B. Whelan trie*; B. O'Keefe a convertion. OLP BOYfi >1 K Laugenson a penalty goal. Both Sydenham’s tries were fine effort*—and the only time* that the aide showed any marked superiority. In many respects Old Boys looked more competent, but an Inability to complete good ground work on attack prevented any trie*. The Old Boy* forward*, led by K. Honeybone and R, McKenxie, often drove ahead spiritedly and when held up, packed the ruck with commendable power and purpoae. The Old Boye back* were too slow in moving the ball at tlmee and in some instance* pure greediness denied the three-quarter line a scoring opportunity. The Sydenham loose forwards adapted themselves well to the heavy ground and. like the backs, never shirked in following kicks through. A. Massie and S. Greenman wore the pick of the Sydenham forwards: in the back* B. Winder and Whelan .had good gamesReferee: Mr H. Gray. Win Deserved

MARIST 9; R. Gray and FMcGrath triea; B. Ramsay a penalty goal. MERIVALE-PAPANUI 3: R.

Griffiths a penalty goal. In a game hardly recognisable as being of senior level, Marist raised its standard slightly in th* lecond half with th* wind at its back and deserved to win. Merivele-Papanui had the better of the first half and although employing it* back Un* at every opportunity could not get any pointe on the board. Again the speed of the Marist danker. K. Cowan. was of great value and in the backs V. Costello and P. Robertson made few mistakes. D. Wynne won MerivelePapanui considerable line-out bell and D. Warren made valiant attempts to establish constructive play. At full-back. Griffiths defended stoutly and kicksd to rood effect. Referee: Mr A. F. Gurnsey. Even Game

BELFAST 3: D- Stead a penalty goal.

BURHSIOE 3: p. Latham * dropped goel. in the slushy condition* nt ! Belfast this game never dewed, although it is unlikely that on , a dry ground the standard would have been much higher. , Honour* were fairly evenly , shared. Burnside again ahowing that although it may have little to offer ea an attacking force, . It* defence la sound, Belfast did not got to the

loose bail a* quickly as it might have and as a result lost many opportunltls* to set up soaring chance*. _ , R. Inwood and A, Steele were the best of the Belfast forwards and in the back* P. Rurney moved aggressively and Stead was a reliable full-back, , D. House tolled honestly In the Burnside scrum and Latham was the most enterprising of th ßef’e'ree’:' Mr G. J. Bolton.

Final position* were:-’-W L D F A Pts Syd Marist . 6 . 4 0 1 70 60 21 6 47 41 H.S.O.B. . . 3 1 75 45 31 Ballast . 1 3 31 38 21 Albion . 2 0 73 77 2 Mert-Pap , . 2 0 38 54 2 Burnside . . 0 I 40 113 0|