Addington, Eastern share league lead

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33520, 29 April 1974, Page 2

Addington, Eastern share league lead

Linwood, winner of the Rugby league premiership last year, and Papanui, the grand final champion, were both beaten in Tavendale Gup fixtures at the Show Grounds yesterday.

The successful teams, Addington and Eastern Suburbs, respectively, now share the top position on the points table. Addington, which beat Papanui in both premiership matches last season, showed that its recent wins against Marist-Westem Suburbs and Linwood were no flukes. After- scoring 10 points In the first five minutes, the Magpies resisted Papanui’s attempt to hit back and won. 19-15. A lively Eastern Suburbs XIII mastered the conditions better than Linwood, which included many new players in its ton line-up, and deserved its 16-5 win.

MAIN FIXTURB With the veteran Eastern Suburbs hooker, L. Tehuia, gaining most of the possession from scrums, the talented Eastern Suburbs back-line was seen in good light in the main match. M. A. French and G. R. Cooksley distributed the ban IntelUgentlv to their three-auarters. who took advantage of the good L. Paskell, who scored

one of Canterbury’s two tries against Wellington on Saturday, eluded Linwood’s defence on several occasions and linked well with B. I. Dickison and later B. J. Murphy. Linwood introduced several of its promising lower-grade players into the premier grade, and the lack of understanding in the team was evident at times.

French’s enterprising display behind the Eastern pack won him the “Player of the Week” award. But he earned the displeasure of the referee (Mr P. Yaxley) for the manner in which he placed the ball into scrums. TRIES EVEN Both Addington and Papanui scored three tries each, but four goals by the Addington captain, G. Te Aho, and a penaltv after the full-time hooter by the sec-ond-row forward, P. Hayward, clinched the match for Addington. After its opening scoring spree, Addington had to fight tenaciously to prevent the Tigers from asserting control. Papanui had reduced the deficit to 13-10 at half-time.

Papanui maintained pressure in the second spell and levelled the scores, 15-all. But two late penalties sealed the match for Addington. Te Aho was a worthy recipient of the Jim Beam "Plaver of the Match” award. Grading-round matches played on Saturday resulted in wins to Svdenham, Haiswell, and Hombv over University, Shirley, and Woolston. The abandoned match between Haiswell and Hombv is expected to be played on Wednesday evening as a curtain-raiser to the Eastern Suburbs v. Papanui match. SCORERS Tavendala Cup Addington 1» (M. Tipene, R. M. Cotter, A. F. McNaughton tries: G. Te Aho four, P. A. Hayward goals) beat Papanui IS 'R. A. Seaward. G. Tale, A. F. Clark tries; K. P. J. William* two, R. S. Walker goals).

Christchurch-Eastern Suburbs ■ U <L. Paskell, B. I. Dickison, S.i McLaughlin. A. P. Rushton tries; L. Tehuia two goals) beat Linwood s (L. Hudson a try; C. R. Leney a goal). Grading round Sydenham 41 (R. Auimatagl two, S. Holden two, R. E. Andrews two, B. A. Bigwood, W. Wilson, L. Schultz tries; Holden seven goals) beat University 0. Hornby 32 (W. Wright two, M. Eveleigh, R. W. Langton, H. Hornbrook, G. McLeish tries; T. Williams seven goals) beat Shirley 21 (T. Roberts two, C. Kennedy tries; G. Hurrell six goals). Haiswell 17 (T. Murray two, R. Gowers tries; P. C. Napier four goals) beat Woolston S (B. J. Turner a try, a goal).

Competition points.— tavendale cup P W D L F A Pts East’ 4 3 0 1 90 38 6 Addgton 4 3 0 1 70 67 6 Papanul 4 2 1 1 68 47 5 Marlst .. 4 2 0 2 82 60 4 Linwood 4 1 1 2 51 53 3 Kaiapol . 4 0 0 4 30 126 0 GRADING ROUND P W D L F A Pts Svd’hm .. 4 4 0 0 96 20 8 Halswell 3 2 0 1 58 34 4 Univers. 2 0 2 54 66 4 Woolston 4 2 0 2 42 54 4 Hornby .. 3 1 0 2 51 56 2 Shirley . 4 0 0 4 43 113 0