Lower-grade rugby

Press, 19 April 1982, Page 22

Lower-grade rugby

The scoreline of Southbridge 15. Peninsula 0. does not reflect the story'of territorial or ball possessio’n in the main match of the Ellesmere rugby sub-union’s senior competition at Little River on Saturday. But it does reflect the difference in collective and individual thinking on the part of the Southbridge XV. Peninsula began the game with a great rush, and was unlucky not to score in those first id mintues, and to add to its bad luck in this period, it also lost its most experienced back. Bruce Dunbar. However,. Kim Neal proved more than just an adequate replacement. For Peninsula. John Masefield, Phil Waghorn, and the evergreen Brian Narby were a trio of forwards who were to the forefront of Peninsula's play all afternoon. With the possession won for them by their forwards, the backs were unable to achieve much, and indeed, .one was reminded of watching a training run with the ball just being flipped along the back-line. Because the ball was transferred so slowly inside, even the incursion of Noe] Heffernan into the backline did nothing in adding thrust to a most pedestrian back display-

Although giving away height and weight, the Southbridge pack stuck manfully to its task, the players committing themselves to the tackle and killing the loose ball. Indeed, it would be unfair to single out any particular player for praise in this aspect of play. W'hat line-out ball did come the way of Southbridge was usually through the efforts of Geordi’e Moorhead. The real difference between the two teams, however, was in the Southbridge back-line. In Win Partridge and Davey Carter, at five-eights, and Neville Carter, back in his rightful place at fullback, Southbridge had three players who dictated play as much on defence as on attack. Neville Carter, on the day, outplayed the incumbent Country full-back, Heffernan, especially in joining and running in the back-line. For Southbridge, Dennis Carter scored a try, and Neville Carter kicked a conversion and three penalty goals. The referee was Mr Ted’ Ward. The other senior games resulted in a 34-6 win by Burnham over Darfield, while Sheffield beat Kirwee. 16-7, and Leeston beat Lincoln. 19-7. Lower grade games resulted:—

SENIOR 8.-Linoln 10. ’ Springston 13; Irwell 25. WestC Melton 0: Prebbleton 4. Diamond"-*’ Harbour 3; Dunsandel 45, United 0. -zr.2. SENIOR RESERVE.-Shef-'-'-field 0. Burnham 60; Selwyn 4&S; Darfield 41; Kirwee o,' Souths?*;.: bridge 10; Prebbleton 0, Leestoigji: ' z i*-7 UNDER 21.—Lincoln 22. Melton 0; Dunsandel/Kirwee o’’> , i Darfield 22; Banks Peninsula 34p<i Waihora 6. UNDER 18—Lincoln 9*s*! Prebbleton 20; Southbridge Darfield 4; Leeston/Irwell 6»Tiy Dunsandel 12. '.S 5 ! Under 16—Banks Peninsula Lincoln 35; Darfield 0, SpringstotEf J 36: Waihora 0, West Melton Sheffield 14. Leeston/Irewell 2tUz. : r UNDER 14,-West Melton Lincoln 21; Leeston 32, South;-’’’, bridge 12; Darfield 12, ton 20; Waihora 0. Dunsandel 36fz/ ; Springston 26, Selwyn 6. UNDER 12.—East: Lincoln 31J,-<;-Waihora 16; Leeston 8, Prebble.-<>; ton 4. West: Springston 16, field 26; Sundandel 4, Selwyn 12.UNDER 10—East: Pebbieton Banks Peninsula 18; Lincoln 8 ( .-*'.> Leeston 22; Southbridge 24, Dia-C" mond Harbour 0. West: ton 18. Sheffield 0; Dunsandel 251'-\ ’ Selwvn 6. 7 *'