Rugby Carters contribute much to Southbridge success

Press, 6 September 1982, Page 22

Rugby Carters contribute much to Southbridge success

It was a great day for the Carter family on Saturday at Leeston, where Southbridge beat Kirwee, 23-6, to take the C.S.B. Trophy in the grand final of the Ellesmere senior rugby competition. The brothers, Neville. Dennis and Dave Carter, scored a try each for the winning side, and Neville Carter added seven points with his goal-kicking. Southbridge laid the foundation for the comfortable win with a solid performance in the first half when it played obliquely into the strong wind. Southbridge led, 9-6, at half-time and scored three tries in the second half to add to that of Alan Palmer in the first half. Palmer had. a fine loose forward’s game and his try came through diligent

following up. He did much to bring Southbridge out on top in the ruck count. Mike Jones also made his presence felt: a strong burst from the back of a scrum led to the ruck which gave Neville Carter his try. The key to Southbridge's success lay in its powerful scrummaging. The Kirwee pack was almost always heaved back on its own putin and the side found it hard to develop useful play, although Jim Reardon did reasonably well at half-back under difficult circumstances. When Southbridge had the put-in, its pack was rocksteady and it channelled the ball expertly. Winston Partridge, normally a fiveeighths, made a fair fist of the unfamiliar duties of half-

back and he would have been pleased at the way his forwards delivered the ball to him. Kirwee's hooker. Gavin Henderson, would also have been pleased, because he managed two strikes against the well-drilled Southbridge pack to even the tight-head count. On such a windy day. there was little back play of substance. When the ball was moved towards the wideopen spaces, passes were often blown astray and the willingness of both sides to attack through the backs was largely frustrated. Southbridge’s three secondhalf tries were scored by backs, and were well taken, after being created by powerful preparatory work from the forwards.

Kirwee played bettbr in the second half when it faced the wind, but it never threatened the Southbridge line. For Southbridge, tries were scored by Palmer. Neville Carter. Dennis Carter and Dave Carter. Neville Carter kicked two conversions and a penalty goal. Kuru Gray kicked two penalty goals for Kirwee. Other results were:— Senior.— C.S.B. pennant (for bottom section): Darfield 18.-Lin-coln 0. Senior B.- President's Trophy: Irwell 11. Lincoln 3. C.S.B pennant: West Melton 11. Diamond Harbour 3. Senior reserve.— D. A. Love Trophy: Leeston won 'by default from Burnham. C.S.B. pennant: Southbridge 23. Sheffield 4. Under 21.— Arthur Jones Cup: Burnham 20. Banks Peninsula 14. C.S.B. pennant. Waihora 26. West Melton 10.