'Boiling hot’ football

Press, 29 October 1982, Page 30

'Boiling hot’ football

By

JOHN BROOKS

After a sorry senior season in Christchurch, the High School Old Boys rugby club gained some solace from the success of a composite side in Hawaii. The team, which contained a sprinkling of seniors and a solid core of lower grade players, has arrived home after beating both its rivals in the fierce heat of Honolulu. Old Boys beat the University of Hawaii, 25-10, in one match and the Harlequins club, 18-3, in the other. The Harlequins, the best organised of the island's six clubs, is contemplating a six-match

tour of New Zealand next year, and H. 5.0.8. hopes to be among its opponents. Last year the Harlequins beat Old Blues, an American side which beat Old Boys in Christchurch on a previous visit.

In Honolulu, Old Boys played on a bone-hard ground surrounded by six soccer pitches in the Diamond Head municipal, park. Grass and skin burns were common, but the players survived the heat by swallowing gallons of orange juice at half-time. The trade winds helped reduce the humidity, and 3.30 p.m. kick-offs made conditions a little more bearable.

Richard Falloon. a young full-back, and the former All Black trialist, lan Mather, scored two tries each in the first game, with Gary Cookson kicking three conversions and a penalty goal. In the Harlequins match, Mather and Hamish McPhail scored tries and Falloon kicked two conversions and two penalty goals. The most encouraging aspect of the tour was the performance by the youthful forwards, according to the side’s manager, Mr Kelvin Victor. Their abilty to “hang in" against the robust Harlequins forwards contributed greatly to the outcome.