RUGBY BEGUN

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 155, 28 March 1932, Page 6

RUGBY BEGUN

Marist Clubs’ Tourney SPILLANE CUP GAMES High Standard of Play The Kugby fotobnll season was opened in Wellington on Saturday, when the Marist Clubs’ annual tournament for the Spillane Cup was commenced on Athlftic Park in the presence of some 1500 spectators. The weather was cold and cheerless, and a sharp shower from the south made the ball difficult to handle. Surprisingly good form for' so early in the season was shown. Six Marist teams competed, Wellington supplying two, and Auckland, Napier, Wanganui, and Hamilton also put in strong bids for the cup. The first round resulted in victories for Wellington A, 'Wellington B, and Auckland; A CLOSE GAME Wellington B Beats Wanganui’ The Wanganui and Wellington B fifteens were evenly matched, and the issue was in doubt right till “no side” was sounded. The Wellington forwards started off well. A sweeping footrush early carried all before it, and enabled O'Connor to score well out. Hepburn failed to convert. After a spell of fast play the Wellington backs _ made a clever concerted movement which outwitted the defence and gave Stone an open goalline. Hepburn again failed to find the crossbar. Wellington kept up the pressure, and another hammering thrust saw Hanrahan score, hut the distance was to great for Hepburn to add the extra points. This roused the Wanganui representatives, and they gave a taste of their quality by coming clean through the home defence with a beautiful passing movement which enabled Phillips to score a try. It was not converted. Wanganui hotly attacked for a time, and at last Hannon put over a penalty goal. A' close and exciting game ended with the board showing: Wellington B, 9; Wanganui. 6. A STIRRING TUSSLE Wellington A Beats Napier The fastest and most exciting game of the afteruoou was seen when Napier and Wellington A met. The visitors fielded a strapping pack of forwards who used their feet well, and their weight made them dangerous every time they got near the line. The 'Wellington pack, however, stood up to the big Napier vanguard manfully, and good work by McDonald, Robins and Webb in the rearguard enabled the home side to repel attacks for a time. At last. ■ the Napier men relentlessly drove Wellington right back to its goal-line, where some' most exciting work was seen. From a syds.-scrum the Napier forwards secured possession and Griffen' crossed in the corner, Dinneen failing to convert. This reverse stung the home side, aud a beautiful passing rush, in which the men travelled at tup pace and handled cleverly, ended in McDonald flashing over between the posts. He took the kick at

goal too casually and failed to convert from right in front. With the scores level, there, was great excitement as both teams attacked in turn. Then a great shout went up as Webb during a hurricane passing rush let fly at goal and sent the ball sailing over the very centre of the crossbar. The Napier representatives strove desperately to retrieve the position, and it looked as if they would succeed when they swarmed on the line under the: posts. They did actually cross, but. a syds.-scrum was ordered, and Welling-' ton cleared. A stirring game ended: Wellington, 7; Napier, 3. Mr. D. Paris was the referee. TO-DAY’S PROGRAMME . The semi-finals will be played this morning at Athletic Park, commencing at 10 o’clock, and the final will be decided this afternoon. These games should be worth seeing. “ WIN BY SIX POINTS Hamilton Extends Auckland Though the Auckland fifteen included S. Hadley, the New Zealand hooker, it had to keep moving at top pace to defeat Hamilton by oto nil. Play was' kept going at a fast clip, showing that the players had paid close attention to training. Both teams opened out the play, but sharp and sudden tackling upset all attacking movements before they got far. At last Auckland was awarded a penalty goal about the quarter-mark, and Muller coolly dropped a neat goal. The second spell opened in a drenching shower which caused play to be confined to the forwards. Hamilton was giving a good account of itself, but at last a bit of extra clever work by Hadley enabled him to notch a try for Auckland, which Elliott failed to convert. There was no further score, and the final whistle went with the scores reading: Auckland, 6; Hamilton, 0. Mr. J. Moffitt refereed. VISITING TEAMS IN CITY Home Fifteens Prevail Rugby teams from Napier and Manakau visited Wellington'on-Saturday and played matches in the afternoon against local club fifteens. The Napier Pirates put up a good fight against Berhampore, being beaten by only 6 points to nil. The Hui Mai team from Manakau went down to Athletic to the tune of 30 points to 3. Berhampore Beats Pirates The game between Berhampore . and Napier Pirates was close and exciting throughout. So evenly were the sides matched that play rarely got within the twenty-fives. Berhampore started off with dash, and Fraser crossed the Napier lino within a few minutes of the kickoff. Knutson failed to convert. Pirates made strenuous efforts to retaliate, . but Berhampore kept' them off by valiant defensive work,.and there was no further, score during the first , spell. ■■ Every inch of ground had to be fought hard for in the second spell, and it was not until near the end' of the game that Glennie managed to score another try for Berhampore. He failed to a’dd tiie extra points, and a very close contest ended with the scores standing:—Berhampore, 6; Pirates, 0. Mr. D. Calcinai was the referee. Athletic Team in Form The Hui Mai team from Manakau included a number of Maoris, and their colours were as variegated as Joseph’s The Athletic fifteen proved altogether too fast and clever for the visitors. In the first spell tries were scored for Athletic by Davis, Reid, Tindill and Bezzant, one of which was improved by Diack. ' The teams crossed over with Athletic leading by 14 points to nil. Athletic continued to move at a fast pace'in the second spell, in which 16 points were piled on. Tries were scored by Andrews, Boyd, Diack and .Jolly, two being converted by Jolly and Diack. There wns great cheering when Hui Mai at length managed to register a score. Perewiti secured at the end of a passing chain, and just managed to stagger over the line after a long run. The try was not improved, and the game ended: — Athletic, 30: Hui Mai. 3. . Mr. De Clifton refereed.

MIRAMAR BEATEN Match at Gladstone. Dominion Special Service. Masterton, March 27. The first Rugby match of the season in the Wairarapa was played at Gladstone on Saturday between fifteens representing the Gladstone and Miramar Football Clubs. The visitors were outclassed by the Gladstone team, which won by 2" points to 5 after a fast and interesting game. Steffert scored three tries for Gladstone, and Walker and A. McKay each crossed the line once. McKay converted three of the tries, and kicked two penalty goals. For Miramar. Thompson scored the only try, which was converted by Smith.