RUGBY SEASON OPENS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 183, 1 May 1933, Page 11

RUGBY SEASON OPENS

Close Call for Poiiek PETONE DEFEATED Wellington’s Good Form PROMOTED TEAMS LOSE The Wellington Rugby Union's 1933 season was oflicially opened on Saturday, when a full schedule of competition games was played. The weather was overcast, with a strong northerly wind, but playing areas were in splendid order. The admission of more teams to the senior grade saw it wider division of public patronage, and somo of the suburban grounds drew more people than the main event, between Wellington and Athletic, at Athletic Park. With one exception—that of the I’arit game—scoring was very even in both first and second divisions of the senior grade, the issue in most games being very open until the final whistle. Poneke, the reigning ehampions, hud a very close call at Lower Hutt against Hutt, the suburban team leading by 7 to 5 until the lust thirty seconds of the game, when a rearguard action sent Uoulton ovttr in the corner for the winning points. An Intercepted pass which gave an opening for a field goal saw Wellington College Old Boys lower the dolours of I’etonc, runners-up last year for the premiership, on their home ground. The score see-sawed interestingly throughout the game with I’ctone leading at the Interval .by 11 to 10. ■ They led again 14-13 in the second spell until Atkins kicked his field goal which proved the deciding points. Before a very small attendance at Athletic Bark, Wellington ran up a big score against Athletic, but it was not until the closing ten minutes that the game became really uneven. Features of the game were two brilliant solo tries by Page, six goals by Diack, the new arrival from Southland, and a very clever field goal by Tlndill. Playing at Fast bourne the home side prevailed in an interesting contest with Jlurist. They led 10-0 at. halftime, but Alurist did better in the second spell, scoring eight points to their opponents' three. Once more Fuller proved a scoring asset; for ho notched half of Eastbourne’s total score, narrowly missing more points when lie twice kicked posters. The feature of the second division was the very close scoring. Each of

,'the four promoted teams suffered defont, but there was Very little in it. and this section of the senior grade should develop into a very interesting contest. RESULTS AT A GLANCE First Division. Poneke 8 Hutt 7 Well. Coll. 0.8 17 Petone 14 Wellington .. 31 Athletic ..... 9 Eastbourne .. 13 Mnrist ...... S Second Division. University ... 'J Johnsonville 8 ALiramar .... 14 Melrose 7 Oriental 6 St. Pat's 0.8. 0 Bcrbatupoi'c .14 Upper Hutt .. It IN SCORING MOOD Wellington Backs Too Good for Athletic Though Wellington scored a very easy points win over Athletic la the principal match nt Athletic Park. it. was only in the concluding ten minutes tbut the losers wore compelled to relinquish a stern opposition. Wellington made better use of the high wind in the first spell than Athletic did in the second, but this wan a minor adviinltige compared with the definite superiority of the Wellington chitin of backs. Wellington's tactics, elcip’tf understood by each member of flic team once an attack was launched, gave them the big margin of points in their favour. Some of their back play was very bright, nml good work by Kilby and Page gave the three-quarter line plenty of scope. Wellington’s seven tries were scored by the backs. Athletic's cardinal weakness was poor defence in the live-eighth positions. The tennis were:— Wollingloii. -Cresswell; Pali, biuek. Vryde: Smith. Page; Kil'by: Jackson. Thornton. Met,can, Fell, Uowatson, Carter, Bracken. Dye.

Athletic: SenHliml: K. Hli'kling. I'pctiiireh. King; Rntlnml. Diiirk: Tlnditl; Giisti.ifst’ti, Bamberg. Logtni, Boyd, Jolly. Jtoiiler, Watson, Campbell.

Playing down the wind in tin’ first spell 'Wellington rattled on 21 points '0 their opponents’ five. Thornton. Mei,ran. and Bail almost scored tor Wellington, ami from a resulting serum Kilby fed I’nge, who darted through Um Athletic backs to score behind the posts. Diack gonled. Dim'k quickly added u penally from about 35 yards out when Al Idel ii: wero penalised, mid n few minutes later Kilby secured from a serum in the Athletic quarter and repealed Page's performance by racing through the Athletic defence to score, and p'rnek again goaled. Athletic's defence received a bad showing up in tlmse two movements. Athletic's first score resulted from some clever forward play by Mollier and Watson. who were leading most rushes, a bright, passing bout, ending in Watson crossing nt tlm corner and grounding the ball in a handy position for Jolly to convert. After thirty minutes’ play, mostly in favour of Wellington, a very bright passing movement by Kilby. Page. Smith iwho cut a man out), Diack, and Pryde, resulted in tlm latter scoring, mid Diack goaled. Immediately afterwards another elcvcr passing bout initiated by McLean went half the length of the Held. The ball went Ibrotigh tlm clniin out to Pryde. and in again to Page, and to Smith, the latter crossing, but he was recalled for not, having taken the futsS cleanly. Tht! knock-on was barely perceptible, and tlm decision looked like splitting hairs. Just before the spell Kilby obtained from a scrum, sent: his backs away, and Diack cut out: Upchurch to send Pryde over. Wellington thus leading by 21 to 5. A few minutes after the opening of the second spell Athletic were on tlm attack, and the bull eiirno back to Tindill. who was near the sideline, about forty yards out. Without, hesitation he drop-kicked at goal and found tlm mark. For a long period Athletic won possession from scrums mid line-outs, and kept Wellington busily on the defensive, but Kilby was Content to hold Wellington’s handy lead mid played for safety on every occasion. Rutland narrowly missed a goal from a mark, and a moment later was injured ami had to leave tlm field. Athletic playing a man short, for the remainder of the game. Watson then went within an ace of scoring. Ten minutes from time Athletic's resistance died away, and Wellington thereafter were continually on the attack. Page mid Bull engaged in a left flnnk movement, which Kilby quickly transferred to the right wing, and the backs swept in to send Pryde over, mid Diack goaled. Two minutes later Kilby passed to Page who, though well supported, cut through the Athletic inside hooka mid scored by the posts, for Diack to land his sixth goal. Bight on limo Scotland was left to stem a six-man ftifih on his llnfi. And ffOiii tbo scamhlo Page snapped the ball Out Io Ball, who dived over at the corner. Tim kick failed. mid the final score read: Wellington 31. Athletic 9. Air. J. Moffitt, was referee.

IN LAST MINUTE

! Desperate Effort Saves Poneke Thrills and excitement followed fast at tbo Hutt-Poneke match, on the Hutt Recreation Ground, from which Poneke emerged victorious in the last minute by 8 points to 7. The large crowd which attended in anticipation of a battle of the giants was not disappointed, and the match will be classed as one of the hardest-fought games seen on the ground. The Hutt team stood up to their opponents valiantly, and it was only by a desperate try, so close to the call of time that there was no opportunity to attempt to convert, that Poneke scraped home. The teams were:— Hutt.—ldlburnc; Stevenson. Hansen, Nees; Killeen, Feeney: Speneer: Trenchard, Barry, Satilsbrey, Hooker, Peek. Baker. Collision. Wilson. Poneke.—Barrett; Ball. CJicstermun, Coultou; Griffiths. E. Neal: Julian; Dickson, Quade, Jtelvor, Crtchtou, 8. Neal, Stone, Gair, Boss. Starting uneventfully, the game consisted of even up-and-down play until Poneke were given a free kick, which E. Neal missed from a bandy position. Shortly afterward, Julian broke away, but with no one to support hint, a certain try was lost. Poneke kept storming the Hutt line, and from loose play Griffiths snapped up the ball, but was collared right ou the line. By this time. Hutt were roused, and Killeen started a likely movement by kicking down the Held to the Poneke full-back, who was grounded almost on the line. A melee followed, and Wilson was given a free kick, which he missed. First blood went to Hutt, wbeu Wilson missed another penalty kick, and the return of the ball found Killeen ready. He snapped up the bull, dodged through half the opposition, mid banded ou to Barry, who went over in the corner. Coulston's kick fell short, aud half-time was sounded almost Immediately. Action eame quickly in the second spell. Securing the ball from loose play in front of the Poneke goal, Stevenson took a quick pot which went over cleanly. With Hutt seven points up, Poneke attacked repeatedly, but were for some time unable to penetrate. Their first score came when Julian secured from a scrum and cut through the Hutt men to pass to S. Neal, who grounded. E. Neal converted. Play became very spirited, and there was a good deal of very bard scrummaging. Poneke’s deciding points came right on the call of time. A brilliant interchange of passing between Chesterninn, E. Neal, and Cotillon close to the Sult line resulted in Coalton's diving over. Several casualties occurred during the game, and nt the conclusion, two Poneke mon wore stretched out receiving medical attention. Mr. A. De Clifton was referee. EASTBOURNE WIN Fuller Contributes Half Points Eastbourne beat. Alurist on the Bay ground by a margin of five points, the flnal scores being 13-8, after Eastbourne had led .13-0 at half-time. Th no was an element of ]uck about their win—for instance, Harlot won the fess and chose to ose their freshness ttefcnJing against a strong wind. The first Eastbourne try was also iluky, but on too. game uh a whole tho winners wore the better side, played more concerted football, mid possessed a buck line Chut was always dangerous when it swung into action. I'iaslboiirue.—Dltigle: Hamilton, Foley. Fuller: Flank. Fleming: Co in mi: Clayton, Butterworth, J. Delinbiire.i: Sleep, Spence: Gibbons. N. Delltrbarca. Lamb. Marlsts.— MeCalnan: L. McGrcevy. Mvllle, Kilpatrick: Langdon, K. McGrcevy; Mahoney: Gill. .Ottoway, O'Shea, Butler, Roach, McHardy, Clark, Stiver. The first score came from play in front of the Mnrist goal the ball going out loosely to the wing. In attempting to pick up. the Mnrist thrce-quarier mulled the ball mid Fuller rushed up i" score nene tbo corner. His kick hi! I lie outside post and bounced buck. Ei’slbournc kept up the attack ami tiie ball coming out to Fleming in front of the goal, lie potted-mid scored.

With tim wind behind them in the second spell Alarist attacked, but. like their opponents in the opening half, they did not make judicious use of it. Hie kicking in tin? main being too hard and lacking purpose. Chirk missed a fairly easy kick from a penalty, (he effort, being very poor, but soon afterward a fine passing rush saw E. McGrcevy beat Hie defence and liand to Clark, who ran round behind Hie posts. L. McGrcevy inadi l a very feeble attempt at converting. Hie ball hi,filly rising. Mnrist at this stage held Hie upper liand and a loose rush gave Stiver nn opportunity, of which he took full mlvniifnge. cvi'ntunlly picking tin and falling over tiie line. Clark com-cried and reduced Hie Eastbourne lead lo only two points. Fi’oni a scrinn. tiie bull I’tilne out lo tiie Eastbourne's backs and. going along Hie line. Foley made a nice opening for Hamilton, who crossed unopposed. Fuller missed llm kick, lint it was Hie end of Marisl's hopes and also the final scoring, Hine being called shortly afterward. Mr. .1. Gilchrist wns referee.

SOUND COMBINATION Old Boys Narrowly Defeat Petone Soundness in combimitiou was the clrcl factor in Wellington College Old Roys' win over Petone. The game, which was played at the Petone Oval in the presence of several hundred people, was confined mainly Io the forwards, with oceaslotinJ bursts by tlm backs. At. half-time Petonc bud a lead of one point, which they maintained until tlm closing stages, when n drop-kick by Atkins. turned tlm tables, old Boys winning by .17 points to 11. The temno were Pel one.- -Pollock ; Huxtable. Peterson, Clclhiml; 'frapp. Spence; O'lhilluran ; Suudgren, l.ambourtie. Seiwood, Behan, Martin. Head. Whittington, I'arr. old Boys. - Masters: Hill. Dustin, Hollis: Atkins, Baldwin; Sadler; T. Reynolds, Bydder. I.timaxon, .1. Reynolds, Williams, N. Grenfell, Wright. McNeil. The opening exchanges were very even, but eventually Old Boys worked down into Petonc's twenty-live.' mid Baldwin cut clean through tlm Petone backs to score under the posts. Masters, who played a fine game throughout, converted. Petone backs did riot combine satisfactory in the subsequent, movements. In Hie loose they were evenly matched. Old Boys worked piny from Hu; danger zone, and for a time had much the better of lhe exchanges. A. period of hard forward work was broken when a free-kick was awarded to Petonc. S'Jwood finding the uprights with u beautiful shot. Peione's efforts to cleave an opening met with persistent and stubborn defence until Carr broke away, and passed to Suudgren. who handed on to Whittington, who scored near the posts. Belwood converted. A few mie.ute.s later Petone had a piece of luck when an opposing player, in attempting to clear, kicked lhe ball over his own line. In the race to touch down the bounce favoured Peterson. There was no conversion, lhe ball striking the cross-bar. Shortly before half-time a fine line-kick by Masters pJaeed Old Boys in a handy position. In lhe ensuing play Lanutson ran through Io score under lhe posts. Masters converted, making the score; Petonc 11, Old Boys 10. The closing play was full of interest. A kick by Pollock failed to find the line. Lamason secured, ami sent Hill away to score a brilliant try. Masters failed Io convert. Petone gained the lead once again when Old Boys were penalised in front of their own posts. Belwood taking the kick. The next incident was a spectacular drop-kick by Atkins, which gave Old Boys a lead of three points. Playing with a fiery dash Petonc fought vaJiantly to make tip the leeway. The call of time, however. brought to an end without further score a torrid battle between two grafting sets of forwards. Mr. G. B. lleley was referee.