NATIONAL MUTUAL CUP

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 285, 28 August 1933, Page 11

NATIONAL MUTUAL CUP

Senior Champions Fail HUTT’S NARROW WIN Old Boys,Two Points Down THRILLING FINAL SPURT Club Rugby contests in the senior grade in Wellington were practically finalised on Saturday when, in the annual game for the National Mutual Cup, Wellington College Old Boys, winners of the senior championship, were defeated by Hutt by eight points to six in a close and hard game. Owing to an unexpected defeat of Poneke in the second division finality was not reached in this section. University and Poneke are again equal in points, and it is probable that they will play, off. In their winning effort Hutt confirmed. their selection by the Wellington Rugby Union as challengers for the National Mutual Cup. Though there was very little between the teams, the winners had something the better of the play. The conditions were perfect for football, the day being sunless with only a trace of wind from the north. The game was hard, with a good deal of spoiling, a lot of very sound defensive work, and a little too much faulty handling on both sides which wrecked several promising combined movements. The Poneke .second division team failed to reproduce their form against Petone in what was looked upon as the final of the section.- Poneke were seldom working smoothly, and were defeated by eight points to three. There was no scoring in the first spell, but in the second Caldwell, the wing threequarter, scored two tries and, converted one for Petone, while Currie kicked a penalty goal for Poneke. In the only other game having any bearing on championship prospects, University defeated Johnsonville by 11 points to 7 after a three-all score at half-time. St. Patrick’s College Old Boys and Oriental were the only senior'flrst division teams to play in addition to those engaged in the National Mutual Cup, the contest being unofficial. St. Patrick’s won by 11 points to 3.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE . ■ National Mutual Cup. ■ ■ -Hutt S Well. Coll. 0.8. 6 Second Division. Petone 8 Poneke ..... 3 University ... 11 Johnsonville . 7 WIN WAS DESERVED Hutt Have Better of Game A stirring rally by Wellington College Old Boys in a movement in which , eight players handled the ball, with the last man pushed on to the corner flag right on the call of time, failed by the narrowest of margins to retrieve .the National Mutual Cup match played on Athletic Park on Saturday before a good attendance. The first spell produced rather drab football, relieved only by occasional incidents worthy of notice, but in the second spell there were many bright movements. The smallness of the scoring indicates the sound defensive play of both teams. Many times tries either from individual or combined play looked imminent, but A spectacular tackle or sound fielding of the ball would save the situation. The Hutt forwards were again very much in evidence. They hooked the bail very regularly from set scrums, and hadza little more than their share in lineouts, but from rucks Old Boys had a fair measure of success with their heeling, white they made a good deal of play from the open. In the loose the Old Boys forwards played with their customary' dash, and frequently were in a threatening position. They produced a good effort at the finish when two points down, and Hutt were not safe until tile final whistle had blown. The teams were: — Hutt: Jarman; Ball, Phillips, Nees; Lilburne, Killeen; Spencer; Wilson, Stevenson, Peck, Hooker, Barry, Dalton, Coulston, Bradley. College Old Boys: Masters; A. Wright, t Dustin, Hollis; Atkins, Baldwin; Sadler; Lamason,-T. Reynolds, McNeile, Claridge, Grenfell, J. Reynolds, Bydder, M. Wright. Once more Old Boys won the toss, but on this occasion little advantage was to be gained from it. The opening exchanges were very quiet. Lilburne made a nice opening at half-way, and Killeen, putting great speed on to the movement, went right through till lowered by Masters. Wright gathered the ball and sped for the line before kicking to Jarman, who threw the ball into touch when in trouble, and Lamason took a penalty shot at goal, but failed. Play in the succeeding twenty minutps was very patchy, some good footwork by the Old Boys forwards, notably Grenfell, M. Wright and Claridge, and eound defensive play by Jarman, being features of a dull period. Ten minutes from the interval Dustin and Hollis raised Old Boys’ hopes when they swept down the flank and sent the ball in-field to their forwards, but a long kick by Jarman removed play to the other, end, where from a lipeout Spencer shot the ball quickly to Lilburne, who dodged through the Old Boys five-eighths and scored by the posts. He converted, giving Hutt a 5-0 lead. A minute before time Old Boys launched another attack, and a penalty against Stevenson for throwing the ball into touch was accepted- by Lamason, who placed a fine goal. Old Boys missed a good opportunity of scoring early in the second spell, when the backs broke away, and Atkins, after beating two men, turned the attack infield again, when Wright was waiting unmarked on the flank. Tricky work by Killeen and Lilburne sent them out again, but Killeen was injured, and left the field, though he returned a minute or two later after receiving attention. Good passing by Atkins and Dustin took play to the Hutt line, where a force down relieved. Another breakaway by Killeen ended with Stevenson getting through to a clear field, but McNeile had just enough pace to pull him down at the corner flag. A scrum followed the lineout, and from a loose scramble Stevenson scored in the corner. Old Boys drew to within two points- of Hutt when after twenty minutes’ play Claridge headed a loose rush which resulted in McNeile scoring. Old Boys were making a big effort to gain the lead, and their forwards forced a position from which Sadler nearly got over. Combined play between McNeile, Lamason and A. Wright saw the latter forced out at the flag. Barry and Peck led Hutt back, and good work by the backs ended with Lilburne giving a forward pass in a likely position. Right on time Claridge secured in a lineout and passed back to Hollis, who came across field to open the game up. Sadler passed to McNeile, who set the chain of hacks going, and a magnificent movement ended with A. Wright being forced out at the flag, at which stage the final whistle blew. Mr. D. Calcinai was referee.