HUTT IN LEAD

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 187, 7 May 1934, Page 11

HUTT IN LEAD

Only Unbeaten Team PONEKE DEFEATED Athletic Call Tune WET WEATHER RUGBY Wellington footballers had their first taste of real winter conditions on Saturday, when the. Wellington Rugby Union’s competition games wore contested on heavy grounds, with a strong and cold southerly driving up occasional showers of rain. Two of the leading senior teams in Petone and Poneke suiTered their initial defeats, leaving Hutt the only unbeaten team in the first division. Profiting by their defeat of the previous week, College Old Boys, though weakened by absentees, played a sterling forward game to defeat Petone at Athletic Park. Playing an ideal type of game for the conditions, they Tan up a handy lead in the first spell and held it safely when they had the weather in their face in the second spell. Quietly confident of success, the intproving Athletic team scored 10 points (a try, a field goal, and a penalty) against Poneke in the first spell at Newtown Park. Poneke disappointed their supporters after turning round, the sound defences of Athletic preventing the red and blacks from opening their scoring account. Playing at Eastbourne, Marist, mainly by the aid of four goals by Ericsson, led Eastbourne at half-time by 14 to 5. The home team added two tries in the second spell, but were unable to notch the winning points. Hutt were always a little too strong for Wellington, who were unable to improve on an 8-6 deficiency at half-time, Hutt scoring twice after the interval to maintain an unbeaten record by 14 to 6. RESULTS AT A GLANCE First Division. Well. Coll. 0.8. IB Petone 7 Athletic 10 Poneke 0 Hutt 14 Wellington ..... 6 Marist 0.8. .... 14 Eastbourne .... 11 Second Division. University 17 Berhampore ... 0 Oriental 6 Onslow 0 St. Patrick's 0.8. 21 Melrose-Selwyn . 0 Johnsonville ... 3 Miramar 0 SPLENDID FORWARDS 'Telling Foot Rushes The exhibition given by Wellington College Old Boys against Petone on Athletic Park would gladden the hearts of those lyho believe that real solid forward play is the basis of Rugby Union football. Winning the toss was a big initial advantage, for it gave Old Boys the opportunity of using the strong southerly wind while they were fresh for the fray. They made good -use of it, Tunning up 16 points (tour tries, two of which were converted) to Petone’s four (a field goal). Petone added a try in the second spell, and were unlucky not to get another when Seiwood appeared to score, but they never looked like getting the upper hand of the ex-collegians, who adapted their game splendidly to the condition of weather and ground, and coordinated their forces to such good purpose that they were always in the dominant position. Old Boys’ forwards played with the dash and vigour which characterised many of their winning efforts last season, while they were favoured with any luck that arose from time to.time. However it was all-round superiority rather than any good fortune which accounted for their win. The Petone forwards, unable to gain mastery, appeared cumbersome in contrast with their rivals. They used the foot-rush also, but not to such good purpose, and were unable to drive their attacks home to a profitable iresnlt. Under the conditions back pl.ay was a risky venture. Foothold was insecure, and the ball was difficult to pass with any degree of accuracy. However, Petone endeavoured to retrieve their position in the second spell with a handling game, but without success, the defence offered by Old Boys being stout enough to repel all but one attacking movement. . Petone opened with a bout of handling, but Old Boys, from the outset, relied on putting the ball on the ground and using their feet. After 10 minutes' play a lucky try came their Way, when Leonard gave the Mil a hefty boot along the ground. It struck the upright of Petone’s goal and rebounded into play, for A. Wright to dribble it over and score in a handy position. Hasters converted. Peterson retrieved Petone from a threatening situation forced by Leonard, but Old Boys would not be denied, a loose foot rush getting past Coman for Reynolds to score an unconverted try Nice work on the flank by McGurk was negatived by Masters, and a sweeping rush with Bydder and Williams in the van saw Hudson smother a pass by Leonard when a try for Old Boys looked certain. From a succeeding serum in the corner the ball came loosely to A. Wright’s wing, and ho dribbled it a couple of yards, then picked if. up to score in the corner. Lambourne, Seiwood, and Sundgren participated in one spectacular rush which swept over the Old Boys’ defence, but Baldwin gathered brilliantly and broke clean through the Petone backs. If was only temporary relief, for Petone returned to the attack. and from a line-out, Blakeley kicked a grubber info Pollock’s hands, and the All Black smartly gathered four points with a field goal, .lust before time Baldwin, who was playing well, secured from a scrum, badly' heat the Petone five-eighths, and handed on to Grenfell, who scored by the posts. Baldwin converted, giving'Old Boys a 16-4 lead. . Though playing against the weather Old Boys continued to dominate the play with spectacular dribbling rushes, which disorganised the Petone defences. The suburban team raised its score with a try by O’Halloran from a ruck, but these were the last points of the match. A few minutes later a hot rush ended with a. heap of men diving for the ball, and fieiwood appeared to' score, but the referee was on the off-side of the ruck, and gave. the benefit of the doubt to the defending side. A 20-minute offensive by Petone. in which both backs and forwards played up bettor, produced no addition to the score. Old Boys defending .Very stoutly. Petone called their whole rearguard Into action. Pollock moving up to first five-eighth to sharpen up the attack, while their forwards responded by heeling the ball every time Coman called for ft. However. Old Boys did not slacken their defence in any way. They were man for man the equal of the Petone pack during this terrific offensive, and they were invariably able to break up any attempts at combined back play. Efforts to perform sidestepping tricks in the mud did not make the way any easier for Petone, yet almost to the end they failed to exploit the full advantage of the wind by putting the ball up high. Their »tab punting to the centre was merely presenting the ball to Old Boys, who cleared jinfail ingly. lMx, J, a, Bfiutc