WELLINGTON WIN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 299, 15 September 1941, Page 3

WELLINGTON WIN

Return Rugby Match With Canterbury GROUND A QUAGMIRE Players Often Rise Above Conditions Dominion Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 7. The Wellington Rugby team added to its impressive record by beating Canterbury at Lancaster Park on Saturday, thus completing the “double” in. home and home matches between the two provinces. The match was played in appalling conditions, the ground being a quagmire and rain falling through a considerable part of the game. With the aid of the wind in the first half, Canterbury played so sell as to raise the hopes of the crowd and th score at half time was 8 points to 3 in favour of tits home side. In the second half Welliugton exploited conditions far more effectively than Canterbury h..d done and, though it was not tm six minutes before the end that Wellington gained the lead, the visitors finished strongly to win 14-8. lhe playeis of both sides often rose superior to the conditions and the match Held the interest of the moderate-sized crowd. It was a day for the forwards and the packs of both sides were responsible for some superlatively fine work. Detenders found it alnipst impossible to gather in the greasy ball and, even when they got their hands on it, it was jugt difficult to get a footing for a clearing kick. Both packs accordingly revelled in the opportunities for those loose rushes which, m these conditions, are so difficult to stop, and play ranged the ground at a terrine pace as first one pack and then the swept the defence aside in slashing bursts of dribbling. , The backs, too, contributed to the action, a good passing rush leading to Canterbury’s first try and Wellington later feeding the wings to good effect. Welliugton had a substantial weight advantage in the forwards and won the majority of the sdrums. Wisely, the backs did not attempt too much and Johns, Stott and Morton skilfully used the up-and-uuder kick and the iU"P ass to swing play back to the forwards. l°uu> the Wellington captain, was a fine leader in both tight and loose aud Stanaway and White joined him at the head of most of the loose rushes. Rankin, the former Canterbury player, was as übiquitous as ever, though his new position in the front row made him more a part of the serum than he has ever been in Canterbury He showed a great turn of speed in fo.lowing a loose ball over the Canterbury line to score the winning try. Outstanding forwards for Canterbury were Heipnan, who did a great deal oi. good work on both attack and defence. Tovey, whose dribbling was remarkab.y good,’ and Bond.’ who came through the rucks with great fire iu the first hat.. Sherratt, thg Wellington right wing scored two tries,, carrying two tacklers over with him on the first occasion and ou the second surely gathering the greasy ball at top speed when a wcali Canterbury clearing kick left him with a clear run home. Wellington’s remaining points cauw from a try by Lindsay ami a conversion by Todd. The Canterbury backs started quite promisingly but did not do so well once the bull became soggy. The first try by Gordon came from a back movement from which Cartwright centred for the forwards to storm over the line. Cartwright kicked a difficult goal and also kicked a good penalty. Scully, Canterbury’s substitute . halfback, did not spare himself in going down to the big Wellington forwards and even better work was done on defence by Roach, two of whose marks toward the end of the game were superb and saved apparently certain tries. The teams were• Wellington: P. Callanan; J. Sherratt, D. Pocknail. E. Jamieson; J. Morton. G. Stott; R. Johns; R. Smith, G. Lindsay, J. G. Rankin, P. Stanaway. J- Carradus, F. Foley. R. While, E. Todd. Canterbury: L. W. Smith; E. Kerr, W. Argus, J. S. Cartwright ; R. Kilworth, J. Roach; F. Seull.v; P- H. lovey, J. W. Gordon. W. Harvey, D. Herman. A. D. McKenzie, D. Tlayles, A. Long, G. Bond. VICTORIA COLLEGE BEAT CANTERBURY (By Telegraph—l‘res> Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 13. Two tries iu the last five minutes gave Victoria College a win, 9-3, over Canterbury College today. The Wellington forwards showed superiority over their opponents in wet and greasy, conditions. Tries were scored for Victoria by Lout lb (two) ami Stacey. White scored a try lor Canterbury. _ PRIMARY SCHOOLS GAME A nluckv display of Rugby football in the appalling conditions was given by teams representing the Wellington Hutt Valley primary schools at Atbier Park on Saturday afternoon. lhe teams were evenly matched, and some strenuous duels were fought out in the mud and SlU lt'was not till well on in the second spell that Gosney managed to score a try for Wellington, winch was not converted. Toward the eml of the game, Hutt Valiev made valiant attempts to even the scores, but the Wellington detenee held and Wellington won a hnrd-fought game 3-0. liel’eree, Mr. J- H. luohy. OTHER GAMES Referees beat Taxis 6-5. Ellison and Crichton scored for Referees, and Cooke scored a try for Taxis, which Inulin, converted. Seven-a-Side Tournament. The Wellington District Presbyterian Bible Class Union held its annual side Rugby football tournament on lynlvetield Park'on Saturday. The senior division was won by Thermion, who beat | Mnrnnui 11.5 in. the final.. In the finml o I lhe junior division, Hatnitai heat Island Ba v'6-0. . , Centurions I earn. The Centurions Club has selected the following players to train for their niatch against a Wellington fifteen at Athletic Park next Saturday J. Taylor, h. 1 elham. 14. Davies, J. T. Thurston, B. Vile, K. Sanson, T. Berghan, J. Hank, A. Wright, R. Watson, S. Lade, J. Dellabarca, F. Berry, K. Guy, S. McNicol, J. R. Lamasou, A. Mahoney, L. CS. Genine!!, 11. Sleep, C. K. Saxton, E. Sargessou, S. Potter, 11. Bognuda, 1. Dwyer. They will train at the Athletic gymnasium tomorrow night and on Thursday night. Petone and Hutt Clubs.

The Petone and Hutt Clubs were engaged in a series of friendly matches on Saturday. Petone seniors beat Hutt lb 3 and Petone juniors beat Fending Old Boys 10-8. Hutt fifths beat Masterto.l 21-3 and Hutt sixths beat Petone 10-O.