RUGBY THRILLS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 260, 31 July 1944, Page 6

RUGBY THRILLS

Army Forges Further Ahead

In Beating- Marist

PONEKE-ORIENTAL AND ATHLETIC DRAW

The rare attraction o£ seeing the tour leading teams, with only one point separating them, battling for honours in the Jubilee Cup competition, attracted a record attendance at Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon. The sum of £337 was taken at the gates, lhe largest amount for a club match since 1939. ~, , , , The big crowd, with a liberal sprinkling on the western bank, was well pleased with the brand of Rugby. lhe game between Poneke-Oriental and Athletic. who took lhe held lircit, was played at a fast clip, and the rapid llucluatious of fortune kept interest at fever heat. Rapid scoring was the order of the day, and thlS. too. helped to whet the appetite of spectators for sensation. With a helpful northerly breeze behind them. Athletic opened in sensational fashion. Kight away, Jamieson put over a penalty goal, and a little, later streaked -10 yards for a try, which he converted. Not content with this, he added another try after Roberts had made a nice opening for him. Undismayed by these reverses, the PonekeOriental pack were playing their usual honest game, and eventually Johns sent Lindsay over for a try. Aided by the wind, Athletic came back on the attack, and Turley, the half-back, made a nice cut-in to send Wales over for a try, near the.posts, which Jamieson failed to convert. Just before the Interval, Vaughan landed a penalty goal for the combined team making the scores at half-time, .14-0 in Athletic's favour. With the wind behind them, it was Poneke's turn to call the tune, and they did so to such purpose that in 14 minutes they put on 16 points. Tries were scored in rapid succession by Calelnal. Hoy, Firmin, and Hookham. two of which were. converted by Vaughan. With the scores 22-16 in the combined team’s favour, it looked as if the game was over, but the Athletic forwards staged a rare lighting finish. A bright piece ot passing in which Glengarry, Roberts, and Read figured ended in the last-named going over in the corner. Keeping up the pressure. Glengarry started another passing bout, which saw Wales score near the posts for Jamieson to even the scores. 22-all. by adding the extra points. A highly-exciting game, which was fought out at an amazingly fast pace, thus fittingly ended in a draw. Athletic were severely handicapped by the absence of their regular full-back. R. Crawford, as most of the scoring against them came from mistakes at full-back, first by Glengarry, and later 'by Stott. Keen interest attached to Marist Brothers’ Old Boys’ challenge to Army, the leaders in the Jubilee Cup competition, which was the main attraction at Athletic Park. Marist had won six games in a row, and their supporters were confident that they could also gather the Army scalp. It was the Army fifteen, however, who proved their right to top of the ladder'position. Trained to the minute, the Army forwards infused dash into their work, and lasted untiringly. With the wind behind them. Army quickly established a lead. What a tower of strength Morrison is to the Army side he early showed by landing a good penalty goal, and a little later putting over a neat field goal. Next from a five-yards' scrum near the Marist line. Geary was caught offside, and Morrison had no difficulty in adding a further three points from directly in front of the goal. Morrison, too, had a hand in sending Tucker over for a try in the corner, and the spell ended with' Army leading 13-0. It was expected that Marist, with the wind .behind them, would soon overhaul the leeway, but it was the Army forwards who dominated play in the second spell. Morrison early put in a long kick against the wind, and followed fast to catch Thomas, the Marist full-back, in possession. The Army forwards swept on. and Green scored in a handy position, but Morrison failed to convert. Harnessing the wind better. Marist pressed, and Barnao, the captain, scored close to the. posts for Stanaway to convert. Playing brilliant football, with the forwards indulging in short passing movements. Army then staged a hot attack, which saw Fitt land a field goal. B.arnao next put over a penalty goal for Marist. and then came the highlight -of a spectacular game. From passing by the Marist backs midway . between the centre and twenty-five lines, Fitt intercepted, and raced away at top speed tn plant, the ball over the Marist lino. This gave Army a decisive victory, In a fast and open game Wellington College Old Boys beat Hutt 10-12 on the Hutt Recreation Ground. Old Boys notched four tries, two of which, were converted, and a penalty goal, to Hutt’s four tries. By good piny by the forwards in the loose, Petone beat Wellington at. Petone 12-6. Petone scored four tries, while Wellington had to be content with two penalty goals. In tlni Ilardliain Cup competition. Navy, the lenders, were hard put to it to hold the improved University team to a . draw, 9-all. Upper Hutt showed good team work in heating Training College by a goal from a try. two ’ tries, and a penalty goal to a goal from a try and n try. Following are the details: — . Jubilee Cup.

Army 23 (tries by Tucker. Green and Fitt, field goals by, Morrison and Fitt, and two penalty goals by Morrison), heat Marlst Brothers’ Old Boys 8 (a try by Barnno, which was converted by Stanaway, and a penalty goal by Barnao). Athletic 22 (tries by Jamieson two, Wales two, and Bead, two of which were converted by Jamieson, and a penalty goal by Jamieson), drew with Poneke-Oriental 22 (tries by Lindsay, Calclnal. Hoy, Firmin, and Ilookham, two of which were converted by Vaughan, who also kicked a penalty goal). Wellington College Ohl Boys 19 (tries by Lindsay. Elliott, Howard, anil Mason, two of which were converted bj’ Alexander and a penalty goal by Alexander, beat Hutt 12 (tries by E. Bligh, Marsden two. and Hare). . I’etone (tries by TI. Jaeger two. Clay ana Freeman), beat Wellington G (two penalty goals by Crowther). Hardhain Cup. Navy 9 (tries by Greatbatch amt Martin ami a’penalty goal by Lawton), drew with University I) (tries by Matnira and Taylor and a penalty goal by Lewis). Upper Hutt. 11 (tries by Jones. Arnott, and Hammond, one of which was converted by Hammond, who also kicked, a penalty goal), beat Training College 8 (tries by Crawford and Sutherland, one of which was converted by Sutherland). “ Eastbourne 22 (tries by Girdlestone two, Dellabarca, Hill, and Ilutcben. two of which were converted by Dellabarca. who also landed a penalty goal), beat No. 2 Port Depot 3 (a penalty goal by Bowe). Seatoun (Army) 15 .(tries by Mabhat, Bell, Morrice, and Kilkelly. and a penalty goal by Grigg), beat Miramar 3 (a penalty goal bv Tavlor). Athletic B 35, beat Hutt B fl. Johnsonville won by default from Air Force. Lower Grade Kesulls. There were no surprises in the lower grades, on Saturday. The leading team's are: Junior. Onslow and Mangtiroa; third 1. Hutt and Marlst Bros. O.B.: third 2, I’orirua (unbeaten); fourth grade, Hutt and Petone (unbeaten) and Athletic; fifth 1. Petone (unbeaten) and Athletic; fifth 2, Hutt. Results were:— Junior.—Onslow 19. Oriental 7: Base Camp defaulted to Mangaro.a: Navy 2S, Petone (»: Varsity 21. Athletic 9; Army S, Wellington 3: St. Patrick’s Old Boys fi. Onslow (Army) 0: Taita 30. Wellington "College Old Boys (1; Marlst Bros. 0.8. 9, Seatoun 9. Third 1: Marlst Bros. 0.8. 3. St. Patrick’s College 3; Petone 14. Oriental 0; Air Force B 19, Athletic 11; Ponoke won by default from Seatoun; Training Colelge 18, Varsity 3: Butt 12, Wellington,College 8; Silverstream defaulted to Wellington. Third 2: Johnsonville 9. Eastbourne 3: St. Patrick's 0.8. G. Miramar 5; Wellington A.T.C. .3; Porirua 5, Wellington P. 3: Plimmerton (I. Air Force A 3; Onslow defaulted to Taita. _ Fourth Grade: Petone A 30, Upper Hutt 0- Athletic 2G, Eastbourne 3; St. Patricks O'.B. 3. Onslow Butt 23. Seatoun 3; Wellington 0, Oriental 0; Training College 12, Pel one B 7. . Fifth 1: Petone 20, Pnrirua G; Miramar 15. AVelllngfiui 3: Marist G. Upper Butt 11; Athletic ■”>. Butt. 0. Fifth 2: Johnsonville 12. loneke r , ’ J Onslow 9, Ohiro Day 3; Athletic-G, A.T.C. 0; Petone 9, Hutt 9.

OTAGO BEATS SOUTHLAND

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, July 29. Inn game characterized by hard forward plav and plenty of bright exchanges between the back divisions. Southland were defeated by Otago in the first of the annual interprovincial Rugby matches on Saturday. Otago won by 11 points (Oyo fries, one converted, and a penalty goal), to nine (one converted try and a field goal). Between 7000 and SOOO spectators saw one of the games played between Otago and Southland in the war years. The closeness of the scores just about represented the difference between the teams. It was anybody’s game right up to Ihe last For Otago, T. Campbell and A. McAullfTe scored tries, T). Murdoch converting one. and R. Masters kicked a penalty goal. R. Campbell potted a goal for Southland, and N. ,T. Bennett scored a try which was converted by J. Kirkwood. «

PATRIOTIC MATCH

CH R ISTCII H K<-’ H. July 30. In a Rugby match yesterday Delta Air Force heat Canterbury Air Force .12-8 in a special patriotic fixture.