BELOW STANDARD

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1926, Page 8

BELOW STANDARD

UNIVERSITY RUGBY GAME CANTERBURY' COLLEGE BEAT VICTORIA COLLEGE. Usually the meeting of two University teams is counted upon to provide spectators with Rugby of a spectacular order. Such, was not the case at Athletic Park yesterday afternoon, however, when the annual match between Canterbury College and Victoria College was'played. The exhibition given fell short of expectations, play being mediocre for the greater part of the game. The visitors showed better combination, and were superior to the Victoria College men, who were unable to produce the fine form they have displayed in some of the local club games i during the season. In the first spell the Southerners maintained a strong attack, but the Victoria College team brightened up a little in the second half, and with but a short time to go, were leading by eight points to six. Canterbury made a great effort in the concluding stages, and a converted try gave them victory by three points. The teams were:— Canterbury (Maroon). —Trussing, Loveridge, Dickson, Te Awarau, Grant, Barak, Brodie, Petre, Bryden, Jackson, A. Smith, Fookes, Ellis, Thompson E. D. R. Smith. Victoria College (Green). —Mason Malfroy, South, Mackay, 15. B. Smith, MiCenzic, Leys, Childs, O'Regan, Burns, Mar-tin-Smith, Baldwin, Platts-Mills, Deiderich, Sceats. Victoria College won the toss and Canterbury kicked off against the sun. From the outset Canterbury attacked, but timely marks by M'Kenzie and Leys stemmed the visitors. The Green vanguard broke through, and Mackay, following. ■up fast, got possession of the ball, and went across near the corner. O'Regan converted with a magnificent kick. Victoria 5, Canterbury 0. Offside play by a Green forward gave Loveridge a change of opening up Canterbury's scoring account, and he made no mistake with his kick, landing a fine goal from well out near the touch line. Victoria 5, Canterbury 3. By a series of attacks Victoria gained the opposition twenty-five, and Leys set his backs going. The movement broke down, however, and the Southern forwards, who were showing up to advantage, transferred play to the other end of the ground. Dickson put the finishing touches to a good passing bout by ■ scoring neai; the posts just as ho was tackled. Loveridge's kick was a poster. Canterbury '6, Victoria 5. Canterbury were throwing the ball about well, and Victoria were kept hard on the defence. For offside play by Malfroy Victoria were penalised, but Loveridge again missed an easy shot at goal. A smart piece of play by MartinSmith sent the Green backs away, but M'Kenzie spoilt the effort through endeavouring to cut through on liis own. Canterbury kept up the pressure, but there was no further scoring before half time. On taking the field after the interval Canterbury quickly set to work and drove the Greens to their twenty-five. Victoria fought back, and Childs narrowly missed a try. Canterbury were penalised, but O'Eegan was unable to turn the kick to advantage. Dickson was caught offside, and this time O'Regaa had no difficulty in adding a penalty goal for Victoria. Victoria 8, Canterbury 6. The local students were playing better football than in the first half, and the backs were prominent in several good concerted efforts. Another free-kick to Victoria saw O'Regan just fail to goal, the ball striking one of the uprights and rebounding into the field. From a scrum Leys set his backs in motion, but no score resulted. Malfroy came across from the wing, and cleverly saved Victoria when a try seemed almost certain for Canterbury. Within a few minutes of the end a fine Canterbury forward rush saw Petre go over for a try. Loveridge converted. Canterbury 11, Victoria 8. The Greens made desperate efforts to wipe off the deficit, but the visitors presented too solid a front, and the game ended: Canterbury 11, Victoria 8. Mr. A. E. Neilson was referee. NO CURTAIN-RAISER. The curtain-raiser between teams representing Past and Present Students of St. Patrick's College was not played, as the turf was a little sodden after the recent heavy rain.