RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 20555, 6 August 1930, Page 4

RUGBY

COUHTEY WEEK GAMES The matches in connection with Country Week were played at Tahuna Park yesterday afternoon, rain falling throughout both games. Good football was out of the question, playing in both games being almost wholly confined to the forwards. Eastern Districts defeated South Otago by 12 points to 5, and the match between Maniototo-Vincent and Tuapeka-West-ern Districts ended in a scoreless draw. EASTERN BEATS SOUTH OTAGO There was only a handful of spectators when Eastern Districts and South Otago met. and the former’s victory was due to the fact that its forwards adapted themselves to the conditions better than did those of South Otago. Lonie, Ellison, and Quinn were prominent members of Eastern’s pack, and in tho backs A. Murray and S. Guthrie, the five-eighths, both played well, Murray showing a good sense of anticipation, as the result of which he scored one try. South Otago forwards did not play so well together as those of the Eastern Districts, but MTntosh and Hansen were a pair of hard workers. In the backs Jackman did a lot of useful work. The teams were:— Eastern Districts (Black): —Backs: B. Ward, N. Wright, G. Morrison, W. Hanna, A. Murray, S. Guthrie, L. Perriam; forwards—R. Ellison. O’Connell, E. Lonie, C. Sutherland A. Crossan, Aitcheson, I. Lang and W. Quinn, South Otago (Blue and White).— Backs—T. Kitching, A. Middleraass. B, Booth,' L. Muir, H. Jackman, A. M. Miller, A. Woodhead; forwards— H Barnett, A. Hansen, B. Harraway, K. M'lntosh, E. Wilson, W. Clark, E. Richardson, and G. Jones. Heavy rain was falling as Eastern Districts kicked off, and it was not long before the ground began to cut up, and the ball became greasy, being very hard to handle. An Eastern forward attack was short-lived, too bard kicking enabling Kitching to clear. The South Otago forwards transferred play to the Eastern twenty-five, Hansen and MTntosh being at the head of u lose rush. Ward cleared to halfway, but Jackman came back with the ball at his feet The forwards were fairlyl evenly matched, but while South Otago was more than holding its own in the tight the Eastern pack was showing to better advantage in the loose. Aitcheson and Murray were in the van of an Eastern forward incursion to South Otago’s territory, the Colours being compelled to force. The Eastern backs threatened danger a moment later, the whole line handling in a movement which went to Hanna, who was pushed into touch at the twenty-five. •Guthrie was conspicuous for some good dribbling, which was checked by Kitching, the South Otago forwards then shifting play to Eastern’s twenty-five, MTntosh being at tho head of the rush. Eastern was not long in returning to the attack, Ellison and Quinn leading a rush to the line. South Otago was penalised for a scrum infringement, and Sutherland kicked a goal. Eastern Districts 3, South Otago 0. South Otago then launched a strong offensive, and for a while the Eastern defence was well tried. Jones was at the head of a South Otago forward rush, and then Middlemass made a good dribbling burst along the flank and looked certain to score when he was obstructed, the referee awarding a penalty try. Wilson converted, and a minute later half time sounded with the score:—South Otago 5, Eastern District 3. Even play around halfway marked the resumption, and a South Otago forward rush, led by MTntosh and Richardson, was well stopped by Ward, who found touch at halfway. Eastern carried play inside their opponents' twenty-live, and from a loose rush Guthrie scored, the kick being charged down. Eastern 6, South Otago 5. Play was now almost wholly confined to the forwards, South Otago making a sortie to Eastern’s twenty-five. Perriara, the Eastern half-back, was making good use of tbe short kick to touch, by means of which Eastern worked back to South Otago’s line, a free kick relieving the pressure. Eastern was adapting itself to the conditions better than South Qtago, and frequently gained ground by means of good Kicks. Jackman did some good saving work for the Colours, but the Blacks were not to be denied. Guthrie ipunted through, and Murray, following up fast, dribbled over to score. Sutherland failed. Eastern 9, South Otago 5. It was all Eastern now, and a free kick enabled Sutherland to kick a goal. Time was sounded shortly afterwards with the score : Eastern Districts ... ... 12 South Otago 6 1 Mr J. Hayes was the referee. HARD FOUGHT GAME Maniototo-Vincent and TuapekaWest Otago engaged in a game that was exceptionally well-contested throughout, and considering the conditions prevailing, play was fast, one or two really promising forwards being seen out of. whom tho best was Redding, of Maniototo-Vincent, who was prominent both in tight and loose. He weighed 13.10, and infused plenty of dash into his play. Dougherty was another Maniototo-Vincent player who frequently showed to advantage, and of the backs Donnelly was probably the pick,_ though he got few chances in combined movements on attack. Turnbull and Oliver were frequently seen at the head of Tuapeka loose rushes, and of the backs, the fiveeighths, D. Manuel and L. Manuel shaped well under unfavourable conditions, while M'Pherson, on the wing, showed a good deal of dash and gained a lot of ground by well-judged kicks. A draw was a fair indication of tho run of the play. The teams were : Maniototo-Vincent (green).—Backs: G. Hosson, R. M'Skimming, F. Donnelly, J. Leask, Churchill, H. M'Skimming, and Cameron; forwards—Clark, Pringle, A. Lawry, P. Moran, W. Clouston, J. Donnelly, J. Redding, and Dougherty. Tuapeka-West Otago (black and white). —Backs—Lisohner, R. Aitchison, S. Macdonald, J. M'Pherson, D. Mangel, L. Manuel, J. Marsh; forwards—J, Cavanagh, MTntosh, Miller, S. Ottrey, Turnbull, Bayley, A. Patterson, and R. Olliver. Tuapeka-Western kicked off, the forwards immediately setting up an attack. Considering tho state of the ground, a fast clip was maintained, and eventually Hesson cleared. Tuapeka was keeping the game tight and packing round in good style. Turnbull headed _ a rush inside Maniototo’s twenty-five, but a free kick, brought Tuapeka relief. A little later Turnbull was_ in tho van of a good Tuapeka dribbling rush, but once again off-side jplay ended tho movement. Marsh sent tbe Tuapeka backs away in passing, but Donnelly cut into it, tho movement ending at halfway. Aitchison carried play to tho Maniototo twenty-five by good dribbling, Hesson kicking to touch.;

So far Tuapeka had been making most of the play, but in patches the ground resembled a quagmire, the forwards finding it hard to retain their feet. Clark was in the van of a Maniototo rush, which was checked by Aitchison, but Dougherty led the Greens inside Tuapeka’s territory for tbe first time, Tuapeka forcing. Maniototo maintained the pressure, the forwards now playing better together. The Green oacks handled, but the passing was done at the stand, and gained no ground until it reached Donnelly, who made ground before passing to E. M'Skimming, the wing finding touch near the corner. Tuapeka rallied, and shifted play to the Greens’ twenty-five, where Aitchison took a nose dive into the mud. The forwards were well matched, and Redding came through for the Greens from several nicks, but it was almost impossible to do anything but slide in front of the grandstand, and the Colours came through en masse. Maniototo rallied, and a rush headed by Docherty took play past halfway, Lisohner finding touch with a good kic k. Leask kicked through and found a gap in the field, but coming up fast Lisohner gathered well f and found touch at halfway, _ half-time sounding with no score to either side. The forwards waged a great battle in the mud round naifway on resuming, and then tho Maniototo forwards carried play to the Tuapeka line, the Celours forcing. Tuapeka then had a turn on attack, and Olliver dribbled through inside Maniototo’s line. A clearing kick was well gathered by Manuel, who found touch at the Greens’ twenty-five. Maniototo worked back to halfway, but Lischner made a good run along tho flank before he was pushed into touch. The greater part of the game was being fought out in the greasy patches around halfway, but ths Colours had had a shade the better of things, though they wore unable to finish off. Redding led the Green forwards into Tuapeka’s twenty-five, M'Pherson relieving by finding touch with a good kick. The Green forwards were now nutting more dash into their play, and Redding once again came through to Tuapcka's twenty-five., Tho Greens

were hammering away at the Tuapeka line. Redding showing out both in tight and loose. Aitchison relieved the tension when he kicked through hard and followed fast. Play swung across to the other wing, and M'Pherson showed up in a heady piece of play. The Greens made a desperate attempt to score, and Tuapeka was compelled to force, the whistle going with the score:— Maniototo-Vincent ... ... 0 Tuapeka-West Otago ... 0 Mr H. 0. Williamson was the referee. COMBINED TEAM For to-morrow’s match against the Metropolitan side the Combined Country team will be:— Full-back.—-B. Ward (Eastern District) . Three-quarters. H. M'Skimming (Maniototo), W. Lischner (Western District), R. Aitchison (Western District) . Five-eighths.—-L. Manuel (Tuapeka, captain), Churchill (Maniototo). Half-back.—L. Perriman (Eastern District). Forwards.—Clark (Maniototo), A. Hansen (South Otago), Clouston (Vincent), C. Sutherland (Eastern District), Millar (Western District), A. Lawry (Vincent), A. Patterson (Tuapeka) ; wing-fOrward, B. Dougherty (Maniototo). Emergencies. Forwards—J. Redding (Maniototo), E. Wilson (South Otago); backs—J. M'Pherson (Tuapeka) and R. M'Skimming (Maniototo). ,