HIGH SCHOOL RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 25546, 26 July 1945, Page 3

HIGH SCHOOL RUGBY

KING'S DEFEATS SOUTHLAND

In bitterly cold weather, but on firm though uneven ground at Hancock Park yesterday, King's High School and Southland Boys' High School engaged in their annual match at Rugby football. It was a good game, evenly contested, though the side playing with the fairly stiff breeze behind it had a distinct advantage. This advantage was with Southland in the first spell. The result of the match was a victory for Kings by 11 points to B, the winning school owing its success largely to superiority in the backs, who combined better than did the visiting backs, and also handled more surely and used the line to better advantage. 1. W. Page (wing), S. T. Jones (centre), K. J. Kenyon, and A. VV. Hollander (five-eighths) played very soundly, while the kicking of C. Simpson (full-back) was a tfeature of the game. Simpson's kicks to the line, even against the wind, covered long distances, and he also put over two penalty goals with splendidly-judged kicks. Of the Southland rear division W. E. Graham, on the wing, was conspicuous, while W. Montgomery (first five-eighth) also did sound work. Both packs, worked hard, and Southland had rather the better of the play in this department, having a slight advantage in the tight and showing greater superiority in the loose and in the lineouts.

Within five minutes of the kick-off Southland had scored, a penalty goal by E. Thwaites following a loose forward rush. Assisted largely by the strong wind, but still showing a slight superiority in general play, the visitors added another three points 10 minutes later, Graham making a strong break from the twenty-five and going over at the corner. The kick failed. Kings retaliated, but a shot from a penalty by Simpson was retarded by the wind. This player got in some extraordinarily fine kicks to the line. There was a lot of loose play among the forwards, but no further scoring was done before half-time, when Southland led 6-0.

The second spell was decidedly King's, who kept up a 6teady attack which was broken and driven back only occasionally. The first score came when Hollander made a nice opening for Jones to carry on strongly and outpace the opposition and score behind the posts. J. A. McConnochie converted. King's backs set up a further attack, and Simpson put the side in the lead with a penalty goal. 8-6. A few minutes later the same player repeated the performance, and, despite a determine'd last-minute assault # by Southland, there was no more scoring, the game ending: Kings 11, Southland 6 Mr C. Hoskins was the referee. COMPETITION DRAW.

A. Grade.—C.B.H.S. v. 0.8.H.5. B, Logan Park No. 1 (Mr J. Peck); K.H.S. A v. 0.8.H.5. A, Oval No. 1 (Mr I. Johnston); 0.8.H.5. C v. 0.8.H.5. D, Ellis Park (Mr A. J. Paterson) ; K.H.S. B v. T.H.S., Bathgate No. 1 (Mr J. McAleese); McGlashan, a bye. C Grade.—K.H.S. A v. 0.8.H.5. A, Ova] No. 2 (Mr A. McKenzie) ; Mosgiel v. K.H.S. B, Kings (Mr A. Bezar); C.B.H.S. v. T.H.S., North Ground (Mr B. M. Duncan); 0.8.H.5. B, a bye. D. Grade.—McGlashan v. C.B.H.S. McGlashan (Mr A. J. Duke) ; T.H.S, v- 0.8.H.5. B, Logan Park No. 2 (Mr H. Tohill); 0.8.H.5. A v. K.H.S., Montecillo No. 1 (Mr H. Edwards). E Grade.—K.H.S. A v. C.B.H.S. A, Bathgate No. 2 (Mr K. Kenvon); C.B.H.S. B v. T.H.S., Logan Park No. 3 (Mr R. 0. Tnit); K.H.S. B v. 0.8.H.5. B. MmitooiHo N T o. 2 (Mr R. Scanlan); 0.8.H.5. A, a bye.