RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 October 1928, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

JUNIOR FINAL,

Playing the final for the Hannam Cup Junior Competition, Blaketown defeated Cobden, after an interesting tussle, by 14 points to 6. The ground was in good order and beautiful weather conditions prevailed, enticing a good crowd to Victoria Park on • Saturday afternoon. The game was played willingly and at a great pace throughout. There were several minor casualties, Gordon (Cobden) having to receive medical attention with a bad gash over the eye, while Harper was obliged to leave the field temporarily with an injured knee. The standard of football was good. Blaketown were in the ascendancy until in the second spell when mighty Cobden efforts evened the game up. Hyndman, of Cobden, F. Eggleton, Taafe, Barbara, and Martin were among the best of the reds. Hannam, Shannahan, Dimond, Preston, McEnaney, Negri, and Guy, shining in the Blaketown side. Mr Mclntosh refereed. Blaketown won the toss,' Cobden playing against the sun and fielding 14 men. A line out followed the kick from which Blaketown forced down to- close quarters, a free-kick giving the Reds a chance to relieve. The

leather went in great style, then from Nash, to McEnaney, to Steel and across the field back to McEnaney in a fine movement. The Blacks kept up the attack, Olsen gaining ground with a good kick. • Cooper opened another quick back dash, Lemin clearing Cobden’s line just in time. An infringement in a scrum following, gave Cobden a free kick, which, followed up well by the defending forwards, took plaj’ into Blaketown twenty-five.

Even play followed with a couple of scrums, until Taafe brought off an exciting breakaway from a scrum, which cleared Blacks’ territory. Here an offside infringement against Blaketown at half-way, saw Cobden with a hefty kick, again in the opposition lines. Alternate kicking ended in Blaketown opening a promising attack from a line-out, and Gordon cleared. Some hard play near Cobden’s twenty-five saw Guy pushed out at the corner after a nice run. A scramble followed the line and Webster pushed his way over for Blacks’. Negri missed with a good kick. Blaketown 3; Cob den 0. Shortly after resumption Hannam

had a shot at goal with a free-kick, but the ball hit the post and bounced wide. From the next kick, Blaketown’s forwards forced play, and took tho game down to |he line with an exciting dash, from which Preston got over. Negri converted. Blaketown 8; Cobden 0.

Blaketown again attacked from the kick, Hyndman finalising an exchange of kicks with a handy line for Cobden. Play was pretty even for a spell, Cooper getting in some good work behind Blaketown’s scrum. Cobden’s defence was good, but their backs in attack lacked sting. Lemin was playing well for Reds. Both packs were working hard, and sharing honours. After a’ series of ineffective thrusts, Blaketown were forced back. Then both teams attacked alternately, but Cobden could noDget far down. However, a few minutes play saw Martyn land three points with a beautiful penalty from not far inside the half-way line. Blaketown 8; Cobden 3. Cobden got in some telling bustlingwork after the resumption. When following his kick up Gordon (Cobden) collided with Guy, and both were out for some time, the former having to leave the field. Blaketown soon shot down to the attack again, and after some exciting open play, Harper crossed the line and scored.. The kick was missed. Blaketown 11; Cobden 3.

Cobden showed an improvement after this. Harper (Blaketown) had to leave the field. The Reds forced right down to Blacks’ line, but Hannam relieved well. Cobden kept up the offensive until Kennedy found the line well up with a fine kick. After a couple of lines half-time was called. Play went from end to end of the field in the second spell, after the kick, with the play still fast and interesting, and certainly more even.

Negri was kicking too much, and often lost in this way good opportunities for some promising back play. At one time Lemin secured and beat his way through heavy opposition, then lost the movement in a futile attempt to pot. However, from a tussle near the line a Cobden man dived over for their first try. Martyn missed. Blaketown 11; Cobden 6. With not much time to go, Blaketown notched another try after countering a hot Cobden attack. This left the score at time at Blaketown 14; Cobden 6.

FIFTH GRADE FINAL. . The final for the Fifth Grade competition was played at the Park on Saturday, between Technical A and United, Technical A winning after a good game by 12 to nil. Until close on fifteen minutes to go neither side had scored. O’Hara notched the first try for Technical, which was not converted. Then Collett added four points with a beautiful drop kick from far out. Kay next scored after a nice bit of back play and Rathbun converted. The final score was Technical A 12; United 0. For United Ferguson (2), and Larsen were prominent, while Mahoney, Hunter, Kay, and Rathbun played well for Technical. Referee, Mr Bring. FOURTH GRADE. United defeated a. visiting Arahura fourth-grade team lit the Park on Saturday by 12 points Io <S. Mr Jamieson refereed. PEACE CUP. HAMILTON, September 29.

To-day’s Rugby match for the Peace Cup at Morrinsville resulted: Morrinsville 20, Paeroa 9.

WANGANUI GAMES

WANGANUI, September 30

The curtain was run down on the Wanganui Rugby season on Saturday, when a. Charity Cup match was played, in which the Marists defeated the Pirates by six points to five. A visiting Petone team defeated a. Pirates side by 11 points to 6.

'AUCKLAND CHAMPIONS.

(Special to "aur.")

AUCKLAND, October 1

University are cock-o-1 he-Rugby-walk for the 1928 season. In a wildly exciting game at Eden Park, the students beat. Ponsonby, the champions for the past four years, by fourteen points to eight, four tries, one of which was converted, to a converted try and a penalty goal. It was a popular victory, and tiie delighted ’Varsity students rushed on to the field at the final whistle and carried their heroes shoul-

der high to the pavilion. It was a fitting close to the 1928 season, the game being one of the most exciting seen Jat Eden Park this year. The teams drew when they met eight or nine weeks ago. Saturday’s game drew a crowd of 7000, many of whom preferred the terraces to the stand. The Auckland students’ win completes a triumph for New Zealand ’Varsity clubs for the season, and in all three of the other main centres, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, tho University side annexed honours also.