RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 May 1938, Page 12

RUGBY FOOTBALL

NEW SEASON OPENED. The West Coast Rugby Union’s new season was opened on Saturday, in showery weather, but all matches set down for Rugby Park were postponed. Two senior fixtures were played at. Hokitika, when Kiwis defeated Stars by 11 points Io 8. and Cobden defeated Pirates by .16 points to 9. In the junior grade Cobden defeated Celtic. by 14 to 3, and Te Kinga wore victorious over the newly-formed Kotuku team by 25 points to 3. KIWIS 11, STARS 8. The Kiwis—Stars match was played on a. heavy ground at Cass Square. The game was fairly evenly contested, and contained little of a spectacular nature. The result was a. fairly reliable indication of the run of the play. M. Davidson, former Excelsiors and West. Coast half-back, was a. tower of strength in the Kiwis’ rearguard, while Roberts also played a tine game for the blues. Diedrich, Chinn and Wieblitz were the pick of the winners’ forwards. Noonan, Mann and Connolly were the most consistent Star backs, and Quinn and Peggie were the best Star forwards. Kiwis were first to open their account, when following a determined attack by Stars, Davidson, F. West and Roberts figured in a movement which took play into the Star 25. Here Roberts again came into the picture to score a good try, which Davidson converted. Kiwis 5, Stars nil. Stars came back, and equalised soon afterwards, White scoring from a scrum on the Kiwis line, for Mann to add the extras. Kiwis 5, Stars 5, at. half time.

A snappy passing bout by the Kiwis backs early in the second spell ended in Davidson sending Cooper over well out for a fine try. Stapleton ruissed the kick. Kiwis 8, Star 5. Kiwis increased their lead when Davidson scored with a characteristic dive round the side of a scrum on the Star line. The kick was disallowed. Kiwis 11, Stars 5. Soon afterwards Connolly landed a try for Stars in the corner, after Stars had been pressing for some time, but Mann’s kick missed. Final score: Kiwis 11, Stars 8. Mr. J. Butland was referee. COBDEN 16, PIRATES 9. Cobden seniors had an easy win over Pirates at Cass Square. Pirates fielded a number of new and young players, and impressed as likely to improve considerably as the season advances, but Cobden were too strong in all departments. They led 13-nil at. half-time, hut Pirates rallied in the second spell, and scored nine points to Cobden’s three. Collins, Gilmour, Kiely and Williams were all useful Cobden backs, but Lindbom’s handling was not good. Kirkwood, King and Moss were the pick of the Cobden forwards. Thorpe and Parker were good Pirates backs, and Tainui and Tuhuru (2), were the best forwards. Manning scored a runaway try soon after the start, running from near his own quarter, and Lindbom missed the kick from in front of the posts. Cobden did most of the attacking, and eventually Vaughan scored a try from a loose rush. Lindbom again failed to goal, but shortly afterwards came to light with a potted goal. R. Kirkwood scored a good try to give -Cobden a 13-nil lead at half time. Parker. Thorpe and Tainui scored tries for Pirates in the second spell, and D. Eggleton scored for Cobden, making the final scores: Cobden 16, Pirates 9. Mr. H. Seebeck was referee.

JUNIOR GRADE. TE KINGA 25, KOTUKU 3. Te Kinga, playing good first-of-the-season football, easily defeated the newly-formed Kotuku team at Te Kinga by 25 points to three. Tries for the winners were scored by J. Beardsley (3), Willis, Denny, and Southern, the last-named converting one. Gordon kicked a penalty goal for Kotuku. Cobden juniors easily defeated Celtic by 14 points to nil, at Cobden. Blaketown juniors defeated Magpies at South Beach by nine points to eight. Blaketown scored all their points in the first spell.

> THIRD GRADE. Third grade matches resulted: — Blaketown 19, Stars 0; Cobden 6, Celtic 3. Fourth Grade: United 15, Technical A. 3. IKAMATUA MATCH Playing at Ikamatua on Saturday, Ikamatua seniors defeated Waiuta by 14 points to 8. The game was played in rain and the ball was greasy. Play was mostly confined to the forwards. IN OTHER CENTRES. AUCKLAND, May 1. The senior Rugby competition began on Saturday. Results:—Grafton 12, Ponsonby 11; North Shore 17, University 4; Grammar 14. Manukau 8; Marist 28, Otahuhu 6. WELLINGTON, May 1. The Rugby season opened on Saturday in fine weather. The grounds were heavy. Results: —Athletic 3, Marist Bros. Old Boys 3; Poneke 4, Hutt 3; Petone 19, Wellington 8; Johnsonville IS, Wellington College Old Bovs 6. DUNEDIN. April 30. To-day’s Rugby matches resulted: — Southern 11. University. A. 6; Pirates 6, Alhambra 5; Taieri 3, Union 0; Kaikorai 4, Zingari 3; University B 18, Dunedin 6. BULLER RESULTS. Rugby Union matches played in the Buller district over the week-end resulted: — Senior: Old Boys 28, Tiroroa 3; Westport 20, Rangers 9; White Star 8, Rovers 3. Junior: Granity High School 5, White Stars 3; Westport 11, Tiroroa 3. Third Grade: Granity High School 12, Westport Technical School 8: Old Boys 44, White Stars 0. ORMAN JOINS LEAGUE. WESTPORT, May 1. G. Orman, the South Island Rugby representative and All Black trial player in 1935 and 1937, has announced his intention to turn over to the League code and play for the Buller team against Reefton to-day. He also announced that the Millerton Ranger senior ‘team, which he captains, intended to play League, and some members would participate in the match to-day. However, Orman’s League debut was postponed because of an injury received in a Rugby Union

match yesterday. None of the Ranger players participated in the League match to-day-, and it is understood that if a. transfer is made to this code all of the players will not join. Mr. 11. McKeown, president of the Westport League Committee, made a statement this evening that Orman and a majority of the Ranger Club’s members would all definitely turn to the League code. To-day’s “Westport News” says; There were none of the Ranger players in the combined team and it is probable that the decision to play League may be revised. It is known that some of the Rangers team intend to adhere to. the Rugby Union code,, and are prepared to link up with one of the other Clubs rather than forfeit i their amateur' status. QUEENSLAND DEFEATS N.S.W. BRISBANE, May 1. I In an inter-State Rugby Union match

on Saturday, Queensland 17 beat New South Wales 9. New South Wales led by (> points to 5 at half-time.