RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 July 1942, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WEST COAST 8, BULLER 6

RUNDLE CUP MATCH

In the second home-and-home match between the two provinces this season, West Coast defeated Buller at Rugby Park, Greymouth, on Saturday afternoon, by eight points m six, thus retaining the Rundle Cup. It was the worst day for lootball this season, and with heavy rain practically throughout the game, and a high south-westerly winch which reached gale force at times, the lootball was confined mainly to the lorwards. The attendance was small, and there was little in the match to rouse enthusiasm. Certainly the Buller backs turned on several bright movements in the first spell when •they were playing with the wind, but the Coast backs, playing to the lorwards as much as possible, thieaiened danger on only one occasion, and then a try resulted. Generally, the forwards were evenly matched, •with the home pack superior in the tight, and the visiting forwards excelling in the loose, where they showed more speed and dash than their opponents. The tackling and •rush-stopping on the part ol toe Coasters were not always what inignt have been expected. The greasy ban made handling difficult, but the Duller backs made light of this handicap on several occasions in the first spell, when the ball frequently went right along the backs. In fact they were unlucky in not having a greater leaci than their six points at the interval. The game on the whole was an ly evenly contested, though Buller looked to be slightly unlucky. Nicholson, the Buller lull-back, played an excellent game, handling the greasy ball perfectly, and kick Ing well for the line. He was superior to his opposite, J. Gillan. wnoshandling was not ol the best Kcal, ing and Cummings were the best ot the wingers. Cummings showed a lot of speed and initiative, and sco - ed all Buller’s points. Keating would probably be of greater value closet to the scrum, but he .Pjayeo a game on the wing, with the limiKd opportunities that came his way. Hi.tackling and handling wore good, while he showed considei ibic dash. Tvler had no chances, but Roche was not up to standard. Smallholme was the better of the centres, though Collins did a lot of work on coverdefence. Smallholme impressed as a likely attacking centre on a diy ground. Ambergei was the best c on the ground, being repeatedly piominent in all departments. His speed and deadly tackling invalucfl c in breaking up Buller attacks. v - the way he covered up on defence was a decided help to the Coasters. L. Stewart was also a success, and on < dry ground he and Ambcrger should be a dangerous attacking combine tion, for both arc. speedv and quick to seize an opening. Allott was a good link in the Buller backs, and Stewart showed all his old-time generalship at first five-eighth. His accurate use of the touch-line was i valuable to Buller. Uhite was the better of the half-backs He was more at home in the mud than his vis-a-vis, Goodall, who found the greasy ball, and the attentions ol the Buller breakaways, troublesome. White passed well, and usually gave his backs a good start. Wieblitz, though he was inclined <o play too loose, Birchfield King. Croudis and Kirkwood were the most consistent of the Coast forwards, but Fisher and Beardsley were also repeatedly prominent. Beveridge, Burt, Mumm and Dalzell were the pick of the Buller forwards, while Ropata showed up in the loose repeatedly. ORDERED OFF. There was a most unusual occurrence towards the end of the game when two opposing players, L. Stewart, the Coast first five-eighth, and C. Dalzell, a Buller forward, were ordered off the field by referee J. R. Bell for fighting. The incident appeared to result from a late tackle by the Buller man, and the referee s whistle, when an exchange of blows was observed, did not, immediately put an end to the trouble. The players were separated by their fellow players, and both were then ordered from the field. The teams were:—Buller: E. Nicholson; I. Tylet, O. Smallholme, A. Cummings: G. Allott. S. Stewart; N. White: A. Mosley, J. Burt, W. Mumm; C. Dalzell, J. Beveridge, J. Higgins, R. Ropata; N. Stack. West Coast: J. Gillan: W. Roche, E. Collins, J. Keating: J. Amberger, L. Stewart: F. Goodall: R. Coppersmith, J. Fisher, R. Kirkwood; G.

Beardsley, R. R. King, R. Birchfield, R. Wieblitz: W. Croudis. Referee: Mr. J. R. Bell. . Within 15 minutes, Buller, who started with great dash, were six points up, but they did not score for the remainder of the match. Cummings scored both tries. The first came from a cross-kick by I. Tyler, the left winger. The ball went over the head of Roche, and Cummings took the ball on the bounce, and sailover for a good try in a handy position. Nicholson missed the kick. The second try came from a speedy back movement, which finished with an overlap, and Cummings raced over unopposed. S. Stewart failed to improve the position, with the kick. The score at the interval was six points to nil, in favour of Buller.

Within three minutes of the resumption, Coast scored. The forwards forced their way to near the Buller line, with a characteristic rush, and after Goodall had failed to get through the defences, Croudis secured the ball in a melee, and scored a well-merited try in a handy position. Goodall goaled with a fine kick'. With a quarter of an hour to go, L. Stewart and Dalzell were ordered off, and Croudis came out of the Coast forwards to play at first five-etighth. Five minutes before time, Coast scored the deciding try. The ball went along the backs, and Roche, when tackled, lost possession just short of the line, but Collins beat the defence in the. dive for the ball, to score. Goodall missed the kick. Final score: —West Coast 8. Buller 6. Shortly before the close S. Stewart left the field on account of an injury. He was replaced by G. Crackett.