RUGBY FOOTBALL Celtic And Cobden Begin Season Impressively

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1949, Page 10

RUGBY FOOTBALL Celtic And Cobden Begin Season Impressively

A keen, north-east-wind had a considerable influence on the play in the opening 'matches in the West Coast Rugby Union’s competitions on Saturday. It brought rain to mar the second half of senior matches, and also affected the attendance, which was, however, fair.

While in the main match between Celtic and Excelsior, who were runners-up last year, the team playing wind held the advantage, the . opposite applied in the second game between Star and United.- The former won after being down by six points at the end of the first half, in which it played with the wind.

Celtic’s defeat of Excelsior, coming as it does on top of two decisive wins in. non-competition games, stamps the Greymouth team as one likely to be. a serious contender once more for championship honours. Without being strong in any one section, Celtic fielded a young, fast team, which played with plenty of enterprise and fully deserved its success.

Like Excelsior, Star, last year’s champions, failed to show any of last season’s form, and a sharp improvement will be necessary if the team is to enjoy another success. Cobden gave an impressive display when it defeated a somewhat weak Kokatahi team (the first fielded for a number of seasons) by 21 points to nil. At Hokitika, St Mary’s also showed itself to be a force to be considered when it defeated Blaketown by six points to nil. The following are the results of matches played in all grades:— Senior.-—Celtic 16, Excelsior 6; Star 14, United 12; St Mary’s 6. Blaketown nil; Cobden 21, Kokatahi nil. Junior.—Celtic 26, Star 6; Cobden 12, Blaketown nil; Technical 0.8. 26, Magpies 6. Third Grade. —Blaketown 11, Celtic nil; Technical 19, Cobden 17. Fourth Grade.—Hokitika 39, Technical nil; Cobden 29, Celtic 6. Fifth Grade.—Star 13, Hokitika 10; Technical 26, Cobden 5. Sixth Grade. —Star 11. Cobden 3: Hokitika 17, United 3; Blaketown 15, Technical 11. Seventh Grade.—Blaketown 3, Star 3:

Celtic 41, United nil. Eighth Grade.—Celtic 15. Cobden nil.

ilton; G. Guy, M. Clancy, W. Hill, G. Bertram, V. Hahn, G. Lamberton, T. Harker, S. Gar for th. Excelsior. —A. Wallace; G. Smith, E. Stoop, D.‘ Cropp; E. G. Walker, E. Andrews; R. Telfer; K. Thomas, I. Gugich, R. Atkinson, R. Weiblitz, G. Bruce, P. Crequer, R. Parker. The referee was Mr A. Fong. The visiting side opened its account when Wallace kicked a penalty from well out, and'Atkinson scored a try which was not converted. Celtic made up some of the leeway just on halftime when H. McDonnell crossed in the corner after a forward rush. Hamilton converted with a splendid kick. Hamilton from 12 yards inside halfway kicked a goal from a penalty to put Celtic in the lead early in the second spell. Shortly afterwards Bertram touched down in a ruck on the line. Hamilton missing with the kick. The final try was scored by Harker after a ’.obse forward rush had gained more han 20 yards. Hamilton converted to make the final score: Celtic 16, Excelsior 6.