HARD GOING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22079, 22 July 1946, Page 3

HARD GOING

FOUR TEAMS CLOSE FINAL ROUND OPENS H. 5.0.8. DRAWN GAME Three points separate the four leading- teams in the Poverty Bay Rugby Union’s senior championship as a result of the Ccltic-H.5.0.8. draw on Saturday at the Oval in the first game of the final round. Celtic has a two-point lead on H. 5.0.8. and Old Boys, and Marist sits in behind with 14 points. Y.M.P. has only five points, and Kiwis have not opened their account. With the competition at this stage full of interest, keen attention will be --'aid to the meeting of Celtic with Old : 3oys and Marist. The latter team has "roved a good match for the Celts in ; -he past and a Marist win would not be surorisins;. Celtic fielded the better team on paper on Saturday and territorially they had the better of the game. The penetrating Celtic three-quarter line was not made use of. and pack against pack H. 5.0.8. held a slight advantage, although G. Bell. Ihe Celtic hooker, took the ball from C. Waide time after time in set scrums. The junior competitions were keenly contested and some good games resulted. Scores: — Seniors. —Celtic 3 v. H. 5.0.8. 3; Marist 23 v. Y.M.P. nil; Old Boys 35 v. Kiwis 5. .Tumors. —H. 5.0.8. A 6 v. Marist 4; Old Boys B 20 v. Y.M.P. nil; Old Bovs A 17 v. H. 5.0.8. B nil; High School 32 v. Celtic 3. Thirds. —High School 2 16 v. High School 3 nil. Fourths —High School 2 17 v. High School 3 5. Fifths. —High School 2 3 v. Marist nil; High School 1 17 v. High School 3 nil; Intermediate 9 v. Te Karaka nil. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

LEADERS DRAW

CELT BACKS UNUSED H. 5.0.8. PACK SUPERIOR TITLE POINTS SHARED Celtic would have won their match in the senior division on Saturday if belter use had been made of their superior back line: they were not given the opportunities and the result was a draw with an unconverted try to each side. The ex-students had the edge on the Celts in the forwards and it was to them that the credit was due. Too much use was made of stab-punt kicks by the Celtic inside backs when there was nromise of the game onening up. The ball seldom reached R. McKinley at centre and it was left largely to McKinley and E. Carrington to make their own openings. On those occasions they showed that they were on their game and could have been dangerous to the opposition if the chances had come their wav more frequently. The H. 5.0.8. back line has shown no improvement for weeks. It was only by the generally safe nlay of the fullback, G. Allen, and the consistently "cod covering up of Pat Harris that the H. 5.0.8. defence held together as far as fie backs were concerned. Allen usually found touch with his kicking, but should have got more length. He was unfortunate with his goal-kickm". beina verv much nearer the mark than previous Saturdays. Hot I’ace in Forwards The two packs carried the day and it was a credit to both teams that they carried few drones and the pace was kept ira to the end. C. McGrannachan. W. Varley and C. O’Rourke were ahvavs prominent for the winners, and Cor H. 5.0.8. the best nerformances were recorded by C. Waide, J. Smith and I. Shaw. Jn the earlv stages of the game H. 5.0.8. had the Celts on the defence. Celtic forced down and R\ McKinley followed un his kick to cut through the H. 5.0.8. defence in a lone run. Harris regained possession of the ball and found the line in a kick that earned the applause from the stand. Another excursion into H. 5.0.8. territory was made by the Celtic half, T. Read, but nlay was brought back to mid-field. Carrington and G. McKinley led the next charge, but the latter was unceremoniously brought to the ground by Harris, and Allen cleared. At this stage Celtic were getting more than their share of the ball from set scrums, but they were hard put to it to keep the H. 5.0.8. forwards in check in other departments. The Celtic following un was good and yet there were more of the ex-student forwards on the ball more of the time. H. 5.0.8. Open Scoring The pressure was gradually eased back from H. 5.0.8. territory and then L. Gibson broke away with the ball at his toe. From a scrum R. Torrie sent J. Moore off, but Moore missed his chance by fumbling and an infringement from the following scrum enabled R. McKinley to clear. H. 5.0.8. resumed the attack and a lir e-out on the Celtic line caught the Celts unawares. J. Smith secured and dived over for the first score :n the match. Allen’s attempt at conversion hit the post and bounced back into the field.—H.S.O.B. 3, Celtic nil.

R. McKinley and Carrington led an attack on H. 5.0.8. and when their effort was repulsed R. Callaghan broke through alone in a more dangerous

position. An infringement in front of the goal was an opportunity for the defenders to ease off the weight of the attack. There was no change in the score at half-time. After the change-over Read had the Celtic supporters on their toes when he broke away from the base of the scrum. Hr slung out a wild pass when tackled and it was accepted by M. Crawford. A scrum followed a knock-on and the hall was heeled out to Read again. Immediately the Celt half-back repeated the same movement and was successful in evening un the score. R. McKinley -failed to add the extra points.— Celtic 3, H. 5.0.8. 3. Celtic Opportunities At this early stage in the second half it was noticeable that the Celtic inside backs, who were handling, the ball frequently. seldom let the ball out very far and R. McKinley and Carrington almost went out of business. The short punts were troublesome to the H. 5.0.8. backs, but most of the saving work was carried out by Harris. It was true that the fast-breaking H. 5.0.8. loose forwards were on the ball and did not give the Celts a great deal of room in which to work.

Up to this stage there had been several calls on the officers of the St. John Ambulance to attend to minor injuries. In the concluding stages the territorial advantage was definitely with Celtic and it was obvious at times that the defenders were troubled with the sun in their eyes when attempting to gather in a high ball. The tempo rose as the end neared, and H. 5.0.8. took play into Celtic territory for about the flrstftime in the second half just a few minutes before the close of the match. Play swept back to the H. 5.0.8. end suddenly and the ball was in their territory when the final whistle sounded with the score still at three-all. The referee was Mr, J. Lockwood.

p. w. P. Pts Pts For Arct Ch. Pts Celtic .. .. 11 s 1 m 4r> 17 IT.S.O.B. .. .. ii 7 1 M2 52 15 Old Boys .. .. .11 7 1 170 85 15 Marist .. .. n 7 — 128 55 14 Y.M.P. .. 2 1 97 206 5 Kiwis .. .. n — — 26 232 —