OUTSTANDING YEAR IN P.B. RUGBY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22759, 4 October 1948, Page 3

OUTSTANDING YEAR IN P.B. RUGBY

FIRST MISSION TO SOUTH ISLAND Marking the first venture into the South Island of the playing representatives, the season just concluded will rank among the most important in the history of the Poverty Bay Rugby Union covering a period of nearly 60 years.

Though they had to cede the honours in play, the union representatives, as stated by the chairman, Mr. M. H. Beuth, were excellent ambassadors and their mission succeeded to the extent that a high reputation for sportmanship was gained, together with valuable playing experience, the visit paid by Otago last season was returned and other valuable contacts were established, giving prospects of future exchanges of much benefit to the game in the district. Since the union was formed in 1890, two teams from the South Island have visited Poverty Bay. In 1926 Poverty Bay gained a 31-14 decision on the Gisborne ground over a Seddon Shield Districts team. Last year the P.8.-E.C. combined side, of which Poverty Bay supplied 12 players, defeated Otago, also in Gisborne, by 20 points to eight. Hopes of Future Benefit

It is hoped, as a result of the 1948 introduction of the scarlet jersey on the southern fields, that Poverty Bay players and supporters will bo able to welcome South Island teams more frequently in the future.

Though the Poverty Bay representatives went through the 1947 season unbeaten, gaining victories over Bay of Plenty in Gisborne, Wairarapa, Bush and Hawke’s Bay on tour and East Coast, both in Gisborne and Ruatoria, they were able this year to repeat only the last two wins and in four other games on tour went down to Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. In the All Black trial game in Gisborne, however, the union representatives numbering 13 contributed with East Coast to the defeat of Hawke s Bay ' Thirty-two Players Chosen

A game with Poverty Bay on the Gisborne ground was included in the itinerary planned for the Fijians’ tour which was abandoned owing to transport difficulties and district followers of sport, with whom the Fijian cricketers had been highly popular in March, lost the opportunity of welcoming the Rugby representatives of the islands also in the same year.

Including four reserves who did not take the field, 32 players were chosen to represent Poverty Bay in the season’s engagements. Club representa tion in the 32 players was: Old Boys, 13; Celtic, nine; P1.5.G.8., six; Marist, two; Puha, two. The union representatives again had the benefit of coaching by the joint selectors, Messrs. F. Solomon, All Black forward of 1931 and 1932 and Mr J. Gillespie, former Canterbury and Wellington representative back. Scored Century of Points The Celtic captain and vice-cap-tain of the union representatives, R. M. McKinley, registered 101 points in club competitions and rep. encounters in the season just concluded and for the second year in succession was the top scoring unit of the union by a considerable margin. McKinley scored 10 tries, converted 13 and also kicked 14 penalty goals and a field goal in recording his 101 .points this year, compared with 14 tries, 12 conversions, eight penalty goals and a field goal contributing to the 94 points which made him the top scorer last season.

Next to McKinley this season came R. J. McGregor, Old Boys, with 63 points from four tries, 18 conversions and five penalty goals, while the Old Boys wing J. Barbour, who grounded the ball successfully on 17 occasions was again the top scorer of tries and was third on the list with 51 points. Last year Barbour was second on the scoring list with 63 points resulting from 21 tries. The details which follow cover the season’s record of Poverty Bay representative matches and the list of players and reserves with the number of fixtures and the scores credited to each individual.

The concluding table shows the senior players who have scored 10 or more points in the season’s club championship and knock-out competitions, together with Gisborne and Poverty Bay representative games. Clubs are indicated by the respective abbreviations: (C), Celtic; (O), Old Boys; (H), High School Old Boys; (M), Marist; (P) Puha; (U), Union. The letters (b) and (f) respectively signify back and forward.

RECORD OF P.B. REP. GAMES July 17 v. Bay of Plenty, at Opolikl lost 9-10 Tries: G. W. Harris, J. Barbour, J. G. Elliott. Aug 7 V. East Coast at Gisborne won 17-5 Tries: R. W. McKinley (2), W. F. Edwards, J. Barbour. Con: R. M. McKinley. Pen. G. R. A. Clay. Sept. Iv. Canterbury at Christchurch lost 3-12 Pen. G: R. M. McKinley. Sept. 4 v. Otapro at Dunedin (Ranfurly Shield) _ lost 0-40 Sept. 8 v. Southland at Invercargill lost 5-20 Try: G. W. Harris. Con: R. J. McGregor Sept. IS v. East Coast at Ruatoria won 14-8 Tries: J. Barbour, _N. Summersby, VV. Carrington. Con: R. A. Clay. Pen G.: R. M. McKinley Summary: Played, 6; won, 2; lost, 4; points for, 48; points against, 95. P.B. PLAYERS AND RESERVES

G. R. T. C. P. Pts xR. M. McKinley (C) (b) 6 1 2 1 2 14 xJ. Barbour (O) (b) ~513- 9 xG. W. Harris (6) (b) .. 5 1 2- 6 xR. A. Clay (O) 'b) .. 6 - - 1 1 5 xN. Summersby (O) (£) 0-1 - 3 xj. G. Elliott (0) (f) .. 5 1 1 - - 3 xW. F. Edwards (C) (b) 4 1 1 - - 3 xW. Carrington (C) (f) 4 1 xR. J. McGregor (O) (b) 4 - - 1 -2 xj. Ferguson (H) 6 - - xl. IV. James (O) (b) .. 5 1 - - - - xE. S. Lee (H) (b) .. 5 - - - - - xl. G. Shaw (H) (f) .. 6 - - - - - xG. F. King (C) (£) .. 5 - - - - - xR. B. Birrell (O) (f) .. 4 1 - - - - xlv. W. Bullivant (H) (£) 3 2-- - - xT. J. Donovan (M) (f) 3 2 xW. R. Brown (C) (f) .. 3 1 - - - - xl. Munro (C) (£).... 3 1 - - - - xN. L. Kane (II) (b) .. 3 - - - - - xB. Brown (P) (b) ..23- - J. Richards (O) (b) ..11- - - L. Gibson (H) (f) .. 1 1 * - J. Graham (P) (b) .. 1 - - - - D. F. Graham (O) (b) .. 1 - - - - A. McGregor (O) .(b) .. 1 - - - M. Nikora (C) (b) .. 1 - - - - - P. Griffin (0) (f) .. 1 -.-- - - xlndicates membership o£ touring team to South Island. Reserves who did not take the field were W Cummings (C) (£), two games, E Carrington (C) (b). G. Shanks (O) (f), and R Heenev (M) (f). The joint manager, Mr. J. Gillespie, was a reserve for the concluding game of the South Island tour.

W. Carrington and E. Carrington, who toured the Dominion last year with the N.Z. Maori team, were chosen for this season’s corresponding combination and played in Fiji and New Zealand.

Bullivant, a young forward of promise who represented the N.Z. Forces in Japan, also played in the N.Z. Maori trial game. All Black Trials P.B. players of the Poverty BayEast Coast Combined team which defeated Hawke’s Bay, 21-9, in the first of the North Island series of All Black trials were McKinley, Barbour, Clay .Summersby, Edwards, W. Carrington, R. J. McGregor, Lee, Shaw, King, Birrell, Donovan and Munro. Tries by Barbour, McKinley, Lee and Summersby and two conversions and a penalty goal by McGregor accounted for 19 of the winning points.

Shaw and King also played in the All Black trial in Napier of representatives of unions in the southern none of the North Island and In the North Island Possibles v. Probables trial in Palmerston North,

Shaw was captain of the Combined P.8.-E.C. side and the Poverty Bay captain in all games excepting that with Southland. On that day he was playing in the All Black trial in Napier and* Summersby was the P.B. captain. McKinley, who was the P.B. vice-captain in all other games, was not available for the match with Southland though listed with the reserves.

New players in the union jersey were two East Coast backs of last season, I. W. James and B. Brown, the backs, N. L. Kane, J. Graham, D. F. Graham, A. McGregor and M. Nikora and the forwards, K. W. Bullivant and P. Griffin. B. Brown and J. Graham, both of the Puha club, Waikohu, were the only players of the three sub-unions to be selected though others also received careful consideration in the games between Gisborne and sub-union sides and the Town v. Country trial.

SENIOR CLUB AND REP. SCORERS T. C. P. F.G. Pts R. M. McKinley (C) (b) 10 13 14 1 101 R. J. McGregor (O) (b) 4 18 5 G 3 J. Barbour (O) (b) .. 17

R. A. Clay (O) (b) .. 5 9 3 G. W. Harris (O) (b) . 13 J. Cleary (M) (f) ~ J. Greig (H) (b) .. 12 W. F. Edwards (C) (b) 11 N. Sumbersby (O) (f) 4 8 1 E. S. Lee (H) (b) .. 5 7 J. Pewhairangi (U) (£) 1 5 G C. Waldock (O) (b) ~ 8 E. Carrington (C) (b) . 7 J. G. Elliott (O) (f) .. 7 E. Woodford (C) (b) .. 3 3 1 1 21 O. F. King (C) (f) .. 5 1 - G. Carrington (C) (f) 6 K. W. Bullivant (H) (f) 5 —• I. W. James (O) (b) .. 4 1 J. Richards (O) (b) .. 4 1 W. Carrington (C) (f) 3 1 - A. Archibald (H) (f) .. 1 2 1 C. McGrannachan (C) (f) —2 2 10