RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Grey River Argus, 20 June 1927, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

’EXCELSIORS (8) v. STABS (3). Excelsiors senior team met Stars at [the Victoria Park on Saturday, the match resulting in a win for the visiting team by 8 points to 3. Excelsior’s lino was not crossed throughout the contest, the three points against them being secured by a penalty kick. The visitors ’ tally was made up with two tries, one being converted. The teams were well matched, and the game was last and open. A good standard of football was maintained by both sides, but the match was marred by the strong southerly wind, which swept across the ground, making effective kicking and passing very difficult, especially for the team playing from the northern end. Excelsiors proved a good ath round lot, their victory being due in no small measure to the sound defence maintained by Nightingale, ouston and Staines. Tainui, Hahn and Freitas were outstanding in the forward pack. Their hookers accounted for most of the scrums, and Tainui could always be relied upon to give a good pass, and set things going for his side. Hahn accounted for the first try, which was well deserved, especially in view of two fine efforts to score, which he had previously made. The try was converted by J. King, who also played a sterling game. Freitas secured the second try, a moment before the final bell. Stars maintained the good form displayed at their previous match, and hut for some remarkably good individual play by their opponents, might have kept their line intact. Goodall and Nicholson invariably gave a good account of themselves whenever danger threatened. Culling, as wing, was responsible for some good line' kicking, and was always handy to receive a pass. Stevens, whose good kicking secured the three points for Stars, played good football throughout, as did also Reynolds, Thomas and MeKendry. Caulton and Fell, in the forward park, were also worthy of special mention. The teams were as follows: —

Excelsior (red and black): Nightingale, Christianson, Houston, Staines, J. King, Kinlock, A. King. Gugich, Barron, Hahn, Freitas, Devaney, T. Tainui, Preston.

Stars (yellow and black): Goodall. Culling, Nicholson. Brown. Thomas, McKcndry, Reynolds, Stevens, Bring. Charteris, Caulton, Fell, Steel, Johnston. Russel.

Stars kicked off from the. southern rnd, the wind being in their favour, and made good progress into their opponents’ territory. Houston ami J King made things safe, and rods returned the attack. Thomas mishandled at a critical moment, but Goodall relieved. Yellows took play to Excelsiors’ 25, where they were granted a free kick. Stevens made a very good attempt to put the leather over, but the wind carried it outside the post. A dribbling rush by Excelsior resulted in some lively play in Stars’ corner, but yellows forced, and with the help of a free kick at the 25 mark, yel lows maintained a forward movement to nearly reds’ line. J. King. Kinlock and A. King were conspicuous in defensive play, and cleared the ova! outside the 25. An infringement by the visitors gave Stevens another (diar.ee to open the score, but his kick from just outside the 25 was unsuccessful. A moment later reds were again penalised —Freitas being of!side —and Stevens succeeded in placing the leather neatly between the posts. Stars 3, Excelsior nd.

Foil wing the kick off. Culling mark ed, and made a clever kick to the side

giving the yellow pack a good opportunity., to take the offensive. Stevens made a good solo effort to the 25, but nobody was handy to receive the pass. Nightingale relieved. Culling made a good line kick, and from the line out A. King received and made a likely attempt to break through, but was effectively tackled. A free kick for reds near Star’s 25 was taken by J. King, but the ball failed to rise against the stiff wind. Freitas returned a punt from Stevens, and Kinlock following up, was all but over the line when he was grassed, the ball going out of touch at the corner. Following the line out, two serums took place in succession on Stars’ line, and on both occasions the reds hooked the ball and Hahn received the leather, and wriggled through to the line. The second attempt appeared to be a sure try, but was not allowed. Reynolds relieved with a good line kick. Nicholson marked near half "way, and made a good attempt at potting, but failed. Tainui relieved well, and started a good forward rush, but offside play impeded their progress, and Stars in a pretty passing bout carried play once again to reds’ 25. Caulton attempted to increase the score with a free kick, but lhe ball remained in touch, and shortly afterwards half time ■was sounded with play still in reds’ corner. The second spell was an .evenly contested and hard fought game, much the same as during the first half, but Stars, however, did not maintain such a sound defence. Barron, Hahn, and Devaney indulged in some lively passing. and Pell receiving the leather fended well to Stars’ 25, b l '

on to the leather too long. Excelsior hooked from a scrum at half way, and fn’mri made a good attempt to clear, but Reynolds brought him down. Another good passing effort by the red forwards was also nullified by the sound defensive tactics of their opponents, Stevens making a fine line kick. The Excelsiors’ pack kept up the pressure, and with Kinlock and Gugich and Hahn in the lead, made things lively for their opponents. Goodall and Nicholson, in turn, relieved, and the yellow forwards carried play to half way, where they hooked from i scrum, and continued to keep up the pressure. Hahn, Barron, Devaney and Tainui passed down the field to the inside of the yellows’ 25. Hahn received from a scrum in the goal area, and went over the line. J. King made a splendid kick, allowing nicely for the wind, and added the extra points. Excelsior 5, Stars! 3.

With the kick off, Tainui fended well, and took play to yellows’ 25. Here reds beat Star for the leather in a scrum, and some lively encounters followed on the line, but Goodall aided by Brown, McKendry afid Thomas eventually succeeded, in clearing the ball out of the danger zone. Reds hooked from a scrum at half way, and J. King made a good line kick, the ball going out near the 25. From the line out the red forwards gained possession, and Freitas accepting a pass raced over and scored. Nightingale’s kick failed. , Excelsior 8, Stars 3. The final bell sounded immediately afterwards, leaving the visiting team

victorious by five points. The game was very ably conducted by Mr W. Williams.

BLAKETOWN (32) VV MAGPIES (Nil).

Blaketown met and defeated Magpies at Gladstone on Saturday, by 32 points to nil. The game was very one-sided, as the result indicated. Tries were scored; by Negri (3), P. Steel (2), Hannan, McEnaney and Cooper. Negri converted four tries. Mr F. Bailey acted as referee. STARS V. COBDEN. Much interest was shown in the junior match. Stars v. Cobden, at the Park. Stars won the toss, and elected to play with a strong south-easterly wind at their backs. After about twenty minutes’ play the Ambers secured from a scrum, the ball travelling to Fairhall on the wing, who sprinted to the goal-line to open the scoring account for Stars. Dennison’s kick was ruled out. Just before half-time a line-out about five yards from the Cobden line saw “Cardy” Williams pick up from the ruck and pass to Brown, 'who, beating three men, scored in a good position. The kick at goal was a failure. In the second spell Cobden made the pace, but Stars, who went for the man, kept play tight, thus allowing few opportunities for the Red backs to keep moving. R. Baird kicked a penalty goal for Cobden. Mr Mclntosh refereed. UNITED V. KUMARA. United played Kumara on the B Ground, Kumara having an easy win by 16 to nil. The Maroons had the game their own way from the start, their forwards playing just as they liked. Their backs also found good combination. FOURTH GRADE. What was deemed to be a close match between the A and B United teams proved to be an easy win for the A team by 23 to 5. The B team had a hard proposition ahead, as in the A team there are ten of the original United Fourth Graders. Ten minutes after the start Bunt (back), of the B team, left the field owing to knee trouble. This left Ferguson and Co. in a rather mixed position. The gam? would have been more even if played on a day minus the strong wind which held plenty of “luck” for the winners. Baldwin Bros, scored seven tries between them, and also converted one Rathbun scored and Ferguson converted by the losers. Mr I. Steel refereed. At Cobden, Technical defeated Combined by two tries by G. Shuttleworth and J. Kyle. The game was very interesting, but the strong wind marred the good play. Watson, Groom, and Brailsford were the best in the Combined team. FIFTH GRADE. Technical scored another win over Cobden by the narrow margin of 5 to nil, a try scored by Wilson and converted by O. Scott.