LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 4 September 1934, Page 2

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

NORMAN COX CUP. RETAINED BY CANTERBURY. The Canterbury Schoolboys’ Rugby League representative team yesterday had no difficulty in retaining the Norman Cox Cup, against the challenge of West Coast. The game was played at Victoria Park, and attracted a large attendance, but was disappointing, from the point of view of spectators, as the local boys proved no match for the Canterbury thirteen, especially in the second spell, when the latter piled up points, almost without resistance, until the high final score of Canterbury 45, West Coast 9, was reached. The" Canterbury boys gave a fine exhibition, passing with precision, and playing a vigorous game. On the other hand, however, the Coast boys gave a lifeless display. In the first spell thev succeeded in keeping the score down, the half-time score being Canterbury 11, West Coast 6; but in the second spell Canterbury proved altogether too clever for them and three very promising boys in Seacord, Ruttledge and Taylor (all three-quarters) scored tries in quick sequence. The comparative inactivity of the local Junior Advisory Board, for the major part of this season, was reflected in the play of the West Coast team. The material was there, but some of the ideas of League held by the boys were very crude, while the handling of the backs was consistently bad, as compared with Canterbury. In the first spell tries were scored for Canterbury by Seacord (2) and Kirk, Ruttledge converting one, while Brown and McDonald scored for West Coast.

Canterbury began to throw the ball about in the second spell and tries were scored by Sencord, Ruttledge, Kirk and Taylor, before McDonald added to Coast’s tally, bringing the score to Canterbury 23, West Coast 9. From then on, Canterbury did as much as they liked, and tries were scored by Taylor (2), Ruttledge (2), Wehrner and Hiddleson, Ruttledge converting two, making the final score; Canterbury 45, West Coast 9. Mr J. O’Neill was referee. At the conclusion of the game the Cup was presente'd to the Canterbury captain, B. Ruttledge, by the President of the West Coast League, Mr A. H. MeKane, who congratulated the winners on their exhibition. He said that every effort would be made to send the Coast team to Canterbury next year, and in view of this the Coast hoys could get into training early in the year, and take their football more seriously.

The Captain returned thanks, and the manager of the Canterbury team, Mr Clark, expressed his thanks for the manner in which the boys had been treated during their stay in Greymouth. The Canterbury team leave on return this morning.