RUGBY FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1944, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Blaketown Wins Again

STAR-UNITED BEAT CELTICConditions were excellent for football on Saturday, but the crowd at Rugby Park was not large. The games on. both grounds, though looking a bit one-sided in Ihe first halves settled into even struggles, and proved very interesting. Blaketown won their second game in succession when they defeated Hokit'ka by 23 points to 18, and Star-United beat Celtic by 11 points to 3.

BLAKETOWN 23 v. HOKITIKA 18.

The match between Blaketown and Hokitika was a high-scoring one, with both sides indulging in a period of rapid scoring. Blaketown, though playing with fourteen men for a start, and fielding two third' grade players, had an early superiority, and at one stage were leading by 23 points to 3. In the second spell Hokitika, with a re-arranged- back line, produced better football and with short punts which found gaps in the defence, gained considerable ground. The game was even and exciting as Hokitika gradually made up their deficit and with only a few minutes to go and needing only another converted try to draw, they kept up a strong attack. The best of the vsiting backs was K. Davidson, while Tainui an f ] Amberger also played well. Wei blitz, Duggan and Atkinson plaved vigorous football in the pack. W. McHugh and M. Thomas nlayed fine football for Blaketown, while J. Smith, K. Fisher and K, Tomlinson shone in the forwards. The teams were: —

Hokitika: Nolan, Oslen, Amberger, Neil, West, Davidson, Tainui, McCarthy, Bradley, Sinclair, Weiblitz, Duggan, Teen, Roberts, Atkinson. Blaketown: Hornsby, Nelson, McHugh, A. Inwood, McLean, Thomas, Currie, Tomlinson, McKendry, Webster, Smith, Wafer, D. Inwood, Malloy, Fisher. Blaketown pressed from the outset, but Atkinson relieved. Blaketown were soon back with McHugh making a good run. A: scrum took place in. front of Hokitika’s posts, and Thomas whipped the ball away to McHugh who shot through an opening to dive over. Thpmas converted. —Blaketown 5; Hokitika 0. Blaketown continue to .attack, but Weiblitz relieved when he broke through a line-out. A scrum infringement by the vlisiting forwards on the 25 gave Blaketown a further opportunity and Thomas goaled.— Blaketown 8; Hokitika 0. Hokitika commenced a back movement and the hall came out to Olsen, who fumbled the pass, however, and Nelson scooped up the ball, beating Amberger in a race for the line to score wide out. Thomas again goaled — Blaketown 13; Hokitika 0. Hokitika then made their first penetration, with Amberger and Nolan standing out in a passing rusht They kept Blaketown penned in their own line, but though near they were unable to open their scoring account. Smith relieved with a penalty kick. Blaketown, with McHugh and Smith in the van, took play into Hokitika territory, but Olsen burst through with the ball at his toes. Nelson went down on it, but Davidson took up the tussle and kicked for the line where the bounce of the ball beat McHugh who dived to force, and Davidson scored a fine try. Nolan failed to convert.—Hokitika 3; Blaketown 13. Blaketown did not let Hokitika increase their score, and swept down the field, anq the remainder of that hell kept Hokitika well on defence. Picking up in a ruck near the posts, Tomlinson forced his way through several defenders to touch down for a try which Thomas converted. —Blaketown 18; Hokitika 3. Again Blaketown attacked, this time with Fisher showing up, an f i he dived over in the corner only to lose possession, and Hokitika forced as half-time sounded. A nice line kick by West put Hokitika on attack on the resumption of nlay, but Thomas relieved with a good kick. Plav travelled into Hokitika territory, where a passing bout saw McHugh cut between two men and make for the posts, only to be pulled down a few inches short by West. A scrum formed and Currie whipped the ball away Jo Thomas whose energetic drive carried him through for a try, which he also converted. — Blaketown 23; Hokitika 3. Hokitika began to play vigorously and Teen burst through. A series of back movements took place on Blaketown’s line but solid tackling kept the attackers from scoring. Then Hokitika found the overlap, and Olsen touched down in a handy position. Davidson converted.—Hokitika 8; Blaketown 23. Davidson missed a penalty kick, then Hokitika again advanced and Atkinson went over under the posts, after a great opening had been made by Amberger. Davidson converted.—Hokitika 13; Blaketown 23. Duggan ana Amberger figured in the southern fifteen’s next attack, but Thomas marked and his kick gained a brief respite. Webster and Fisher began a movement for Blaketown, McHugh and Thomas also participating, and only good tackling by Hokitika avoided a try. Thomas missed a penalty kick. With Smith standing out the Blaketown pack burst through and the position was dangerous for the visitors, but a penalty relieved. Then Hokitika recommenced to attack and the margin between the scores was further narrowed when Tainui, after all the backs had handled scored a good try. Davidson converted. —Hokitika 18; Blaketown 23. Fisher and Inwood were prominent in a Blaketown attack, bu there was no further score and the game ended with the score: Blaketown 23; Hokitika 18.

Referee: Rev. E. O. Harding.

STAR-UNITED 11 v. CELTIC 3.

Though superior in the first half, Star-United by no means had then’ own way in the second spell, and, indeed, were made, to defend, on occasions desperately, by the Celtic team. Celtic was unable to finish off its movements, however, or their tally may have been larger. Pegley, Jones and Blair were the best of the combined pack, with L. Sweetman, Gillan and C. Topp being outstanding in the rearguard. Cloak, J. Rea, Hoskin and Croudis played good games in the Celtic pack and J. Fitzgerald. played an excellent game for Celtic in the backs. A. Thompson also played well. Star-United began their attack early and Celtic before long were compelled to force. Fitzgerald cut through nicely but a forward pass spoiled the effort. - Then Pegley burst through but was well grounded by F'ratt. Celtic then made an effort but Topp saved. Play returned to the other end of the field, where Jones kicked through. Pratt failed to hold the ball and Jones was over in a flash after 25 minutes of pl,ay.—Star-United 3; Celtic 0. Star-United increased their lead when Gardener came through and dribbled past PraC to score in the corner. 'Jones failed to convert.— Star-United 6; Celtic 0. From a scrum on the line the ball was kicked over the line and G Ilan beat Clancy to the ball and scored a try which he converted.—Star-United 11: Celtic 0. The score was unchanged

at half-time, prior to which Celtic had been on the offensive. Celtic' began a determined attack 'on the resumption with Hoskins and Thompson prominent. Croudis sent in a high kick which was taken by Topp. Croud's charged the kick -down and went over but lost possession an f i Combined forced. Furness was nearly over after a determined run but was held up on the line. A ruck took place on the line and Rea went over. Croudis missed the kick.—Celtic 3; Star-United 11. Spurred by th’s success Celtic made strenuous efforts to score, and Topp saved with a splendid kick. Pratt burst through but was held up on the line. Celtic had a chance when their backs went away, but Davis held on too long. Topp saved nicely when Thompson burst through and again when Pratt cut through the defence. Thompson again came through but Topp cleared as the final whistle sounded with the score:— Star-United 11; Celtic 3. Referee: Mr D. Hogarth. LOWER GRADES In the third grade curtain-raiser. Celtic beat Cobden by 17 points to nil. MARIST SCHOOL’S MATCH’ The Greymouth Marist Brothers’ High School first fifteen travelled to Reefton on Saturday to play a fixture with the first fifteen of Reefton D.H.S. The Reefton team won an even game by 17 points to 15. BULLER BEAT MARLBOROUGH (Our Own Correspondent; WESTFORT, August 13.

Marlborough, who had as desired, a Wellington referee (Mr H. B. Simmons) were unable to beat Buller yesterday in their attempt to lift the Shield, Buller scoring 28 points to the visitors’ 13. After a lead at half-time by 13 to 10 Marlborough were decisively defeated. The game was played under perfect conditions, with a very large gathering of spectators. Marlborough opened up several spectacular movements in the second spell, but deadly Buller tackling ended them before the targets were reached. Buller forwards played dashingly .and more than held their own, while good support was given by the backs. The visitors early led 8-0, and again 8-5, and then 13-10 at half-time. After that the home team held the lead till the end. Buller scored half a dozen tries, Dunn (full-back) converting them all but one. Dougan got a couple of great tries for the visitors and Haines a third, Wilson converting two. { The teams were:—

Buller: Dunn, W. Neighbours, O. Smallholme, A. Cummings, Alexander, F. Neighbours, W. Mullan, Kitchen, T. Coyne, A. Mosley, Mumm, D. Neighbours, Beveridge, T. Anderson and S. Dickson.

Marlborough: Burret, Wills, Wilson, Ransfield, Croudis, Cook, Dougan, Haines, McNeight, Bragg, Gotlief, Brown, Avery, Rowberry, Higgs. Marlborough forwards early attacked well, Haines scoring from a line-out. After another try by Dougan, W. Neighbours scored for Buller from a good passing movement, and then Mosley got another try from a forward rush. At half-time the visitors led 13-10. W. Neighbours scored twice in the second spell, and T. Anderson and T. Coyne a try each for Buller, while the visitors did not score in this half.

WELLINGTON v. CANTERBURY.

P.A. WELLINGTON, August 13. Canterbury found Wellington a much improved side yesterday from that which was soundly beaten at Christchurch earlier in the season. The red anti blacks went down by a one-point margin, 11 to 10, after one of the most exciting contests between the provinces seen for some time. The football failed to attain a high standard through fumbling, or through efforts by inside backs to do too much, but it was an amazing game for longsustained periods of attack and couil-ter-attack. Wellington made mucn better use of their superiority in the scrums than, they' did in their Christchurch game, and splendid loose play by their forwards enabled the home side to score three tries (Bligh two. and Ingpen one, which was converted by Morrison): to one try, by Fleming. Canterbury’s other' points came from a penalty goal and a field goal by O’Callagnan. The most dangerous back on the field was O’Callaghan. He had a change of snatchipg a victory right on time from a penalty, but his long shot at goal went wide. The result hung in doubt until five minutes before the final whistle, when a clever try was scored by Bligh, first five-eighth. The game, watched by. the largest Wellington crowd of the season was solid torward rucking. Wellington had the better of the first spell, and led by to nil at half-time, Canterbury having the territorial advantage during most of the second spell. OTAGO BEATS SOUTHLAND PA. DUNEDIN, Aug. 13. 'in a return rugby match, Otago defeated Southland at Carisbrook Fark, yeste.vdav bv 22 points to 3, before a crowd of about twelve thousand. This was Otago’s second win over Soutnland this.season. The game was fasand open, but there was much broken play., Otago held an advantage in the scrum, and a deciding w „‘f the superior pace and comb l nation of Otago backs. Though fast breaking the Southland forwards often torceci ««« £ J. « ™ / «'