RUGBY FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 14 May 1945, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES BEGIN. Fine weather favoured the West Coast Rugby Union again on Saturday when championships in all grades were commenced. Grounds were on the heavy side following the rain overnight. There was a good attendance at Rugby Park, Greymouth, where two senior matches were played, and, while Celtic were always easy winners against Ruatapu on the No. 1 ground, the other game, between Blaketown and Star-United, was full of interest. Blaketown deserved their win by eight points to five, but; there were times during the concludingstages when the combined team threatened to pull the game out of . the fire. In the other senior grade match Cobden had an easy win at the expense of S't. Mary’s. Blaketown won the junior match easily, Celtic and Technical thirds were successful, and Celtic fourths, in their first game, had a narrow victory. BLAKETOWN 8, STAR-UNITED 5. Blaketown seniors defeated StarUnited on the No. 1 ground at the Park by eight points to five, after a fairly evenly contested game, which held’the interest of the spectators until the final bell. It was a splendid match between two fine sets of forwards,- and again the dash and speed of the Blaketown forwards carried the day. Blaketown secured possession from the majority of the set scrums, but Star-United held an advantage in the line-out play. The Blaketown backs were superior to their opponents, though they did nothing sensational. McLean, Smith, McDonald and McGuinness all played good games in the Blaketown rearguard, and Sinclair, Fisher, and Inwood were the pick of the forwards. For Star-United, Pegley, Hagan, Glen and Nelson were consistent forwards, and Nolan, Syme and Goodall were the best backs. The teams were: — Star-United: R. Thompson; Jackson, Kearns, Shrimpton; Syme, Nolan; Goodall; Pegley, Roberts, Lambert: Dixon, Hagan, Glen, G. Nelson; Wilson. Blaketown: McGuinness; Currie, McDonald, R. Nelson; J. Smith, McLean; Tainui; Webster, Fisher, McKendry; Tomlinson, Muir, Sinclair,’ Mitchell; D. Inwood. Blaketown attacked early, but Tainui was three times caught in possession in trying to go' round scrums near the line. However, Blaketown were rewarded when after a Blaketown back movement broke down near the goal line Inwqpd dived on the ball in a scramble over the line. The kick failed—Blaketown 3, StarUnited 0. Smith and Sinclair were the stars in the movement which produced the next try -for Blaketown, Sinclair crossing in a good position. Mitchell added the extras—Blaketown 8, Star-United 0. The combined team played with great dash from the start of the second spell, and Hagan, Dixon and Pegley handled in a fine movement from which Pegley scored between the posts. Syme converted —Blaketown 8, Star-United 5. Syme missed a fairly easy shot at goal from a penalty soon afterwards. Play was fast and exciting in the concluding stages, with the combined team trying hard to equalise at least, and Blaketown also provided some excitement with several dangerous passing bouts in which both backs and forwards took part, but the final whistle sounded without further score—Blaketown 8, Star-United 5. Mr N. Eggleton was referee. CELTIC 32, RUATAPU 3. Ruatapu, playing their first match on Rugby Park, .were no match for Celtic on’ the No. 2 ground, the home side winning by 32 points to three. Ruatapu were outclassed in both forwards and backs, especially when their lack of fitness began to) show in the second spell. Against this, Celtic, getting a -feast of the ball from set scrums and line-outs, gave a fine exhibition, their backs especially combining in some first-class football. Lindsay, Mason and S. Patterson played well in the backs for the visitors, and Atkinson and Inglis were the pick of the forwards. It was difficult to individualise in the Celtic backs, as all did their share, but Hamilton, Silcock, J. Fitzgerald and Millett were particularly noticeable. Bruhn, Garforth, Cloake and Smith were the best Celtic forwards. Tries were scored for th e winners by Hamilton, Fauth, Johnston, Millett (2), Silcock, Bruhn and Cloake. Fauth converted four. Mason kicked a goal from a penalty for Ruatapu. Rev. E. O. Harding was referee. COBDEN 24, ST. MARY'S 3. Cobden defeated St. Mary’s (Hokitika), 23—3, in a senior game played at Hokitika. The Cobden backs proved too solid for St. Mary’s. Tries were scored for Cobden by Ellis (2), Birchfield and Horrack. Lindbom converted three tries and kicked two penalties. For St. Mary’s, Little scored the only try. Mr A. Algar was referee. LOWER GRADES. Blaketown defeated Celtic, 28—0, in a junior game played at Rugby Park (referee, Mr J. B. Hogarth). In the third grade games Celtic defeated Cobden, 9—3, at Cobden (referee, Mr A. Agnew); Technical defeated Blaketown, 17—3, at Rugby Park (referee, Mr R. Haglund); and St. Mary’s defeated Excelsior, I—9, at Hokitika (referee. Mr J. McGuiness). Celtic defeated Star-United, 3—o, in a fourth grade game at Cobden (referee, Mr C. Cockburn).