RUGBY FOOTBALL CELTIC AHEAD IN THIRD GRADE COMPETITION

Grey River Argus, 24 May 1947, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL CELTIC AHEAD IN THIRD GRADE COMPETITION

Although there are only three teams in the third grade competition, there have been several major upsets, with the result that Technical, the logical favourites, and who have also won this grade for several seasons past have now, by two successive, if not overwhelming defeats, surrendered the lead to the improving Celtic side.

The Technical side owes its success to good combination and teamwork, which is always a bright feature of its play. Hay and May are good scoring men and McNulty and Sheldon stand out in a virile pack who all work together as a very efficient machine. Celtic are also a fine side, and are at present playing sound football. Conaghan, P. Costelloe and Kelly are a speeedy trio, and have accounted for most of the side’s points, along with Garforth, who is an excellent leader of a useful pack of forwards. Curtain and Neville stand out a little above the others in their untiring work. The third team, Cobden, have neither the polish nor combination of the other two sides, but last Saturday, they turned on brilliant football to defeat Technical by a margin of two points.

On this showing they should win more matches before the season ends. Bright, a tall packman, feeds his backs well, from line-outs. Curtis, Parfitt and Shearer, are dangerous men in the loose. The backs have yet to produce the standard of last year’s team, but Gardner, De Goldi and Dewar stand out.

Tkamatua, although, unable to play regularly in the competition, will play several friendly matches, and their presence will be warmly welcomed. They have some useful players and with more experience should develop in to a useful team. LOSS TO BLAKETOWN

Elaketown has been unfortunate in losing the services of their captain Merv Thomas, for what may be the remainder of the season. He retired early in the match against Celtic, when he fractured a bone in his foot. Thomas was playing grand football for hiq side, and earned selection in the Greymoth rep team a to play at Hokitika to-day. His berth in today’s team will be filled by J. Gillan (United), and Hopkins (Star) will take Gillan’s place as emergency, ALWAYS THERE McNamara, although the lightest hooker in the senior competition, proved a valuable asset to Celtic on Saturday. His fast following up gained for him a well merited try when others were beginning to feel the pace. He also gained the lion’s share of the ball from the set-scrums. Another Celtic forward worth watching is V. Hahn. A last year junior, he made his presence felt at the back of the scrum, and was always a solid worker in the tight. JUNIOR JOTTINGS There is some good material for the junior reps, to be picked from on Saturday. The Cobden backs combine very well, all being good. Cobden has a fine set of forwards, and probably Russell and Watkins are the most promising. Blaketown also has a good set of forwards, but they are not tall. Consequently they have trouble in getting the ball in the line-outs, especially against Cobden. They are an even lot, with perhaps Molloy and Henderson doing the best. In the backs, Blaketown have a good wing three-quarter in Ellery, who is a very determined runner. Hornsby is* also solid in attack and defence. The Blaketown full-back has a splendid line kick. The Magpie team is improving and gaining experience with each game They play hard, but is too much individual play. Priestly is making a much better job at the game since he came into the forwards. He has a good boot, and is dangerous anywhere near the posts. Russ, at half-back, will improve with more experience. Lalor is the mainstay of the Magpie packs’, and gets through a lot of work. However, the other backs will improve as they gain more combination. Celtic played a solid game last Saturday, and were nearly on the winning side. Their forwards are a solid pack, and like the seniors should be able to push the majority of packs off the ball in the scrums. Dixon and Rose are two hard working forwards, although there are no loafers in their pack. The backs are a lively lot, with Conaghan and O’Callaghan outstanding. The latter’ should make good with experience.

Tech Old Boys are also on the improve, and should be pleased with their first games. Although beaten, they have worried nearly all their opponents. In Lovell they have a fine leader in their forwards, and should prove more difficult to beat in future games. In their backs they have some very promising boys in Ashurst, Willis and Henderson. Some of the backs are young, but will improve as the season goes on. LOWER GRADE PT,AVERS IMPROVING Fifth and sixth grade players who have shown considerable improvement in reecnt matches are:— SIXTH GRADE McNeil (Cobden); Mayell, Pragnell United); B. Rothera, Steel (Star); and T. Devonport (Celtic). FIFTH GRADE Curtis (Cobden), Lark (Blaketown) Lindbom (Technical), G. Patterson, and Neville (Star). SOUTH WESTLAND REPS The South Westland team to play Inangahua in the West Coast trials at Hokitika to-day is as follows: — A. Nolan, S. Nolan, T. Nolan, J. B. Muir, E. Renner, C. Murphy, H. Weenick (Wataroa), P. Kirby, M. Wells R. Rowley, Hansen, J. Minehan, V. Berry, Moore (Harihari), G. Kerr, D. Leggoe, J. Sullivan and E. Kirby (Weheka).