CELTIC BEAT KIWIS

Grey River Argus, 19 April 1948, Page 6

CELTIC BEAT KIWIS

The main attraction at Cass Square on Saturday, was the game in which Celtic beat Kiwis by a narrow mar-gin—ll-10. Kiwis started passing when Celtic kicked off, but a transfer from J. Carroll to R. Moorejyas forward and Hamilton sent Celtic backs away, the move being stopped by solid tackling, and the ball went into touch. From the line-out Kiwis secured, Hurren passing to Nolan and Stoop, but K. Rea intercepted and raced down field till forced out. From the line out the ball went to M Stoop, who raced down the line almost the length of the field, to score just as Conaghan caught him. T. Nolan converted. Celtic worked down field. Faulty handling allowed the Celtic forwards to penetrate to Kiwi goal line. P. Hurren forced to save. Celtic came back again and R. Moore marked kicking into touch. Celtic secured in the line-out, their backs making a bold effort to score. Hurren saved with a force. The Kiwi back-rankers were not backing and were too eager to break up quickly when the ball came out. Celtic kept hammering away until, from a lineout, W. Hill secured and scored. The kick failed. ' Kiwis were awarded a penalty and Nolan kicking, but the ball went wide. H e then secured and found touch. From a scrum on the 25 Kiwis hooked, Hurren cut through and sent on to Nolan, who was collared, Fj. Stoop went to fall back after getting a bump, Rossiter going wing and M. Stoop centre, from mid-field Rea made a dash to the Kiwi 25. Kiwis missed a penaltv shot at the other 25 while Fauth also failed with a penalty shot for Celtic. From a ruck near Kiwi goal line, a scrum was ordered. Celtic secured and Hamilton passed to Rea, who scored at the corner, the kick failing. — Celtic 6, Kiwis 5. Celtic then failed with another penaltv shot, but eventually they took the ball to Kiwi goal line from a scrum on which Celtic secured and Hamilton dived over for a good try. Fauth converted. . Celtic led Kiwis at half time by 11 to 5. Resuming, R. Eastgate came out of the pack to first five eight, Rossiter going to full back. J. Stuart replaced Eastgate and R. Stoop stayed . off. Kiwis attacked. Celtic then gained ground, and Hurren had to force. From a scrum in mid-field, Kiwis secured and Hurren passed to Eastgate and Stuop, who made a great elf or t, but he. was put out at the corner flag. Kiwis again hooped and Hurren sent Eastgate away, but he was held up near the line. P. Eastgate just missed goaling with a couple of penalty kicks. R. Eastgate nearly got over to score when Hurren sent him a pass. A high kick by Rea, who had a good left boot, was well returned By Rossiter to touch in the corner. G. Howat, from the line-out was awarded a try when he got away, and Nolan converted. Kiwis were now on top, chiefly because of their greatly superior weight in the forwards. They kept the'visitors in their own territory most of the time. McLean knocked back to Hurren, from a line-out and M. Stoop took the pass, to be forced out. McLean and Patterson came, to within five yards of the goal line, but over-ran the ball. P. Eastgate barged through with the ball, but he had no support. Celtic came away to find touch. From a ruck R. Eastgate then dribbled through. Kiwis secured and went near getting over, but Celtic held them out till the final whistle—winning by 11 to 10. Mr M. Davidson was referee. The Kiwi team was unbalanced in the scrum. J. Leslie was unable to play owing to injuries. The lighter members were prone to breaK up 100 quickly. One Celtic forward frequently failed to get down, causing scrums to reform. From 20 x _scruma in the first half. Kiwis secured on 11. oocasions and Celtic on nine occasions. Three were indecisive. In the second half from 19 scrums Kiwis secured nine and Celtic 10 with four being indecisive. Celtic backs, though light, stood up well. Hamilton, the half, played a good game, and never failed to gain full advantage, serving his inside backs, who worked well. K. Rea on the wing, played a sound game, missing no chances, and was ever ready to seize an opening. He was perhaps the most dangerous back. Conaghan played a heady game. Fauth’s kicking was weak but he improved. In the Kiwi pack, P. Eastgate, as lock, was t wasted. R. Eastgate played solid, and when shifted to five eight in the second, half, improved the side. Hurren played his usual sound game, M. Stoop was unlucky in his handlings. Once he gathers in the ball, he takes some stopping. He mishandled several times at the critical stages. Nolan is an acquisition to the Kiwi back line. J. Carroll, who played League last season, turned out in his old position. A new-comer Rossiter, from an Air Force team, played well at full back. G. nowai was the best of the lighter forwards. J. Stuart, when he came on, worked hard. Both sides have speed.