INTER=PROVINCIAL RUGBY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 September 1928, Page 6

INTER=PROVINCIAL RUGBY.

WELLINGTON BEATS CANTERBURY. IBy Telegraph—Press Association.; CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 22. Wellington beat Canterbury to-day by 14 points to iseven. Yei&'terdiay the ground was almost in summer condition and it was hoped the teams' would meet under conditions making for fast liugby. Heavy rain fell early in the morning, however, and continued almost until the hour of starting. The ground was still in passably good order and tlio match might have been a great deal better exhibition of Rugby than it proved to be. Actually it was far below the standard of inter-provincial Rugby. Wellington wens much the better side, and deserved their win. Having had the advantage of the wind, they led by 11 to nil. In the second half Canterbury showed improved form, hut niever looked’ like, winning, the ellington defence being sound. The superiority of Wellington was most marked in the backs, especially on attack. The Wellington rearguard threw the ball about freely and seized every opportunity to open up the play. Wellington were also superior in the forwards in the first spell, beating the home slide in the loose. The Canterbury hacks combined very poorly. Wellington won the toss and played with the wind. The Wellington backs got moving after the first exchange, and in a, great run covered fifty yards before Broderick was collared by Dorreen. Very soon Leys set them going again, but solid tackling stopped another good rush. Canterbury infringed and Hazelwood failed with a long shot at goal. A rush started by Page let the ball out to Chesley, and then inheld along the line of backs, but the effort was smothered 1 and Broderick I made another good run to be stopped again by Dorreen. At this stage the match promised well. Play was bright, and the scene changed rapidly. Page rent the backs away again from the scrum. The handling was faulty and Porter intercepted and broke throughto Canterbury territory. A penalty gave Heazlewood a long shot and lie landed a. beautiful goal. Wellington 3 Canterbury -.. 0 The Canterbury forwards, gained eonia ground in a brisk passing rush l , but offside play spoiled, the effort. A moment later Cottrell gave a pass which let Dorreen, Oliver and Hay gain much ground with a. good passing, run. Leys started a back movement for Wellington with a. smart run. The ball went along the line of hacks and Ftoley out out a man before sending on to Pickering and. Mackay. The winger passed infield and Pickering accepted to run unopposed behind the posts for a good try. Heazlewood goailed. Wellington 8 Canterbury 0 Page provided a. thrill by cutting through the opposition, Innes passed to Oliver, who fumbled with a tiy in sight. Wellington cleared without difficulty, and a penalty near lialf-way gave

Heazlewood a chance. He goaled with a very strong and' perfectly straight kick. Wellington l ~ 11 Canterbury 0 Canterbury lost several good chances before the spell ended, but for the moist pant were on the defensive. Once Pickering marked in front of the posts, but the drop-kick at goal went wide. The second spell opened with the Canterbury backs attacking. _ Donreen had two drops at goal in quick succession, the second being- very hear the posts. Failure of the Canterbury backs to combine even reasonably well allowed Pickcripg to intercept and his pace gave him an easy try. Heardewood failed to convert. Wellington 14 Canterbury 0

Paige tried (hi® backs again, but bad passing made the efforts hopeless and Wellington cleared. Then I lines ran and passed .to Oliver, who went fast down the toucliline. He inpassed tc Innes, and the latter fell oyer in a tackle for a good try. Chesley’s kick missed. Wellington 14 Canterbury 3

Again and again efforts by the Canterbury backs were spoiled by bad handling and forward rushes and by breaches of the rules. Once a good crush wms stopped when Toby Robinson passed off the ground. The Wellington movements, on the contrary, always looked dangerous, and .several tested the Canterbury defence severely. It was when another Canterbury attack broke down that Page snapped up the ball and potted a neat field goal. Wellington 14 Canterbury : 7

Canterbury attacked again. Page dummied his way through and passed to Fookes to Toby Robinson, but a penalty for offside stopped 'the movement. Canterbury still'attacked. Page, Fookes and Oliver combined an a passing rush, but Oliver elected 1 to hang on when Halt was in a good position outside liim. Oliver was thrown out and time sounded without further score.

OTAGO OVERWHELMS SOUTHLAND. DUNEDIN, Sept. 22. Otago 'created a surprise. by overwhelming Southland by 32 points to three at iC'arisbrook to-day. The game was not a spectacular one, and the Southland backs in particular played poorly. Otago played with the sun and a fairly heavy 'breeze. Just after the kick-off McClymont (O.tago) * made a great run, beating three men, and then passed to Davis. From the latter ’s pass Dunne went over at the corner, and Bradanoviteh kicked a great goal.

Almost immediately afterwards Bot-tin-o. threw out to Bradanoviteh, who swerved his way right through the Southland backs and scored one of the finest solo tries seen on 'Carisbrook this season. He fook the kick himself and made the scores: 'Otago 10, Southland 0.

Cockroft led a good (Southland rush, but threw the ball forward and a scrum was formed right on the line. From ir, the 'Otago forwards cleared. Dunne picked up in th e loose and ran right down to Porter and gave More a clear run in at the corner. Bradanoviteh missed the kick.

Davis dribbled through the Southland backs from half-way and Mars]in came up to score at the posts. Bradanovitch converted. Another sensational try for Otagocame immediately afterwards, when Haughton threw out wide to Donnelly on the wing and the latter scored near the posts. Bradanoviteh converted. Johnson; made two am© runs for Southland, but was not supported. Mur. ray kicked over Otago’s line, but. in a race for the ball Nicholson arrived first,. Johnson sent Black away on a good run until Bradanoviteh t-ook him at the twenty'- 1 five. (Davis was 1 offside near the Otago goal, but Biaek missed an easy kick. A lot of offside play was being overoloked. The half-time score was:— Otago 23 Southland 0 The sun had disappeared, but the breeze was fresher when the teams lined out for the ‘second spell. Mathcson ran deep into 'Southland territory following tlir. kielc-off, but was well taken by Bell. Play .came right back to the other end, and Diack .threw in quickly from touch to Murray, who sent: the ball back to Diack, who was awarded

a try, although he appeared to be lying partly in the touch-in-goal area. Diaclc missed the .kick, making the scores: ’Otago ’23, Southland 3. Southland were penalised right alongside the posts, but Bradanoviteh missed. an easy kick, 'The play was faster now’ and the Otago backs made two good passing rushes, in one of which MaClymont" was thrown out' at the corner. Southland were penalised ’for a serum infringement and Bradanoviteh kicked a goal.

Murray'sent Black away on the left wing, but he was pushed out at the twenty-five? when a fry seemed a possibility. Dunne picked up at the Southland twenty-fiye and passed to J. Donnelly, who fumbled the iball, (but it went oyer the line and lie fell on it. Bradanoviteh missed the kick.

A period of poor play followed, but. eventually Johnson raised enthusiasm by making a fine run ajong the right wing. Bell was off his game and in a few of the passing rushes by the Southland backs was the ball -going past him. Stewart broke away from a scrum and after the ball had been handled by four Otago players J. Donnelly” scored at the corner. Nicholson missed the kick. 'Time was sounded immediately afterwards with the,score: Otago ~..* 32 iSouthalnd 3