BAY IN WELLINGTON

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 211, 20 August 1934, Page 8

BAY IN WELLINGTON

NOTES ON THE PLAY An Exciting Second Half C. LE QUESNE’S GOOD WORK (By “Magpie ”) The practice of playing a representative fixture on Thursday, train travel Friday, and another rep. match on Saturday is courting disaster. Hawke’s Bay successfully performed the feat last week, but the toll of injuries will prevent half the team playing for a week or more.

Athletic Park, Wellington, had recovered well from the torrential midweek downpour, but the surface offered a treacherous foothold. However, the usual breeze, in the shape of a brisk southerly, dried the ground rapidly.

Over 8000 adults and 3000 children, the latter free, yawned through a fairly drab first half and cheered wildly throughout the second.

Ireland, due to a leg injury, was a last-minute defection from the Bayfifteen, and Dalton had to go into the middle of the front row.

Coulston, the Wellington hooker, is regarded as being as expert as Lambourne, but at beating the referee he is in world class. He anticipated all 25 and half-way kicks by yards.

Sluggish describes the Bay’ forwards’ work in the first spell, but even so they enjoyed a territorial advantage, but not to the extent expected with the assistance of the “breeze.”

A very high cross kick from Le Quesne sent Apsey racing down the hill side of the ground, and Pollock had as far to run as the Bay man. Apsey got there first and with a deft foot sent the ball bouncing ahead, and fielding it in his stride flu: d over for a great try.

Prebble suffered a broken collarbone hereabouts, running into Upchurch, who, tackling very low, threw the East Coaster heavily.

A side-stepping run by Fuller brought the “bankers” to their feet, but Apsey threw the auburn-haired winger high over his shoulder. Fuller was very restrained for the remainder of the game.

“Bunk” Pollock, the Wellington full-back, played almost perfectly in the first half, but he lost much of his assurance in the second.

Dalton, taking a reverse pass from Smith, swept over for a good try, and the referee, on the point of awarding it, noticed the line umpire’s flag up and a line-out ten yards up field was given instead.

Sadler, Wellington’s youthful halfback, is very bright and was very determined, but he made fully a dozen attempts to score on his own, and of course invariably ran into the arms of a burly and expectant forward.

Early in the game Bradley was off the field for five minutes getting ambulance treatment for a gash in a finger that laid it open to the bone. Actually he should have stayed off, but refused, and pluckily carried on. A doctor stitched 'the wound immediately the game was over.

The saving work of Colin Le Quesne was magnificent, and as in previous rep. games he covered all the gaps. In anticipation Le Quesne compares favourably with any back in the Dominion to-day.

Wellington played a game verysimilar to Canterbury, the backs exploiting passing movements that were met by excellent tackling. On one occasion Upchurch evaded Shirreffs and ran smack bang into the arms of Bolls, who continuously covered his rearguard.

Wellington’s try was a brilliant one that was commenced by glaring pff side just in midfield. The home inside backs were clean away-, and although Vartan got in amongst them the übiquitous Joe Dellabarca arrived to score the try for Fuller to goal.

Two points behind acted as a spur, and in as many minutes Hawke’s Bay were in front as the result of a brilliant pot by C. Smith.

Smith suffered a severe kick on the thigh early in the game, and another just after the oranges. He wanted to leave the field, but Shirreffs beat him to it and with no more reserves he had to stay and incidentally score seven points.

A long-range kick at goal by Fuller missed and Le Quesne, instead of forcing, fled up the hill side of the ground, a long pass to Smith, nnd the big Maori was in full flight. At halfway Ruru blocked Smith’s way and the ball came in to the forwards, who galloped gleefully goal-wards. Just short of the line a knock-on stopped a movement that gained 100 yards.

Geddes, securing from a scrum in the corner, fed Apsey, and he, when block ed, throw in to Steere for the captain to score a try that left the defence gasping. Given a space of ground to work in Smith right on time showed Welling tonians his paces, and first Ruru and then Pollock were left prostrate and the Wairoa flyer bolted over for n great try. • « • Wellington bucks generally lost ground in passing movements; on the other hand, the Bay hacks attempted less in this line, bid what they did do invariably gained them ground. * a a Bay's best forward was lieiJ, but he was not inui’ll above bis loam mates. * • • A scrum took place in front of the Bay goal and Pollock came tip from full-back to first live-eighth. He took Sadler’s pass, potted and missed.