RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 119, 4 May 1936, Page 8

RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Points in Saturday’s Games in Hawke’s Bay

LOW SCORING PREVAILS

With the heavy gale affecting play it was expected that theie would be tall scoring in the second series of competition Rugby games in Hastings and Napier on Saturday, but actually the scoring was very low, and what is more curious, very even—there being fifty per cent, draws. * * jThere was nothing of the “steamroller” tactics about the HastingsNapier Old Boys games at Hastings. Both sides gave the backs plenty of the ball, but they did not turn this to much account as far as scoring went. The sole idea of the Hastings men was to kick, and they lost many opportunities by thus giving away possession. Old Boys, on the other hand, especially in the second spell, kept possession as much as possible.

Tomoana, the diminutive Celtic halt scored a neat field goal when he followed up a futile attempt by Galway iiom a free kick. Several Hastings Old I Boys were made to look sheepish as the result of the kick. * * * The Clothier-Bradley combination gave a sample of its only representative form when Napier Old Boys sewed their sole try against Hastings. ♦ -x * The Celtic pack was in great form against Hastings Old Boys, though the latter in the open were superior until condition gave out. Hannigan and Kelly have now a worthy supporter in Meacham, the former South Islander. There was some tremendous kicking on Saturday and very few players successfully gauged the velocity of the wind for all kicked hard and the wind did the rest. The iron fence at Nelson Park was struck by the ball more times than in most cricket matches played during the summer months. * * « Quite frequently in the games at Hastings on Saturday the amended kick-into-touch rule acted to the advantage of the kicker, despite the fact that he was outside his own quarterway. The wind often carried the ball into touch behind the player. In the memory of Hawke’s Bay’s oldest enthusiast there was never such a windy day for Rugby as last Saturday, the velocity being estimated by the traffic inspector at 90 m.p.h and he should know. * * * A bevy of thhe fair sex definitely pro-Havelock, heartened the boys of the village anil incited them to greatei effort, the while Tech, supporters, who came to cheer, looked on in gloomy silence. «■ * «- Marist and Pirates provided a terrific struggle on No. 1 ground at McLean Park, a feature being the dour defence of both sides and in the same breath the poor idea of both in using the wind to the best advontage. * * * Marist have a bad habit of jumping in the air like Zulu Chiefs whenever they think one of their side has scored. They put on this performance throe times on .Saturday and were right once. It is done methinks to intimidate the referee. * -x- * Havelock’s first try was a good one, C. Joll bursting between the Tech, eighths to pass to Gloyu who got his transfer out to Graham on the first bounce and the latter, while Kauter seized his legs did an arm stretch for a neat try. * « * Alan Kauter, Tech full back, judged the wind nicely to open the scoring with a penalty goal right from the touch-line. « «• •» Mat O’Brien scored a try for Marist but was unfortunate in not getting it However the omission was repaired later on when Barker touched down well in touch in goal and was awarded the points. Mat, not to be denied, kicked a beauty and gave the greens a deserved victory. * * * Everything that Bob Johnson (Tech. Old Boys) does bears the hall mark of correct rugby. On Saturday he opened the game on occasions and handled like a back, then he would dribble expertly but best of all was his tackling, hip high and effective. A player cannot referee the game end play it too, but Captain Ireland (Marist) has ideas along these lines and it is about time referees applied corrective medicine. On Saturday ‘■Chum” wanted the game held up while he obtained a statement from the referee. » » ■» Byford (Tech Old Boys) produced a sweet cut-in that left the Havelock backs gasping and the try that fol lowed was well worth while. * * * Ben Barber and Small were tremendous workers for the Villagers in the first half against Tech, when the going was difficult but they faded in the second half, although the wind made up for the loss. ♦ C « Even without the wintry blast Technical ’s supporters would have got the shivers watching the pitiful efforts of their backs when it came to rush stopping and tackling and the last straw was when Inglis ran past Kauter to score the try that equalised the scores. A Marist forward who evidently had read Gene Tunney’s book ‘‘A Man Must Eight” tried a haymaker on a much smaller Pirate. A scrum was ordered immediately after the incident and the bold buccaneer running round the serum took a flying drop kick at what he saw of his assailant protruding from the huddle of players. By the galvanic manner in which the Marist man's head shot up out of the scrum, the spectators could see that a direct hit had been recorded.

Russell. Pirate centre threequarter, Is a very straight runner, but when he carved a hole in the Marist defence late in tho second spell, his supports instead of backing up engaged in openmouthed admiration, and a possible trywont west. * ■» * Havelock North looked very neat in blue and black barred jerseys with white shorts. All that is wanted now is a set of numbers for identification purposes.