RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 158, 19 June 1936, Page 12

RUGBY FOOTBALL

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP Three Matches in Hastings REP. ASPIRANTS IN ACTION (By “Omni.”) Tor the first time this season Hastings Rugby enthusiasts had the opportunity of seeing six team? in action in one afternoon. Special interest was attached to the programme by reason of the approach of the representative fixture and Saturday provided a welcomed opportunity to more than the usual number of aspirants in action un der the one set of conditions.

The early fixture was the meeting of Hastings and M.A.C., and the Maoiis had their third successive defeat inflicted upon them. A belated start, and the consequent reduction of the spells to 35 minutes each, gave M.A.C. a theoretical advantage, but on actual play it was only time that staved off a bigger defeat. In the tight the Maoris had the better of matters, but Hastings wisely allowed M.A.C. to get the ball into the open and then take it off them. It had been tried before, but for all that it was again successful. The Hastings back line went well together as a division. No doubt they felt secure in the knowledge that with Dyer as last line of defence they could devote more attention to combination. Collins and Nelson were the key men and did all that could bo expected ot them. The M.A.C. backs were decidedly patchy. Walford did not enhance his reputation with the shocking pasess he sent out; they were haphazard tosses flung without sense of direction or accuracy. Newton played solidly behind the pack, but the Le Bas—Kurupo link was not good, individualism playing u big part. To Muir and Collett go the honours in the Hastings frontal division. The latter is now about in his best form, and he will be hard to leave out of consideration for representative honours. Much remains on whether he can maintain the form, for he is noted as an inconsistent player. In the Maoris' pack there was really no one outstanding, there being a lack of the lire and vim noticeable on previous outings. One wonders, after all, if Crawford is not tho real inspiration. Tech Held to a Draw. Tho main attraction of tho afternoon was tho clash between Technical Old Boys and the ex-students of tho Hastings High. For three parts of the game the cx-collegians appeared to be easy winners and to have measured up their opposition. Their grip of the game then relaxed and before they were able to pull themselves together again the home iw.ii level.

After that it was level pegging all the way, the crowd having tho benefit °f the thrilling encounter to snatch tne extra championship point. Over the wholo game, however, Hastings Old Boys were somewhat fortunate to come out with a draw, for the opposition provided tho better game. Bill Johnston (Tech.), Edgar Apsey and Mick Hardy (Hastings) were the best of the backs. The first-mentioned was in great form and was quite the outstanding back on tho field. Thompson, the Tech, full-back gave an excel lent display of kicking and was good in all departments until ho was called upon to get down to the forward rushes, th'en he was not so good—that is viewed from the representative light. Villagers Press Marists. Marists defeated Havelock North 6—3. That is the official verdict, and of course it must be accepted. On actual merits though the scores should have been reversed, for the Villagers gave the competition leaders a stiff light from start to finish, and a little of that very evasive and uncontrollable element, Luck, would have brought about a victory for them. Contrary to expectations the Mail.it forwards had nothing on tho Villagers’ pack except in weight. Ju the set scrums they packed better ■ than must teams in the competition, but the Villagers offset this advantage by their sheer tenacity and determination in the open. Tho moment tho ball came away from the pack the Villagers were after it and tho Marists backs were badly hustled right through the piece. There is nothing spectacular about the play of either Havelock or Maristc, but for all that their showings on Saturday was far from being dull. It w..s i bard going with the forwards predominating the play and occasionally indivi l mils in the Havelock rearguard brightl cued up proceedings with spectacular I break.-. Curiously enough despite the line showing that the Villagers made when they had the ball, possession fui the most part was with Marists, espeti ally from the serums. One great feature of the game was the defence of both sides. It was really first-class. Neither side may pcs- | sess outstanding rearguards on attack, but no criticism may justly bo levelled at them for their defence. In this department also, it is worthy of note, Havelock was slightly superior. Tho solitary senior fixture provided in Napier between Pirates and Celtic supplied a peculiar sort of game, and at half-time with a 7 point lead it was expected that Celtic would complete the game well ahead on points. Just how difficult it is to judge on first impressions was proved in the'seeond half, the latter stages of which were marked by a black revival which carried them tn a 1G point draw. The Celtic, rearguard did some iiieithings in the first half partiftilarly. sub-

sequently to suffer lapses in the second which caused them to concede tries: however, they were more consistent than Pirates’ rearguard, who continue to starve Patchett of opportunities. Pullen, Harvey and Geddes were the best of tho green backs; tho former was at all times reliable, and Geddes did much to prove that tho early season spell has sharpened rather than dulled his ability. As usual Hannigan led tho way in tho forwards with Kelly very prominent in the line-out, us was Maaka, and Griffiths proved to bo the right man iu thu right place by registering a brace of tries. Pirates, I should say, are too good five-eighths short of an imposieg fifteen. Their threequarter line is as good as any iu the competition, and on Saturday Russell made his usual good break and Smith scored a try at the end of a 50-yd. sprint after a junior named Forward had made a splendid opening .Smith one-time was the best tackle ii| local senior Rugby, but now he is at least equal to the worst. There should bo some system of compulsory retirement in force in cluo Rugby, and then a veteran like Scotty Marshall could rest in peace. On Saturday the fast turf was a severe handicap to him and he tailed tho field all day, however, the black vanguard was as good as the Celts and fcr periods considerably better. Cooke, Burerll, and McKenzie were a prominent trio all through the game in a pack that did not get as much assistance from the backs as could be reasonably expected.

Game at Waipukurau. In the representative trial game at Waipukurau on Wednesday Central Hawke’s Bay played as a team, particularly in the forwards, where as a pack they were much more effective than the individual efforts of the combined Hastings-Napier scrummagers, who, till late in the second spell, tried consistently and unsuccessfully to burst through individually with tho rest ot tho pack looking on. Jackson, for ever making openings aud leading the pack, was the outstanding forward on the ground, but was closely followed by Bellis (Central Hawke’s Bay), who was in everything, although he received a good spin from the referee round the scrums. The combined sido included many men of big and justifiable reputations, but their play was far from in keeping with such, and they can play just twice as well as they did on Wednesday. Mataira, in tho second spell, very cleverly opened up play on several occasions, and for twenty minutes the eombineds played as was really ejected of (hem, scoring two splendid tries iu that lime, A Good Winger. Of tho backs, tho outstanding man was tho homo winger, Whelan, who many times produced long anl spectacular runs, which on three occasions ultimately led to tries. His deleave was also sound aud he gave a meritorious all round display. Aldrich at first fiveeighth was good and a fast straight runner, and eclipsed his brother at second, while Donovan was not impressive at centre, indulging in too many timid kicks. Clothier, harried by off-side forwards performed well under the circumstances, while Bradley was quite good, suffering from tho same trouble as Clothier. Bradley scored a typical solo try, jazzing through with a splendid change of direction, completely bewildering the defence. Allen at second dropped a lot of passes aud was slow off the mark, although his tackling was really first-class. Cox at centre was good’at limes, but hud a lot of passes intercepted. His defence was poor, while Jonsen ou the wing did little right and failed to impress, as did Jackson at full-back. Jack 0 Brien on the other wing was quite good for a big heavy forward. The Frontal Division.

McKenzie in the line-outs caught the ball beautifully, but far too many times tucked it in his middle and did nothing, instead of passing to his half. Crawford Smith tried hard all day but accomplished little, while Reid for hait an hour was a real All Black, but was in second gear otherwise. Miller played a splendid game, particularly in tho tight, where he got but little assistance. Rolls was decidedly off form and accomplished little. Dalton easily outhooked the opposition when the ball was put in fairly, which was nut often. Then Central’s kicks at goal bad in cidents attached to them. One went over only to lie disallowed through Mackenzie just touching it with bis linger; another succeeded after a second attempt through a premature charge, and a third—tho winning goal —was signalled a “wash-out” by the lino umpires, and after a decided pause awarded a goal by the referee.