Rugby Notes

Hutt News, Volume 16, Issue 10, 5 August 1942, Page 5

Rugby Notes

Tn the poorest exhibition of Rugby witnoistU'd locally this season. Hutt just scraped home from ,Athletic by 0 points to S. Perhaps the playing conditions were too perfect, after a long run of wot Saturdays', Certainly wo have seen better football under the latter conditions than we saw last Saturday. Both sides had difficulty in completing their teams, the locals having four places to fill through the absence of Dunn, Cooke, Bramley and the usual vacancy on one wing. The fifteen, was finalised by Oram and Burns as three-quarters. Arnold (Army) as half, and N. Anderson from the juniors and 10. A. Anderson (on leave) in the forwards, The half back, Arnold, is from Taranaki and has not played for over a year consequently lie could not be expected to be in form He was hampered bv the forwardsplaying too loose in the rucks and scrums. This made his game look really worse than was actually th case With a bit of practise and an understanding with his forwards. Arnold will show up as more than an average club half. Getting back to the actual play. The disappointing feature was the poor defence of some of the backs and a tendency to kick too much when on attack. These points will have to be brushed up for a possible appearance at Athletic Park. There was perhaps some excuse for the poor rucking and scrummaging of the forwards, as the pack was dis organised to a certain extent. Haigh's. hooking was affected thereby, although he broke a bit more than evens with Mollier. In the loose the local forwards played really well and did effective work In the line outs also, thanks to the splendid work of Marsden. This player was outstanding in the loose play also. The two Andersons were also to the fore, as also were l»ougen, Haigh, Coe and Greening. In the b«'y:ks IvTiJlard and I; 'iier wood were the best, with Staples also playing weli when he came on to fill a vacancy caused through an injury to E. A. Anderson whose place in the forwards was taken by Burns. The Fifth Grade curtain raiser j between Hutt and Eastbourne provided some good football. The visitors played the typical Eastbourne game, giving the ball plenty of air. They had Hutt worried for a while particularly when they got to within a point of their score. The Hii forwards however, were too rugged for the visitors and were responsible for their side winning, 1-1-8. The work of Angus. Martin and Faw cett calls for special mention amongst, the forwards; they played splendid games. McLennan and Clark did good work also, particularly in tire scrums. In the backs

Hayes, at half, IVlooney second fiveeighths and Hoa.re full hack wore, very sound indeed. Clarke was the best of the three quarter line. Ali these players however. were not good at fielding the ball from clearing kicks. The Sixth B's, playing a man short, almost brought off a surprise win from Petone. They were leading 6-5 until just on time but inexperience cost them the match as they hooked the ball in their own twenty-five and instead of kicking for the line attempted a passing rush which broke down and let their opponents in for a converted try. The B forwards again proved their worth as tliey more than held Petone with seven men. Clarke led the pack in fine style. receiving good support from Mitchell, Parker, Swift, Ralph, Staples and Riddiford. In the backs Smith, Mouatt. and Kershaw were the best, with Poole doing fairly well in a strange position at full back. Orr, Baldwin and Barker tackled well.