RUGBY

Hutt News, Volume XXII, Issue 3, 30 June 1948, Page 14

RUGBY

HUTT HARD PRESSED BY JOHNSONVILLE Hutt were fortunate to notch two championship points from Johnsonville in a match which fell a good deal below standard. Johnsonville played a spoiling game and succeeded in bustling the Hult backs into errors as Oriental did the week before. 'Fortunately for Hutt • the visitors were not able to make the nost of their opportunities. Without Haigh to rake for them the Hutt backs did not see a great deal of the ball from set scrums, although Laing met with more success in this department than was anticipated. Lack of possession may have been a blessing in disguise because only on very rare occasions did the backs look dangerous on attack. More often than not poor passing saw promising movements break down. The cover defence of the backs was weak, only Purdue and Berg and. Marshall being consistently good in this department. The services of Potter (off with a fractured .jaw) and Burt were missed in this connection. Boyce at full-back was given a lot to do because of the failure of the men in front of him to stem many incipient rushes by the opposition. The full-back was equal to the task. The forwards played reasonably well in tight and loose.

' This week the Warn will be well tested by St. Pats.’ Old Boys, who field a lively set of forwards and a competent set of backs.. Hutt usually’ show ‘their best form against the top teams; therefore spectators should witness a good match.

Fourth Grade

Hutt went under to the strong Wellington team 11-0. The winners fielded an exceptionally heavy team all round. The absence of three big players in Kearney, Mcßobbie and Partridge weakened the Hutt team considerably and necessitated fielding players out of their usual, positions, thus affecting the team work considerably. However, it was a match which Hutt could quite easily have won had they made the most of their opportunities. The half-back, Webster, made several slashing runs right through to the full-back and on each occasion found himself without support. On another occasion a winger had only to take a reasonably good pass to score. Three penalty kicks were missed also. Webster was the best back with Darkins also showing up well. In the forwards Coulston, Williams, Fairbrother and Ryan were a good quartette.

The Third 4th Division team had another big win, 38-3. This brings their tally of points to 302. In most of the games witnessed this team has not had a big territorial advantage; the reason for the large scores can be put down to the fact that the forwards ruck well and the backs handle cleanly. J. Coulston is a reliable goal kicker and must have a large tally of points to date. The Sixths notched their fourth win by defeating Marist, 25-0.

WOBURN CLUB Senior (2nd Division) Playing a really high standard of football Woburn . triumphed over Marist by 11 points to 6. Marist, who have only lost one game so far this season, tried hard but could not break through Woburn’s defence, whilst Woburn, by playing a sound tactical game, kept Marist on the run. One serious aspect was noticeable. As a result of Woburn’s fast moving tactics several of the honfe team’s forwards were not really fit enough to keep up with the play constantly. Dimond was hooking his fair share of the ball and R. Lockett, playing in the back of the scrum this week, showed up well. Nankivell, although short of practice, was also on form, his backing up beingvery constant. In the second spell Ken Lockett made a very spectacular run over half the length of the field after ticking the ball up in the loose, breaking through one tackle and fending off another to score under the posts. For Woburn two tries were scored by Ken Lockett and one by Bob Lockett, with Green converting one. For Marist, Holden scored a try and Williams kicked a penalty.

Junior (Ist Division)

In a torrid game Woburn defeated Petone .by 13 points to 9. Dudding, at full-back, is playing very good football this season and may move higher next season if he continues to improve. Bryan, who has been shifted around the field considerably this season, also played a very useful game. Hard work was made for the forwards as a result of poor tactics being employed. Against a heavy pack such as Petone loose football is the answer. Tries were scored by Tait, Bryan and Fisk with Dudding converting two. Thirds (Ist Division)

Woburn went down to St. Pat.’s College in a hard tussle by 18 points to 11. To win matches the forwards must learn to use their arms and lock when scrummaging in the loose and the backs need to smarten their passing down the line. Tries were scored by Nightingale, Instone and Woods with Mellvride convert-

ing one. The team was unlucky to go down by such a margin, as they' crossed St. Pat.’s line on several occasions without scoring. Fourths (Ist Division)

Woburn defeated Wellington College 0.8.’s by 15 points to 0. Tries were scored by Jarden and J. Ryan and Smith kicked three penalties. The forwards are still playing in a very loose fashion, particularly in the line-outs, though Brough (playing his first game as a- forward) showed up well on the side of the scrum. Peard performed creditably at full-back and Muir made a difference to the backs when he moved up to first five-eighths.

Saturday' Morning Schoolboys

Seniors.—Woburn S, Petone B 6. Woburr. were lucky to win this game, their tackling being poor. Juniors. —Woburn 34, Petone 0. Woburn played well, their passing being very good?, and the pack led by Bill Gratton following up fast. Cook, playing at half, apart from scoring several tries himself, gave his backs good service from the scrums.

Midgets.—Woburn 12, Petone 0. This team is gaining quite a following and turning on some bright football.

TAITA’S FIRST DEFEAT Last season Taita suffered their first defeat at the hands of Berhampore at Wakefield Park, and history repeated itself on Saturday. The Taita forwards put on their worst display this season and lacked the fire which has characterised their play all season. Outweighted by Berhampore they were being beaten, for the ball in the tight and loose play to such an extent that Berhampore could ‘ afford to have one forward detached from the pack, and this player, although frequently penalised foor off-side play, wrought' havoc to Taita’s inside backs wlfo cotrld make no headway' against the attention received on the few occasions the ball came their way. Berhampore made good use of the Wind in the first spell and repeatedly drove Taita back onto defence by this method to give them a first half lead of 11-3. Taita did better in the second spell, but often when in a scoring position were penalised for off-side play or a forward pass would give Berhampore possession from the resulting scrum. In the dying stages of the game the Taita forwards dominated the play and from a scrum Walters cut through, handed on to Turnbull, who scored. Taita kept up the pressure, but Berhampore’s defence held. For Berhampore," l Cawley kicked two penalties and converted Leeke’s try. Fryer and Turnbull scored tries for Taita, one of which was converted by McLennan. Junior —Taita 6, Onslow 6.

Third IDiv.—Wellington 6, Taita 0 Third IV Div.—A certain amount of rivalry exists between Taita and Wainui in this grade and on Sacurday Wainui reversed last season’s loss. 41though down 11 points at half-time, Taita battled gamely against their heavier opponents in the second half, when McMurray scored a try to bring the final score Wainui 11, Taita 3. Fourth—Taila 41, Petone 3.

SCHOOLBOYS’ FIXTURES Senior. Hutt v. Woburn, O’ Strand Park No. 2- Taita v. PetouJ, at Strand Park No. 3. Junior. Belmont v. Taita A, Strand Park No. 4, at 10.30; Eastbourne A v. Petone A, at Petone No. 2; Eastbourne B v. Hutt A, at Eastbourne; Taita B v. Hutt B, at Taita; Upper Hutt v. Petone B, at Maidstone No. 1; Woburn a bye.

Midget 1 Division—Upper Hutt v. Petone B, at Maidstone No. 2; Petone A v. Eastbourne, at Petone No. 1; Hutt v. Taita B, at Strand Park-No. 5; Woburn v. Taita A, at Strand Park No. 6.

Midget II Division. —Eastbourne A v. Hutt C, at Day’s Bay, 9.4 5 a.m.; Eastbourne C v. Hutt B, at Day’s Bay, 10.30 a.m.; Upper Hutt C v. Taita, at Strand Park No. 1, 9.45; Upper Hutt B v. Petone, at Strand Park No. 1, 10.30.