FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1940, Page 2

FOOTBALL

SEDDON SHIELD. WON BY WEST COAST. NELSON, September 14. For the third time this season the Seddon Shield changed hands, when West Coast had a decisive win over the holders, Nelson, in a match brimful of incident. The weather was perfect and the ground fast, but a strong northerly wind assisted the Coast in the firsi half; arid Nelson for part of the second half. The attendance was estimated at 5000. The Codst owed its success to the brilliance of the forwards, who won 80 per cent, of the ball from the sen sCitims, linc-outs, and rucks. The Coasi pack outclassed the opposing forwards, who lacked vigour and leadership. The Coast pack was brilliantly led by R. R. King, Birchfield, Monk, and Berry, but all earned high honours. Redder hooked the ball consistently, and Scandreti was a tireless worker. Features of the forward play were the tigerish rucking of the Coast pack and brilliant loosi rushes by the Nelson vanguard. The whole, game was played at a fast pace, the Coast staying on better.

The Nelson backs were a brilliant combination, with great speed- and thrust, and notched three splendid tries, but the failure of the forwards handicapped them severely. The Nelson backs provided some of the highlights of the game in their scoring and in desperate efforts to offset the superiority of the Coast pack. Grindle, Watson, :and Langrope all played fine games in.the home backs. Grindle is a splendid type of five-eighth, Watson was sound,, resourceful and penetrative Langrope is' a brilliant winger. Rotua, as full-back for Nelson, played a fine game. The Coast rearguard played splendidly in support of their forwards Kiely was brilliant at half-back, and scored two Spectacular tries, once running 25 yards on the blind side of the scrum, to touch down. Hendry and Roberts played fine defensive games, tackling determinedly, and also gaining long stretches of territory with wellplaced kicks; Scott . played his best game of the season, running strongly and handling, kicking, and tackling \Veil.- ’VVareham provod himself a fast, elusive winger and showed great dash. Lindboni played a fine game at fullback, handling well and kicking with judgment, after a shaky start. '■The teams were:--

Nelson—Kotua - Langrope, Hall. Mc - Kenzie; 1 Watson, Grindle; Rowers, Biggs, Moriarty, .Williams, Field, Andrews, McDowell, Piiklowsbi, Schwass • West: .‘Coast—Lindbom ; Wareham, Scott, Henderson; Hendry, Roberts;, Kielv; Scandreti, - Pedder, Godfrey, Berry, King, Birchfield, Monk. Croud is.

The referee was Mr J. A. Wilson (Wellington). -/to • ■: THE PLAY. Nelson opened the scoring with a fine try within five minutes of the start. Grihdle kicked through, and »\V/vreham fumbled, for McKenzie to carry on and pass infield te> Grindle, who went over well out. Grindle missed the kick. Ten minutes later, after Lindbom had missed a couple of shots at goal from penalties, Scott landed a splendid goal from a penalty 40 yards out. to even the score. Kiely was prominOnt in a fine run to near the Nelson line, then from the scrum, near the line Kiely flashed round the open side to score a fine try in a handy position. Lindbom converted. Grindle kicked a fine goal from .*>. penalty 35 yards out. Another easy kick saw Lindbom goal again, and on half-time Scott landed -.another beautiful goal from a penalty 40 yards out, making the scores at the interval: Coast 14 ; Nelson 6. Hendry (Coast) retired with a head injury soon after the resumption and was replaced by "West. Nelson scored the first points after the interval when Langrope made a brilliant run of 50 yards down the side line and passed in to Grindle. who scored a fine try well out. Kot-ua failed to convert. Five minutes later Nelson scored again at the end of a brilliant bout of passing, Hall scoring well out. Grindle" missed the kick. Nelson made renewed efforts, but Coast responded splendidly. A dogged defence by the Coast backs and rugged play by the visiting forwards enabled them to regain control. Kiely capped a great day’s work with a final try. He secured the ball from a scrum in the Nelson twenty-five and raced round the blind side and fooled the Nelson defence badly, to score a great try near the corner. Lindbom converted with a splendid kick. Final score: Coast 19, Nelson 12.

Watson retired injured in the last quarter of an hour, and was replaced by H. Morris.

AUCKLAND BEAT WELLINGTON. (Per Press Association —Copyright). WELLINGTON, September 15. Securing almost a monopoly of the ball from the set scrums, and showing plenty of penetrative ability in the backs, Auckland Rugby representatives defeated Wellington by 12 to 10, at Athletic Park, to-day, thereby maintaining an unbeaten record. Each side scored two tries, a field goal by Hare, the Auckland full-back, from 40 yards out, being a substantial contribution to bis side’s winning margin, but the two point margin scarcely indicated the difference between the teams. Wellington’ played solidly, but on the day Auckland were clearly masters of the game, and their win was thoroughly merited. Schubert, the speediest back on the field, scored Auckland’s two tries. They served to show his great possibilities. But both trios were made by those inside him, Barlow going through the gap to make an opening for the first try, and Wiles, a centre three-quarter, who looks capable of

making All Black class, making a great burst past- two defenders to pave the. way for the second try. Hare’s field goal was a smart effort. It resulted from a stab kick in a Wellington passing 'movement in.the latter’s halt. Hare snapped np the ball and, with jest enough room in which to manoeuvre, sent the hall between the posts from 40 yards out. Wellington’s points came from a grand try by Gillespie, following a great passing movement. Gillespie had little room, hut he beat- ColmureWilliams’ tackle, and then crashed through Hare’s tackle to ground the ball at the corner, Cassidy converted with a great kick from the sideline, and he later scored and converted his try himself.