MANAWATU RUGBY COMPETITIONS

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 106, 8 May 1939, Page 10

MANAWATU RUGBY COMPETITIONS

Kia Toa and Old Boys Undefeated Old Boys Beat University The senior and junior Rugby football competitions were continued and the third grade competition began by the Manawatu Union on Saturday. In the senior grade, Kia Toa won their second match of the season by defeating Feilding at Feilding, while Palmerston North Old Boys, who defeated University in the latter team's first appearance, have also an unbeaten record. St. Patrick’s had their first win by defeating Feilding Old Boys. United had a bye.

At present the senior championship stands as follows:

the ball in the next few minutes, McCracken, Stewart, Guild and Mitchell playing prominently, but little ground was gained. McCracken received a minor injury and was replaced by Pierson, who went on to the right wing. It was not long before the ball found its way out to him and he showed a good turn of .speed before he was grassed in the Old Boys' twenty-five. Guild kicked into touch in the Old Boys twenty-five, but when University got the ball they lost ground by passing across field and the movement ended in the University twenty-five. The University forwards, led by Gray, returned play to midfield. Craven worked well in the loose and University looked like opening their account. Mitchell was injured and had to go off, and Lane went into the game. Old Boys gained possession and Hill and Reid carried the leather to midfield, where the game ended. Mr R. Young was the referee. A WIN FOR ST. PATRICK’S DEFEAT FEILDING OLD BOYS, 16—6 St. Patrick's beat Feilding Old Boys by 16 points to six in one of the most interesting games witnessed at the Showgrounds this season, but the Feilding team was unfortunate in not accounting for itself with a better share of success, for it was seldom in the game, except towards the end, that St. Pat's had things all their own way. After their convincing display in this game and their sound effort against Kia Toa the previous week, St. Pat's show promise of even better things this season. The Teams The teams lined out as follow: St. Patrick's (green): Bentley, Mullin, Richards, Gillespie, Hehir, Fitzpatrick, Edlin, McCashin, Morgan, Madgwick, Watt, Powell, Webb, Ross, Simmonds. Feilding Old Boys (black and white): Reeves, Black, Harford, Dewe, Parsonson, Carter, Reynolds, Finlay, Freeman, Robertshawe, Scott, Rutherford, Swart, Wells, Raven. The Game St. Patrick's drove Feilding Old Boys to their line from the kick-off, but play moved quickly back to mid-field. After about five minutes play St. Patrick’s infringed in their own twenty-five and Finlay put it over. Feilding Old Boys 3, St. Pat’s nil. St. Pat’s forwards went to the twenty-five yard line, sent their backs away and Gillespie made a very fast sprint, only to be well tackled by Reeves, within 10 yards of scoring. Hehir failed with an attempt at a field goal. Fitzpatrick picked up from tho feet of the Feilding Old Boys’ forwards and sent his'supporters away. Watt and Ross went within an ace of scoring but they were beaten to forcing down.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE Senior Grade Kia Toa 8, Feilding (3. St. Patrick's 16, Feilding Old Boys 6. Old Boys 3, University 0. Junior Grade Kia Toa 34, Bunnytkorpe 0. Old Boys 15, United 8. St. Pat's 3, Woodville 0. Feilding Old Boys win by default from University. Third Grade Feilding 5, Feilding Old Boys 5. Old Boys 9, Kia Toa 8. High School 14, United 0. St. Patrick’s win by default from University. OLD BOYS DEFEAT UNIVERSITY PENALTY GOAL THE ONLY SCORE In a rather drab game marked by poor handling and few successful passing movements on either side, Palmerston North Old Boys defeated University by three points to nil, a penalty goal being the only deciding factor of the game. The Teams The teams lined out as follow: Old Boys (black): Buick, Reid, Hill, Howell, McNeile, Carson, McGrath, Waldegrave, Lewin, Shand, Fleming, O 'Dea, Lang, Porter, Cutler. University (blue): Blackley, Little, Guild, Mitchell, Stewart, McCracken, Bennett, McKee, Louch, Thurston, Terry, McLaren, Gray, Craven. The Game Old Boys gained the initial advant- , age and were awarded a penalty just outside the 'Varsity twenty-five, which resulted in Buick, full-back, missing narrowly. Fleming punted and ran up to smother the ’Varsity full-back’s kick. Waldegrave, Fleming and Lang worked well in the Old Boys' pack and several attempts were made to set the back-line going, but the ball got little further than the five-eighths. From a five-yard scrum Terry .burst through to the twenty-five yard line, where a free kick to Old Boys eventuated. McGrath put it over. Old Boys 3, University nil. University pack hooked the ball from a fair position of the set scrums, but the uneven pace of backs and haphazard passing brought more than one promising movement to grief. The blue forwards began to make better use of their superior weight and, with Terry, Craven and Gray showing to advantage, worked their way to the Old Boys twenty-five. Little, Guild and Stewart all made fast runs into the Old Boys’s defence, but were not sufficiently backed up. The Second Spell University did most of the attacking, the backs handling better than in the first spell. Old Boys infringed in a scrum and Terry's kick rebounded from a player. Ho gathered it up, however, and carried it within a few yards of scoring. University swung play across field, lost ground but worked their way back to the Old Boys' twenty-five. McCracken, 'Varsity first five-eighths, was over-inclined to cut in, or kick, when he could have advantageously sent on to Stewart.

From a penalty kick at mid-field, St. Pat's followed up to ruck almost under the Feilding Old Boys’ posts, but an attempt at a field goal resulted in Feilding Old Boys gaining possession and returning play to half way. Hehir broke through brilliantly and, supported by Mullin and McCashin, made an excellent opening for St. Pat’s. His transfer to McCashin, however, went forward. Feilding Old Boys infringed, but Edlin missed with the penalty kick. Bentley found touch with a 60-yard kick and then Edlin found the line a few yards from the corner. From a scrum Edlin sent out to Hehir, Fitzpatrick and Richards, who kicked. Reeves fielded the ball cleverly and cleared. Bentley put the ball out in the corner. St. Pat's were awarded a penalty kick, and Powell raised the flag with a fine kick from wide out near the sideline.

Old Boys forwards thrust into tho 'Varsity twenty-five and went within a few yards of the line, but 'Varsity rallied and worked their way back. Buick was safe at full-back. Blatant off-side play by an University forward gave Old Boys a penalty kick in a handy position. Buick missed.

Old Boys forwards, led by O 'Dea simply wedged their way into the 'Varsity twenty-five, where the backs gained possession and worked the leather out to Howell, on the right wing, who ran into the corner, and a drop-out resulted. University backs saw a good deal of

St. Pat's 3, Feilding Old Boys 3. There was some fast up and down play in the next few minutes, the threequarters of both sides taking part. Then Madgwick, Powell and Simmonds took part in a forward rush which ended in Simmonds scoring a try. Edlin's kick missed. St. Pat's 6, Feilding Old Boys 3. The Second. Spell Powell missed, but not by much, with a penalty kick from a few yards inside half way. McCashin took the ball at his feet for some distance. Powell tried another penalty kick which went outside the posts. Finlay opened out an attack for Old Boys and St. Pat's carried back, resulting in a five-yard scrum, from which play went mid-field. St. Pat's infringed and Finlay kicked a penalty goal. St Pat's 6, Feilding Old Boys 6. St. Pat's forwards carried play to the Feilding Old Boy’s twenty-five, where Reeves cleared. Bentley fielded tho ball aud put his forwards ouside again. Ross was injured and was replaced by Hunt. Finlay attempted a penalty goal from near half-way, but the ball dropped short. Feilding Old Boys went up into the St. Pat's goal-line but Gillespie broke through and Reeves had to find touch. Feilding Old Boys worked into the St. Pat’s twenty-five, but the St. Patrick's forwards broke through and Richards gained possession at half way and sent Mullin away unopposed to score under the posts. Edlin converted. St. Pat's 11, Feilding Old Boys 6. Feilding Old Boys put more vigour into their play and time and again rattled down onto the St. Pat's goal-line where the defence held, j Play went quickly to the other end

of the field, Gillespie aud Powell playing well, and after several narrow escapes for Feilding Old Boys, Madgwick dived over to score aud Edlin converted. St. Pat's 16, Feilding Old Boys 6. ' Watt sustained a leg injury in tho last few minutes. Mr A. Weston was the referee. H JUNIOR GAMES Old Boys and United staged an inter- W esting game with good movements on each side. The second half was full of prospects for United but they were unable to score. However, they kept Old Boys down to one try in that half. The half-time score was 12—8, Puklowski (2) and Wilson securing tries for Old Boys and Turnbull kicking a penalty. For United Collins scored aud Andrews converted while the latter also sent over a penalty kick. Rose scored an unconverted try for the blacks in the second spell and the game ended Old Boys 15, United 8. Kia Toa were too tough for Bunny - thorpe, a ragged game ending 34—nil in favour of the former. The tries were secured by Carlisle, Wills, Hill (3), Gerrard and Harvey. One was converted by Wills who also kicked a penalty goal. Gerrard and Mandeison sent over a field goal each. St. Pat’s and Woodville had a hard tussle. There was no score in the first half but Bailey weut over about halfway through the second spell for St. Pat's who were only then asserting any superiority over the heavy Woodville pack. Bailey missed several penalty kicks.

P. W. L. F. A. Pts Old Boys . .. 2 2 — 20 8 4 Kia Toa .. .. 2 2 — 19 12 4 United .. .. 1 1 — 11 — 2 St. Pat’s . .. 2 1 1 22 17 2 University .. 1 — 1 — 3 — fc'eilding . .. 2 — 2 6 39 — F.O.B 2 — 2 14 33 —