ROGBY FOOTBALL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 15 August 1932, Page 6

ROGBY FOOTBALL

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES l WAIMEA DEFEAT NELSON RESULTS AT A GLANCE 1 Senor— Waimea 7. Nelson 3. Old Boys 9, Rivals 0. , Junior — College 29, Rivals 3. Rover 0, Regimental 0. Third Class— Nelson 18, College B 0. Rivals 18, Waimea 0. College A beat Pirates by default. Fourth Class— : College 9, Nelson 5. The Nelson Rugby Union championship fixtures were continued on Saturday on hard dry grounds, in gloriously fine weather. Both senior matches were played on Trafalgar Park where on No. 1 ground Waimea defeated Nelson and Old Boys beat Rivals on No. 2 ground. As a result the senior championship was left in a very interesting position with the points of the leaders: Nelson l(i, Waimea 15 (each having one more game to play), and Olcl Boys 14 (with two more to play, including Nelson).

COUNTRY FORWARDS ON TOP W AIM FA’S VICTORY OVER NELSON Waimea put another victory to their credit by defeating tlie competition leaders by 7 points to 3 after a hardfought game which contained plenty of incident.. Early in the game Waimea had a field goal to their credit and before half-time scored a. try at tlie end of a smart piece of back play. Nelson's try came near the end of the game. Most credit for tlie country team's success must bo given to their fast, hardworking forwards wlio were on top throughout the game, getting the better of tlie majority of serums and loose play, and routing the opposing backs when the ball was booked to them. All the Waimea forwards played well, Schwass, Bird, Sutton and G. Watson being prominent all day. Playing behind such a pack Brooks had every opportunity and made the most of it, playing brilliantly at times. He was tlie bust back on the field. Watson, at full-back, also played prominently, relieving bis side from a number of awkward situations. For Nelson, Drummond, McLean. Harris and Austin were a line quartette of forwards. None of the backs was at all impressive. The teams were as follows:

Waimea: C. Watson (captain); Kearns, Wells, P. Fowler; Rogers, F. Fowler; Brooks; Hill, G. Watson, K. Sutton, Schwass, W. Sutton, McHarg, Craig and Bird. Nelson: Scoltoek; Beard, F. Stewart, Mellwraith; S. Stewart, Reed; Keily; Austin, Flowers, (Martin, Drummond, McLean, Phillips, Harris, and Ricketts. At the end of the first few minutes’ play a Waimea back movement broke down and the Nelson forwards, led by Harris, took tlie play to Waimea’s 25, but tlie country team cleared. A scrappy movement went across the field in Nelson territory and a well-placed speculation went out to ' Wells who made a splendid solo effort, pulling himself free from one opponent before turning on the pace almost to tlie line before lie lost possession. The line out saw tlie ball travel across to in front of the posts where the country forwards hooked to Brooks who sent the ball to the backs and Rogers, blocked from running, promptly “potted” a goal, giving Waimea an early lead. Waimea 4, Nelson 0.

After Nelson had attacked as the result of a long line kick by F. Stewart, the Waimea forwards attacked, Nelson kicking out of bounds to save. Waimea three times in quick succession hooked the ball and the backs made likely movements. Several weak pieces of play saw Waimea on the defence and the Nelson forwards almost crossed. However P. Fowler made a fine clearance from the Nelson backs and made a dash as far as half-way before .he passed in to Schwass who bumped ofi' the full-back and passed again, and only a knock-on lost Waimea a try. It was a quick transference of play from one end to the. other. However this piece proved only a preliminary to an outstandingly brilliant movement by the country team’s backs. Brooks shot the ball away and F. Fowler made a line opening run before he passed to lingers who straightened up the movement and sent the ball out to Wells and Kearns who raced home to finish oil' a spectacular combined movement in the corner with a try. Sutton’s kick missed. Waimea 7, Nelson 0.

Waimea attacked again as the result of a well-placed line kick to the corner by Brooks, and the Waimea forwards almost scored but Nelson kicked out of bounds. As the play went across the field from a scrum ill the centre of the field a Nelson and a Waimea player were left having' a fistic argument, and they were lucky the referee was following the play. The play was very hard, the forwards on both sides making a great battle of it. Austin and Flowers led a Nelson forward movement- and Drummond was prominent in carrying on till the ball went out to tlie backs and F. Stewart kicked nicely to the corner. A line out saw the country forwards smother the Nelson forwards and take the play back past the 25 where Waimea were penalised. Feed’s kick at goal, a good one, missed, and Brooks kicked to the line. Thus ended the first half in which the play was interesting with bright patches. Nelson were playing a 3-4-1 scrum formation, Waimea using a 2-3-2 formation with a loose head. The country hooked the ball most during the spell. McLean and Harris were prominent in a Nelson movement to the corner, but a miskiek by the backs lost the ground they had gained and a Waimea hack movement took the play to Nelson’s 25 where Brooks made a smart .dash around the scrum and opened up tlie play to his backs, but they lost possession and Feed cleared. The Nelson forwards, by tight play, carried play to half-way but their respite was only temporary for the country forwards rushed the game back to Nelson territory. Fogers spoiled four successive Waimea back movements by attempting to cut through and then P. Fowler fielded a would-be clearing

kick and made a smart dash straight in towards the posts and almost scored. Brooks was playing a great game behind the country scrum, winging the ball away on all occasions, sometimes from almost impossible positions. The referee at this stage had occasion to warn the players for spitefpl tactics. When no Waimea- back wanted the ball the Nelson forwards in a- biturh went through and rattled the Waimea defence, despite a temporary hold up by Walson, who received much more boot into bis back than was fair or necessary by tlie Nelson forwards, and the town team almost scored. Again the Nelson forwards, led by Drummond and McLean went to Waimea territory and F. Stewart placed bis team in a good attacking position with a line kick. The Nelson backs went across the field, Reed passing to Stewart. The Nelson forwards took up the running and had the Waimea defence on the run, Watson failing to go in for the ball, and the town team almost went over. However tlie Waimea forwards got around and fought hard to clear. Reed and Stewart combined to renew the .attack. However, Waimea were equal to the occasion and cleared. It was a bright rally with plenty of sting in the attack, but the Waimea forwards were equal to the occasion. McLean was responsible for fine footwork in a forward movement which cleared to lndf-way for Nelson after Waimea had made a sustained raid on the Nelson 25. A long throw out went to S. Stewart on the end of the line out aiid he sent the ball to F. Stewart, Reed and Mellwraith who was pushed into touch. The Nelson backs then combined again and tlie play went to tlie corner where a loose scrum formed. The ball travelled out to Beard who made a clash and grounded the ball for a try with half the Waimea forwards on top of him. Reed s kick from the sideline missed and the game ended: Nelson 3, Waimea 7. The referee was Mr A. Crouehcr. Waimea were penalised eight times and Nelson twice.

RAGGED DISPLAY OLD BOYS DEFEAT RIVALS The Old Boy-Rival match played on No. 2 ground at the Park produced little in the way of good fqotball. Old Boys won by 9 points to nil. Soon after tlie start Old Boys were given a penalty kick and Mabin kicked a magnificent goal from 15 yards inside iialf-wav, well out towards the line. Old Boys 3, Rivals 0. Alexander made a good opening for the Old Boy backs but Vass held on too long. Thompson was prominent in clearing for Rivals. Another good opening by Alexander saw Busch carry on almost, to the Rival line where a knock-on lost a try. Westlcy by a smart piece of play* made a clearance and sent'Thompson' away on a run to half-way. Long was responsible for a good opening near half-way where after beating two opponents lie gave tlie ball to McKay, Fergusson, Ron Busch and Johnston who was pushed into touch at the cpi - Her. Mabin piloted a penalty kick over tlie bar from tlie 25, but it was disallowed as tlie ball touched an opponent. Boyce broke away for Rivals and in-passecl to Glover who put RivaL in an attacking position when halftime sounded. Yfter the interval Glover went away with the ball and Boyce carried on into Old Boys 25. Dumbleton broke through a line out with the ball and made for tlie Old Boy line but he was stopped. Rivals were securing plenty of tfie ball from the scrums and Westley opened the play nicely to his backs, but they lacked Combination, a munbei of movements breaking down in the. five-eighths. From a scrum on Rivals 25 all the Old Boy backs handled to Long’s wing, the latter being tackled by Heath. Ross was hurt and w?iu out to the wing position, Nottage gomg to half. Ail Old Boy forward rush led by Cannington, ended in Sutherland crossing for a try. Mabin missed with ({lie kick. Old Boys 0, Rivals 0. Near tlie end Old Boys increased their lead to 0 when Todd brote away 7 and scored a try in the corner. The game thus ended: Old Boys 9, Rivals 0.

Air Quintrell refereed. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

COLLEGE V. RIVALS

The College and Rival junior teams completed their third round in the junior competition at the Park on Saturday. Rivals turned out one player short. College kicked off against the sun and Rivals were soon close to the College line but Martelli cleared with a kick downfield which liis forwards followed up, Rivals being compelled to force down. College held them on the defensive and again Rivals forced down. Stewart got the hall from ■i loose scrum and passed to Rowe to Stace who dummied and cut-in to spore a trv. Stewart’s kick failed. College 3, Rivals 0. College continued to attack and, getting tlie hall from a scrum, Watson almost broke away but a freekick enabled Chapman to put the ball into touch ten yards from half-way. Nock sent his backs away hut a pass was dropped, Watson snapping up the ball and almost reaching tlie line. From a loose scrum the College forwards broke through aud rushed tlie line, Henderson scoring a try which Stewart converted. College 8, Rivals 0. In the College 25 Martelli started the backs, Buddie cutting in to pass to Overton who seemed to be away but Chapman tackled him. A good forward rush gained tlie whole length of the field for Rivals but they allowed the ball to get too far ahead of them and Mac-Lean was able to force down and save for College. At half-way the hall was hooked past Martelli bpt lie retrieved it and broke through, passing to Stace who scored well out. A good kick hv Stace went a little wide. College 11, Rivals 0. Rivals pressed College back into their own 25 but two passing movements took play to the other end just at half-time. After half-time Watson fielded the ball and ran some distance before kicking across field to his forwards. Tredray got the bull and drew Chapman, passing to Fraser who ran round behind the posts for a try. Stewart converted. College 10, Rivals 0. Buddie opened up ragged play in the midfield by picking up the ball and passing to Webley who was forced out within two yards of tlie line. After much scrambling an the line out Stace gave the hall to Webley to score right hi the corner. Staee’s kick failed. College 10, Rivals O’. College maintained tlie attack and the forwards dribbled across the line. Two Rival men trying to touch down and one College player trying to score

found the ball very elusive but Stace finally captured it and scored a. try. Stewart converted. College 24, Rivals 0. Rivals again found themselves defending their line. From a line out the ball went to Watson and Overton, the latter scoring. Stace converted. College 29, Riyals 0. At this stage Bowater left the field. Rivals took a turn at attack and College forced down. From a line out inside the College 25 the ball came out ■to Gamboni who opened Rival's score with a- try. Chapman’s kick failed. Rivals 3, College 29. College pressed for the last few minutes of the game and on one occasion Rivals forced down and oil another College kicked the ball into touch in goal. The game ended without further score. Mr J. Coakley refereed.

WELLINGTON RUGBY SATURDAY’S RESULTS Saturday’s senior A Rugby results in Wellington were:—Wellington 17, Poneke 12; Old Boys 12, Marist 8; Varsity 14, (Miramar 3; Oriental 9, Berhampore 0: Hutt 17, Eastbourne 11; Petone 18, Athletic 17. CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE The senior A championship table is as follows: Petone 20, Poneke 25, Eastbourne 23, Wellington 23, Hutt 22, Marist 19, Old Boys 18, Varsity 15, Athletic 14, Oriental 14, Miramar 3, Berhampore 2.