RUGBY FOOTBALL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 21 June 1937, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES RESULTS AT A GLANCE Senior Nelson 9, Rival 0. Old Boys 3, Waimea 3Junior Regimental 4, Nelson 0 Old Boys A 5, Waimea 0. Hospital 8, Rival 6. Rover 16, Old Boys B. 3. Third Class Nelson 11, Fourth Class Representatives 7. The Nelson Rugby Union Championship competitions were advanced a further stage on Saturday when the grounds were in good order and the weather fine with a cold southerly wind. By their win on Saturday Nelson seniors drew level with Rival in the competition. Waimea again proved that they are a hard team to beat on their own ground by drawing with Old Boys. The championship points are now: Old Boys 11, Rival 8, Nelson 8, Waimea 5. In the junior competition Regimental beat Nelson by a field goal to nil and Old Boys A surprised by beating Waimea.

NELSON DEFEAT RIVAL

BY THREE TRIES TO NIL Nelson scored three tries in beating Rival by 9 points to nil on Saturday in a game in which the play was very scrappy, with little combination between backs or forwards. The Nelson forwards were the deciding factor in hooking the ball from almost all the scrums and breaking up the Rival defence by looses rushes in which Drummond, McLean and Wratt were the most prominent. Turley played well behind Nelson’s scrum giving crisp passes and showing initiative in opening the attack. Cooke also showed good form at first five-eighth showing plenty of speed and safe handling. Playing in a beaten pack Biggs and McKay were Rival’s best pair of forwards. Among the Rival backs Brindson was outstanding on the few occasions he was given the ball, but he had no one to follow him. Langrope also showed plenty of pace and elusiveness but most of his efforts were of an individual nature. The teams were as follows:

Nelson: Scoltock; McLaren, Boyce, Mason; Blair, Cooke; Turley; Hawthorne, McLean, Drummond, Best, Neilson, Lock, Fleet, Wratt. Rival: Brassington; McKenzie, Carey, Vass; Langrope, Brindson; McConchie; Ingram, Wishart, Biggs, McKay, Bonnington, Kotua, Jones, Fitzsimmons. Making use of the southerly wind the Rival forwards drove Nelson back to their 25 and held play there for a time, but the Nelson forwards proved effective in the open play and attacked. From a scrum near Rivals’ line Nelson hooked the ball Turley working the “blind” side with a pass to McLaren who inpassed to Fleet who went in for a try in the corner. Best’s kick failed. Nelson 3, Rival 0. Bonnington made several good saves and opened up the play well, and McKenzie placed his side in an attacking position. The same player attempted a field goal which fell under the posts. Blair, Fleet and McLean were prominent in a Nelson rush to the Rival line where Nelson just missed a try. Immediately following the half-time the Nelson forwards had the Rival defence bustled, Brassington’s clearing kick going behind his line for Wratt. who followed up, to field the ball and place it down, apparently for a try, but it was disallowed, evidently on account of the player’s foot going onto the concrete which bounds the northern end of the ground and to some extent cuts off the normal corner of the playing area. The Nelson forwards were hooking the ball from nearly every scrum but their backs were not combining well. McLean and Drummond broke away round the scrum with the ball and made Brassington miss the ball which was held up temporarily, but Turley followed up to gain possession and go in for a try in the corner. McLean made a great attempt to goal but just missed. Nelson 6, Rival 0. Another would-be clearing kick by Brassington curled back over his line and Wratt was about to get a try when he was tackled and lost possession. Langrope figured in a fine clearing run for Rival. When 40 yards out he transferred to Brindson and Biggs who kicked to Nelson’s 25, but Cooke, who had been playing a valuable game for Nelson, saved. Brassington missed the ball allowing the Nelson forwards to carry the ball to Rivals’ 25 where Blair followed up to get possession and race in for a try. Nelson 9, Rival 0. Mr B. Cooper was the referee. NELSON REPRESENTATIVES TEAM TO PLAY MARLBOROUGH HOME-AND-HOME MATCH ON SATURDAY The first senior home and home match with Marlborough will be played at Nelson next Saturday. Nelson has a much stronger team than has been the case for several seasons and their display against the holders of the Seddon Shield will be watched with great interest. Mr W. Reed, the senior selector, has announced the following Nelson team. Full back: B. W. Brown. Three-quarters: R. Boyce, D. Taylor, R. Busch. Five-eighths: D. Brindsen, A. Cooke. Half back: C. Costello. Forwards: J. Craig, C. Lovell, C. Drummond, R. Best, F. H. McLean (captain), W. Andrew, T. Fleet and Mac Kay. Emergencies: Forwards, G. Lusty, J. O. Burnett; backs, Langrope and T. Vass. The backs will practice at the Park at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and the forwards at 7.45 p.m. The whole team will train at the Park on Thursday evening at 7.30 o’clock. NELSON NOMINATIONS Two Nelson nominations have been made for the South Island team: C. Lovell (forward) and D. Brindsen (back).

NELSONIANS NOMINATED The Nelson senior selector has made the following nominations for the All

Black trials:— Forwards: C. Lovell, C. Drummond, and. T. Fleet. Backs: D. Brindsen, C. Costello and R. N. Busch.

RESULTS ELSEWHERE WELLINGTON (United Press Association] WELLINGTON, 19th June Rugby results:— Senior A (First Division). —Poneke 12, Athletic 8. Hutt 15, Wellington College 0.8. 9, Petone 27, University 0. Johnsonville 0, Marist Bros. 0.8. 0. Wellington 28, Eastbourne 12. Senior A (Second Division).Wellington 19, Pirates 3. St. Patrick’s College 0.8. 7, Petone 6. Poneke 11, Miramar 5. Athletic 11, Oriental 7. CHRISTCHURCH RUGBY CHRISTCHURCH, 19th June. Rugby results: Linwood 32, Technical 14; Sunnyside 9, Sydenham 8; Merivale 20, Albion 19; Varsity 26, Athletic 9; Old Boys 22, Christchurch 0.