NELSON WIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 14 August 1944, Page 2

NELSON WIN

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY GOLDEN BAY-MOTUEKA DEFEATED 8-0 UNIMPRESSIVE DISPLAY In a representative Rugby match at Trafalgar Park on Saturday, Nelson defeated Golden Bav-Motueka by eight points to nil. Wit.h two representative matches and several weeks’ solid training for their Seddon Shield challenge behind them. Nelson should have had a distinet advantage over their opponents, hut on the day they failed to Impress.

Although representing the Golden Bay-Motucka Rugby Union, the visiting team was drawn entirely from the Motueka district, where competitions have been resumed this season after a lapse of several years. The players ranged from youngsters to veterans in their forties, and in the circumstances they gave an excellent display.-

Nelson will have to infuse a lot more dash into their play if they are to stand a chance of lifting the Seddon Shield from Duller on Saturday week. Admittedly the selector was giving some new players a run and the team was not the same as that which defeated Marlborough for the Cecil Shield, but the changes were not great enough to account for the home team’s poor showing.

The fact that some of the Bay forwards were obviously unlit and were not altogether pulling their weight makes it hard to understand why the Nelson pack did not secure the ball from more of the set scrums and perform up to its standard in earlier games. In the loose they went better, with Winstanley and Connolly leading a number of good movements. Clarke and Cederman were two promising forvyards in the Bay pack. When the Nelson back line did swing into action it was dangerous, but this was all too seldom. The game v/as one in which they could well have afforded to throw the ball about and test their combination, but seldom did it travel beyond the five-eighths. Mcllroy found difficulty in taking Dawson's passes and he either kicked or held on long enough to'crowd Vass and leave him little room to work. Vass himself kicked too much and the men outside were not given a great many chances. Sundborn seems set for a position on the wing in the Shield team and Kotua played a sound game at full-back. Bay fielded a young set qf backs, and they gave an excellent exhibition of tackling. Fitzgerald and Dennett were the most impressive, with In wood playing a sound game at full-back. The teams were:— Nelson: Kotua; Sundborn, Dooney, Ruruku; Vass, Mcllroy; Dawson; O’Regan, Winstanley, Linklater, Wiechern. Max, McKegney, Connolly, Reay. Golden Bay Motueka: Inwood: Dennett. E. Cederman, Borne; Fitzgerald, Hobson; Kenyon: Redman, B. Cederman. Hurley. -Clarke, Tautu, Girvin, Hawkes, Bradley. After a period of mid-field play. Bay were penalised and Kotua attempted a long kick at goal, but the ball fell short. Nelson continued to maintain a territorial advantage, but sound tackling prevented them from breaking through. Dooney made 30 yards in a dash down the line before he was forced into touch. There was a ‘scrum on Bay’s line, from which Winstanley secured the ball and ran round the blind side for a try. Kotu i . missed with the kick. Nelson 3, Bay 0. Bay had a chance to equalise when Nelson were penalised, but Girvin’s kick was wide. Another penalty kick was taken shortly afterwards by Borrie, but this also missed. The Neison forwards, led by Connolly, took play to Bay’s line, and they were still attacking at half-time. The Nelson backs opened the second spell with a bright passing rush, but Sundborn v as forced into touch* short of the line. Dawson was three times penalised for not putting the bail fairly into the scrum, and from one of these penalty kicks Dennett narrowly missed scoring from wide out. Bay had Nelson pinned in their own tv. enty-five for a long spell, but Nelson rallied and Winstanley led a forvr rd rush into Bay territory. They were awarded a pe ally in a handy position, but Kotua’s kick missed. Bay returned to the attack, but Kotua cleared to halfway with a good kick. The Nelson backs carried on and Dawson r ent out a long pass to Dooney, who passed to Sundborn. for the latter to score. Vass converted with a good kick. Nelson 8. Bay 0. Fitzgerald broke right away in a dash from halfway, but he was pulled down short of the line by Kotua, and the game ended with no further score. The referee was Mr N. Tankersley., CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES Results of lower grade competition -matches played on Saturday were as follows: — Junior Nelson-Old Boys 8. Air Force 0. Rival 8, Rover 6. Fourth Grade Nelson 21, College A 3. College B 24. Rival 3. SERVICES MATCH In a curtain-raiser to the representative match. Air Force teams representing the Nelson arid Delta stations played a drawn game, the score being 15 all.