CLOSE GAME

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 30 July 1945, Page 3

CLOSE GAME

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY NELSON DEFEAT GOLDEN BAYMOTUEKA MARGIN OF THREE POINTS The Nelson senior. Rugby representatives beat Golden Bay-MotueKa 14-11 when they met for the second time this season on Saturday. Bay had the better of the game territorially and were somewhat unlucky not to have won. Nelson won the earlier game by 22 points to 6. The match was played at Rugby Park. Motueka. under ideal conditions and before a good crowd. Five of the Bay forwards originally selected for the game were not available. The pack went well, however, and was largely responsible for the team’s good showing. The Nelson forwards gave their backs a good share of the ball from the set scrums, but in the rucks they were outplayed by their opponents. Adopting bustling, spoiling tactics, the Bay forwards effectively smothered many Nelson back movements. Cederman was the outstanding Bay forward and he was well supported by Pomeroy and Kelly. The Bay backs included two promising young players—Hobson and Nicholson. As half and first five-eighth they combined well and were responsible for several good movements. On defence they were both sound. Nicholson’s tackling being especially good. Taylor was another back who impressed. The Nelson backs had a good share of the ball, but they were able to de very little with it. There was little constructive play by the inside men and the handling was poor. The Bay forwards were undoubtedly getting up on them very quickly, but this did not account for all the mistakes. Gumbley, Avery and Brown were the soundest of the Nelson backline. The Nelson forwards once more played as individuals rather than as a pack. On the few occasions they did work together they took the ball with them and looked dangerous, but these rushes were too few and far between. Shannon was the best forward on the ground and he was well supported in the loose 6y Max. Gargiulo and the three front-row men—Ward, Connolly and Springer—got through a lot of work in the tight. The teams were: MOTUEKA-GOLDEN BAT Full back: Soane. Three-quarters: Riley, D. Dennett, J. Manoy. Five-eighths: J. Nicholson, A. Taylor. Half back: F. Hobson. Forwards: J. Ward, M. Eyles, G. Woolf, B. Cederman, O. Clark, M. Stevens, A. Kelly, Pomeroy. NELSON Full Back: B. Haycock. Three-quarters: J. Crossan, G. Christmas, F. Brown. Five-eighths: N. Avery, N. Campen. Half Back: G. Cullan. Forwards: R. Gargiulo, N. Child, G. Max, D. Burn, J. Shannon (captain), D. Springer, R. Connolly, D. Ward. In order to try out new players, changes were made in both teams at half time. THE PLAY DESCRIBED Golden Bay had the wind behind them in the first spell. Cullan sent the Nelson backs away and Christmas broke through, but he was forced into touch on Bay’s 25. Nelson gained the ball from a tuck and Campen and Avery went away on the blind side, but were held up short of the Christmas again secured and passed tp Brown, the winger being tackled by Soane as he crossed the line for a try near the posts. Ward’s kick was unsuccessful. Nelson 3, Bay 0. Bay hooked the ball ircin a scrum and it went out to Taylor, who kicked .high, regained possession and found touch near the Nelson corner flag. From a scrum on theYine Nelson were penalised and Dennett levelled the scores wit! a good kick —Bay 3, Nelson 3. bay were hooking the balls' from 60 per cent, of the scrums at this stage and witn the forwards smothering any Nelson rack movements they Kept up a steady pressure. Hobson opened up r4 he play to his backs, but Christmas broke up the ino\ement when he ,gr jimded Dennett with a solid tackle. Manoy charged down a kick by Haycock and the ball v.v.'t into touch near the corner flag Fiom a ruck Hobson passed to Nicholson who kicked a high ball to the Nelson line, which Haycock failed to field. Nicholson won a race for the ball and scored. Dennett’s k'.ck failed—Bay 6, Nelson 3. Bay returned to the attack and had Nelson bustled,'but Cullan forced down. After being pinned in their own half for 28 minutes, Nelson took up the attack, a back movement breaking down on Bay’s 25 when Campen was well tackled by Nicholson. Brown equalised when he dribbled through to the Bay line and dived on the ball for a try. Burn failed to convert —Nelson 6. Bay 6. Haycock had an attempt at goal when Bay were penalised for a scrum infringement, but the ball went wide of the posts. Cullan cut through smartly from a scrum and sent, a long pass oi to Avery but the five-eighth was caught by the Bay forwards and half time arrived with no change in the score. After half time Tairoa was brought on as half back for Bay, Hobson going to first-five-eighth, Nicholson to second, Taylor to centre and Dennett on to one wing. Soane went from full back to the side of the scrum and Skilton took the full back position. Manoy and Woolf left the field. In the Nelson team Haycock and Crossan went off. Avery going to first five-eighth, Christmas to second, Gumbley to centre, Rich on to one wing and Campen to full back. Christmas and Gumbley later changed positions. A kick by Soane took Bay to Nelson’s 25, but the Nelson forwards broke away in a fine dribbling rush that carried play well inside Bay’s territory (The ball reached Brown in a passing rush, but the winger was well tackled by Taylor. Connolly and Gargiulo led a rush by the Nelsof forwards, but the ball went in to touch. The Nelson backs were receiving a good share of the ball, but tne Bay forwards gave them little chance to take advantage of this. Rich broke away and gained 40 yards befo t he was well tackled by Skilton. Gumbley put Nelson on the attack with a good line kick. The backs went away in a passing rush and Christmas attempted to cut through, but he lost the ball. Several of the Bay players handled, but they did not have the pace to get through and Shannon held up the movement and returned play to half way. Gumbley secured possession from a loose ruck, made a good opening and passed to Christmas, who sent on to Rich, but the winger failed to hold the pass. Nelson attacked for a spell and the ball went Ihrough the Nelson backline to Brown, who passed in-field to Gumbley, who was well tackled by Skilton. From a ruck Pomeroy broke away and ran to half way before he was brought down. Nelson worked their way back to Bay’s line where the backs had a passing bout and Christmas accepted a long pass from Shannon and scored in the corner. Burn missed narrowly with a good kick —Nelson 9, Bay 6. Hobson went back to half for Bay, Nicholson going to first five-eighth and Tairoa to second. The change proved successful. Nicholson cutting through from a scrum and making an opening for Kelly to score a try. Hobson converted—Bay 11. Nelson 9.

A few minutes before time Connolly left the field with an injury and was

replaced by Weichern. Gumbley opened up the play for his outside men, passing to Christmas who short-kicked. BrOwn picked the ball up well and raced round to score his third try of the match. Ward converted, making the final score—Nelson 14, Bay 11. The referee was Mr H. Rangi.

JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVES

NELSON BEAT GOLDEN BATMOTUEKA The Nelson junior representatives beat the Golden Bay-Molueka juniors by 18 points to 3 at Trafalgar Park on Saturday. The homo team had an edge on their opponents throughout and scored five tries, none of which was converted, and a penalty goal, to one try by Bays. The forwards of both teams worked hard and at times turned some goon football with fast, sweeping rushes and solid rucking. The Bay backs, though well served by the half-back had little or no combination. The Nelson backs showed good combination at times to wards the end of the game but many movements earlier in the game broke down through poor handling and inaccurate passing. Five minutes after the start Tait kicked a penalty goal for Nelson. Before half-time Nelson were close to the Bay line when Newport, the left winger, went in to make the extra fiveeighth and scored a try. Within two minutes of the start of the second half a kick from midfield went into the open on Cederman’s wing and he gathered in the ball and showed a clean pair of heels to the opposition as he raced in for a try. The score stood at 6-3 in Nelson’s favour for some time until the Nelson backs took charge and Newport went in for his second try at the end of a pretty passing movement, and then Day beat the Bay backs for the ball when a kick went over the goal line. Tc it finished ofi a forward rush with a try and soon afterwards the Nelson full-back, Hunter, went up into the line of backs outside the centre three-quarter and was rewarded with a try. The place kicking by both sides was indeed poor, none of the six tries scored being converted, and several reasonable changes to score penalty goals were wasted. For Nelson, Tait; Stewart. Brough and Corston were the more prominent forwards. Dodson played a very sound game at half-back. For Bays, Silcock, Park and Ellery were the best three forwards and Wilkinson was a tower of strength to his side behind the scrum. It was a pity Cederman did not see more of the ball. On the few occasions when the ball went his way he showed speed and determination. The teams were as follows: NELSON Full-back: A. Hunter. Three-quarters: J. R. McLean, P. Day, K. Newport. Five-eighths: H. Langrope, E. Veysey. Half-back: D. Dodson. Forwards: J. Tait, T. Brough, A. McLean, G. Stewart (captain), J. Corston, R. C. Petre. A. Thomson, C. Griffiths. GOLDEN BAY-MOTUEKA Full-back: R. Bensemann. Three-quarters: D, Byrne, F. Papps, E. Cederman. Five-eighths: M. Strange, J. Bickley. Half-back: R. Wilkinson. Forwards: F. Fellows, N. Bradley, S Silcock, D. McConnon, J. Park. B. Giblin. J. Ellery, C. Eggers. Mr J. Herrick was the referee. RESULTS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES The results of Saturday’s games, other than representative matches, were as follows: — Senior: College 11, Nelson Colts 3. Third Grade: College C 9, Rival 8. College A 6, Nelson 3. Old Boys 19, College B 0. Waimea Celtic 0. Fourth Grade: Town 11, Country 5. Schools: Town 11, Country 5. COMBINED TEAM SOUTH ISLAND TRIAL GAME SEVEN NELSON MEN INCLUDED The Nelson-Marlborough-Golden BayMotueka team to play Buller-West Coast in a South Island trial Rugby match at Nelson on Saturday has been announced as follows by the selectors of the three districts concerned: Full-back: Soane (G.8.-Mot). Three-quarters: Edwards (M.. vicecapt.), Avery (N), Brown <N!')-Five-eighths: Kelly (M), Welsh (M>. Half-back: Cullan (N). Forwards: Hegglun (M); Max (N), Bennett (M), Morgan (G.8.-M). Shannon (N., capt.); Springer (N). Haines (ML Ward (N). # Emergencies: backs Nisbett (M), Nicholson (G.8.-M); forwards —Cederman (G.8.-M), Mason (G.8.-M). SEDDON SHIELD TEAM NELSON PLAYERS TO TRAIN The following 21 players have been selected to train for Nelson’s Seddon Shield challenge match on 25th August: Forwards: J. Shannon, G. Max, N. Child, D. Burn. D. Springer. D. Ward, R. Gargiulo, R. Connolly. A. Weichern, J. Cuthbert. Backs: G. Cullan. N. Campen, N. Avery. F. Brown, G. Christmas. M. McDowell. D. Sundborn, A. M. Gumbley, M. Rich. M. Stanley. B. Haycock. The players will practise on Thursday evening at 7.15 p.m at Trafalgar Park. FOURTH GRADE TEAM The fourth grade selector (Mr S. Chapman) has chosen the following players to represent against Tapawera on 11th August, at Nelson. .(College (Col). Rovers (Rov). Nelson (N), Rivals (R). Waimea (W). Full-back: Spence (Col). Three-quarters: Burnett (Rov), Eden (W), Reade (Rov). Five-eighths: Baigent (Rov), Thomson (Rov) vice-capt. Half-back: Hart (W). Forwards: Clark <W), Patterson (Col), Stuart (Col). Robertson (Col), Kinzett (N), McNabb (N), Thomas <R), capt., Guy (R). Emergencies: Forwards Morgan (W), Kerr (R): backs—Clark (Col). Gear (Col). SEDDON SHIELD MARLBOROUGH DEFEATS DULLER Westport, July 29. Buller, Seddon Shield holders, were decisively beaten yesterday by Marlborough, first challengers of the season for the trophy. The score was 6 BIRMESE ENDS HAIR TROUBLES If your comb is raking hair away from your scalp, if dandruff is making your coat collar a disgrace you need Birmese Hair Root. Compound and you •■•eed it in a hurry. Birmese is.a scientific treatment which ends dandruff, which stops hair falling out excessively. Obtainable : ’R. W. Martin. M.P.S.. Chemist. Nelson/ Firmese Laboratories. Ltd.. Hereford-.st. Ch’church

to nil in a keen game, mostly dominated by the visiting forwards, who, led by C. Hegglun. F. Bennett and T. O’Sullivan, played a magnificent game. The last-named, with the assistance of the heavy pack, outhooked Orman, and the Buller backs never had much chance to get moving against the keen opposition. The best back on the field was K. Welsh, Marlborough first five-eighth, but V, Jackson, full-back, and L. Edwards, left-wing, also played well for the challengers. Of the Buller forwards, J. Fox, D .Neighbours and W. Mumm were best, but the. pack lacked life. J. Alexander, though not up to the class of Welsh, played well as first -five-eighth for Buller, against difficulties, and T. Hansby and O. Smallholme were easily the best of the other Buller backs. SOUTH ISLAND TEAM The Nelson senior Rugby selector (Mr W. A. Reed), through the Nelson Rugby Union, has nominated G. Max (Waimea) and F. Brown (Air Force) for the South Island team. AUCKLAND V. WAIKATO Auckland, July 29. Auckland Rugby representatives beat Waikato by 15 to 6. The Waikato forwards were the best, but' the speed and cleverness of the Auckland backs won the game. SOUTH OTAGO V. SOUTHLAND Dunedin, July 29. At Balclutha yesterday South Otago defeated Southland by 11 points to 9. Each side scored three tries, South Olago converting one. The ground was heavy as a result of recent rain. This was the third time South Otago sub-union had met Southland in the past two seasons and each match was won by the sub-union.