RUGBY FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26531, 5 August 1947, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL

HIGH SCHOOLS’ MATCH OTAGO BOYS DEFEATED Special to the Daily Times CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 4. Playing a more stereotyped brand of football, Christ's College well deserved its win by 14 points to 9 against Otago Boys’ High School in a game played on the Christ’s College ground to-day. There were manv bright movements and flashes of individual brilliance, but generally the standard of play was well below that expected in secondary schools’ football. Christ’s College held the advantage in weight and size in the forwards, and * while these advantages were apparent in line-out work, it was not always that full pressure was used in the scrums. The Otago Boys’ High School forwards were superior in the loose rushes and had they paid more attention to, this phase of football they might have won the game for. their side. The Christ s College backs, with a feast of the ball in the early part of the game, should have put up a good total, but while there was the good individual effort of Quentm-Baxter, . at first five-eighths, the service from the scrum was too erratic to give him any confidence. Wright, at second five-eighths who has scored many points this year, did really solid work, and while he was never allowed to go far on attack, his positional kicking often gained long stretches of ground. The three-quarters had fewei chances than they were rightly entitled to, but Bransgrove showed great speed His defence was not very sound. Smith, at full-back, was handling s hd kicking well until a heavy tackle put him off his game. The Otago Boys High School • played a very fine half-back in Ashby, who, with better support, wouid have won the game. His passes weie snappy and his defence was generally sound. When he elected to run. he was elusive, and several times he showed up distinct weakness in the College tackling. Robinson, at first five-eighths, did much that was good, but the ball seldom got to the centre°° three-quarter, • Robertson who showed up as a strong runner. Gillespie, a wing three-quarter, would also have done well had he been given more, Cl \n the forwards there was little to choose between eight honest workers. Jones, Scrivener, and Mauger were usually in the picture. The Play Bransgrove opened the scoring for Christ’s College when he went over at the corner after Wright had paved Thu way with a good cut-in. Wright converted the try. Gillespie scored lor Otago at the end of a passing rush, and a penalty goal by Robertson gave Otago a 6—5 lead at half-time. Bramley put Otago further in the lead with a try after a passing rush. When the Christ’s College backs went into action, Farrant cut-in cleverly to give Wise a try. Just before time Wright kicked a penalty goal, the ball striking the bar and bouncing over. Christ’s College won by 14 points (a goal from a try, a try and two penalty goals) to 9 points (two tries and a penalty goal). The following were the teams:— Christ’s College.—Backs: G. W. Smith, D. J. Bransgrove, D. R. Farrant, S. Wise, G T. Wright (captain) H. G. QuentinBaxter, R. B. W. Avenll. Forwards: G L. Richards, R. J. Doak, S. C. Coulis B G Insull, O. K. Hutchinson, R. J. Johnson, G. L. Perry, R. lies. _ Otago Boys’ High School. —Backs: C S. Christie, D. Bramley, J. A. Robertson, G. G. Gillespie, A. R. Lonsdale, J. A. Robinson, A. H. Ashby. Forwards: H. P. Rankin B. C. Keane, O. F. Spark, J H Mauger, G. N. Ellis, C. Scrivener, W. Barkman (captain), G. L. Jones.