MUDDY RUGBY

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13333, 13 August 1936, Page 5

MUDDY RUGBY

BUSH AGAIN TRIUMPHANT. WANGANUI GO UNDER BY 9—5. The Bush Rugby. team added another scalp to their belt yesterday by defeating the visiting Wanganui fifteen by nine points to five, the match being played at Pahiatua under the very worst possible conditions, with the ground sloppy to the entire me and in places a veritable (quagmire. Under such conditions a good exhibition was out of the question. Consequently there were few incidents in the game that_called for si display of enthusiasm on the part of the spectators. The Wanganui forwards stood, up to the Bush pack very well and disputed every inch of the ground. Bush made it an out and out forward game and even the home backs adapted themselves to this style of play. THE PLAY. The rain was pouring down when Athol Mahoney led the Bush team to the field. The start was nearly half an hour late when the visitors kicked off. Both sides appeared to be playing safe for the first few minutes of the game and then Bush followed up an exchange of kicks, Comber, Burns and Failover leading through to the blue twenty-five. Bit by bit the reds advanced till they were right on the Wangaiiui line. Burns seized a chance and tried to force his way over, but was blocked, and then Lett tried in vain to worm his way through the struggling pack, Wanganui eventually forcing down. Bush were quickly back in the blues’ twenty-five and made efforts to feed the backs but they did not the ball get clear of the back row men. Play moved across field and the Bush forwards, who by this time were bespattered with mud, concentrated in a grand rush which took them to the Wanganui line. Ihe ball came clear of the melee and Twentyman made a flying rush which saw him touch down well out. He failed to-convert and the scores thus read: Bush 3 Wanganui 0

Bv this time the rain had gone off. "but there was a very tricky wind in its place. Bush were deep in the blues’ twenty-five, when they were penalised, and Welsh, whose linekicks showed both length and accuracy, relieved nicely. Loose forward play by Bush had • \\ anganui defending again, Twentyman racing through a gap with the ball at his feet. A penalty Wanganui for holding the ball gave Twentyman a chance, but he failed to lift the ball. Wanganui took a hand in proceedings at this stage and Chase and Hunter raced down-field right to the Bush goal-line. A scrum went down and Hunter tried unsuccessfully to force his way over. For a few minutes Bush kept the blues out .of their territory, then Welsh, the Wanganui custodian, moved up to initiate a back movement. Ohase went on with the job and handed on to Jones, who managed to throw a pass back when blocked near the touch-line. Hunter then snapped up and let go what looked to bo a drop at goal. The ball shot wide of the posts, however, and Burgess made a sprint for possession. He managed to boot over the line, but H. Wolland, who had forseen the move, was on to it first and kicked into touch-in-goal. Wanganui were still troublesome to the reds ■find eventually Burns sent the ball back to mid-field. At this stage Barton came in from centre to second five-eighths, Ohase going out one place. Failover broke away from the side of a scrum and handed on to H. Wolland, who was blocked before going far. Barton and Jones broke through the red rearguard, and the latter punted down past Ob'vant, who ran back and got his hands on the ball, but slithered along for some distance as if sifting on a toboggan. The Wanganui forwards, whose immaculate _white shorts and pale blue jerseys by this time had changed to si slate colour, pulled the full-back clear of the ball. Chase was quick to follow in, and, securing possession, made a bid for the corner, but was up-endecl in time. Wanganui were eventually beaten off as a result of n break-through by Twentyman, play coming back to half-way. Speculations characterise# play for some times the players making no effort to pick the ball up. Just before halftime Chase and Barton again figured in a joint effort which saw the latter brushed aside when about to touch-down. Bush getting a lucky force. The half-time score was: Bush 3 Wanganui O' After the spell Bush were the first to open out and were not long before thev wore inside Wanganui’s tuenty-fiVe. where the reds were s>wardt d a penalty, but Olivant’s kick failed. Lockett and Jones led down to the Bush twenty-five, and S. Wolwas bowled over. A punt further down saw Olivant fail to clear and the Wanganui forwards surged round, carrying on to the red line. Bush forwards rallied round and pushed the invaders back to the Wanganui twenty-five. Olivant, who was playing close up, snapped m a clearing kick and punted over the heads of the blue backs. The Wanganui backs failed to gather in the ball, and the Bush full-back darted through with a burst of speed, leaching the ball first and touching down for a good try. ft was a fine effort and Olivant was heartily applauded for his opportunism. The kick was unsuccessful : Bush 0 Wanganui 0 First Riddell and then Twentyman put in good solo runs for the home socle, taking play to the blue' line. "Wanganui strove hard to keep the ie\*s out but a grand forward rush -saw Failover secure and dash over. The kick again failed: Busl. 0 Wanganui 0 Good work by Reynolds and James

had Bush on the defensive but Lett covered up well and gamely went down to the onrushing forwards: Wanganui, who were forcing at the left wing, made a sudden diieeticfial change and a well-placed kick to the right saw the Bush backs out of position. Chase tore into the opening and made a dive at the ball just as H. Wolland went back to force, the referee awarding the Wanganui centre a try. Welsh converted brilliantly from well out:

Bush 9 Wanganui 5 The Wanganui forwards livened uxj and rucked their way to the Bush twenty-five, but a penalty drove them back and Bush followed this up with a forward rush which took them to Wanganui's twenty-five. The ball came out to Lett, who passed out to Twentyman. The latter soon got into top gear, and made one of his characteristic runs, reaching the blue posts before being pulled down by Welsh. Several set scrums were taken and Hunter eventually secured and found touch. A penalty against the blues enabled Mahoney to put up a high on© near the posts, but once again the visitors’ backs were equal to the occasion and cleared nicely. Jones gathered in a speculator kick and set sail down the side-line, being tossed into the mud alter a good rim of forty yards. Short rushes by the Wanganui forwards gave Bush some anxious moments but the ball was so> greasy that accurate handling or kicking was out of the question. The Bush pack fought out the last ten minutes with equal determination and tried in turn to cross the blue line but could not do so and the game thus ended: Bush 9 * Wanganui 5 Mr J. Fulton refereed. THE TEAMS ENTERTAINED. At the conclusion of the game the teams, were entertained at dinner at the Commercial Hotel. Mr. O. Stone proposed the toast of the Wanganui Union and in doing s<> recalled the match played against Wanganui last year when Bush received great hospitality from the River City Union. Ho hoped that it would he possible for Bush and Wanganui to arrange home and home matches at some future occasion, adding that the Bush players a.ncl officials greatly enjoyed the game and were sorry that the day had proved wet. Responding, Mr. Danielson thanked Mr Stone for the remarks expressed and mentioned that it was Wanganui s first game on a really heavy ground, considering which they did well. He congratulated the Bush forwards on their splendid play, adding that they had been told the Bush forwards were very good, which was found to be quite true. He thought the Wanganui Union would be pleased to play home and home matches if same could be fitted in, a matter which would not be possible next season, however, owing to the heavy fixtures ahead. Mr. A. Henwood proposed . the health of the Bush Union, mentioning that he knew full well how hard Rush could play and that they had one of the best forward teams in the country—they played a good hard clean game, which, was, how football should be played. He hoped that Bush would continue in their winning, way and attract more crowds to the gro-ioid in order to put a roof on the stand (laugliter). He had been in P.ahiatuu. 011 five occasions and it had been, vet every time which made him vender if it was ever fine. When responding, Mr. W. A. Hen-vice-president of the Bush Union, apologised for the unavoidable absence of Mr. R. J. Smith. The speaker referred to the anomaly of the word “Bush,” saying that many people in the Dominion thought the Bush was somewhere out in the wilds. Continuing, he maintained that the Bush Union had coane well out into the sunlight, and the players had put it welL above the tree tops. The Bush. Union wa« very glad to welcome the Wanganui team to Wanganui and hoped they would go back with pleasant recollections of the trip. Mr. V. Brown toasted the two teams, saying that the game had been played in a very friendly spirit and had doubtless been enjoyed by the players despite the conditions of th© ground and the weather. In his response, Mr Gay Lockett, the Wanganui captain, congratulated Bush on their victory and said, the latter’s forwards had taught the Wanganui team some points worth knowing. Mr. Jack Waters then responded on behalf of the Bush players, and congratulated th© visitors on the game they played under very un la vou ra hie coi iditions. H a,v i 11 g played with the Wanganui team for several years on. Spriggin’s Park, which was one of the finest grounds iih New Zealand, he could appreciate the difficulties they were playing under. Ho played a tribute to the Wanganui pack who. he said, had the best set of forwards the Bushi team had thus far encountered. Had they played under diier conditions with, heavy going AVangaiiiui would not have seem the way they went, hut if the ground had been dry the team would have had a good view of, the heels of the Wangani'i backs. Mr. Alex Takarangi proposed the toast of the referee, and referred to the difficulty in obtaining referees He congratulated Mr. Fulton on tihe manner in which he had controlled the game which he had kept up to very well under the advenrse conditions The speaker also made an •appeal to the younger men finishing up with football to join up with the* Referees' Association or take some part ml the* ad mini strati on of the Responding. Mr. Fulton, thanked Mr Takarangi for bis remarks and echoed the view expressed by the_ .utter concerning the need for young-* er men to follow up refereeing. He assure'l the plovers that lie had greativ enjoyed the game. At Mr Oh a twin's behest the' bod th of the Press was also honoured. Mr. W. Henderson made a similar cal! in honour of Mr. and Mrs. Col-

dicutt, mine hosts of the Commercial Hotel, who had provided such excellent fare. Mr. Coldicutt responded and congratulated the teams on their play and fine bearing at the function and concluded by ordering “one on the house.” NGATURI TURN TABLES. 111 driving rain and on a sodden around, Ngaturi defeated Hukanui Tuniors for the Studebaker Cup, as a curtain-raiser to the principal game yesterday. Both teams were late on the field and consequently short time was played. The teams lined out as follows: Ngaturi (red and black) : L. McCormack, C. Vernon, H. Escott, H. Taylor, N. Chisnall, K. Ellmers, L. Hollis, G. Cotter, J. Cotter, J. Brady W. Brightwell, R. Kernson, M Howat, W. Eckert and B. Lett. Hukanui (red): A Broome, L. Bartosh, G. Udy, R. Udy, L. Leith, B Wilson, R. Cooper, R. Welch, B. Udy, P. Twentyman, W. Ngaturi, A. Hopkins, H. Daldy, D. Welch and C. Smith. GLIMPSES OF THE GAME. Ngaturi won th© toss and elected to defend the north end. From the hick-off it could be seen that the ground was very heavy and the ball would soon become wet, making good football impossible. Ngaturi did not attempt to handle and dribbled down-field, nearly scoring, but an extra hard kick near the line sent the ball over the dead-ball line. Play continued in Hukanui territory and again Ngaturi dribbled through for Brightwell to dive over well out. Vernon, with a good attempt, just failed to add the major points: Ngaturi 3 Hukanui O From the kick-off Ngaturi again took the ball through at their toe and by following up Lett fell on the leather to slide over under the posts. Vernon converted : Ngaturi *- 8 Hukanui 0 Play was confined to mid-field until Hukanui broke through, being forced out ten yards from the line. Ngaturi managed to clear but again Hukanui attacked and Ngaturi carried behind. From the following scrum Ngaturi cleared but Hukanui immediately returned to the attack and in the subsequent struggle a Ngaturi played was caught off-side. From twenty yards out Welch just failed to put the ball over. It was now Ngaturi’s turn to attack and the ball was kicked over the Hukanui line, Ngaturi just failing to get to it in time. Play gradually worked into Ngaturi’s territory and from a scramble Cooper picked up and ed over well out for Hukanui. "W elch failing to convert; Ngaturi 8 Hukanui 3 From mixed piny in the centre of the ground Ngaturi kicked hard and nearly scored. Hukanui went down on the ball but were penalised for hanging on. From near the twentyfive line Vernon put over a beautilul kick : Ngaturi 11 Hukanui 3 Play continued evenly till timeAfter the spell Hukanui had the slight help of the wind and had most of the advantage of the game but lacked enough finish to score. Play gradually worked to Ngaturi’s line and from a scrum Haitosh dived overWelch failed with the kick: Ngaturi 11 Hukanui 6 An exchange of kicks ended in favour of Ngaturi but Hukanui quickly changed the venue of the game. From a mud scramble Ngaturi nearly got over but after a tussle fight on the line Hukanui forced. Again Hukanui returned to the attack but again kicked too hard and Ngaturi forced. ’The ball and ground bv this time were in a very bad state and it was practically impossible for either side to do much, although territorially Hukanui had the advantage. The game now was simply a series of speculating kicks. Play continued without either side looking dangerous until time was called, the final score being: Ngaturi H Hukanui 6 Mr V. Brown refereed.