DISTRICT RUGBY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19107, 31 August 1936, Page 4

DISTRICT RUGBY

WIN FOR OLD BOYS A CHANCE FOR THE TITLE good late rally tells A strong nillv in the lute stages ol thei r ni a tell with Y.M.P. gave OKI [Joys ,a good win on Saturday allernoon, ami incidentally kept alive their ehunee of seeming the season’s championship. the Celtic seniors had a walk-over in their engagement with 11.5.0.8., and had Old Boys failed to win their match with 1 .M.P., the Celts would have been outright winners of the competition. Ot one stage it looked very much as though the Celtic grip on the championship was clinched. Old Boys had scored early in the game, and until well on in the second half they were leading three-nil; but the Maoris turned on the [lower for a while, and Maynard equalised the scores amidst warm applause from the stand, in which members and supporters of the Celtic team were seen to participate with enthusiasm. The game was then so near its finish that under the conditions a draw seemed most likely, but Old Boys responded well to the challenge, and in a few minutes added .11 points, finally winning the match be M points to 3. 'BALL DIFFICULT’ TO HANDLE The Y.M.P. team had no hope of winning the championship even had they emerged the victors in this match, and this fact was evidently in the minds of everyone who played in or watched the game. The Maori players did not throw away the game, but they certainly did not produce the shock tactics which characterised their meeting with Celtic a week ago. Tho conditions under which the game was played were, in fact, entirely different, tho day being wet and the, game proceeding through an unchecked though comparatively light fall of rain which soaked the field and the ball, and made the leather very diilieult to handle successfully. It was actually the first match of the season under these conditions, and previous form of the two teams was nothing to go by on this occasion.

The public, naturally noted the absence of any strong rivalry between the teams, and the success of Old Boys was greeted with general satisfaction. Few among the spectators, even those who normally support the Celtic learn, •would have liked to see the championship decided without a further meeting between the leaders of tho competition. In the early stages, before the ball became greasy, Old boys carried tho game to their opponents consistently, ami it was not long before they secured the lead, Smellie making a successful dive for tho line to end a tusslo within a few yards of tho Y.M.P. goal area. The kick was unsuccessful, and the score stood Old Boys throe, Y.M.P. nil.

Onifo llic rain set in solidly, it was decided to piny the game through without an interval, the teams simply (‘hanging round and proceeding with play, there being no change in the score until well on towards the finish. At this stage Old Boys were going fairly well, and the Maoris felt the challenge, rising to it with a real burst of speed and dash. Maynard was seen in three or four hard runs which gained ground for his side, and eventually he got the ball from a linoout within a few yards of the lefthand corner Hag, and drove through the Old Boys’ defence to score a sound try. Dennis took the kick, and failed to add the extra points.—Old Boys three, Y.M.P. three. Old Boys attacked again, and drove back their opponents, who settled down to hold their own .against the series of attacks. Two or three times their line appeared to be.in danger, but it was not until Old Boys’ backs got the ball away from a scrum and sent it out to Bead, on the left wing, that real uteion ensued. Bead sidestepped his opposite number, ami put in a good run. with only Brown, the Y.M.P. fullback, to beat. Brown made a good effort to stop him, but was beaten by the slippery footing, and Read went over to touch down behind the goal, Campbell making no mistake with the kick this time.—Old Boys eight, Y.M.P. three. The game settled down again to a care-free exposition of passing with the greasy ball, and both sides missed good chances to improve their postion. Old Boys’ forwards got going at last in a passing bout which ended when G. McConnell took the last pass in the series and went over for an unconverted try.

Still another try was added just on the call of time, 11. Spence being the scorer, and his chance also developing from forward play a short distance from the Y.M.P. line. Neither of the last two tries was converted, and the game ended Old Boys 14, Y.M.P. three. Mr. L. R. Sticlfbury was the referee.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS SENIOR DIVISION A play-off between Celtic, and Old Boys will bo necessary in the senior division of the Poverty Bay Rugby Union’s competition series as a result of Old Boys’ win over Y.M.P. on Saturday afternoon, this bringing them level with Celtic with 24 points. 11.5.0.8. failed to field a team against Celtic and gave them two points. On account of the withdrawal during the last round of the Marist team and the playing of the two Old Boys-Y.M.P. games in one match, one series of games in the competition was avoided and the championship table, including these forfeited mutches, is as follows : Points Clip.

GISBORNE MARIST WIN HAWKE’S BAY CURTAINRAISER Greasy conditions prevailed in Napier for the junior curtain-raiser between Gisborne Marist and the Napier Marist Brothers’ Old Boys, .which-was staged before the playing on Saturday afternoon of the Australia-Hawke’s Bay fixture, and the Gisborne side won by eight points to four. Both teams kept the ball moving and the pace was good, the back divisions handling the greasy ball in fine style. There was little between the packs, but the Gisborne side was slightly superior in (lie back division, and this gave them their narrow-margin victory. For the visiting, team Morgan and Hayes scored tries, one of Which was converted by Presland, and for M. 8.0.8. Brown notched a field goal.

Team 1' W Ij 1) l'or ag. pis. Celtic 15 12 .3 0 .204 76 24 Old Hoys ... 15 11 2 2 130 98 24 Y.M.IC 15 9 5 1 170 102 19 Mai'ist 15 6 8 1 107 139 13 II.8.O.B. ... 14 4 10 0 110 149 8