FIRST-CLASS BACKS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19667, 27 June 1938, Page 11

FIRST-CLASS BACKS

OLD BOYS SUPERIOR H. 5.0.8. DOWNED AGAIN LATE EFFORT CHECKED Old Boys 12 points, H. 5.0.8. 8 points. The possession of a first-class back division was exploited to the fullest advantage by Old Boys seniors in their match with H. 5.0.8. on the grandstand ground on Saturday, and H.S.OJ3. went down ta defeat again by a margin of four points. The erstwhile competition leaders put up a fine effort over the last quarter of the game, and it seemed possible at one time that they would repeat the exploits of the first round games, in three of which they were behind early, but finished in front.

Club matches have seldom produced such fine tackling as was segn during the second half of the Old BoysH. 5.0.8. match. There were times when the ball was passing rapidly from hand to hand, a fraction of a second ahead of the tackles which brought the passers down. Sustained bouts of fast and spectacular play featured the game as a whole, and the well-balanced winners should present a difficult proposition to any of their rivals as long as they keep the form they displayed on Saturday. Two Players Injured

The leading Old Boys’ players were injured in this match, A. Campbell leaving the field first with a wrenched shoulder, and A. Read coming off later with a bad knee. Campbell was able to resume again, however, and his team-mate likewise was ready to go on in the last few minutes.

For the winning team, Campbell, Spence. Aitken and Twigg played sound forward games, and of the backs Littler, Haisman, Sharp, and Read were in great form, developing fine combination. Hale was also sound, doing good work on his wing, and Short made some good runs on the other ride. In the H. 5.0.8. pack, McGuffie, T. Poki, J. Leech and Waide were all prominent, with Corstorphine doing a lot of good following-up. Morrison was enterprising at half J back, but the inside backs behind him were not up to the standard of their opponents, though they worked hard and in the late stages put on a good display. Morley gave a good account of himself al fullback.

Old Boys Gain Early Lead

The firkt five minutes of play saw H. 5.0.8. attacking consistently, their opponents seeking relief by line-kick-ing, and taking some time to settle down. Once they got going however, Old Boys quickly transferred play to the other end of the field, and from a scrum near the H. 5.0.8. 25-yard line they developed a smart back movement. From Littler the ball travelled to Haisman, Sharp, Read and Short in turn, the left-winger getting it with room to spare, and reaching the goalline just as he was tackled. Thera was no conversion.. Old Boys three, HjS.O.B. nil.

The ex-students made another excursion into Old Boys’ territory, and for a time looked like scoring, especially when V. Kutia made a great break from the line-out and bolted across the goal-line. He was called back Cor a scrum, and Old Boys took command again, sweeping downfield, with A. Read doing some good running. On the H. 5.0.8. 25-yard line once again they were conceded a penalty kick, and Campbell piloted the ball nicely over the bar.—Old Boys six, H. 5.0.8. nil.

There was no change in the score before the change-over Fine Play Rewarded

A classy bit of work among the Old Boys’ backs early in the second half put their opponents .further in arrears, the ball coming out from a line-out through the hands of Littler, Haisman and Sharp to Read, and the latter sidestepping Grant’s effort to tackle. Cut-ting-in, the Old Boys’ centre found himself’ with an open run to the line, and though tackled at the last moment by Morley, his momentum carried him over for his try. The kick failed.Old Boys nine, H. 5.0.8. nil. An attack starting in the same way. but varied in execution, added furthei to Old Boys’ score a minute later, when two of the H. 5.0.8. defenders concentrated on Read and gave Hale a chance for a scoring run. Again tno kick missed, but Old Boys looked safe winners with a lead of 12-n'il. Things took a different complexion when, from a scrum 15 yards out from the Old Boys’ goal-line, W. Morrison got the ball behind the H. 5.0.8. pacx and ran straight through the Old Boys defence for a clean-cut try, Leach adding the extra points with a short, easy The ex-students’ position was further improved a few minutes later, when

their backs got the ball and developed a solid passing bout, which they maintained despite desperate efforts on the part of Old Boys to check them, the rush ending with Smith a scorer, well out towards the corner-flag. It was a fine piece of work, and we l l deserved the success that attended it. The try was not converted, but H. 5.0.8. were now in touch with their opponents’ score, and the concluding stages of the game were full of pace and determined tackling on the part of both teams. There was no further change of score, and Old Boys finished the winners by 12 points to eight. Mr. K. R. Waite was the referee.