SATURDAY’S RUGBY

Southland Times, Issue 20208, 20 June 1927, Page 4

SATURDAY’S RUGBY

Star Defeats Pirates

A WELL-EARNED VICTORY

Blues Too Good for Southern

There were many who went to Rugby i Park on Saturday expecting to find the grounds in a very muddy state after the hail and sleet the night before. Their fears were not realised, for the surface although heavy was surprisingly firm compared with I the sodden condition of the streets and footj paths, and at no time did the ball become i greasy. Though fog threatened for a short ' time half way through the games it drifted I away, and bright sunshine made it pleasant for spectators. It was obvious from the tone of the huge crowd in the stand that feeling was running high concerning the Star-Pirate match, and the game did not tend at any time to diminish the excitement but rather to increase it. Not that the football was really first-class or anything like it, but there were plenty of thrills and incidents. The better team undoubtedly won. The match on No. 2 ground resulted in a runaway victory for Invercargill, a weak Southern side failing to hold a faster and fitter team who threw the ball about freely. CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS. The following table shows the position I of the teams in the Galbraith Shield competition : Points Cham. Team M.P. W. L. For Agn. Pts Pirates ... 7 6 1 184 42 12 Star .... 7 5 2 102 64 10 Invercargill 7 3 4 104 104 6 Southern .. 7 1 6 62 173 2 Marist* ... 4 1 3 27 96 2 *Marist withdrew at the conclusion of the first round. STAR (6) v PIRATES (3). That Star would put up a great fight against Pirates was generally expected; but there were few who counted on the Blacks being beaten back and forward. Yet this was what occurred. Despite the fact that the Pirate forwards were heavier and faster and the backs also much faster ’ than Star, the latter team had the better of j it front and rear, tight and loose; and deserved to win by a greater margin than i three points. , When the teams left the field at half- | time the score was three all, but territorially 1 honours easily rested with Star. For the first 20 minutes of the second spell Pirates flattered their supporters, but Star came at ; it again and never looked like losing, al- ' though Pirates had a slight territorial ad- • vantage. The pace was a cracker but neither | side asked for quarter until all their energy ! was dissipated in the strain of battle. The movement that gave Star victory started i shakily but thanks to Bell's coming round ' again its conclusion was excellent. In the last few minutes Pirates made a bold bid i to equalise but Fate was just enough not j to rob Star of a well-earned victory. 1 The teams that took the field were:— Pirates (Black): Mills; Calder, Diack, Geddes; Pickering, Pay; J. Johnson; Roberts, ■ Tinnock; Hazlett, Cockroft, Batcheler; ■ Archer, R. McKay; Bird. i Star (Blue and White) : Campbell; D. Murray, McAuliffe, R. Oughton; G. Oughton, Bell; Connolly; J. Murray, D. Clark; Shaw, Cockroft, Padget, Hennessy, Lilley; | Mahoney. j Diack won the toss and gave Star the ! sun to look into in the first spell. No time was lost in preliminaries, and from the first few scrums the ball was hooked clearly by Star and Connolly set his backs going, but I they were not acclimatised to the heavy ! ground and mishandled. Then Pirates ! had a turn at passing but it was of the i stand and deliver variety and lost ground, i The Blacks looked dangerous when Geddes | followed up a high kick and the ball bounc- ' ed off his chest for Diack to speculate to near the Star line. The Whites relieved by a loose forward rush from which Pay picked up and waltzed through five or six Star men before he was grassed. There was some scrumming with honours to Star, whose forwards also figured in some slashing loose rushes that the Pirate backs would not go I down to. Twice Diack shirked the unpleasi ant task and his confreres followed his ex- | ample. Consequently the Whites threatened I danger on many occasions, and had it not i been for Pay and Mills the ice would have been broken earlier. After some good footwork by Lilley, Mahoney and Clark cheers I broke from the ranks of the Star supporters | as Murray was seen to run across on the blind side. It was a false alarm, however, I for the fine-umpire’s flag was up, and PirI ates had a respite. Play swung back for a i few minutes but Shaw dribbled to near the I Black line. A Pirate back tried to save by going down on the ball but he was rolled off it and Clark picked up to score wide out. Lilley’s kick was a good one but failed to enhance the score. —Star 3, Pirates 0 — The Blacks, realising that their defence was wretched, tried the policy of making offence instead, but the backs were always standing to receive their passes and Star smothered them and carried on the attack themselves. Connolly continued to send out excellent passes which were I not received as often as they should have I been. Pirate hookers were getting the ball I occasionally now, but it hung in the rear ' rank. Excitement ran high when Murray’s grubber went over the line and Star swoop- ' ed down. Mills and Calder extricated the i Blacks in the nick of time. Geddes should ' have marked a high kick by McAuliffe. InI stead he handed the ball to a Black stand--1 ing off-side and Jack Lilley had a chance j from well out. An excellent kick struck I the upright and rebounded into play. Pir- '■ ates cleared. Then came the first good piece of Black passing. The ball travelled I out to Diack who drew the Star wing but I foolishly crowded Geddes and a great | chance was lost. A clever tackle’by Oughj ton when following up fast brought Star near the Black line and Murray had a pot I that went near the posts. Archer’s knee gave i out about this time and Johnston came on at wing-forward. Bird went into the pack where he proceeded to play like a man inspired. Good play by Mills was followed by a slashing break by Mahoney who was temporarily incapacitated in the process. Play was right on the Pirate line and they were forced to force when the forwards ’ hooked in a critical scrum. The 1 Blacks i seemed to realise that they were being out- , played and to save their prestige, infused more life into their play. After clever marks i by Pay and Joe Johnson, Hazlett, who was playing magnificently, bustled Campbell but • Bell saved brilliantly. Lilley gained ground with some clever marks on the line-out but the Blacks came at it again. Neat passing gave Geddes the ball and he made a gallant bid for the line and had thg satisfaction of seeing Rat Johnston finish the 1 movement with a try at the corner. Diack’s good kick just went wide. —Star 3, Pirates 3 SECOND SPELL. During the interval fog drifted across the ground and spectators grew afraid that much of the game would be missed. Fortunately it vanished after ten minutes. Pirates, well aware that territorially the first spell had been all Star’s, did their best for the first twenty minutes to keep

the Whites defending. The Black hooking was belter and Johnston, Batcheler and Hazlett gained ground with loose rushes that were not. supported as were the sorties by Shaw, Padget and Co. Moreover Star backs were going down to rushes or relieving with good footwork while Pirates’ backs seemed to wish to keep away from the ball. Hazlett was prominent first in an amusing melee in front of the stand; then in a run to the full-back in which he was not properly supported. Play grew very lively. Mahoney emulated Hazlett, and Guy Oughton got the Blacks on the wrong foot by changing his direction, and Pirates were relieved with a force down. An exhibition of Soccer worthy of the Canadians followed till from in front of the stand Connolly and Murray in a thrilling passing duet went right from half-way to the line. Connolly was running across for a try when the referee’s whistle announced an infringement. The free kick to Blacks informed spectators that the Star half was offside when he took the last pass. Mill came to light with a good save and enhanced Iris good work when he cleverly started passing. The Oughtons and Murray fooled Pirate backs badly, and also found gaps with short kicks. Star passing went leisurely out to the left wing. With a man marking Oughton a try seemed unlikely, but Bell came round again and streaked for the line. A Black back tapped his heels, Wampy nearly fell, recovered, and went across for a great try amidst cheering. Lilley’s kick scarcely rose. —Star 6, Pirates 3 Star continued to have the better of it. Padget and G. Oughton showed good footwork and McAuliffe’s anticipation brought him into the limelight for a change. Just before time Hazlett and Batcheler revived Pirate hopes, the latter nearly crossing, but Star cleared with a line-kick and the whistle blew with the score——Star 6, Pirates 3 Mr E. Kelly was referee. BLUES (30) v. SOUTHERN (0). Thirty points by tries and conversions were put up by Invercargill against Southern on No. 2 area in a match which was generally bright and sparkling. Little interest, however, was displayed in the fixture the clash on No. 1 area attracting practically all the patrons at the Park. Blues had a superior back division which outpaced the opposition, whilst they also triumphed in the forwards though not quite so definitely. With characteristic vigour the Light Blue stalwarts maintained a lively opposition to the end and fought as gamely in the closing stages as they did in the earlier portion. The teams were: Invercargill (Black and Blue)—Cheyne; Wills, McKay, Manson; Norris, Ottrey; C. Johnston; C. Mills, Todd; Dennis, Southern, Cummings; Mathieson, Smith; Burnett. Southern (Light Blue).—Cavanagh; Hughes, McFadgen, B. McEwan; Morgan, Brown, Wood; Patterson, Mannix; Burtenshaw, McCallum, Blair; J. McEwan, Lilley; McNeile. Southern kicked off against a strong sun and had gained ground when the Blue inside backs came through. Johnston and Manson combined from a line-out but for a while activities centred indefinitely. The Blue backs again handled as far as McKay but a fumbling pass nullified and once more the game tightened in midfield. With good support from the inside backs the Blue forwards gradually encroached on the Southern area Johnston sending a diagonal kick to the corner for Hughes to return. A free to Invercargill on the 25 was sent to the side by Mills, Southern forcing. A speculator up the side was just gathered by Cheyne on the 25 and then Johnstone had come through a line-out ruck and later gathered, to send Ottrey and Norris down the centre. The movement was continued by the forwards to well within the 25 and Ottrey receiving from Johnston from a ruck went through for the first try. Mills converted. —lnvercargill 5; Southern o. Invercargill backs predominated and the forwards maintained a steady pressure on the Southern 25 despite Cavanagh’s effort from a free. Then Johnston sent the ball out, orris receiving from Ottrey and sprinting out well to hand on to-Manson who gave to Wills, as the latter came uo behind. He grounded in the corner. Mills failed to convert. —lnvercargill 8; Southern o. Blair sent a free out inside Blues 1 25 and the Light Blue forwards made strenuous efforts till a force down sent them back. Another force down followed immediately from a grounder sent from the 25. Southern held the Blue forces on their 25 but high kicking resulted in advantage to the defenders. Wills came right across, despatching to McKay, who had Manson in close attendance, but Cavanagh marked McKay’s punt in good style. Blues maintained the attack and gained the corner with Norris snapping up to pass to McKay for a try well out. McKay failed. —lnvercargill 11; Southern o. Right after Southern led the Blue forwards back in an open invasion and Burnett, following over, scored easily. Mills converted. —lnvercargill 16; Southern o. Morgan made a 30 yard sprint and had gained the Blue quarter when he passed. The advantage was maintained until Invercargill forced. Southern held the opposing forces in check and for a long time were having the best of a game fought in Invercargill territory. A free by Morgan established a position on the Blue 25 but the advantage had been lost when another infringement stayed the defenders. Hughes marked but his kick fell advantageously to the Blue backs who were able to get down into the Southern half. Successive frees to the Light Blues failed to get them anywhere and Invercargill was attacking strongly when the half-time whistle sounded. Ottrey intercepted a pass in midfield and going up booted low, Southern having to force immediately. Invercargill pressed, Cheyne taking a high kick to send Ottrey and Norris up from half-way. Norris punted along and a race for possession against Hughes saw Manson score away back. The kick failed. —lnvercargill 19; Southern o. Activities had bunched inside the Southern 25 with Mills tapping the ball clear for Wills to pick up and sprint away unchallenged for the posts. Mills goaled. —lnvercargill 24; Southern o. The Invercargill backs were doing all the work at this period and kept hammering away in close proximity. Eventually their combination won through and 'Wills was sent across to score handily at the end of a good concerted effort. Mills failed. —lnvercargill 27; Southern o.

For twenty minutes the game swung up and down between the quarters, with Southern defending well and at times turning to the attack. McKay securing at half-way in a loose rush set out on a 50 yards sprint to score well out. He failed with the kick. —lnvercargill 30; Southern o. The game ended a few minutes later with Blues still in a good attacking position, and the score: —lnvercargill 30; Southern 0— Mr. F. Daubney was the referee. SECOND GRADE. MARIST (8) v. PIRATES (7). On the No. 1 Biggar street ground Pirates and Marist met, the game resulting in a very even contest, Marist prevailing over Pirates by one point. Pirates scored first with an unconverted try and shortly afterwards Marist scored, the kick succeeding. Both teams worked hard, but the greasy ground militated against good work in the scrums and reduced fast open play to a minimum. During the second spell Marist added an unconverted try to their score, while shortly afterwards, from a bunch in front of Marists’ goal Pirates potted a neat goal. The game ended with Pirates attacking strongly on the Marist line. Mr A. H. Stott was referee. INVERCARGILL (2) v. WAIKIWI (3). A close and interesting game was witnessed on the Waikiwi grounds when the home team was defeated by Invercargill by three points. THIRD GRADE. SOUTHERN (12) v. PIRATES (6). Pirates met Southern on the latter’s ground and were defeated by 12 points to six. The match was even throughout, but the packing of the Southern vanguard was superior to Pirates. Mr W. Swale was referee. FRIENDLY MATCH PLAYED. High School A team, who had a bye on Saturday, played a friendly game with a team at the Borstal. High School proved the victors after a very interesting game. Watts, Tuck and Murray scored for High School. Hamilton converted one try. After the match the school team was entertained to afternoon tea and shown round the institution. MARIST (35) v. HIGH SCHOOL (0). Marist met and defeated High School on the latter’s ground by 35 points. MATCH DEFAULTED. Invercargill won by default from Technical College. FOURTH GRADE. SOUTHERN (24) v. WAIKIWI (0). On Queen’s Park Southern defeated Waikiwi by 24 points after a ragged game, Smith, Clark and Norton played well for Waikiwi and O. Macfarlane and Minnie for Southern. Mr Burton refereed. HIGH SCHOOL (11) v. TECHNICAL (8). At the High School grounds the home side met and defeated Technical, after a close and interesting game, by three points. PRIMARY SCHOOL MATCHES. GRADE I. (Tuesday, June 21, at 3.30 p.m.) North v. South, Eastern Reserve. Middle v. Marist, Tweed street. St. George v. High A, High School Grounds. Waihopai v. High B, Park School. GRADE 11. (Friday, June 24, at 3.30 p.m.) Marist v. Waikiwi, Park School. Middle v. South, Eastern Reserve. High v. St. George, Tweed street. GRADE 111. (June 24, at 2.45 p.m.) Middle v. Marist, Biggar street. St. George v. Waihopai, Tweed street. North v. South, Eastern Reserve. IN OTHER CENTRES. WELLINGTON. Saturday’s senior Rugby matches were played in driving rain and freezing cold. Athletic (6) beat Old Boys (3). Wellington and Marist A drew, (3 all). ’Varsity (14) beat Oriental (6). Petone (6) beat Poneke (0). Berhampore (14) beat Hutt (3). CHRISTCHURCH. The football grounds were all very wet and heavy on Saturday. Old Boys 12 beat ’Varsity 9. Christchurch 43 beat Technical 13. Merivale 6 beat Linwood 5. DUNEDIN. Kaikorai 17, University A 15. Southern 20, Dunedin nil. Alhambra 18, Union nil. Zingari 10, University B 8. Pirates 23, Taieri 3. HOROWHENUA DEFEATS MANAWATU. (Per United Press Association.) Levin, June 18. The first representative match of the season played at Shannon to-day between Manawatu and Horowhenua was won by Horowhenua by 16 to 14 after a fast and exciting game. Manawatu were unlucky to lose. Their backs accepted every opportunity, but the Horowhenua forwards were easily superior in the tight work. The winners’ score was comprised of two converted tries and two fine penalties kicked by Jacob. Manawatu scored three tries, converting one and securing one penalty. AUCKLAND DEFEATS THAMES. Auckland, June 19. In the first representative match of the season, Auckland easily defeated Thames by 47 points to 3. The Auckland team played bright spectacular football and was superior in all departments. Lucas, Berridge and Badeley were outstanding in the Auckland rearguard, while Righton, Keene and Finlayson showed out in the forward line. Berridge, a last year junior player, showed great promise. It was his first game in representative football and his play was well above that standard. Lomas, an All Black, was the outstanding player among the visitors, whose backs badly lacked combination. For Auckland, Lucas (3), Badeley (2), Sheen, Finlayson, Ruru, Righton and Berridge scored tries. Berridge converted seven tries and kicked a penalty goal. Winder kicked a penalty for the visitors. The game was played in ideal weather befor 7,000 spectators.