SENIOR RUGBY COMPETITION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 237, 8 May 1933, Page 2

SENIOR RUGBY COMPETITION

Stratford’s Sweeping Success • * TUKAPA’S WIN OVER L CLIFTON Okaiawa Again Defeated The Stratford team swept to victory on Saturday in its first competition match If the season. Old Boys were defeated"'by 29 points to 8 in a ! bright game at Victoria Park, Strathaving played and won their first game in the dashing style that has won forghem many supporters. ", . ’Tukapa aifcl Clifton, the two unbeaten teams'; played a hard game at Waitara, victory going to the New !| Plymouth team by 11 points to 7. At New Plymouth Star backs proved too speedy for TfMewood, scoring a win by 24 points td S. i In the Southern Division Okaiawa, last year’s^.champion, suffered its sec ond defeat, 6 jtunake gaining the honours by 6 to .nil. Eltham. which put up a good fight to be defeated by Patea by 12 to 8, and Okaiawa are the Kopiy South Taranaki teams not to ; have gained a championship point. EWaimate, which comfortably defeated H# vrera by 22. to nil, is now level in the lead with Kaponga also ! sjcu’red its first victory, defeating Empire Old Boys by 12 to 8, The matches wore played fin fine ; (ii but cold and dull weather, the grounds being heavy after the recent rains. Results at a glance arc: Cl.’ Northern Division Tukapa 11 y. Clifton 7. * Star 24 v. Inglewood G. ■ Stratford 29 v. Old Boys 8. B|f ■ A I' " ' . Southern Division Waimate 22 v. Haw era 0. ' Opunake 6 v. Okiawa 0. 5- Patea 12 v. Eltham 8. y Kaponga 12 v. Old Boys 8. CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE ; POSITION OP THE TEAMS North Senior Competition

The Stratford-Old Boys game was : packed with -those incidents and fast ’JS&hvements that give thrills to even | the most seasoned fan. Although there were the unavoidable pieces of play i itMt was of advantage to neither ‘ ■ tfcam the match could be said to be 1 devoid of dull moments. Stratford scored six tries (two converted), a field goal and a penalty goal, 29, to a . converted try and a penalty goal, 8. , As is invariably the case the Stratford I forwards Were a hard and fast pack ‘ and “on the ball’’ was their play. The i backs, too, were an enterprising lot - and their exhibitions, when they got ■ the hall, were executed with precision, k Haughton, 'Stratford’s centre, broke ■a finger half-way through the second ; spell, but stayed on the field till the end. The tenths were: P, Stratford. —P. Collins; Grace, p Haughton, . Taylor; G. Songster, C. i gangster; Wellington; Butcher, Smith, r Trotter, Pastier, R. Young, J. Young, i Robson, Hinton, ' # Old Boys,—H. Olson; Ford, Rutheri lord, Medley; K. Pookes. B. Mace; S. Clifford-Jones; J. Blakeney, Allhuson, ; . g. Pookes, J.i Mace, C. Evans, J. InI sull, McLean, Luxton. P Wjthln the first few minutes, Strat- • ford had scored. The forwards pot into >. action immediately the whistle blew ' and their efforts were -rewarded when ! Smith picked up just inside half-way |f and passed to Butcher, whose short ' run and perfect pass to Taylor, who . had run up on the outside, enabled • Taylor to throw himself across at the E—cornep. FaAtier’s kick failed. Qld Boys • -retaliated with several back attacks which were rapidly broken up and } never reached further than Stratford’s «f 25 line. Breaking through from a linens out the Stratford forwards were Efetentmed on Old Boys’ 25, but a short Endearing punt was taken by Grace, threw, into the centre. Trotter the ball to break away and Mfißass to G. Sangster, who scored by jwMhe posts. C. Sangster converted. Old iHEoys dispatched the backs again but il l forward pass spoilt the movement II (nd Stratford carried play with a rush I mi to Old Boys’ 25, where J. Young I fent Trotter over the line. C. Sang- | fter again goaled. A scrum near the I |!d Boys’ line saw G. Sangster waitI ®g expectantly. Out came the ball, I Wellington passed it to him and in a | ifesh he potted a snappy goal. Then a I tlrie-ou't in Old Boys’ 25 degenerated I #to a midfield melee from which WelI ligton shot the ball to Haughton, who I j|nt Grace over in the corner. C. I Sangster failed from a bad angle, but '■fttratford were 20 points up at halfMSne. T t The Second Spell IHlpld Boys’ backs swung into action wn- the commencement of the second 'Kfiell. A scrum in midfield was the Mfcßginning of a brilliant hack xnovc»rlent. The ball passed down the rearffigjdard with precision and swung back ■a|aiit to S. B’ookes, who scored be- | ■ape the posts. Rutherford’s kick was ■jferfect. So was his next one—-a free «d|. C. Sangster was equally successrlcick. This success was soon countcrfkj from a kick in a similar position. CHd Boys endeavoured again to get llider way but the Stratford backs reiMtlessly broke up the attacks and ifc was no uncommon sight to see anyup to a dozen players floored at ft time. Grace received a kick in the back and had to go off. Trotter was brought out to the wing and Faulkner I Replaced him* in the forwards. The |§ame had been played through at a , slashing pace, and it began to tell on if both teams, but the play by no means lagged and was still full of interest and tense moments. It was too tense

for Old Boys. Hinton rushed Olson befoi’e he could clear. Robson picked up the ball and threw it out to Haughton, who tore over the line in a flying leap. C. Sangster missed with the kick. Stratford came to life again in first-spell style and when a scrum broke up in the Old Boys’ 25 Robson bullocked his way through a scramble to touch down. Pasticr’s kick failed and the game ended: Stratford 29 Old Boys .. 8 Mr. A. R. Harrison was referee. MATCHES IN OTHER CENTRES Rugby results from, other centres reported by the Press Association were: Auckland.—Grafton 17 v. Grammar 11; College Rifles 11 v. Technical Old Boys 6; University 12 v. Manukau 0; Marist 6 v. Training College 0; Ponsonby 8 v. Otahuhu 8. The surprise of the series was the defeat of the strong Grammar side by Grafton. Wellington.—-Senior A, first division: Eastbourne 23 v. Poncke 20; Petone 9 v. Hutt 3; Wellington College Old Boys 9 v. Wellington 0; Athletic IS v. Marist 8. Second division: University 3 v. Oriental 3; Johnsonville 12 v. Miramar 5; Melrose 11 v. Berhampore 0; St. Patrick’s Old Boys 27 v. Upper Hutt 6. A feature of the match between Eastbourne and Poncko was the performance of Fuller, who scored 20 of Eastbourne’s 23 points. He scored and converted three tries, kicked a penalty and converted Hamilton’s winning try two minutes before time. Christchurch. —Old Boys 8 v. Merivalc 5; Sydenham 31 v. Albion 5; Christchurch 19 v. Athletic G; Linwood 19 v. Varsity 11. Matches were played in cool weather with grounds in good order after heavy rain during the night. At last playing fields are in a condition for winter games after the long drought. Wairarapa.—Red Star 14, Dalcfield 14; Greytown 6, Old Boys 6; Gladstone 19, Masterton G; Pcatherston 9, Martinborough 3. Dunedin.—University A 28, Kaikorai 3; Pirates 44, Union 0; Southern 12, Zingari 0; Alhambra 3, Taieri 3; Varsity B 8, Dunedin 5.

P. W. D. L. Points Ch. forAg.pts. Star . . . 2 2 — — 30 9 4 Tokapa . . 2 2 — — . 20 10 4 Stratford . 1 1 — — 29 8 2 Clifton . . 2 1 — 1 15 11 2 Celtic . . . 1 — — 1 3 6 0 Inglewood . 2 —' — 2 6 32 0 Old Boys . 2 — — 2 11 38 .0 i Southern Division Senior Waimate .22 0 0 31 6 A Opunake . 2 2 0 0 23 3 4 f. ■ Patea . & f Kaponga *2 1 1 0 15 11 3 2 1 0 1 18 14 2 If,', ' . 2 1 . 0 1 13 22 2 Old:? Boys . 2 0 1 1 8 15 1 Kltham 2 0 0 2 11 29 0 , Okaiawa . '2 0 0 2 0 19 0 • te j Okaiawa . O Junior 2 0 0 81 7 4 Kaponga . 2 2 0 0 19 5 4 Haw era 2 1 0 1 , 30 47 2 ■•—•Patea . . 1 0 1 0 6 6 1 ||!01d Boys . 2 0 1 1 11 12 1 •—•'Waimate . 2 0 0 2 6 36 0 Ararata . 1 0 0 1 0 40 0