RUGBY FOOTBALL IN THE WAIKATO HAMILTON NOTES AND NEWS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 101, 20 July 1927, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL IN THE WAIKATO

HAMILTON NOTES AND NEWS

City and Old Boys are level in the Rugby championships of Hamilton, and the issue of the Sage Memorial Cup will once more be between these clubs.

City met its old rivals, Frankton, on Saturday under good playing conditions. It was a game of quick changing phases, but City was always just a shade the best of it, and ran out winners by 21-13.

Bad goal-kicking and mediocre back play settled any prospects that Frankton had of putting it over the maroons for the second time this Rugby term. City seized on most of its chances and got ten points out of two very soft tries, which were converted.

The Frankton forwards were very dashing, particularly in the loose, but they were worked to death through the unreliability of the backs. City forwards held their own in the scrums, while they were good also in the close work. They had weight at their call and used it to advantage. OBSTRUCTIONISTS

Referee Brydon called City up time and again for obstruction tactics. Most of the offenders appear to act so unwittingly, but. the penalty is the only cure.

McGregor was the “live wire” of the winning backs. The first five-eighth left the opposition standing several times by his straight running. Arthur Buckingham, the half-back, opened up the game in something like his old style. He offended more than once by obstruction. His brother, Frank, who was in an unaccustomed position as second fiveeighth, filled the gap well. He has pace. Brown, the centre, has improved greatly since last year. He scored two tries in this game. The first was a very simple one, although Brown jinked nicely. He has a lot of pace but his defence is not too reliable as yet. .. “Bluey” Clemett was nippy on the wing. There is plenty of dash about this player. He displayed brains by swinging across the back of the 1 uck and opening up play to the opposite wing. The movement produced a score. Hayward, on the other wing, is a junior player. He shows plenty of the requisite dash. “Rocky” Going, City’s fullback, had his good and bad period. Some of the Frankton rushes had him thinking. Going was in goal-kicking form. Mansill. and Courtney, two Waikato reps, hooked with some success on Saturday. Courtney is to be lock m the rep scrum next Saturday. He often leads rushes and is a hard worker but has a penchant for “getting in front.” Con Christies locked the City scrum. It was his first game and condition was lacking. , _ . _ .. Montgomery toiled hard, using his height and reach to advantage. FOOTBALI-ER AND OARSMAN

While Harold Johnston roved well for City, he was completely °Y e *~ shadowed by his vis-a-vis, Wylie Bayly. The Frankton man towered head and shoulders above any forward on the ground. He did the work of three men, often going right away on his own. If he keeps his form up Bayly, who is a champion oarsman, must come in for more important consideration. He will oppose the Auckland rover on Saturday, and “we shall scrum was handicapped through Hooper’s absence. Still Scott and Stewart, the latter a junior, got a good share of the leather in the second half. Scott is a great toiler for his weight and inches. Ardern was another good worker in the Frankton pack. Snodgrass, while he played well, did not have the usual nip behind the pack. . , ~ Morrison, the first five-eighth, was frequently found wanting. It was his worst game of the season, and McGregor, opposite, went through the gap time and again. Stitchbury, the ex-Auckland club man, was fair, but he too made errors. Sterritt took the first half at centre. He was replaced by Smith in the second spell, the latter being the better, but that does not say much. Dalbeth and McCormick were not prominent as wing-threequarters The latter would do better as a forward. “Bub.” a Hamilton and Waikato representative fullback and a good man in his day, came out of retirement to assist Frankton, but his best days have gone '■and he often let his side into trouble. The forwards paid the penalty.

NGARUAWAHIA’S PLUCKY FIGHT Old Boys beat Ngaruawahia by 17 —3 on Saturday, but they did not have the better of the game to the margin shown. The home fifteen often had them sorely pressed, but lacked the finish to drive their attacks home. Tuck played a dashing game at halfback for Old Boys. He will fill that post for Waikato. Fitzgerald, the Old Boys first fiveeighth, who is also to act in that post for Waikato against Auckland, was not so sparkling as usual, but he had won through solid games on preceding weeks against Cambridge and Thames Dick Kemp was well on his game on Saturday. The Old Boys and Hamilton centre will act in a similar capacity for Waikato.

Badeley’s goal-kicking was “off” for once on Saturday. He missed some easy shots against Ngaruawahia. Many are'inquiring why the ex-Aucklander is not the custodian for Saturday’s big game. Still Stan Thomas, of Morrinsville, who will be full-back against Auckland, has proved capable in big football. Badeley has It on him in line-finding, but Thomas’s defence is more reliable.

While playing for Old Boys against Ngaruawahia at Ngaruawahia on Saturday, Lindsay Johnstone, a forward, had one of his legs broken. The accident occurred toward the close of the game. Johnstone was the lock man in the Hamilton representative team against Cambridge and Thames. Next Saturday a Hamilton representative team will play Pukekohe at Pukekohe.