JUNIOR RUGBY OPENS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 May 1930, Page 10

JUNIOR RUGBY OPENS

PLAY IN CENTRAL DIVISION good standard exhibited. STRATFORD, TOKO AND TARIKI. The first junior and third grade Rugby football competitions were commenced in the central division yesterday in dull but fine weather. Big scores were the order of the day and most matches were won by large margins. Results are:— First Junior. Stratford 19 v. Celtic 14. Toko 44 v. Eltham 0. Tariki 5 y. Midhirst 0. Third Grade. Inglewood 34 v. Celtic 0. School 19 v. Midhirst 3. Stratford 54 v. Eltham 3. Primary Schools. . Stratford Primary B 11 v. Midhirst 5. STRATFORD DEFEATS CELTIC. FAST GAME AT VICTORIA PARK. The vicissitudes of football .were apparent at Victoria Park yesterday when Stratford first juniors defeated Celtic by 19 to 14. In the first half Stratford assumed the offensive, scored four tries, seemingly having the game all its own way, and was ahead by 16 to 3 at half-time. Then Celtic dominated the game for some time before Stratford began to take a share. Though not brilliant the match was fast and interesting and if it is a criterion of the standard of junior football this season the competition may be an improvement upon the rather poor standard of last year.

Stratford commenced hostilities and sundry scrambles enabled the team to work gradually into the Celtic twentyfive. Rudings obtained possession and headed for the goal line, where he ran into a bunch of Celtic forwards. The Stratford pack pushed into the fray and during the melee on the line L. Collins scored. B. Collins converted. The Stratford forwards assumed aggressive tactics that ended in a scramble whence Blackmore scored at the goal. B. Collins’ kick missed. Somewhat similar manoeuvres adopted by Stratford again enabled Young to score. B. Collins added the major points. Barely three minutes elapsed before a Stratford back movement enabled Rudings to register a try. Collins failed to goal. Celtic, by means of shrewdly executed rushes, took the operations into Stratford territory, where a promising forward movement was halted whefi Stratford infringed. Jones kicked a penalty goal for Celtic from an awkward position, making the score at half-time 16—3 in Stratford’s favour.

The opening of the second half indicated more participation in. the scoring by Celtic, which carried the game into the Stratford twenty-five. Perceiving an opening Carryer scored beside the posts. Jones converted. Using the backs Stratford worked into the Celtic twenty-five and hammered at the defence until Blackmore dodged through the Celtic backs to score. The kick failed. Following up fast after the kick-off the Celtic forwards penetrated the Stratford defence with a splendid movement that terminated in a score by Pettigrew.’ There was no conversion. From a scrum in the Stratford twenty-five the half set the backs in motion. The movement was finalised by M. Steiner, who made a spectacular

run to score in the corner. The kick failed by inches. The game ended: Stratford 19 Celtic 14 Mr. C. Pellowe refereed. A CRICKET SCORE AT TOKO. TOKO SOUNDLY DEFEATS ELTHAM. The Toko team had the weight, the speed and the training in its favour when it met Eltham at Toko. These advantages, coupled with > fine team work, a better knowledge of the game and superior combination enabled Toko to run up the large score of 44 to 0, and the match developed into a question of whose turn it was to kick the next goal. Twenty-eight of the points were made in the first spell. A large proportion of the Eltham team had overlooked the re-drawing of the fixtures. In consequence the team failed to assemble for travelling and the match was nearly an hour late starting. When they did take the field, the visitors numbered only 14 men. , The first score fell to Smith, who strolled over the line when Corbett tripped after making a splendid run. Two minutes later Smith again scored from the heart of a forward scramble. With reinstated J. Sangster playing at half the Toko backs were very well fed and though they were almost over on several occasions, the next points came rather as a surprise when R. Cuff dropped a neat field goal. The two Sangsters, working in close combination, brought off the third try, the honour falling to “Shorty” though Jock did most of the work. From a clever passing rush Standring was the next to score, his example being emulated in close succession by G.’ Cuff and Chapman.

Toko had to be content with four forces in the early stages of the second spell, but after ten minutes A. Sangster scored very easily. As the outcome of scrum and passing the same . player again touched down well out just as he was tackled. Then his brother, J. Sangster, scored a meritorious try and capped his performance by kicking the goal. Chapman made a big effort just before the game ended, his try bringing ' the score over 40 while C. Sangster by converting, brought up the last points. Two of the tries were converted by A. Sangster, one by J. Sangster, and one by R. Cuff. The final score was: Toko 44 Eltham 9 Mr. E. Scott refereed.