RUGBY FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1930, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WANGANUI TOUROPENS , ...U—— ■ ■ SOUTH .CANTERBURY’ 111-: FEAT HD. "VERY POOR DISPLAY”’ GIVEN. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Timarn, Last'Night. ’ The Wanganui Rugby team opened its South Island tour against South Canterbury to-day, securing a* win by 13 points to 8 after a very poor display. The ■ weather was dull'but line and there was. an entire absence of wind. The ground \yus a trifle soft but not enough to militate against fast play. It being an off : day the attendance was only moderate, about 1580 people being present. Both teams comprised comparatively young players but few of them showed any- ••• thing like representative form. .. The standard of play, in fact, was decidedly poor. ( * The visitors appeared’ to have a slight advantage in weight in the forwards and while they had slightly the better of tight play the home side was superior in the loose and in line-outs. While fresh Wanganui made the pace fast but neither side was in condition to see out a solid SO minutes. The home forwards did~hot go too well in the. loose in the early stages but play improveci considerably later and they gave the visiting backs rio respite. Later they handled fairly well but they lacked thrust. The tackling of the South Canterbury players. was for the most. part sound, the fast forwards nipping many promising movements at their source. Wanganui-attacked early, the home side being obliged to defend solidly. The South Canterbury hacks opened out bu£ faulty handling spoilt a promising move- . . ment. Vorgan, Gibbons- and Ambrose carried play to the home twenty-live, .where from a penalty Collier opened the score for Wanganui. From Anidfield D. Callanan broke away, sending the ball . to Roper, Simmers, Shewan and Phillips. Phillips showed the opposition a clean pair of heels and scored at the goal. Mahan converted. The Wanganui backs staged a bright movement, the entire line handling for McLennan to score at the corner. Col- 1 lier converted with a great kick. After < another ten minutes of uninteresting play Wanganui was penalised, Mahan hoisting the Hags and making the scores ! level. Just before the interval Dunean 1 scored a pretty try in the corner and i Collier again converted. ; In the second half the South Canter- |' bury forwards gave a good display in . the loose but the inside backs were weak and ’good openings were thrown away. The honours tins session were fairly j oven, neither side adding further score. | . ■ r' I WEST (.OAST DEFEATS NELSON. Nelson, U'l-t. Night. Wc-r Ci.ast defeated Nelson by 21 points i<> I.G in a It'tgby match here to-