NO RUGBY SURPRISES

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1933, Page 4

NO RUGBY SURPRISES

PLAY IN STRONG WIND AND RAIN * ■ * • - • • • ' STRATFORD REMAINS. UNBEATEN BRIGHT OLD BOYS-CLIFTON GAME RUGBY, competition matches in Taranaki on Saturday were decided under windy, wet conditions, and there were no surprises. Chief interest in North Taranaki from a competition point of view was taken in the Stratford-Star match at New Plymouth, which was won by Stratford after a hard forward game in which all the points were scored by kicks. The excitement of a close match was provided at Waitara, where Clifton beat Old Boys after an exhibition of handling by both sets of backs that would be hard to beat under similar conditions. Celtic won from Inglewood in another even match. Patea staved off a strong challenge by the improving Hawera team, and Waimate had a close call in its match against Old Boys. The Eltham forwards rattled Okaiawa but just failed' to carry the day. Kaponga retained third place on the ladder by defeating Opunake. Results at a glance are:— NORTHERN DIVISION. SOUTHERN DIVISION. Stratford 7v. Star 3. Patea 12 v. Hawera 3. Clifton 17 v. Old Boys 10. Waimate sv. Old Boys 0. Celtic 10 v. Inglewood 3. Okaiawa 6 v. Eltham 5. Kaponga B,v. Opunake 0.

STRATFORD FORWARD PLAY NO TRY IN DEFEAT OF STAR. BOTH SETS OF BACKS STARVED. Stratford drew level with Star in the northern ■competition by beating the New Plymouth team seven points to three at Pukekura Park. No try was scored. Stratford forwards made the game; in any case, the backs of both teams could make little showing with slippery leather In a bittetr southerly wind that brought occasional showers. Stratford did rather better than Star in most scrums and that tended to ensure no work for the Star backs. G. Sawgster at' first five-eighths seemed to be following instructions not to pass and he fed the forwards more often > than his backs. The defence on both sides was good in the circumstances; Lash was quite reliable as full-back for Stratford but his line-kicking gained scarcely enough ground—perhaps with a greasy ball he preferred to 'be cautious. The teams were:— Stratford: Lash; E. Smith, Phillips, Taylor; P. Collins, G. Sangster; C. Sangster; Butcher- 5 (back row); Trotter, Robosn, r. Pastier, R. Young; R. Smith, J. Young, Hinton. Star: Blackmore; Aubrey, Ross, J. Kinsella; K. Clegg, Harvey; C. Kinsella; Beardmore (back row); Frethey, Clark, . McLeod, Clegg; Sampson, Signal, Morris. Roas was prominent early by saving in the face of a Stratford rush; he ran smartly and kicked well. The Stratford forwards were going well in a loose rush and when 25 yards from the goal and almost in front Robson gathered in the ball to drop-kick a neat goal, giving Stratford the handy lead of four points. Star tried an attack with the backs, Clegg and Ross playing their parts, but the ball was too slippery for Kinsella, whose fumbling ended the rally. Aubrey . 'was first to the ball after it swerved away from the goal when drop-kicked by Ross. The ball was too wily for Aubrey, however, and Stratford forced. Hinton brought off another of his solo dribbling efforts and had Star in trouble for a while. G. Sangster was keeping play tight by kicking into the forwards, in which department Stratford was able to hold its own with a bit to spare, but Star generally had the better of the concluding stages of the first half, except when Hinton dribbled even past the full-back. Stratford forced just at half-time after Aubrey had been thrown out in the corner. The backs finding no openings, Star forwards continued to keep up the pressure for some time but before long Blackmore had to save. Stratford landed in the comer and after Clegg had stopped Sangster Star forced. Aubrey had the spectators when the bounce beat Lash. A'forward arrived in time to save Stratford, however. Soon Stratford completed its day’s- tally,. C. Sangster goaling from a penalty- Stratford thereafter had to show sound defence. The crowd had its last. thrill within three minutes of the final whistle, when Ross goaled from a penalty. Mr. O’Sullivan refereed. EXCITING GAME AT WAITARA CLIFTON DEFEATS OLD BOYS. HIGH STANDARD OF FOOTBALL. With a wet ball and a wind of gale force sweeping the Waitara ground, Clifton beat Old Boys by 17 points to 10 in a game that was remarkable for the splendid standard of football under the most adverse conditions. Although there was not the difference Between the teams that the points indicate, Clifton would have been decidedly unlucky to lose on the day’s play. At the same time the Old Boys were unlucky in not scoring more points. In the opinion of enthusiasts who have followed the Old Boys team this season the exhibition was easily its best to date and showed that the team is a force to be .reckoned with in the. competition. weaknesses were evident on its Saturday’s. play—the dearth of determined wing-three-quarters to cap clashing back attacks, , and the • absence of a reliable placekick. The teams were:— Clifton: Collins; Jones, J. Wallace, C. Wilson; T. Wallace, Crossman; Niwa; Cole; Ohlsson, Johnson, Broughton, Kawe, Porter, Fowler, Oxenham. Old Boys: Clifford-Jones; Medley, Rutherford, Ford; K. Fookes, B. Mace; Olson; S. Fookes, Blakeney, Alhusen; Evans, J. Mace; McLean, Insull,. LuxtO Following a series of scrummages Niwa whipped out a pass to Crossman, who steadied himself and potted a splendid goal from outside the 25. McLean and S. Fookes led the Old Boys forwards to the attack and a quick heel saw Olson send Mace away smartly. K. Fookes swerved through in a strong run ana shook off several tackles to score a great try which Rutherford could not convert. Niwa opened up the game again and

Crossman cut through from-half-way to be well taken by Rutherford after a fast run. The' Clifton forwards gathered round smartly and Fowler went over for a score in a jumble of players. Collins converted. S. Fookes endeavoured to open up play from the ruck but the wind carried his pass away. Then Olson and Mace raced into line but again a pass was lost and K. Fookes found touch. The Clifton forwards were using their feet to advantage but the Old Boys were hanging on grimly. Twice Clifton had penalties within scoring distance and one kick failed to rise while the wind blew the ball kicked by Collins away from the goal. Clifton tried again and J. Wallace went through to Clifford-Jones,-who smothered him with a good tackle. The Clifton forwards carried on in loose formation from the ensuing line-out and Ohlsson scored, Collins converting splendidly. Playing grimly Old Boys swept play to Clifton’s line and Rutherford gathered in a stray pass .and sent on to Medley, who centred. S. Fookes was on to T. Wallace and Old Boys hooked. Olson snapped a pass to B. Mace, who potted a fine goal against the wind. T. Wallace stabbed- through and J. Wallace streaked for the -line/but again Clifford-Jones flashed in- and downed him short of the line, Wilson fielded a clearing kick on the line and sent in to J. Wallace, but K. Fookes’ tackle was a magnificent one. At halftime the scores were Clifton 14, Old Boys 7. : , : , Play was keen from the beginning in the second spell. Crossman.,put in a strong run before being checked on the 25 line and then the Old. Boys forwards with McLean, Luxton and Alhusen in the van swept down the centre of the field. Jones had a run but was checked by Rutherford. Fowler led a clashing Clifton rush but Old Boys moved into Clifton territory. From a scrum Olson sent Mace off . and K. Fookes burst through to send McLean over,, but he was recalled, the mass having been forward. Twice Rutherford missed with long penalty, kicks, but Old Boys maintained the attack and B. Mace cut almost through to pot . when checked, but his kick was useless. . Olson, Mace, K. Fookes and Rutherford handled and Medley sprinted off but the wind had blown his pass forward. From another scrum Olson tried again and away went Mace, K. Fookes, Rutherford and Medley for the wing to score in the comer. B. Mace missed with the kick. From the kick-off Old Boys were away again, B. Mace cleaving his way through for K. Fookes to punt for the line. The Old Boys forwards were beating the. Clifton pack. Out went the ball to Medley, but he hardly tried and the infield pass was astray. Jones and Fowler carried play to Old Boys’ territory. Back went Luxton but Collins cleared in’ great style. Crossman swerved clean through to Clifford-Jones but was dumped by another great tackle. Clifton attacked and Old Boys defended on the line. Scrum succeeded scrum and the.n T. Wallace sent Crossman over in the comer. Collins missed -jjvith' the kick as time sounded. Clifton 17: Old Boys 10 Mr. C. Gemhoefer was the referee. CELTIC HAS FIRST WIN GAME IN MUD AT STRATFORD. SOME BRIGHT FLASHES OF PLAY. ■ ■ V ■ To a slight superiority in the loose, combined with more enterprise in the first spell, can be attributed Celtic’s defeat of Inglewood at Stratford by 10 (two converted tries) to 3 (try). Celtic led oft strongly from the start and the forwards accommodated themselves to the slippery state of the ground and ball more readily than did Inglewood. The second half was more in favour of Inglewood and the way the backs operated in. scoring Inglewood’s try at the beginning of the second spell was brilliant. Both sets of backs worked well in view of the handicap imposed by insecure footing. Among the Celtic forwards Penniall played the game of his life, while Walker and Girling, were always on the scene. All the Inglewood men worked with vim, but Devereux, Scanlon and Joblin were most active in any open play. Dodd was certainly Celtic’s best back, but the Inglewood rearguard was more even, though Corkill handled very well and was more dependable than the others. Both teams made the mistake of trying to pick the ball up when footwork was the better proposition. The teams were:—

Celtic: Dodd; Lash, Young, McMillan; Richardson, Henry; Langdon; Haselden, Wellington; Walker, Edwards, Penniall, Ford, Girling Ritter. Inglewood: McKay, Corney, Mcßoberts, Eaves; Corkill, Hutchens; Sutton; Young, Christensen; Devereux, Lawrence, Joblin, Scanlan, Baxter, Sutton. The game immediately developed into a contest confined mainly to the forwards, and Celtic soon began to show

superiority, so that when Lash gained ground with a punt along the line the Celtic pack kept Inglewood jammed against the.line. In a scrum a few yards out. Celtic claimed the ball and with -speed Langdon secured# and literally dived across to squelch triumphantly in .the mire. ’ Dodd converted under difficult conditions. Inglewood came back with a hot effort and had the advantage until Henry’s purit was taken by Richardson and passed on to Walker, who was forced out in the comer, Inglejvood penterated , every now and then to Celtic’s end but was invariably repulsed by. dashing dribbling rushes in which Girling, Walker and Penniall figured prominently. The spell ended with Celtic leading by 5 to 0.

The prettiest and most efficient movement so far in the game was Inglewood’s. Sutton' threw out accurately from a scrum in mid-field- and Hutchens, Corkill and Corney handled stylishly to send Mcßoberts, who had run round, away along the line. He kicked when menaced and Corkill reached the ball just ahead of Dodd. Corkill failed to goal an angle. Tire Inglewood pack, led generally by Devereux, Scanlon or Joblin, was holding Celtic in check, but during a relaxation Walker struggled through a mix-up, kicked a grubber and beat McKay to it to score. Dodd converted. Inglewood returned to attack and after giving Celtic an uncomfortable 15 minutes compelled a force. The kick out gave control to Inglewood’s backs and Eaves was a danger point till Dodd ran him out. Celtic 10 Inglewood 3 Mr. K. Nodder was the referee.