INTER=DIVISION RUGBY

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1933, Page 5

INTER=DIVISION RUGBY

JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVES CENTRAL THRASHES WEDNESDAY. COMBINATION TELLS ITS TALE. Rather scrappy football with one or two bright flashes that showed weaknesses in the visiting team’s defence characterised yesterday’s Rugby Union match between central division and southern Wednesday division first junior representatives at Stratford. Central won by 23 points (seven tries, one converted) to 3 (one try). The half-time score was 6-3, but Central asserted its superiority in the second spell. Wednesday’s weakness seemed to be in the inside backs, who were overwhelmed often by quick Central forwards or outwitted by dummies by the Central backs. They seemed to suffer from lack of combination. The Central backs had Cook, McCready and McGrath, Celtic teammates, at first and second five-eighths : and centre and they, with Lash at fullback, seemed too full of tricks for their ’• opponents. Wellington was a good half and the wings were sound. There was, however, not a great deal of combined back play. O’Shea and Pokau were the better of the Wednesday men, with West good at full-back. The Wednesday forwards were better in tight play than in loose and often found Latham, Fastier, Vivian and Huckstep breaking right through. Dixon was the best Wednesday forward, being too heavy for the Central players, and Bloor was often prominent. The teams were:— Southern Wednesday: Hart; Reeve, Savage, Guise; Tamu, O’Shea; Pokau; Dixon, Radford, Bloor, Massey, Cunningham, Findlay, Duggan, Guest Central: Lash; Robson, McGrath, Harkness; McCready, Cook; Wellington; W. Fastier, Davidson, Vivian, Huckstep, Patterson, Hunwick, Latham, Richardson. McGrath had an unsuccessful kick at goal from a mark, and then Southern worked into Central’s territory. Harkness, Fastier and McGrath broke away from their own twenty-five line and penetrated the Southern defence for Fastier to have a clear run in. Cook failed to convert the try. Hart had two unsuccessful shots at goal and the Southern forwards kept play in the Central half. Wellington and Cook manoeuvred the blind side from a half-way scrum and Cook shook off two or three tackles to score a good try. He did not convert t it. O’Shea brought the ball down to' the comer in a dribbling rush with Lash behind him and was unlucky not to score. Dixon threw his weight about and the Central players were not big enough to bring him down, and a run of his that scored left five Central men on the ground behind him. Hart failed with the kick and half-time arrived with the score: Central 6, Southern 3. Central worked to the line when the second spell commenced and there Wellington flashed from behind a scrum to score a try that Robson converted. Latham and Davidson broke away in. a run which ended in a free kick to Robson, who missed - the goal. Dixon and Hart fumbled a rolling ball between them in the goal mouth and Fastier came up to take the ball and score. The try was not converted. Southern appeared to be at sixes and sevens and again a fumbled ball rolled over the line for Davidson to score. The kick was charged and the ball touched. The Southern backs had a rush and Fastier forced. McGrath sustained an arm injury and retired, Harris taking his place. Wellington scored from loose play and Cook had his kick charged down. Pokau, Savage and Guise initiated a back rush but Harkness/ gathered in a wild pass, swerved inwards to the full-back and passed to Robson, who scored. McCready’s kick was charged down. Time arrived almost immediately. Central 23 Southern Wednesday 3 Mr. C. Pellowe refereed.