SCRAMBLE FOR LEAD

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1935, Page 8

SCRAMBLE FOR LEAD

CENTRAL DIVISION RUGBY PLAY.

COUNTRY TEAMS HEAD THE LIST.

Country teams have a monopoly of the leading positions on the points tables of the junior section of the central division Rugby competition. Midhirst, Toko and Cardiff have eight points each, while the runner-up, Old Boys, has only three. Next week will bring about a change that will probably spread the leaders. Toko will have the bye and Cardiff will play Midhirst at Midhirst. Toko gave Old Boys a much-needed lesson in tackling on Thursday. The efficacy of the low tackle as opposed to snap headlocks and futile snatches at jerseys was dearly demonstrated. Determined tackling by Old Boys would have checked Toko just as well as the Toko tackling nipped in the bud all but one of the incipient outbreaks of Old Boys’ backs.

In holding Cardiff to a one-point margin Eltham played a remarkably good game, and continuance of its present form must bring it the championship points which Eltham ■ has just failed to gain in its last two matches against two of the strongest teams in the competition —Toko and Cardiff. While Stratford and Midhirst packs struggled along the lines both sets of backs kicked monotonously into touch over their heads—dull play at any time, even when part of the *tactics of a team. It is a wonder that somebody does not cross kick, yet 30 players exploited the time-worn tactics and shied at anything in the nature of an unorthodox move. ■ Stratford holds its lead in both the third and fourth grades, but the other teams are closing up enough to make both competitions very interesting. Better Rugby is being played by the two lower grades than the junior grade provides.

The points tables are:— Junior. P. W. D. Points L. for. ag. Ch. pts. Midhirst .... 4 4 0 0 49 9 8 5 4 0 1 52 30 8 Cardiff 5 3 2 0 41 29 8 Old Boys .... 4 1 1 2 25 20 3 Stratford .... 4 0 2 2 17 36 2 Inglewood ... 4 0 1 3 17 54 1 Eltham 4 0 0 4 20 43 0 Third. Stratford J.. 4 4 0 0 92 22 8 School 4 3 0 I 85 34 6 Eltham 4 2 0 2 54 35 4 Old Boys ... 4 1 0 3 12 68 2 Midhirst .... 4 0 0 4 9 93 0 Fourth. Stratford .... 4 3 1 0 33 3 7 Inglewood ... 4 3 0 1 74 20 6 Toko 4 2 1 1 82 32 5 School A .... 3 0 0 3 6 54 0 School B .... 3 0 0 3 5 91 0