INTER-SCHOOLS RUGBY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12056, 11 July 1917, Page 5

INTER-SCHOOLS RUGBY.

TO-DAY'S MATCH ON COLLEGE GROUND. GREAT CROWD OF SPECTATORS. There is a. wealth of Rugby tradition in some of the old Canterbury swards that have boon scrummed over for half a century by all kinds and conditions of players. The old grounds of Hagley Park \ve;v. the .scone of many fine, contests, and Lancaster Park has seen international play of the very highest standard. Champions come and go, and international viisits are as rare as the white kotuku, but annually the Christchurch Rugby enthusiasts .sot aside a certain sacred "Wednesday halfday for the mate!) between School and College. To-day the crowd is gathered again on the old Christ's College ground. Many an All Biack-to-bo has .striven there tor one side or other in games that have, gone down as school ii'story. The stirioundings hardly change at all with the passage of years. Each annual match sees the production of the long pole with its butterfly net to fish out the ball if a too vigorous boot sends it /lying into the Avon. On the opposite touchline, r-::.creel to ladies and their escoits, a small lag glands by, to chase the ball it it should disappear in the tall timber. This ground has been more reverenced since the war. for a long line of old boys have gone out from past Rugby fifteens and from the school barrackors to take their places in the firing hue. And one can imagine how hungrily the old brigade in the treadles look Jorwarcl to the mail that brim's them tidings of the Schools' match. 0-1 thirty-three matches between the rival teams. High School have won fourteen and College sixteen, while three have been drawn. |„ |, ltor V( , a ,. iS there has been a falling off in the strength of the High. School teams, due no doubt to the drawing from tho prinui'-y schools of so many'free-place scholars, who do not spend many years m the High School, and thus lose the advantage ol growing up in Rugby combination. )}„t one need never apologise for the School teams. They have had the wonderful gift of living up to their traditions in 'face of much superior odds at times, and one aiwavs looks for a clever back' team, with some, brilliant scorer on one wing or the other. [f one were really forced for an explanation of the high" position attained by the High School team it might- be found in the Avord " leadership. •'' The boys have always had a dominant, Rugby personality" in the itself, a. kind of natural captain to rally under. College, on the other hand, have always appeared to bo a cleverly coached team, not ignorant strategically, but lacking the little bit of individuality that makes tho tactician master in Rugby. And even this reproach is not too well based as applied to later years, for College have lieon turning out clever maneeuvrors and strong running backs. On the season's form, in fact, College should follow up their striking Avin of a vear ago. On the slippery ground which may make for a forward game. College have the advantage of a pack averaging list 21b in weight, as against a School average of lOst MS lb. while in the hacks College average 10st 81b aginst lOst 41b, A record of past matches is as follows : LSD]—Collojjp v:nn. IS'.)2 College won by ,TI to nil. IKW (.April)—Coiled won bv .10 to 14. IW)3 Mime)—Col!e»o. won by 12 to 8. Ifi'.Ci (August)--College won by ,'iG to 5. 18SU (April)-—Hiph School won bv 8 to o. ISOI (.Inn.-')—Cohere won by !) to nil. I. y .i)4 (August)— College won by .12 to 3. 1«)3 (April)— College won by 8 to 5. 1895 (.Juno)—Drawn. 18V)."; (August)— Drawn. 1.-!)(", (Apri!)—Hijfh School won by 0 to 3. UiOii (July)— College, won by 1(1 to 5. I.Wl7—lliprh School won by 16 to nil. 18:i8—lli'jh School won by 0 to .7. 180!)—Hiidi School won by JO to 3. 1000—Ollck'o won bv 25 to fi. 1901—College won by l'J to 3. 1902—College won by 30 to (J. 1903—Colleg-e won by 20 to 10. ]!):>! Ili;d) School won by 12 to nil. lilOo —Hij?h School won by 41 to nil. K!o6—U:«h School won by 9 to 3. 1',)!17 lliidi School won bv 24 to 8. 1908— f-lijfh School won bv 22 to 13. 1909—Colk'jre won by 1-1 to 13. 1010—Jliirh School won by 10 to 6. 1911— n-rsiAvn. 1912—Collejro won bv 8 to 3. 1913 Hkdi School von by 17 to 5. 191 I —liiprh School won bv 18 to 3. 1915—High School won by 12 to 10. 101G —Collcjjo won by 13 to 9. THE PLAY. . The day was idea! for Rugby. The ground was in splendid order, and the sun came out to warm the ladies' benches. Long before, three o'clock the crowd was largo on both touch-lines, and there was hardly room to pack the motor-cars that rolled in ceaselessly. A minimum charge of a shilling Avas made at the gates for patriotic purposes. The teams lined out punctually, and exchanged cheers in Enelish and colonial styles. The loams Avere as follow : CHRIST'S COLLEGE. Full-back— L. K. Cooke i.lJst .111b). Three-quarters—K. 11. liars-reaves (list Jlll.i. ]-'. J''.. G. Batlcy (9st 131b), K. 15. Wilson (list 21b). Five-eifduhs—F. AV. M. Cowiinbaw (list 91b), 11. S. Hilulmui'li (9st 3lb). Half-buck—\V. I.' 1 . Watson (Hat fllb). Forwurrls— (I. L. Burdon (12st lib), T. W. Tothill, cuntiiin (list lib), A. J. Stock (lOst llll)), .1. B. Williams (last;, S. W. lieoves (list ltllb), J. K. Johnston (9st 91b), J. X. Lowrv (list 91b), M. Stnichun, wintj (lOst Gib). " BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL. Full-back—A. E. B. Goodwin (Ktst 101b). Three-quarters—A. C. O. Allen (list 2lb), K. W. M'M'eekan (list). K. Bowes (lOst 131b). Fivo-oiyhths-W. Graham (Ost 101b), F. W. Mchrlens (K).st 8lb). Half-back—W. 1) alloy (7sl 21b). Forwards—J. Forsyth (10ut 41b), J. Alain (9st lllb), U. Ivowe (lOst 101b), 1,. D. (K)st -lib), K. Stirlinif (list -lib), .1. A. Fr.\-«r, captain (list 101b), J. White (Hst l'2'.h), il C. Burns, win f ,' (lOst 4lb). Mr J. F. Peako was referee. School kicked off to a groat volume of rooting against, a slight wind. Play settled in the. College twentylive, where the little College half whipped the ball away from a line-out, and tho School full-back, waiting for the, bounce, lost possession, and Strachan and Tothill broke away in a fmo dribbling effort that Avent to the twenty-five. College, carried a scrum, but a sloav transfer Avas missed by Hindmarsh, and the blue, jerseys came through. But College, \vor,-> consistently better in the scrum, although they wero not passing too avcll. Dalloy, tho half-size School half, finally came aAvay unmarked from a scrum and passed' on the blind side to Bowes, avJio was grassed a. yard or two short of the line. Good loose rushes took play back momentarily, but School wero pressing a bit harder, and the serum Avas going better. Hindmarsh made a nico run and kicked doAVn the naddock. hut Bowes sent it back with a fine line finder. Finally, 'To chill broke right through the School team, and kicked past the half-back. A des-poi-ato racy for the line saw Coodwm force* evidently, but School got a free kick. They lost the advantage by a man in front, and in two scrums on the lino College got tho bali but throAV in tho advantage by slow, faulty passing. Finally the iSoliooi broke through in tho loose, only to be sent back by a good scre.AV kick by Wilson. Wilson was again defending a moment later, but Boavos Avas deadly on (the tackle, and took his oavii man and another. Several free kicks for obstruction curbed- the dash of tho College forwards, and play settled in midfield Up and under tactics by School found Cooke steady at full-back, and finally from a penalty at the School twentyfive Hargroavcs had a shot at goal, but went wide. The drop-out was vigorously returned by Batley, and from a

scrum twenty yards from the School line, tlio College backs got moving again but faulty cutting in lost the advantage. Throe more scrums close in were carried by College, but they overran the passes and did all the things that good bucks .should not do. Allan also tackled well and the attack was slaved off. .Much amusement was created by the small, snowy-haired School hall', who was so small that he could slip under an outstretched arm. lie was playing n good game, although usually a bit too far backhand picking up ground with .short kicks. Half-iime came with no score. (Continued in Stop Press.)