UNION RUGBY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17029, 1 May 1923, Page 2

UNION RUGBY

“WING-FORWARD.”

Tlio second round of the junior competitions played on Saturday in glorious xveather. Only one match was played away from Christchurch, Rjccarton travelling to Belfast to meet the local team. The match resulted in a draw', both sides scoring three points. Old Boys registered their aeeond win on Saturday, defeating Sydenham-Lyttel ton by 10 points to 5. They have a very strong side this year and should be well up in the competition table when the season closes. Marists beat Merivale in a very fast game of 13 points to 3. Linwood played a close game with Christchurch and only won by a small margin. Albion managed to secure a full team this week and beat Frebble-ton-Halswell by 9 points to 3. Both ’Varsity teams won their games, the A’s beating Kaiapoi by 1-1 points to 0 and the B's accounting for Technical College Old Boys by 16 points to 12. The following table shows the position cf th© teams at he end of the second round:—•

The following is the draw for next Saturday:—Prebbleton-Halswell v. K;<iapox : Linwood v. Merivnle : Marists v. Old Boys; v. 'Varsity B: Kydenham-Lytelton v. Belfast : ftiooar ton t. ’Varsity A: Technical v. Albion. VAR.STTV A (14) v. KAIAPOI (3). Tho game between Varsifcv A and Kaiapoi which was played at he Show Grounds was productive of solid, if not '•.ever football. The chief, and most imports lit fault, of both packs was the Habib of the froqt rankers of lifting then- feet before the ball vras in the scrum. Mr Simmers, who controlled the game well, did not give a whistling s(.io on account of' this breach of the rules, but he had a chat with the front rankers concerned arid informed the e :acht*s. I am sure this will be appreciated by t-lie coaches. ( ampbell and Edmondson, the Col:ege break-aways were responsible for some fine spoiling work, especially when Kaiapoi commenced passing rushes. Oakey and Page mere solid and Comrie a;id Petrie as usual worked hard, lakan all round the scrum was good. I he backs Were inclined to go astray at times, M'C'atc-hy defended verv well. The three-quarters were smart, but on occasion the passing broke down badly. wart ' s vor . v last when in possession. Bennett and Dickson showed a few to their opponents and Barak at half was very solid. There is good material in the Kaiapoi pack. W. Joy, a prominent Cure Club oarsman, i.s a very solid lock. Broadly was noticeable all the time and Drabble was another who did more than his share of the grafting. Green was useful behind the scrum and Russell and Robson were ready to tackle anything that crime along. The three-quarter line has possibilities, but a. little more attention to straight running would be advisable. Little defended the line satisfactorily. MARISTS (13) v* MERIVALE (3). Marists- and Merivale met on the mtter’s ground at North Park, and the game, though not a sparkling display. was full of incident and very exciting. Plav was almost wholly confined to the forwards. Marists did occasionally essay a concerted back movement, but Merivale’s back piny '»'as decidedly crude. The Merivale iorwards were a hard bustling lot, and their loose rushes were at all times dangerous. Dobbs was one of the best forwards in the Marist pack. Hard-working and a sure tackier lie was always prominent and his height and reach '..ere useful in line-outs. Manning and Ellis also played well. The latter at lock held his pack together well in the scrums. Brittenden vis the best of the hacks. He showed great aptitude for discerning an opening and he is a fast. back was good. Hooper, the Merivale half-back, worked hard behind a pack that got most of the ball He is inclined, however. to run too far. Hume at lullback was a treat to watch. A fine tackier and sure kicker be was never bustled. Cockrnyne and Gerard in the forwards played wc-11. RICCARTON (8) v. BELFAST (3). Riccarton and Belfast met at Belfast, and the result was a. draw- a penalty goal each. Play was mostly confined to tho iorwards. and the pace was made very fast from the start. The Riccarton pack excelled in loose forward rushes, with the ball at their feet. Bolfftfit, however, kept them out by means

The Game and Its Players

of high punts. The tackling on botjp sides was good axi*d the lin&-out werk clean and accurate. LINWOOD (16) v. CHRISTCHURCH (13). The first spell of the Lhiwood-Ohrist-churdh game was not productive of particularly good football. Christchurch executed some effective passing rushes, but these were more then oounter-hal-anced by the keen taoiding and splen» did following up of the Linwbqd team. In the second spell Ghriatehurcii scOixml a try from a great passing rush which was converted and then Purvis dashejl round for Linwood, making th© scores 13-13. There were flashes of football on both sides, Linwood event* ually securing the deeding try after some nippy passing rushes. 1' or the winners Coe was the outstanding back, playing with ggpeat resource. Rigby at half turned out- after V . King retired and gave a good formance at half. The re arrangement in the Linwood backs made a greet difference, and Elvey at centre in the second spell was always in the pictuTe with some clever play. Heslop and Choate did some effective work. Of the Linwood forwards Purvis grafted well and scored two deserving tries. Cox. Blythe and M Neillv wer4 the pick of the reVt. all of whom worked hard. Christchurch benefited by a re* arrangement of the backs. Allison oam# into the centre apd tjie combination of O'Reilly, Cox, M’JKensie, Allison and Talbot was first-class at times. if'K.enwho wrs conspicuous for clean handling and unselfish play, has the makings of a good five-eighth. Allishw was the star man, while Talbot on the wing put up one of his boat performances. Richards is still off colour. Of the forwards, Feaat, Godfrey and Bell were going hard all the time amd brought off sdme clinking dribbling rushes. Christcnurhc have a fine side whose football is always a pleasure t® watch. ’YARSIJY B (16) v. TECHNICAL (1»). The ’Varsity team started off very confidently and the backs got going early in the game, and some good passing rushes resulted. Technical were prominent during the latter part of the first spell and for a period in th« early part of the second, but ’Varsity wore down the opposition, and several crisp attacks enabled them to put thd issue beyond doubt. The game wa9 fast and open and both sides threw thi» hall about freely. The Technical wing three-quarters played exceptionally good games, as did the inside backs of the Varsity side. The forwards were very evenly matched. Technical’s wing forward being especially noticeable for good spoiling work. OLD BOYS (10) v. SYDENHAMLYT TEUTON (5). Old Boys and Sydonham-Lytieitou provided a hard game. Each team tifil a fair amount oi attacking, with tljP result that the game went continually irom one end to che other. Low, the Oitts Hoys’ wing forward, played a fine game, until an injury to his ankle necessitated his leaving the ffeid. Forsyth led his pack well, uoiiqg great work in ttie tight. In the iooso Skipworth and Arnold worked well, following up very speedily. Graham was the best in the back line, but Ford on the right wing put in some good runs when he got possession. Richards was not quite at liunie on the other wing, but tackled very well. Smith at full-back had plenty of work to do, and did it well. Collins played a good forward game for Sydenham-Lyi teiton, scoring their only try. All the forwards plavod well. Cain was conspicuous at half, but the backs did not get many chances to shoiv their skill. Reader was not very safe at full-back, failing iso take the ball the full, hut he managed to get hii team out of some nasty corners.

Pts. Pts. P. W. L. I>. For Agst Tl. Old Boys .2 '2 0 0 44 5 ?. Jlarists . .2 2 -0 0 37 14 2 Lin wood . .2 2 0 0 32 16 2 Riccartou .2 1 o l 3-2 1! U Belfast . .2 1 0 117 (5 1^ Merivale .2 1 1 0 17 lb 1 Albion . . 2 1 1 0 9 37 .1 Vaisity A. . 2 1 1 0 20 12 1 Varsity B. . 2 1 1 o 24 41 1 P.-Halaweli .2 1 1 ft ia 15 3 Christchurch 2 o 2 o 24 40 o Kaiapoi . .2 it 2 ft 6 2ft 0 Syd-L-yttelton 2 0 -2 0 8 26 o Technical . 2 0 2 0 15 30 '0