IN OTHER CENTRES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20340, 25 June 1934, Page 11

IN OTHER CENTRES.

Spectacular Finish in Wellington. LAST-MINUTE TRIES. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 25. The defeat of Marist by Wellington College Old Boys has removed them from the leading position to third position in the Wellington Rugby Union’s senior A grade championship. Now two points separate four teams. Marist and Old Boys met in the principal attraction at Athletic Park, and Marist suffered defeat by the narrow margin of one point—ll-10. Hutt beat St Patrick’s College Old Boys by IS points to 8, Petone won from University by 20 points to 12, Poneke beat Athletic by 9 points to 3, and Wellington avenged their first round defeat by Eastbourne by 9 points to 8. The championship position is now as follows: Hutt 16, Wellington College Old Boys 15, Marist 14, Poneke 14, St Patrick’s College Old Boys 12, Petone 12, University 10, Athletic S, Eastbourne 4, Wellington 4. The game between Marist and Old Boys was responsible for a spectacular finish. Old Boys were leading comfortably by 11 points (a goal from a try and two tries) to 7 (a try and a field goal), and the big clock had ticked to the forty-fifth minute of the second spell when Marist tore down on Old Boys’ citadel for a spectacular lastsecond try. The game depended on the goal-kick, which went astray, and Old Boys walked off the field victors by one point after a sensational finish. Hurricane Scoring. Hutt, the leading team, played downright poor football in their game with St Pat.’s. After being down 8-6 with ten minutes to go they managed to scramble home with another twelve points scored in hurricane fashion. The Hutt forwards and Stevenson on the wing won the game. Lilburne played half-back, and ac-

quitted himself quite well, but Feeney dropped practically every pass that came his way. Killeen was little better. His loss of form has been perplexing this season, and he will be a shade lucky if he makes the New Zealand team. Coulston, the Hutt hooker, was a

toiling leader on his side. His form has been so good this season that his absence from the Wellington representative selection is causing much discussion. Coulston is one of Wellington’s brainy forwards. Berry, late of Christchurch High School Old Boys, also played good Rugby. Poneke had a hard game with Athletic, but they* avenged their first-round defeat. University failed to repeat last season’s form when they beat Petone. This time Petone were on top from start to finish. Eastbourne and Wellington turned on a great tussle, and this time Wellington won by one point. Both teams are >n line for relegation to the second division. though there seems no doubt that both are better sides than the promoted teams, University and St Patrick’s College Old Boys. TALL SCORING. Southern and Varsity Level in Dunedin. (Special to the * Star.”) DUNEDIN, June 25. | Heavy scoring by the leading teams | marked the final games of the first round in Dunedin Rugby on Saturday. With only five Saturdays available for club fixtures in the second round before the start of inter-provincial football, the competition is in a very interesting stage, four teams—Varsity A, Southern, Kaikorai and Zingari -being in the run- j ning for championship honours. The championship points of the various teams are: Southern and Varsity A 14, Kaikorai and Zingari 13, Taieri 11. Alhambra 9, Pirates 8, Union and Varsity B 3, Dunedin 2. By the large total of 33 to nil, Southern romped home against Dunedin. The losers held their opponents well in the first spell. In the second spell, however, the Southern backs, with a plenti- { ful supply of the ball, opened up the game in great style, their combination and pace being too much for Dunedin. J with the result that 30 points were I added to the three scored in the first spell. The Southern total comprised no I fewer than seven tries, the other points coming from two penalty goals and three goals after tries. Here, maintaining his consistently good form of this season, was an inspiring leader of the Southern forwards, who retained their dash to the last minute. Easily the outstanding back on the

ground was H. Smith, the Southern centre, who scored three tries himself. Smith, who is playing in the South Island trial at Oamaru on Wednesday, will be remembered as the centre of the Otago team that made a big bid to wrest the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury in Christchurch

last year. . It was an easy victory for \ arsitv A against Union, who were defeated by 31 to 3. Considering the heavy state of the ground at Logan Park, both sides threw the ball about in good style. Fookes was in fine form and scored four tries, while Watt, a vefry promising wing three-quarter, notched three. Dashing Forwards. Though leading by only 11 to 8 at half-time in the match against Pirates, Kaikorai showed a decided second-spell superiority, and ran out easy winners by 31 to 8. Kaikorai forwards played a dashing game in the second half, and constantly had their opponents penned on their own line. The pack includes Lycy (who was nominated for the South Island trial), and Allan and Gibson (two representative plovers of last year). Francis, the half-back, contributed largely as usual to his side’s score, his efforts including three penalty goals, three goals after tries, and a splendid potted goal from a difficult angle. Generally he played a serviceable game, but was inclined to overdo attempts at potting. An impressive

exhibition was given by Henderson, the Kaikorai first five-eighth, who will probably lill that position this year in the representative team. Another ga.me with high scoring was the Zingari-Varsity B encounter, won by the former bv 22 to 16. Proctor, Zingari winger, showed glimpses of ths Prm which won him All Black honours two years ago, but at other times was not so good. The surprise of the day was the defeat of Alhambra by Taieri by 13 to S in a stern struggle on the country team’s own ground at Mosgiel. Five minutes before time the score was S-all, a spectacular try in the dying stages of the game giving Taieri the win. Combined Team to Play Country. The following combined UniversityOld Boys’ team has been selected to play the Country fifteen at the Addington Showgrounds on Wednesday: Full-back. 11. R. Watts; three-quarters. J Jacobs, S. A. Roberts* J. D. Carmichael: second five-eighths, M. Heenan ; first five-eighths. S. G. Henry; half back, f. 11. M'Auliffe; forwards, J. G. Rankin. F. J. Wilson, P. G. • Roberts, \\ P. M’Phail, A. Copeland, ; M. O. Stanley, Stewart, D. J. Wilson.