Attractive Play in School Match.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20361, 19 July 1934, Page 17

Attractive Play in School Match.

CLOSELY CONTESTED. Although the ground was heavy and the ball slightly greasy, both Christ’s College and Christchurch Boys’ High School played football of the open and attractive type expected in secondary school games when they met in their annual match at the High School ground yesterday afternoon. College won a closely-contested game by 6 points to 3, largely because they got the ball out more freely than the School backs.

The scores indicate fairly accurately the difference between the two teams. More weight in the scrums and superior hooking enabled the College forwards to gain a greater share of the ball in the first spell, but there was one period in the second spell when the School pack carried everything before them and were hooking the ball almost as regularly. Gained Ground.

The difference in the two sides, however, lay in the use that the backs made of the ball once it had left the half-back s hands. College wasted no time in shooting it out to the wings, and although deadly tackling prevented most of the movements from achieving anything, the tactics usually gained a lot of ground. School were inclined to hang on to the ball too much, and nearly always ran into trouble when they got it The five-eighths handled well, but a tendency to go through on their own spoiled many movements, and two speedy . wing three-quarters were starved for chances as a result. There was not much to choose between the two sets of forwards. College were the better hookers, and showed up in what little loose play there was, but this was balanced by the way in which the School forwards saved the situation many times by solid tackling and vigorous scrummaging. Determined Tackling.

College fielded a very even set of backs, who handled well, though they did not have much thrust, and made little ground in passing rushes. Their tackling was determined, and they did very little kicking. J. E. Crisp* was well served by his forwards, and his passes were always quick and welldirected. W. Byrne was the more solid of the five-eighths, although A. R. W. Ormond did a tremendous amount of work in defence. The centre three-quarter, T. D. J. Holderness, was rather slow for the position, but made few mistakes.

wings, T. A. Harpur and C. A. N. Broad, had good opportunities and made the most of them. Ilarpur seemed uncomfortable on the heavy ground, and was well marked by A. E. Spivey, but showed speed and determination in his runs. Broad, on the other wing, had fewer chances, but gave little away on defence. R. E. Alexander played a fine game at fullback, kicking and handling capably. Among the forwards, F. M. OJlivier and A. G. Harper were outstanding, the latter being prominent in loose rushes. A. B. Anderson and J. D. Wylde-Brown were Ijwo other good forwards in an even pack. The Best Back. The best back on the field was A. E. Spivey, School’s right wing threequarter. He had a bigger and stronger man to mark, but did it well, tackling Harpur surely every time. His positional play was excellent, and he handled cleanly. Given more chances, he might have been dangerous to College. The rest of the School inside backs handled well, but did not let the ball out enough; B. C. Harbidge played a solid game at first five-eighth, and tackled surely.

G. A. M’Neill, the second five-eighth, tried to cut through too much, while his handling was faulty at times. C. F. M’Kee also seemed too slow for the centre position, although he did some good work in heading a couple of dribbling rushes. The full-back, R. E. J. Menzies, played an excellent game, and got through a great amount of work. His kicking was not so strong as Alexander’s, but he tackled well. Beaten in most of the scrums in the first spell, the School forwards did not show their worth until the second spell, when they pushed their way time and again into the College twenty-five. F. J. Bain, C. Dickinson and Ft. S. Mackenzie were three of the hardest workers.

Mr R. W. Blazey was an efficient referee.