FOOTBALL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20128, 23 April 1928, Page 4

FOOTBALL

THE SEASON OPENS SEVEN-A-SIDE RUGBY SATURDAY’S TOURNAMENT KAIERAU B WIN BIJOU CUP Despite Saturday’s wintry conditions, dominated by a biting westerly wind, a fairly large crowd assembled on Spriggens Park to watch the seven-a-side Rugby contests for the Bijou Cup the total number of spectators present exceeding that which attended the same attraction last year. At this early stage of the season it was to be expected that play, m some instances, would be ragged, but, taken on the whole, the tournament brought forth some good games which gave evidence of the fact that clubs will be fielding much better talent this season than last. The tournament arrangements were in capable hands and delays between matches were reduced to a minimum up to the semi-finals, when there was a tendency to drag slightly, this being duo more to the dilatoriness of some of the players than to the executive in charge. Testifying to the even nature of some of the play, six games had to continue for a force down or score to decide the issue, this resulting in the tournament extending to a late hour. Eliminating Play. The results in the eliminating rounds were as follows: First Round — Technical College 5; Marist B. 0. Marist A 25; Old Boys B 0. Technical 0.8. (A.) 8; County B 0. County A won by default. Kaierau B 14; Ratana B 0. Pirates A 5; Ratana A 0. Old Boys A 10; Technical 0.8. (B) 0. Kaierau A. 6; Pirates B 0. Technical College won by default. Second Round— Marists A 8; Technical 0.8. (A) 5. Kaierau B !); County A 8. Pirates A 8; Old Boys A 0. Kaierau A 3; Technical College 0. The Semi-Finals. Kaierau B 6; Marists A 0. Pirates A 8; Kaierau A 5. The Final. Kaierau B 3; Pirates A 0.

THE GAME DESCRIBED THE SEMI-FINALS. MABIST A DEFEATED. Kaierau B played Marist A in the first of the semi-finals. Both teams made the play willing at the start but the Kaierau seven were soon on the offensive, Don Ross and Byres being conspicuous figures in dangerous thrusts at the green goal. Byres got the ball from Brookie and carried play to under the posts. Ross, close in support, dribbled into the goal and Hohaia scored. The kick failed.—Kaierou 3, Marist 0. Vangioni, Gallagher and Murray figured in an attacking movement but a pass was not accepted at the critical moment. Hohaia broke away from the ruck and passed to Byres whose speed carried him clear. Another kick failed, the game ending—Kaierau 6, Marist 0. Mr J. Delves was referee. PIRATES A BEAT KAIERAU A Pirates forced the pace and a smart passing movement initiated by Wakeling and carried on by Bridges and Williams ended with the last-named scoring. James converted from a difficult angle.—Pirates 5, Kaierau 0. The maroons appeared nettled and came swiftly to the attack. Coupland had two ineffective shots from penalties in close succession. Lockett got the ball clear to Coupland, and Walls, who beat the opposition. Coupland goaled to make the scores five all, and play had to continue for a force or score to decide the issue. The game hovered in midfield for a time but a series of high kicks put Pirates on the attack, Wakeling securing from the ruck to elude the opposition and score.—Pirates A 8 % Kaierau A 5. Mr W. H. Rowe was the referee. Victory for Maroons in Final. After a few minutes’ delay to allow Pirates A a breathing space the final game opened in the dusk. The teams were as follows: — Pirates A.—Monigatti (capt.), J. Duncan, Bridges, Wakeling, Persson, Williams and James.

Kaierau B.—Glengarry (capt.), D. Ross, Brookie, Ormond, ’’haia, Hokaia and Byres.

Pirates opened aggressively but a good forward movement was spoiled by off-side play. Two minor accidents to players (Persson, Pirates, and Byres, Kaierau) delayed progress. D. Ross came through the ruck with the ball at toe but James was a cool custodian snapping up from the feet of the maroon attack in a twinkling. Ormond attempted to pot but the ball hit the cross-bar and bounced the wrong way.

Kaierau attacked strongly, Glengarry, Hohaia and Ihaia, handling, but Glengarry, diving to score, hit the corner flag. Not to be denied the maroons kept the pressure going and Glengarry securing from loose play forced his way through the defence and scored. The kick failed.—Kaierau 3, Pirates 0. Wakeling made a great run from well in Kaierau territory, but the touchjudge’s flag called the play back. It was an incident which served to balance the bad luck Kaierau experienced when Ormond’s pot at goal bounced infield. James tried to goal from a penalty but failed and the game ended. —Kaierau B 3; Pirates A 0. Mr J. S. King refereed. The Cup Presented. After the match Mr Russell Stevenson (president of the Metropolitan SubUnion) presented the cup to Glengarry, the Kaierau captain. Cheers were given for the winners and runners-up and the crowd left the ground in the closing darkness.