RUGBY NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 98, 28 April 1930, Page 4

RUGBY NEWS

UNDER OLD RULES CUP MATCHES OPENED PIRATES AND KAIERAU DRAW: OLD BOYS ROUTED (By "CROSS-BAR") International rules, with the kick-to-touch permissible from any part of the field, a rigid definition of a mark, and the replacement of injured players not allowed, had spectators thinking on Saturday, when the Metropolitan Rugby Union’s Cup competitions were opened. Some favoured the old order, some were against it to the verge of bitterness, especially in its application to injured players. Despite the uncertainty of mind prevailing play gave indication that competition will be keen when teams settle down with that “first-of-the-season” feeling brushed off. SENIOR GRADE RESULTS. KAIERAU 11- v. PIRATES 11; TECH. 0.8. 29 v. OLD BOYS 6. RATANA 9 v. AOTEA 6.

ELEVEN POINTS ALL KAIEBAU AND BxRATES DRAW As- matters turned out the clash 01 the maroons and lhucks would nave oeen a better three u clouk iixture tuaa the uiaich oetvveu ‘Aeehuicai Old ajoj’s and »»angunm and Old BoysThere was Keener public interest the older teams ana with little tu picK and choose between the sides on the actual run di play a much higher range of excitement prevailed.

The blacks tielded the younger team both back and forward and, in the writer’s opinion, were just a little belter than Kaierau, even allowing for the fact that the maroons were penalised by the replacement rule when Roache was injured in the first spoil and did not resume after the interval. There was something wrong with Kaierau ’s scrumming. They had the weight and not the cohesion. Opposed to them was a pack which made more use of themselves in concerted effort and were much more dangerous ir the loose and at using their feet. Not until well on in the second spell did Kaierau seem inclined to get behind the ball with any vim and then it was a case of individuals moving up with little support.

Pirates followed up well and Simpson, the maroon custodian, bore the brunt of their work coming through, on the day, with an impressive record. He had harder work to cope with than Renz, his vis-a-vis. The Kaierau pack seemed too heavy to get up under the ball, the backs kicking too hard. When Roache dropped out there was hardly a man in the van who moved to the tactics fast enough. The blacks had the more dangerous backs and allowing for a little “first-of-the-season” lack of cohesion, they went well to-gether. Kaierau’s second spell effort was a meritorious one under the circumstances. They played the opposition with 14 men and succeeded in achieving a draw against what was really a three-point better side. These two teams will be keener rivals this year than they have ever been and all Wanganui will be present when they next meet.

How The Play Went The teams were:— Pirates (black): Renz; Stuart, Potbury and Bridges; Lowe and Williams; Duncan; Grenside; Francis, Tonks, Friend, Cotterill, Agnew, Ennis and Thompson. Kaierau (Maroon); Simpson, Stagpoole, Ansley, E. Morgan, Thompson and Morgan; Chisholm, G. Lockett; Childs, Pleasants, Ross, McCarthy, Byres, Tremewan and Roache.

Pirates kicked off and play centred in mid-field for a time. The black forwards were endeavouring to feed their rear-guard and the maroons were using every power to frustrate them. Play gradually worked up field and Pirates were hard pressed on their line. Childs headed a forward rush which carried play into black territory. A long kick by Renz sent the invaders back. Following a run of desultory play on . the maroon side of half-way, Duncan snapped up in characteristic fashion and sent his line into action, Williams took his pass and transferred to Lowe. The black five-eighths beat Thompson badly and let Potbury and Stuart away with everything in their favour. The centre drew his man nicely and let his winger off to cap a very pretty movement. Potbury added the points—Pirates 5, Kaierau 0. The maroons went back to Pirate territory and were hammering at very stern defence. Attacks lacked finish. A penalty came Kaierau’a way and from wide out J. Morgan found the bar—Kaierau 3, Pirates 5.

Play was very even in the next stages. Kaierau were struggling to use their pack to advantage, but the blacks semed to be getting their heads down to it and holding them. J. Morgan broke up a Pirate forward rush and kicked well down field . A penalty against the maroons gave Williams a chance to retaliate and he put his team back into an attacking position. Both sides were exploiting tne kick to touch tactics to the tub. Kaierau crept back into black territory by nieaus of forward rushes aided by j. Morgan’s sound line finding. The ball rolled into the black goal, but the defenders were in position in time to force.

Grenside paved the way for a dangerous Pirate movement by a spirited dash in the loose with the ball at toe. Thompson (Kaierau) made a desperate effort to find the line after gathering in a rolling ball. Agnew took Lowe s pass and cuulienged the defence at the corner flag, Roache saving the Kaierau goal by a game tackle and was injured. The blacKs were the better team at this stage of play. A score was thrown away when a black attacker tried to pick the ball up instead of dribbling it over the line. Pirates were penaliseu for faulty scrumming on two or three occasions. Kaierau gained relief by these measures and eventually got back into an attacking role. Chisholm and Morgan we*t prominent in two actions which had Pirates penned right on the line. A score was not to be,-however, and Pirates drove the invaders back to midfield. Another characteristic snapup by Duncan had the maroons coping with the black backs again. Lowe and Williams handled and speed was the deciding factor then, Williams outpacing the opposition to score near the corner flag. Potbury’s kick failed— Pirates 8, Kaierau 3. This was the score at half time.

The Change Over Roache was missing from the Kaierau back when play resumed and in accordance with international rules, the maroons carried on with. 14 men. From a scrum at half-way Pirates broke through. A fast follow-up by Bridges enabled him to gain possession but Stagpoole’s tackle saved the goal, puncan and Bridges were associated in a smart combined attack on the black side of the scrum, the Kaierau last line of defence standing up to a tackle which brought the movement to nought. From a line-out the black pack asserted itself and play went right down to the Kaierau line. In a scramble Potbury dived over the backs of his team mates to beat the defence to the ball and score. He missed the easiest of kicks—Pirates 11, Kaierau 3. Kaierau came to life in the suceeding stages in a characteristic maroon finish. Tremewan, Byres and Lockett battled to get the play into black territory and keep Kaierau in the ascendancy. Chisholm got the ball from a scrum nnd was round the blind aide and over the line before the defence knew about it. J. Morgan converted — Kaierau 8, Pirates 11. The blacks were not done w’ith yet and they swung back into maroon territory. Chisholm cleared from a dangerous position. Morgan marked a return kick by Lowe. The blacks were again the better team. With a do-or-die effort Tremewan, Ross and Byres led the Kaierau pack back to halfway. J. Morgan passed to Byres, to Thompson, to Chisholm who went over at the corner. It was the best Kaierau effort of the day. Simpson’s kick failed and the scores were level —11 all. Excitement characterised the final stages of play and with Pirates battling for the extra points to win, time was called. KAIERAU 11 PIRATES 11 Mr J. Richardson was referee.

UNINTERESTING PLAY OLD BOYS HEAVILY DEFEATED Contrary to expectations the match between Technical Old Boys and Wanganui and Old Boys resolved itself into a tame affair. Both teams were much lighter than the Kaierau and Pirate sides which had played just before and when Technical Old Boya gained definite superiority in the second spell what little interest the public had faded sadly. The winners wero penalised to the same extent as Kaierau had been in the matter of injured players. Fowler left the field early in the match and did not return, the side having no other course under international law, but to carry on with 14 men. The bettor side won, but there is this much to be said for both teams neither played at top form. On the day’s play, neither looked capable of standing up to either Pirates or Kaie-. rau, but the pace shown, an indication of rapid improvement, and the sound

tackling, especially on Old Boys’ part would suggest that a lot of spoiling will be done as the season progresses. Incidents in the Match The teams were;— Tech. Old Boys (blue and white): A. Stewart; Tilley, Ambrose and Crichton; Reid and Delves; Darby shire; Weir; Fowler, Atcheson, Webb, L. Stewart, Durie, Ward and Signal. Wanganui and Old Boys (red and black): Martin; Spriggens, Hughson and Bullock-Douglas; Shaw and Gibbons; Blythe; Wills; Doughty, Moffett, Mcßae, Brooker, Harding, Anderson and Blythe. Technical Old Boys won tire toss and Old Boys kicked off against the sun. The magpies were oi. the attack immediately. Martin accepted a long kick and returned the leather to midfield. From a scrum on the red twentyfive, play travelled back to .mid-field and Bullock-Douglas found the line in the opposition’s territory. From a mark Gibbons had a shot which lacked direction. Almost immediately after, a penalty gave him another opportunity and this time he goaled.—Old’ Boys 3, Technical Old Boys 0. Play was still held about mid-field and at this stage of the game Fowler retired with a hand injury. No replacement was allowed. Tilley made a run and threw several would-be tack lers, being forced out before reaching his objective. Play of a most disultofy nature followed, neither team showing any degree of spirit and Tilley equalised the scores with a penalty kick— Technical Old Boys 3, Old Boys 3.

Technical Old Boys pressed hard and and it was sound tackling on Old Boys’ part which kept them at bay. Gibbons, time after time, was grassing Delves and allowing him no liberty. Play swung downfield, Martin saving with a left foot kick which found the line. The magpie backs then rushed p ay at the red defence. Tilley made a specta cular run and transferred to Ward who scored. Tilley failed to convert — Technical Old Boys 6, Old Boys 3. This was the score at half-time.

Technical Old Boys backs swung into action immediately on resuming and carried the leather to the Old Boys line. A force resulting. The magpies were having the best of the game at this stage. Tilley made a good run before being heavily thrown by BullockDouglas. The ball travelled across

field for Reid to secure aud dive over under the bar. Tilley converted.— Technical Old Boys 11, Old Boys 3. The next scoring movement was initiated by Reid, who cross-kicked io Tilley. Bullock-Douglas attempted to collar him, but was pushed off. With a clear field ahead, Tilley had no difficulty in reaching his objective. His attempt to convert was unsuccessful —• Technical Old Boys 14, Old Boys 3<Play was of an uninteresting nature and, for some time, hjvered in midfield. Hard tackling by both sides prevented any likely movements frpin. getting under way. In the twenty-five Shaw kicked through and Bullock-Douglas got up in time to kick the leather past Tilley. He was successful in a race for the ball and scored. Gibbons failed to convert —Tech** nical Old Boys 14, Old Boys 6. Stewart (Tech. 0.8. full-back) rau up field, short-punted and was able to get up in time to collar Martin. The ball then travelled across field to Delves, tu Ambrose, to Crichton, who dived across, at the corner. Tilley converted with a splendid kick from the side-line—Technical Old Boys 19, Old Boys 6. Gibbons was smothered while in possession and a forward rush ended in L. Stewart scoring. Tilley added the extra points —Technical Old Boys 24, Old Boys 6. Technical Old Boys were now definitely superior. From a scrum Derbyshire sent to Delves, to Tilley who scored. Tilley’s kick from the sideline was a beauty and the bell rang as the ball crossed the bar. TECHNICAL 0.8 29 WANGANUI AND 0.8 A Mr W. H. Rowe was referee.

MATCH AT RATANA

NEW TEAM, AOTEA, GOES UNDER. It was a large crowd that watched the Rugby match at Ratana on Saturday, perhaps the largest crowd ever seen at a football fixture at Ratana. Spectators were tjeated to one of the most keenly-contested displays of the oval-ball code ever provided in the district, the teams being the Ratana fifteen and the new combination of Maoris, the Aotea team. It was a sporting crowd and they sow a game full of lite from start to finish, in which the players W)hcld the spirit of the game in a manner fuiiy in keeping with the best traditions of Rugby football. Play was not by any means onesided and the visiting team made the pace willing all the way, suffering defeat at the finish by 9 points to 6. In the first spell Tau Park scored an unconverted try, while in the second spell a goal was notched from a mark. The ; opening score for Ratana was from a penalty kick taken by Whai Pine in the first spell. In the second session Tamou scored a try and Johnson, the half-back, also added three pointe with a try. Mr N. Reid was the referee.