COLLEGE RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 199, 26 August 1935, Page 4

COLLEGE RUGBY

ANNUAL TOURNAMENT WANGANUI AND CHRIST’S WIN FORWARDS DOMINATE PLAY A heavy cross wind marred the play in the annual inter-collegiate tournament which was opened in Wanganui on Saturday and is to be continued to-day. Otherwise conditions were conducive to good football, but neither match rose to spectacular heights play being confined largely to the forwards. Wanganui Collegiate School defeated Nelson College by six to three and Christ’s College accounted for Wellington College by fourteen points to five. After its long spell of “ recuperation ” the No. 1 ground at the school looked invitingly green. Jt was a trifle holding, perhaps, but all the better for that when it vame to hard tackling and milling among forwards. Thiee-quarters out, to exploit speed may have had a quarrel with the ground when getting under way, but they were probably thankful for its softness when low tackles felled them low. Despite the keen west wind, which drove over the ground with unhappy force, there was a large crowd in attendance. For them the day did not produce those fast, open rearguard actions so dearly loved by the Rugby public. One or two lightning surprise moves, however, notably an intercept in the, Nelson-Wanganui match and a fine try which followed its wake, and a quick solo effort round the scrum by the Christ’s College half-back in the latter encounter, had tbs touchline adherents on their feet. To-day Christ’s College and the Wanganui Collegiate Schoo] will meet to decide the championship, wh : le Wellington and Nelson Colleges will vie with one another for the somewhat dubious honour of carrying home the “ wooden spoon.” Christ’s College holds the championship at present, the results of games played last year being as follows: Christ’s College 18, Wanganui Collegiate 3. Nelson College .16, Wellington 0. Christ’s College 6, Nelson 0. Wellington College 9, Wanganui 5. Wanganui brought the “wooden spoon ’’ north last year, but successfully r.d itself of it on Saturday, leaving Nelson and Wellington to fight out whether its home until 1936 is to be north or south of Cook’s Strait. CHRIST’S COLLEGE WIN WELLINGTON’S BETTER BACKS. BUT WINNERS DOMINATE THE BALL. The match between Christ’s College and Wellington College retold that oitrepeated Rugby truth that while one team can hold possession the other side cannot win. Christ's had the weight forward, used it to hook the ball and, what was more important, applied it in such a way as to keep the Wellington backs from functioning. Although the match brought, little opportunity to the losers their backs looked a more likely combination than any of the four rearguards engaged in the competition. They were well served by the half and the passing was more studied in its precision and more like what a Rugby general would seek. But a team may have the best backs in the world and be treated to the disheartening spectacle of rarely seeing the ball to bring those backs into action. Such was Wellington’s experience. At one stage of the match, so much bull was handled by Christ’s College that the public anticipated a procession of tries. That such was denied the touch-line was due to fine rallying spirit in the Wellington pack, which played the second spell with much more determination. The teams were:— Christ’s College (black and white). — H. A. Ostler; R. C. Webb, M. Watson, A. M. West-Watson; B. K. Wagner, li. J. 11. Skelley (1st); W. J. Byrne; I’. Tovey, C. N. D. Taylor, 11. 11. Beale, G. T. Kain, J. R. 8. Orbell, J. R. Masefield, M. G. Homerville, G. B. Spiers. Wellington College (black). —D. R. Alexander; H. W. Robertson, D. J. Pocknail, McArthur; P. A. Ongley (Ist), G. K. Young; J. J. Bradley; I’. J. Doole, A. W. Gillies, L. $. Bartlett, K. W. Tait, A. H. Harding, L. 'l'. Woodcock, A. V. Cadwallader, L. W. Gandar. Christ’s College asserted superiority in the forwards immediately the game opened. Somerville, Spiers and Masefield leading the van into Wellington’s territory. Somerville and Spiers combined in a passing rush which resulted in Spiers being forced out near the corner flag. From the throw-in Somerville scored. The kick failed.— Christ’s 3, Wellington 0. Somerville, Skelley and Webb combined in a nice move, which was pro bably the most spectacular seen during the day, the winger outpacing the opposition to a try. Another kick failed, and somebody said the wind just “laughed” at the ball. —Christ’s 6, Wellington (I. The black ami white forwards were still calling the tune, and when a scrum gave possession to the half-back (Byrne; close to the line lie gave, a

taste of what Billy Wallace has taught all half-backs who have come under his fatherly tuition, and scored before the defence was aware of it, finding a convenient gap between the base of the opposing .scrum and its fust fiveeighth. Still another kick fiuled.— Christ's College <J, Wellington 0. It was at this stage that the touchline critics began to write up a cricket score for the South Island team, but they reckoned without the will to rally which manifested itself in the Wellington side. r l'he black backs were itching to get moving, and the chance came a few minutes later. The forwards played solidly and held Christ’s penned down for the next ten minutes. Bradley sent his backs away nicely and Pocknall cut in beautifully to score under the cross-bar. Alexander was cheered for converting. It was the first kick put over up to then and the players had one solitary laugh back at the wind. The score was nine to five at half-time in favour of Christ’s. The second spell saw Wellington rally still further and for a long time the packs battled in mid-field with honours even. Wagner tried to do some cutting in for Chi Ist’.s College, but was inclined to run too far ami was never adequately supported. Wellington got one chance to look really like a scoring team. A scrum was screwed and the ball come out to Ongley, who punted upfield. Ostler, the opposing custodian, was bustled and the attack went right into the goal. The defenders were penalised, and instead of risking another encounter with the wind the Wellington skipper elected to short punt. The ball was taken in flight! by the attackers and over the goal line, but there were too many hands for the referee to award a try, and he ordered a fiveyard scrum in the face of an almost unanimous appeal for reward. The defenders forced a minute later. Wellington still held their opponents for the next twenty minutes, but in the closing stages Beale followed behind a rolling ball and scored for Christ’s. Ostler, from wide out, made the wind help him, and put over the best kick of the day, the game ending with the scores— Christ’s College 14 Wellington College ;5 Mr. 8. Cass was the referee. WANGANUI AND NELSON HOME FORWARDS TOO GOOD. BACK I'I.AY BARELY I'EI.N. The Wanganui Collegiate School forwards won the match against Nelson College. There was an unhappy note about the handling of the home threequarter line, which had excellent finish once the wiHgs had the ball. Unfortunately, attack after attack broke down before the wings could be played into action, and at least live tries were lost in consequence. Nelson, without a proper share of the ball, had to defend for the greater part of the game, and Wanganui’s ineffective handling assisted them. The teams were:— Wanganui Collegiate (white). —J, J. Palmer; J. R. Sherratt, J. L. Meuli, A. J. O. Williams; J. R. Price, C. AL C. Dermer (l?t); P. L. Pierce; 8. Fuller-ton-Smith, V. R. Ryan, N. M. K. Kirkcaldie, O. C. Martin, J. ’J’. Clere, \\’. IL P. Green, W. Ryan (captain), E. R. W. Bidwell. Nelson College (dark and light blue). —J. K. Ward; A. E. Mitchell, N r . 8. Maxwell, B. W. Bailey; A. 11. Grindle, F. E. McManeniin (captain. 1st); G. 8. Henry; C. W. Newman. F. N. Atkins, M. Gomez, G. S. Walter, H. L. McLaren, IL F. Blair, A. C. Hansen and H. C. Dodson. A blind side move was the first pro fitable incident of the match. Pierce, when his scrum was attacking in the Nelson twenty-five, sent Dermer and Sherrat away, the winger defying the defence to score in the corner. The kick failed.—Wanganui 3, Nelson 0. Nelson, sending the forwards up behind the kick which resumed the game, gave Wanganui a long taste of defence. Newman, Gomez and McLaren were prominent in holding the whites down. McLaren tried his luck at goal from a penalty, but the wind was biting and unfriendly, driving the ball well away from its objective. Ground which hail been dearly won was lost to Nelson when a blind-side movement was blocked, Wanganui collaring McManeniin in possession and coming away with a fast rearguard attack, with Sherratt in command. His infield pass when he was challenged and brough down by Ward, was missed, the move breaking down within sight of the Nelson twenty-five. McManeniin was injured at this stage and retired to full-back to nurse himself, Ward filling the breach behind the half. Finding a weakness or two in the Wanganui tackling, the Nelson backs brought their team to an attacking position, but Green inititiated one of those surprise moves for which Rugby is so noted. He intercepted a pass near half-way, ran and punted over the Nelson fullback’s head. The Wanganui second five-eighths (Price) and centre (Meuli) were quick to exploit the position, and racing behind the ball got there in time to beat the defence. Whether it was f Meuli or Price who actually scored is not clear, but the decision of the press was that Meuli was entitled to the honour. 'The kick failed and at half-time Wanganui led by six to three. The second spell saw Nelson play much more solidly in the forwards, but Wanganui gradually assumed the upper hand. Time after time the backs were let away and the passing made it impossible for the ball to be held. Three times Sherratt saw the open goal ahead and three times his centre hung on a fraction too long. Bidwell retired from the Wanganui pack ami was replaced by Morrison. Some fifteen minutes before the end of the game Nelson scored to cap the most spectacular move the match produced. McManeniin, who had taken .full note of the inclination of the home half to lob and misdirect his passes, moved up close Io the scrum and, like a wing forward, he came from nowhere, flashed into the ball ami was away with no one to stop him hut the full-back. With a swerve he caught I'aimer on the wrong foot., and not a man in the, home team could catch him then. He. scored fairly wide out. ami had the crowd on tip-toes of jubiliat ion. The kick failed.--Nelson 3, Wanganui Strangely enough, the game had not been in progress five minutes more, when the same player attempted the same move. He brought, oil’ the intercept all right, hut the in-folding three quarter line was too quick for him on that occasion and the promised reward was denied. Wanganui was attacking when time was called. Collegiate 6 Nelson College 3 Mr. N. Reid was Ihe tofoinA.