INTER-SCHOOL RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 169, 20 July 1939, Page 4

INTER-SCHOOL RUGBY

COLLEGIATE BEATEN BY NEW PLYMOUTH VISITORS’ HEAVIER PACK HOME TEAM USED ITS BACKS The annual Rugby match played at Wanganui yesterday between the first fifteens of the Wanganui Collegiate School and the New Plymouth Boys’ High School resulted in a win for New Plymouth by 12 points (two tries and two penalty goals) to seven <a try and a field goal). It was a fast match, in which the better team won. IL gained a good deal of possession of the ball, and had the link between the five-eighths and the three-quarters been more solid and thrustful, the score would have been greater in lhe visitors’ favour. At lhe same time the defence of the Wanganui team was sound Time after time the New Plymouth backs attacked, but after the ball got beyond Novak the moves were across lhe field and very often Riley, the visitors’ second five-eighths had lo go into a tacfcle because his centre, Baunton, was placed at a greater disadvantage than himself. Wanganui had decidedly more thrust in the backs, but. they were not fed as accurately or as regularly as the opposition. And the reason was not hard to find. The home team was a stone a man lighter than the opposition, and taking that into account Wanganui can be given full credit for having played a great game. The teams were: - New Plymouth Boys' High School -N. L. McLeod; H. O’Byrne, Baunton, M. Cartwright ; R. C. Riley. F. J. Novak; T. McCallum; R. Mason; B. W. Broome. A. Roberts, J. Strickland, A. D. Lewis; O. Lander, W. T. Matheson. I. 11. Kerr. Wanganui Collegiate School. —C. M. Hockin; E. Falloon, R. M. Russell, D. M. Hammond; H. L. Jones. A. A. Renshaw; P. W. Wilson; J. P. Beauchamp; R. F. Mackie. E. R. Harris, F. G. T. Beetham, J. F. Austin; 11. Larner, R. Gibbons, M. Farrer. Referee; Mr. E. J. Crotty. Immediately the game began McCallum sent the New Plymouth backs away, playing to Cartwright’s wing, only to find that the Wanganui tackling could cope with the threequarter line. Getting possession from line-outs and scrums fairly regularly, the New Plymouth backs launched several attacks, O’Byrne once getting past Hammond and centering nicely for his forwards. Hockin. the Wanganui full-back, played soundly, however, and the attack was cleared. Novak, the New Plymouth first fiveeighth, who was the best back on the field, made an opening, but in swerving brought himself within the range of Wilson’s tackle, and the promise of the move was nipped in Ihe bud. From a defending position the Wanganui backs came away, and Russell, at centre, made a nice blind-side run, cutting through to pass to Hammond. Back the ball came to Russell after Hammond had made a sprint down touch to the New Plymouth twentyfive. McLeod and O’Byrne came across and saved .just in lime. From an ensuing scrum the Wanganui forwards hooked the ball to Wilson, the halfback. who dived over the line for lhe first try of the match. Mackie's kick failed. Wanganui 3. New Plymouth 0. Hammond's Pace in Evidence. That, try seemed to give the lighter Wanganui pack more life, and with Mackie. Beet ham and Harris prominent. they indulged in an inspiring foot rush. Harris picked up and passed to the backs, the result, being that Hammond was Jet off in another of his spectacular down touch sprints. He centred nicely for his supports to smother McLeod, the New Plymouth full-back. McLeod held the attack temporarily an d a scrum got down near the goal posts. From that Wanganui was again successful in hooking the ball, Wilson passing to Renshaw, who drop-kicked a quick field goal, which was destined to be Wanganui’s last score.--Wanganui 7, New Plymouth 0. Back came the New Plymouth backs. Cartwright, putting in a nice run. but good tackling of all the visitors’ backs held the team at bay. Broome was conspicuous on three occasions in smothering attempts of the Wanganui backs to clear. Several times the New Plymouth backs functioned. but on each occasion the tackling was good. Just before halftime the defending team pla’yed the ball illegally in a ruck, and from the resultant, penalty O'Byrne goaled. the score at. the change over being; Wanganui 7. New Plymouth 3. It was obvioUs from the play in the first spell that, if the 1 w Plymouth team could keep the backs going they would eventually break through the defence. Strickland’s height and weight in the line-outs proved valuable and a nice try was scored as the result of a move he initiated by jumping for the ball, hauling it down and passing it out, shovel-like, to McCallum. Novak, accepting McCallum’s pass, macle a great opening and the ball came back infield to the supporting New Plymouth forwards. From a scrum the ball was hooked to Mc,Callum, was passed through the whole chain of bo*s- to O'Byrne on the wing and he scored. His own kick failed and Wanganui still led by a point, seven to six. Using the pack to advantage and keeping the backs on the move, New Plymouth again tested lhe Wanganui tackling and it held. But. a free kick to the visitors was awarded for offside play and O’Byrne goalee!.—New Plymouth 9, Wanganui 7. Visitors Load By Five Points A nice try was scored shortly afterwards to give the visitors a live-point lead. Wilson, the Collegiate School half-back, had taken every opportunity to keep his backs on the move, and it would be quite fair to say that the Wanganui forwards were playing gamely. New Plymouth was on defence for quite a good portion of the spell, but a ball went astray in the Wanganui back line. O'Byrne, the New Plymouth left wing three-quar-ter. got his boot under it. toed it infield and from the position thus won. Novak again distinguished himself with a great run. Out the ball went, through the backs to Cartwright, on the opposite side of the field, and he

scored. O’Byrne’s kick failed.—New Plymouth 12, Wanganui 7. Towards the last of the game Wanganui made attempts to score, both backs and forwards endeavouring to break down the visitors’ defence, but it proved of no avail.