Points Table For Lower Rugby Grades At End Of First Round

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 June 1948, Page 2

Points Table For Lower Rugby Grades At End Of First Round

Athletic juniors have completed the first round of the Kangitikei Rugby competition with an unbeaten record and enter the second and final round with a useful lead of tour po;n;s. Hunterville and Rata are likely to be the teams to offer Athletic the most serious competition in this round, and if they can withstand these challenges, the Marlon fifteen should carry off the 1948 championsnip. Athletic have also had the least points scored against them, while Rata have have registered the most points—B4 or the six matches.

In the third grade competition, r.n interesting finish is indicated. High School, with 11 points, leads by one from Ohingaiti, who suffered its first defeat last Saturday. School, although unbeaten, drew its rnaten with Old Boys midway through the round. Like the jun.cr grade, the the team lying second, has scored the most points, with the leaders having the least scored against themThe following is the c-unplele table for the lower grade teams: -

Athletic and Ratana juniors on Saturday provided one of the best cur-tain-raisers seen on Marton Park this season. The ball was given a good airing, there being some bright movements by the backs, as well as some vigorous forward play. Athletic won by 16 points to nine, but this score was not a true reflection of the run cf play. Until midway thruugn tne second spell, Ratana were on the offensive, but then they just folded up, there being more than a mere suggestion that lack of fitness was the paramount reason. Each side scored three tries, but Athletic vonverted two of theirs and kicked a penalty. With the forwards securing possession of the ball from* the scrums with clock-like regularity, the Ratana oacks saw plenty of the "pill,’’ and early in the game they gave indications of administering Athletics first defeat, when the centre A. Potaka, after J. Nepia had made the opening, went across for a neat try. Again and again Ratana backs continued to swing into action, but just lacked the necessary finish to add points. G. Pull kicked a good penalty to even the scores and then the same player , intercepted a pass from the Ratana half to the five-eighths and skippea through for a smart try, which ne converted. Athletic led at the interval by 8-3. The Athletic full-back, P. Butler, played a great game and repeatedly kept the oppos.r.g team at bay with his sure handling and kicking. Follett, especially in the first spell, led his forwards well. However, the Athletic pack was outmanoeuvred by tne visiting eight, there being some promising material in the Ratana vanguard. One of the features of their play was the splendid backing up, but Ratana lost a lot of ground through off-side play, many penalties being awarded against them for this breach.

As an attacking machine little was seen of the Athletic back line—the three-quarter line hardly saw the ball via the half-back. Whenever the home forwards did heel the ball back, either Cairncross or Bostock kicked aimlessly ahead, usually into the waiting arms of the very safe Ratana full-back, who promptly despatched the leather into touch. Besides tiring their forwards, these Athletic backs also gave away possession and tries cannot be scored without the ball. In Head and Phillips Athletic had two useful wings, and it was a pity that the inside backs did not feed them more often. In A. Marakau, Ratana fielded a very determined wing three-quarter who took a power of stopping—he proved more than a handful for Phillips, and his barging tactics whenever he obtained possession, spelt danger for Athletic. Ratana lost their grip of the game 20 minutes before the final whistle, when their condition faded, and Athletic set up a series of attacks, being rewarded with two tries—O. Mainwaring and Bostock, the latter’s being converted by Pull. In this spell R. Pihema and A. Marakau crossed for Ratana. BASKETBALL. The first round of the A and B grade competition conducted by the Marton Basketball Association was concluded on Saturday. In the A grade, Marton Green have a commanding lead, having won all games, while Turakina, who also have an unbeaten record in the B grade competition, lead their section. The points table is as follows: — * A Grade: Marton Green 8, Athletic 5, M.D H.S. 4, Marton Red 3, Turakina I). B Grade: Turakina 4, Marton Juniors 2, Athletic 0.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY FIXTURES FOR REMAINDER OF SEASON The following senior and junior hockey fixtures for the remainder of the season were confirmed at a meeting of the Rangitikel Women’s Hockey Association this week:— Senior. June 19: Tuis v. Hunterville, at Rangatahi; Athletic v. Huimai, at Marion; United v. Te Kauwau, at Marton. June 26: Tuis v. Huimai, at Halcombe; Atnletic v. Te Kauwau, at Sanson; Hunterville v. United, at Marton. July 3: 11-a-side senior and junior tournament at Wanganui; no club fixtures in Rangitikel. July 10: Hunterville v. Te Kauwau, at Marton; Athletic v. Tuis, at Marton; United v. Huimai. at Marton. July x 7: Huimai v. Hunterville, at Marton; Athletic v. United, at Marton; Tuis v. Te Kauwau, at Rangatahi. July 24: Huimai v. Te Kauwau, at Halcombe; Athletic v. Hunterville, at Hunterville; United v. Tuis, at Marton. July 31: Senior trials at Marton <2 matches) and junior trial at Sanson (one match). Junior June 19: Huia v. Bulls, at Feilding; Athletic v. Rata, at Rata; Te Kauwau C v. Swifts, at Feilding; Te Kauwau B a bye. June 26: Swifts v. Athletic, at Marton; Huia v. Te Kauwau B, at Sanson; Bulls v. Rata, at Rata; Te Kauwau C a bye. July 3: 11-a-side senior and junior tournaments at Wanganui; no club fixtures in Marton. July 10: Swifts v. Te Kauwau B, at Sanson; Rata v. Te Kauwau C, at Sanson; Athletic v. Huia, at Feilding; Bulls a bye. July 17: To Kauwau C V. Te Kauwau B, at Sanson; Athletic v. Bulls, at Bulls; Rata v. Swifts, at Rata; Huia a bye. July 24: Huia v. Te Kauwau C, at Feilding; Swifts v. Bulls, at Feilding; Rata v. Te Kauwau B, at Rata; Athletic a bye. July 31: Morning, Athletic v. Te Kauwau C, at Marton; Huia v. Rata, at Rata; Te Kauwau B v. Bulls, at Sanson; Swifts a bye. Afternoon, Junior trial at Sanson. Other Engagements. August 7: Manawatu senior A and B teams, at Palmerston North and junior A and B teams at Marton. August 14: v. Wanganui senior A and B and junior A, at Wanganui. August 21: Manawatu v. Wanganui at Marton; Rangitikel v. Australia, at Marton. August 28: 7-a-side senior tournament at Marton; 7-a-side junior tournament at Lata. September 4: Senior and junior 11-a-side tournaments (venue to be decided later).

JUNIORS. P. w. L. D. For Athletic .• . 6 6 0 0 (17 33 12 Rata . 6 4 2 0 84 8 Hunterville .. . 6 3 3 0 21 42 6 Ratana .. .. . 6 3 0 49 49 6 Turakina .. .. . 6 2 3 1 46 51 Marton O.B. . 6 1 4 1 34 63 3 Bulls . 6 1 □ 0 33 71 2 THIRDS. Marton D.H.S. 6 5 0 1 67 26 11 Ohingaiti . . 6 5 1 0 /.■> 28 10 Marton O.B. . 6 3 .1 32 42 Ratana 6 3 3 0 35 38 6 Athletic .. . 6 3 3 0 72 37 6 Flock House . 6 1 n 0 37 91 2 Hunterville .. . 6 0 6 0 JO 70 0 ATHLETIC AMI RAlAiJA .11 MORS BRIGHT GAME. 1