COLLEGE RUGBY.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18404, 11 August 1931, Page 10

COLLEGE RUGBY.

TECHNICAL AT THAMES.

TWO FIXTURES DECIDED. HOME TEAMS SUCCESSFUL. Teh annual football matches between Hamilton Technical High School and Thames High School were decided on Saturday, when two Hamilton teams made the trip to Thames. Both the games were fast, and well-contested, the home side being successful by a narrow margin in (iach. The match in which the first fifteens were engaged .resulted. Thames 8, Hamilton 6, while the fixture between the second fifteens ended with the score, Thames 3, Hamilton 0. In the senior game the visitors were unlucky, particularly in the second session, when they had the margin of attack practically throughout. The second match was a hard tussle from beginning to end, the home side securing their only points from a penalty

A NARROW MARGIN. FIRST FIFTEENS MEET. HOME SIDE TWO POINTS UP On a hard ground, under Ideal conditions the Technical and Thames first fifteens met on even terms, and throughout the game a fast pace was maintained, play sweeping up and downfield continually. Following the kick-off a Thames infringement gave the visitors a free. Louden making no mistake with the kick. Hamilton 3 Thames 0

Thames attacked, but Haughey snapped up. and relieved with a long kick. Good handling by the Hamilton forwards in a line-out gave the backs an opening, the ball going out to Mathieson, who reached the home 25 before he was grassed. offside play sent the attackers back, but only for a short interval. Following tight play in the Thames half a scrum was set down on their 25 line, Hamilton hooking the ball, and forcing the opposition back to within a few yards of their goal line. A keen tussle for possession ensued, the ball being punted out of the danger zone by one of the Thames backs.

M.thleson Nearly Over.

Play moved back to half-way where A scrum was ordered. The ball came out tQ Malhieson, who worked the blind side, and went on to evade several opponents before he was brought down just outside his objective. The visitors were now attacking strongly, and a fine forward movement was held up right on the line. Offside play in the Hamilton ranks gave Thames much needed relief, the kick sending play back to mid-field. Hamilton again got going from a scrum, all the backs handling to force the Thames pack back to their 25. Haughey's Good Effort. From a scrum the ball came out to Haughey, who dived over to score a good try. Louden failed with the kick. Hamilton € Thames 0 A scramble for possession followed the kick-off, Hamilton being penalised for an infringement. The kick failed, and the ball was returned to halfway, where M. Baker, the speedy Thames wing, came across quickly and, picknig up, set off on a promising run, but he was pushed out. From the ensuing play Blunt broke away with the ball at toe to place Hamilton, in a good position. Thames rallied, and a sparkling passing movement saw the positions reversed. Glck relieved with a long kick, but Hayward took the ball, and dribbled back •to Hamilton's 25. Haughey, with a run, took advantage of an opening, and eased the situation by running through to half-way and kicking to Hayward, who claimed a mark a few yards out from the goal line. Halftime came soon after without further score. After the Interval. •Hamilton were first to show up following the kick-off, and for a time ■had Thames busy defending. The defenders gradually forced the visitors back to half-way, where tight play followed. Hayward provided an opening for the home side, the ball going across to Baker, who ran down the line, to be forced out at the corner flag. Malhieson eased the pressure with a kiek, and play moved back to half-way. From a series of scrums Hamilton gained considerable ground, reaching the Thames’ 25 before a penalty was given against them for offside play. Thames Open Their Score.

Fast forward play in the Thames ranks placed them on the attack, Hosking going on to dive over between the posts. Coxhead added the extras. 'Thames 5 Hamilton 6

Heartened by their success, Thames again attacked. Baker kicking down to Gick, who threw the ball out as he was brought down. A free was awarded the home side. Coxhead putting the ball between the posts to wake the score— Thames 8 Hamilton 6

Hamilton rallied, and a fine piece ■of work by the forwards saw the home side fighting hard, a force saving a certain try when the ball was kicked over the line. Thames relieved. with a free, to half-way. Louden gained possession, and with a good run and a kick reached the opposition 25, where Malhieson snapped up ami went on to lie pushed out a few yards from the goal-line. Both sets of forwards were working very hard, with good open back play, and honours even territorially. The tackling on both sides was very solid. With only a few minutes to go Hamilton attacked strongly, and following a series of scrums on the Thames line, the defenders cased the pressure with a force. The final whistle sounded with Thames on the •Hack, and the score Thames High School .... 8 Hamilton Technical High 6 THREE POINTS AHEAD. THAMES SECONDS WIN. PENALTY SECURES THE GAME. Thames won Ihr toss and Hamilton kicked ••FT with the sun at their backs in a light cross wind, the ball going \ series of scrums saw Hamilton work their way into a good position where Carry sent his Jta£ks but the

passing rush was spoilt by a knockon. From the ensuing scrum Thames forwards broke away in a loose rush, but Alexander sent them back with a good line kick. A long kick by Courtney from the resulting line-out put Thames in a handy position, but hard work by Charlton and Lisse-tte restored play to mid-fleid whence the Hamilton forwards, led by Chesterman and Luxford, rushed the ball to Thames' line. A series of scrums followed near Thames’ goal line, but over eagerness by Hooker gave Thames a free kick which GilI mer utilised to good advantage finding the line at the half-way flag. Thames’ Solid Defence. Twice the Hamilton forwards, playing fine football, swept play to Thames' line and twice the rock like defence of Higgins and Hopkins saved the situation for the home team. Long kicking by the Thames backs put their team on the attack, but an infringement enabled Goodwin to find the line at Thames’ twenty-five. From the ensuing line-out the Hamilton forwards broke through and Chesterman was very unlucky to be just beaten for the touch down, a force resulting. The drop-out ended in a scrum at mid-field. Thames secured the ball and Higgins broke away with a strong run to be well tackled by Llssette near the touch line. Off-side play by Hooker gave Thames but a powerful return by Goodwin sent the home team back again. From the ensuing scramble Lissette initiated a passing rush, all the backs handling well, the movement ending by Alexander being thrown-out right in the corner. Thames secured from the line-out and forced; their half-back disappearing under a welter of visiting forwards. The drop out was nullified by a Thames man getting in front, and twice in succession Lissette set his backs in motion and twice Hopkins and Higgins cleared Just in time. The visiting forwards, headed by Voisey and the Chesterman brothers, now took a hand and Thames were glad to force down twice in a few minutes. From the drop out Lissette got his backs going once again but a free enabled Thames to restore play to half-way. Here Hooker, who was playing his best game to date, opened a pretty passing rush which ended at Thames’ twenty-five. Half-time and no score on either side.

The Second Spell. The kick-off was returned to halfway where from a scrum Thames forwards secured to see Hislop make a spectacular run only to be downed by Goodwin. A good line-kick by Charlton eased the pressure, and a moment later Lissette improved Hamilton's position in the same manner. The resulting line-out saw the visiting forwards break through with the ball at their toes only to be sent back by Hopkins, who was playing fine football. Good work by Hooker and Charlton took play to Thames’ twentyfive, but Gilmar broke through with a great swerving run, lonly to be grassed by Buisson. Luxford next broke away with the ball at foot, but had his rush stopped by Gilmer, who was playing a fine game. Play was here stopped by reason of an injury to Danby, who. however, was able to continue. Thames forwards next broke away in a dangerous rush from the line-out, but Goodwin snapned the ball up from under their feet and found the line well down. A moment later an infringement gave Goodwin a chance at goal in a handy position, but his kick failed to rise sufficiently. Gilmer's Fine Effort. From the drop out play settled in mld-ileld until the Thames forwards broke through In a 'dangerous rush. The situation was saved by W. Chesterman who ran round quickly behind his backs and found the line well down with a nicely judged kick. Again the Thames forwards broke away to be sent back this time by Lissette, who was getting through a tremendous amount of hard work. A passing rush by Thames’ backs, all handling, nearly had Hamilton in difficulties, but Alexander, after getting bls man, cleared nicely to nearly half-way. Ruck play resulted from the line-out and ended in a free kick being awarded to Thames. Gilmer took the kick and landed a splendid goal from nearly half-way.

With only a few minutes to go both teams of forwards were working like Trojans. A high kick by Goodwin and fast following up looked promising, but was spoilt by Hooker being off-side. Thames failed to profit much from the resulting free kick, and a passing rush by the Hamilton backs saw Thwaltes nearly over In the corner. In a series of scrums near the goal line, the Hamilton forwards and backs made desperate attempts to equalise the ■scores. Finally an Infringement through over eagerness on the part of the ’visitors enabled Hislop to clear, and the Thames forwards rushed play to half-way. Tight work in mid-field ensued, the ball eventually going out at the flag simultaneously with the call of time. Thames High School . . 3 Hamilton Technical High 0

matangi schoolboys. MATCH WITH SOUTHWELL. Several good matches with other schools have been played by the Matangi schoolboys, and although they have not always been successful much experience has been gained. A Matangi team played a junior Southwell team, the result being Matangi 5, Southwell 3.