ARMY RUGBY

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 21, 3 May 1940, Page 4

ARMY RUGBY

Trial Match Played Ngaruawahia Team Wins VICTORY OVER PAPAKURA A Rugby trial match between teams representing the Papakura and Ngaruawahia Military Camps was played at the Show Grounds on 23rd April under ideal weather conditions and in the presence of about 4000 spectators, a large majority of whom were soldiers from the respective camps. The Ngaruawahia fifteen proved successful by 14 points to 3. In view of the fact that both teams were depleted through the absence of players suffering from the effects : of vaccination the standard of play was good. The teams filed on to the field to the accompaniment of loud cheering, Second-Lieutenant C. S. Pepper leading Ngaruawahia and Corporal S. Hadley captaining Papakura. As the teams reached the centre of the field the Papakura Military Band, under the conductorship of Captain J. Buckley, played a verse of the National Anthem, an impressive spectacle being the standing to attention of the teams, the soldiers and the spectators.

The trial was confined to soldiers of the second echelon, with but the few exceptions of third echelon men being called upon to fill vacancies caused by the arm soreness of those who would otherwise have been included. The Ngaruawahia team, which wore red and black jerseys, thoroughly deserved its victory. The forwards were heavier and did better in the rucks and on the line-outs, while the backs were a superior combination. They passed more accurately and found gaps in the defence and but for a tendency of the inside men to hold on a fraction too long and kick when openings presented themselves, the side would have scored more points.

The most prominent backs in the NTgaruawahia team were R. F. Kinder (fullback) whose handling of the ball and line-finding were very accurate, J. Campbell (centre), who made some nice openings, one of which led to a try by a forward, and R. Paterson, wing-threequarters, formerly a Wellington representative. C. S. Pepper, H. 0. Crawford-Smith and H. Jonhson were conspicuous in a hardworking pack.

Compared with the opposing backs the Papakura rear division was weak. The half-back, M. Shalfoon, and centre, K. J. Hanna, did good individual work, but there was a lack of understanding and too much kicking, with the result that the wingers, D. Flett (former Auckland representative) and J. R. McKenzie, had no chances on attack. Flett did some good defensive work, his speed and sound tackling saving his side several times.

The Papakura forwards worked hard under the able leadership of Hadley, who outhooked Johnson, the ex-Ponsonby front-row man. The pack gained a lot of valuable, ground only to see it repeatedly lost through

mistakes and weak t ac I side backs. C %| Tries for Ng ara a by Watson, Crawford > -V. Evans eo nv kicked a penalty goal * I ed a penalty goa l for 3 Major J. G. C. W ales *l Chaplain-General G y j ex-South Island repi . e Jj Second-Lieutenant a G | Douglas, Sergeant-Major pl and Gunner W. Batty th / New Zealand repress ’I sisted in the selection of th .1 were close followers of yl the players, Sergeant-M a J being one of the line Urnpil , I