Universities’ Win

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 28, 21 June 1940, Page 6

Universities’ Win

INTERESTING GAME AT EDEN , PARK. - ' The elite of the Rugby players of I New Zealand’s Universities and the , Combined" Services stationed in and I around Auckland met at Eden Park on the King’s Birthday. The win went to ’Varsities by the narrow margin of 12 points to 11. . Speed beat the Services. Many of the ’Varsity men produced remarkable bursts in-concerted play, and, getting a good share of the ball; they kept play away from a heavy Service pack which might have proved an exceedingly tough proposition on a wetter surface. The result was a fair indication of a game that produced much better Rugby than the Island University game on the previous Saturday. } , s ßoth five-eighths; the former Aucklander, 'A. Stewart, of Massey, first, and Kimberley, Canterbury, did some fine work, but Kimberley failed somewhat in not using better tactics. Despite the fact that ' the Service men were blocking the centre every time in the second half, he did not kick for the open enough. That, coupled with the ; failure of Cartwright to give more chances to the wings —Bowler and Greenalready voted fast and dangerous by Saturday’s play, stopped ’Varsity from making a bigger score Of it. ■ ' 'I . At half-back Simpson was very er-, ratic for a while, but found his feet and improved. Twice he made brilliant dashes past Wagstaffe on the open'side, only for the moves ,to break down for lack of 7 support. Donnelly handled with 'precision at full-back and made sure of his line. Universities were well served by their captain, R. B. Burke, of Victoria, who hooked consistently well and was a real grafter in- the tight work. This player has had a bril-liant-University playing record, dating back to- before his tour of Japan with the Dominion Universities in 1937. He has been a representative in both Canterbury and Wellington. In the loose the rangy Campbell/ from Lincoln College, was always prominent. The only Aucklander who made the grade, R. A. Armitage, deserves -mention, for an untiring, if unspectacular, job of work that kept him mostly in the middle of it. :././■ Strachan, an Air Force man at second five-eighth, bore the brunt with Christopher, the centre’ of most of the shock tactics of Kimberley and Cartwrightand they did it splendidly, Wyett (half) and Wagstaffe played on the defensive too much to be able to show out, and generally the back work was not as impressive as that of the forwards; even though McCready scored a good try from the wing. ’ • ■ Forbes, Gable and .Overton seemed three who stood out, though it may be fairer, to include the whole pack as good. Forbes, a former Grammer Old Boys man, now in the Army, has been out of the game for a time, but he is' getting into trim and showing that he is worth a great deal to a side. by reason of his outstanding line-out play. Cartwright (2), Garratt and Bowler scored tries for Universities. For the Services Gable and McCready scored, while Strachan kicked a penalty and a conversion. I Mr. A. M. Matheson refereed.