RUGBY IN THE MUD

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 137, 28 August 1942, Page 4

RUGBY IN THE MUD

Petone Narrowly Beat Air Force HUTT OUTPLAY ARMY

With the senior championships decided, little interest was taken in the series of matches played by the Wellington Rugby Union on Saturday afternoon. /Interest was further dampened by the weather, as drenching showers fell frequently during the afternoon from the north, and players slid and slithered about the fields as best they could, finding difficulty in even keeping their feet. Chief interest centred in the match between Petone, winners of the Jubilee Cup competition, and Air Force, winners of the Hardham Cup- contest, both teams having come through with unbeaten records. The match proved that there was little difference in the strength of the teams* With the wind behind them, Air Force led by eight pouts to nil at half-time, made up by a penalty goal by Clarke, and a try by Evans, which Clarke converted. It was some time after the second spell had begun that Petone scored their first points, S. Jaeger putting over a penalty goal. , Then ■' H. Jaeger caught the defence napping to score a gift try. Taking a penalty kick 10 yards from the Air Force line, he stab-kicked over the line, and followed up to. score before the defenders woke up to the move. It was not till near the end of the game that Petone got .ahead; as a result of a try by Tegg. Just on the call of time, S. Jaeger kicked another penalty, to give Petone a hard-fought win by, 12 points to 8. The display given by Air Force; showed that they were not only quite up to Jubilee Cup standard, but that they would have finished high up. had..they, been included in that competition.. r ; . - , In the match between Hutt and Army at Athletic Park, to decide which should play Petone for , the National Mutual Cup on Saturday next, Hutt decisively outplayed Army by 12 points to 3 by adapting themselves better to wet-weather conditions. Infusing plenty of dash into their play, the Hutt forwards used their feet to good effect, and the backs wisely did not attempt handling, but kicked x the ball hard whenever they could get a boot to it. Army, on the other hand, unwisely attempted ,to play an open game, and invariably lost ground by t these tactics. With the wind behind them, Hutt scored three tries in the first spell, Potter, Tressider and Cook crossing the line. Early in the second spell, Carlson scored Hutt’s fourth try, and sound defence by the Hutt backs only allowed Army to cross the line once. This’ was when a smart dash by Donovan took play to the Hutt line, and he scored in the ensuing scramble. Hutt thus won a rare scramble in the mud by 12 points to 3. Hutt owed a great deal of their success to outstanding play by Bligh at full-back, who scarcely made a mistake during' the game. His taking of the greasy ball from high'kicks was sureness itself, and he ’nursed his forwards well by his powerful and well-directed kicking to touch. University’s chivalry led to their defeat by Wellington at Athletic Park by 8 points to 5. A few minutes before play was due to start, Wellington could only muster 10, men. University lent their opponents three of their spare parts, and after the kick-off it was discovered that Wellington had 16 men on the field. Scrambling after a greasy ball in blind-

ing rain for an hour, Wellington managed to win by three points. .Tries were scored for Wellington by Illingworth and Jarman, one of which was converted by Taylor, and .Tossman scored a try for, University, which McKnight , converted. > Eastbourne beat Marist Brothers’ Old Boys, at . Eastbourne,' by 11 points to 3. Tries were scored for Eastbourne by I’osselt and N. Dellabarca, one of • which was converted by N. Dellabarca,: who also kicked a penalty goal. All Marist could manage'was, a penalty goal by Stanaway. A closely-contested game at Kilbirnie saw Wellington College Old Boys beat Poneke-Oriental by 8 points to 6. Both teams were short-handed, Poneke-Orien- • tal having to call upon some of their old-time players. , Even then, Old Boys just won the game on time. Burgess scored a try for Old Boys, which Armour, converted, and Armour also kicked a penalty goal. " For 'Poneke-Oriental,. V. Calcinai scored a .try and landed a penalty goal. ;' ; ' • • ' ' Wellington Regiment drew with A.N.A.' Headquarters on Prince of Wales Park, 3all. . . Randolph scored for the Regiment, and Cuff for A.N.A. Johnsonville beat Onslow on Nairnville Park, 3-0, Knight scoring the winning try. Miramar won by default from Seatoun, and Pirates won by default from A.S.C.