Petone Undefeated At Rugby This Season

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 138, 4 September 1942, Page 3

Petone Undefeated At Rugby This Season

MUTUAL CUP MATCH The meeting of Petone and Hutt, winners and runners-up for the Jubilee Cup, in the annual match for the National Mutual Cup on Saturday afternoon attracted the largest crowd which has been seen at Athletic Park this season. There were even a few spectators on the western bank, and a sprinkling on the end seats. Though the weather was ideal, there was an almost entire absence of back play, spoiling tactics ' and deadly tackling preventing passing movements from getting far. A duel between two hard-working sets of forwards saw Petone the winners by eight points to seven. Though they had a strong sun in their eyes, Hutt dominated play in the first spell, and led at half-time by seven points to nil. Half an hour had gone before Haigh , opened the scoring for Hutt with a penalty goal.' Towards the end of the 1 spell, Tressider, the Hutt left wing-three-quarter, made a fast dash up the line, and swerving infield, dropped a neat field goal from an acute angle, giving Hutt a lead of seven points to nil at half time. Petone appeared to get their second; wind when play was resumed, and Dougan, who was playing an enterprising game at half-back, sent his backs going several times only to see . them run up against rock-like defence. At last White, the Petone captain, reduced his team's leeway by landing a penalty goal. Both teams came close to scoring ;on several occasions, but faulty handling at critical moments pulled up the movements. A quarter of an hour from time, good work by the Petone forwards worked play to Hutt line, and McGrath made an opening which enabled S. Jaeger to score close to the posts. He converted his own' try to give Petone the lead, 8-7. Though Hutt tried hard to save the day, Petone bad the better of the closing stages, and thus went through the season unbeaten. Petone owed a good deal of their success to sound defensive play at full-back by Kent, who took tl)e high kicks cleanly, and rarely failed ' to ‘ find touch with 1 his . powerful kicks. Mr. I. Ramsay was the referee. • After the match, the Jubilee Cup and the National Mutual Cup were presented to the captain of the Petone team, R. White, by the president of the Wellington Rugby Union, Sir Alexander Roberts, who is also President of the Hutt Football Club. He congratulated the Petone team upon, having won the Wellington Union’s senior . championship competition more often than any other club. Mr. J. Robertson replied on’behalf of “ the Petone Club. * * * ♦ UNIVERSITY BEAT AIR FORCE In a fast, and open game at Kel’burn Park on-Saturday afternoon, University beat Air Force, winners of the Hardham Cup competition, 17-15. Tries were scored for University, by McLellan (2), Fleming, and McKnight, one of which was converted by McKnight, who also kicked a penalty goal. For Air Force, tries were scored by Spence, McDonald, and Thompson, one of which was converted by Clark, and Mahoney landed a field goal.