RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 283, 26 August 1919, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

INTER-COLLEGE MATCH

WELLINGTON DEFEAT WANGANUI

An interesting football match was played on tho Athletic Park yesterday afternoon, when tho representatives of the Wellington College and AVanganui Collegiate School'tried conclusions. Wellington College was successful hv i'i points to !). Tho gamo was witnessed by cowiderably over 2000 spectators, among those present being His Excellency the Governor-General (the Eiui of Liverpool), the Mayor of AVeliingUin (Air, J. P. Luke), Brigadier-Generals Richardson and M'Gavin, and members of the .Headquarters Stall'. From the standpoint of weight, tho teams wero fairly evenly matched, nnd they both possessed good sets of forwards. Throughout tho play wis very close, and was 'confined principally to (ho forwards. There was a little back ploy, 'but in this Wellington College excelled, as tlioy handled the ball more cleanly than did their opponents. In addition, the homo team possessed some good taeklers, nnd this was an impoitant factor in contributing to their victory. From first to last the pace was 'fast, and tho display wn<i most, interesting tu .watch, AVellington College played ill black and AVanganui College in white. AVanganui' College kicked off and AVellington swarmed down in a great rush to tho visitors' line. A scrum took placo five yards out, and tho AVanganui forwards got tho bull and AVellington were forced back to halfway, whero they were awarded a .free kick, which wa? taken by Nicholls. His attempt was a beautiful one, but it just missed the uprights. There was smile particularly good lino kicking. on tho part of tho AVanganui team in tho following play, "and. their forwards did good work in bringing to nought some incipient passing rushes oa tho part of the Wellington backs. Ormond intercepted a pass and .broke away, but ho was collared by -Nicol in fine filyle. From a scrum just inside the Ayaiiganui half the Blacks got possession, and Nicol put in a great run to the line. Just before reaching it he was brought down, however, mid the AVelingbacks lost possession after a most exciting pieco of play. Stcwe, the AVanganui centre three-quarter, later got going, and the ball passed along the whole of file Wanganai backs until' the AA'el--1 lpgton forwards "broke up* (he attack. Wellington wero on tho defensive for a while, but thoy eventually worked their way to the AVanganui twenty-five, and from a scrum they got tho ball, enabling them to work'a littlo nearer the visitors' ' line. A determined struggle took place here, and M'Coll got through and touched down. Nicholls converted. AVellington College, 5; Wangantii Collegiate School, 0. Tho visitors were in troublo for some time after this, but their forwards contrived to keep tho score from increasing against them. At length tho AA ? anganui front rankers broke away with tho ball at their toes, but Nicol dashed in and secured. He rushed for the line and tned to pound the ball, but lost it, and it was lucked dead; A few moments later Nicol seen in quite « brilliant individual effort. He ran down the line with the. ball and dodged all opposition, but as ho was about to touch down ho was collared low, and tho ball wont out-of his grasp, being prompt, ly dispatched to the dead-ball lino. Nicol'a work was quite neat and clean, and ho had the hardest of luck in not bein<* able to put a finishing touch to his effort. Play hac| continued in the vicinity of Jiamvjiy for some time, neither side being able to make much of an impression" when suddenly Nicholls sont n splendid line-kick to near the corner. AVellington got the lx?st oF tho throw-in, nnd « short passing rush oy tho backs terminated in iNicol getting over. Nicholls added the major points. AVellington, 10; AVan»anui, 0. Shortly boforo half-time, AVanganui attacked hard, r.nd they came very close to scoring. It. was only by n miracle that. Wellington kept them out, and'they were still on the offensive when the speil ended.

. The visitors lost no time in attacking .whan the second half opened, and they S\ ve '-Wellington Collego a good deal to .t/iink about until Gibson broke away from the twenty-five right -into the li?- "'angnnui tried, hard to open up the game, but sound tackling by Nicol dissipated any hope in this direction. iJip g'aino became very fast, and tho Waiigamii backs eventually carried play t" tlm Wellington end, where sonic hard i. defensive work ensued. Tho visitors were not to be denied, however, and some rapid passing bouts ended in Ormond I crossing the line. Stowo converted with n good kick. Wellington Coilce 10Wanganui . College, 5. Following tho drop-out, Wellington College, again invaded their opponents' territory, where Wanganui were penalised, -vicliolls had & difficult shot against tii6 wind and missed by a narrow margin. The Blacks kept lip the pressure, iind the mishandling of the ball by Boyd tho AVangamn College full-hack, gave' Francis an opportunity .which lie ■ accepted, dodging through and scoring an excellent trv. Nicholls failed with the kick. Wellin'"toil College, I,'i; Wanganui College, 5. Aftor this there was a good deal of play on the lino-out until from tho Wanganui' twonty-fivo Stowe got clear, and put in »< good run. M'Kay, tho Wellington fullback, went-to tackle him when ho made a, wild pass, and a good chance of scoringwas lost. Wanganui kept pegging away, oiid there was a fierce struggle on the Wellington line, but Wellington obtained relief by forcing. Tho whole Wellington College side then came away iu a great rush, and after knocking loudly at the Wanganui door for some time their score was increased per medium of M'Coll, who fell on the ball after a Wanganui player had failed to force it. Nicholls converted with a splendid kick. Wellington College, 18; Wanganui College, 5. Within a few minutes of the conclusion of tho match. Smith scored another try for Wellington College alter a hard light on the Wanganui linc. Nicholls converted. Wellington College, 23; _ Wanganui College, 5. Despite the big score against them, the visitors tried very hard to cross the Wellington College line, and thev made several vigorous assaults. A great struggle was iu progress in the 'Wellington twenty-five, when suddenly, with less than two seconds to go, Gilmer (minor) potted a lovely goal for Wanganui College, making the final result: Wellington College, !>H; W.mgcmni College, 9. Captain E. Crawford was referee.

HTGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENT. Pi. Telegraph-press Association. Timaru, August 25. Tho High School iiugby tournament commenced to-day l'u Ciiristchurch, Timaru, Otago, and Southland, competing. Cliristchurch beat Southland by 9 points to 5. aud Otago bea~. Timaru by H points lo Tho tourney will be completed oh Thursday.