RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 188, 8 May 1944, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Good Play In The Rain SPIRITED MAIN GAME Though showers made handling of the ball difficult, improved form was displayed in the second series of the Wellington Rugby Union’s senior championship competition on Saturday afternoon. The attraction of two Jubilee Cup games at Athletic Park filled the grandst and, and the crow J enjoyed bright displays under trying conteam work was shown by Athletic in the earlv game in overwhelming Wellington 30-0. A strong set of forwards packed well and gave Tindlll, the haltback, plenty of opportunities to set Ins backs in motion. Thomas and James worked nicely together in the five-eighths line and gave the brilliant centre-tbreequarter B Roberts a chance to show his paces. Twice Roberts swerved and sidestepped his way clean through the opposition for tries in a style reminiscent of A. E. Cooke at his best. Athletic’s second try must have taught the Wellington team a lessou in vigilance. A free kick was awarded Athletic right on the Wellington line. Tindill had the ball, and before his opponents realized what had happened he gently dribbled it over the line for a gift try Athletic put on 11 points to nil in the first spell, and scored almost at will in the second half. The Wellington team stuck gamely to their task, but were overshadowed botii fore and aft. Athletic has had the ill-fortune thus early in the season to lose two of their best five-eighths —McMorran, who is nursing a broken finger, and Janies, who has left to join the Fleet Air Ann. The late' game at. Athletic Park saw a spirited duel between Poneke-Oriental, last year’s ehampions, apd Wellington College Old Boys. This game was surprisingly fast considering the rain, and interest was kept at a high pitch by the quick fluctuations of play. The combined team had the weight forward, but the lighter Old Bovs made up for this by their speed and nippiness. A hard fought first spell was scoreless. Tn the second spell it was only the determination of the PonekeOriental forwards, who never let up, which carried the day. The combined team eventually won by a goal from a try and a try to a penalty goal. Goldstone played an outstanding game at halfback for Old Boys. A welcome reappearance with the Poneke-Oriental team was W. Crisp, the former Poneke and Wellington representative player, who has just been repatriated from the New Zealand Army, after having been a prisoner of war in the Middle East. He played an outstanding game at fullback, his long line kicking being of great service. Army maintained the promising form they displayed the previous week by beating Hutt by 11 points to six at the Hutt Recreation Ground. Play was chiefly confined to the forwards, and in the hard rucking exchanges the Army* pack lasted the better. A_rmy, who won 11-6, were again well served by Morrison at fullback, who put over a penalty goal and converted a try, besides gaining much ground by his powerful punting. i Some dashing dribbling rushes marked the game at Petone, which saw Petone beat Marist Brothers' Old Boys 9-3. The rain made back play out of the question, and both sides wisely kept the bail on the ground, showing some neat footwork It was a good try which Abbott, the wingthreequarter, scored for Petone in the first spell, but the Marist backs should not have allowed Pettigrew, the Petone halfback, to sell them a dummy In scoring his try just after the opening of the second spell. Clay put over a penalty goal for Petone, and Marist’s points came from a penalty goal by O’Brien. In the Hardham Cup competition Johnsonville went well to. beat No. 2 Port Depot at Johnsonville 20-0. E. Powell, the Johnsonville wing-tbreequarter, was in his element, as he scored a try, converted a try and kicked three penalty goals, thus scoring 14 points. Training College showed good combination in beating Athletic B 25-11. The bud. ding teachers scored seven tries, Sutherland, Smale, and Fox each crossing the line twice.

Seatoun carried too many guns for Air Force, winning by a margin of 11 points. The winners crossed the line four times, while all Air Force could manage was a penalty goal. In a hard-fought game at Eastbourne, University beat Eastbourne by one point —a try and a penalty goal to a goal from a try. Upper Hutt scored their first win of the season by beating Miramar 12-5 at Maidstone Park. Jubilee Cup Athletic 30 (tries by Roberts 2, Tindill, Vanstone, Wales, Ensor, Brown, three of which were converted by Thomas, who also kicked a penalty goal), beat Wellington 0. Poneke-Oriental 8 (tries by Rawlings and Hedges, one of which was converted by Calcinai), beat Wellington College Old Boys 3 (a penalty goal by Alexander). Army 11 (tries by Lee and Dickie, one of which was converted by Morrison, who also landed a penalty goal), beat Hutt 6 (tries by Pollard and ’Perrett). Petone 9 (tries by Abbott and Pettigrew, and a penalty goal by Clay), beat Marist Brothers’ Old Boys 3 (a penalty goal by O’Brien). Hardham Cup University 6 (a trv by Te Punga, and a penalty goal by Mataira), beat Eastbourne 5 (a try by N. Dellabarca, which was converted bv Clifford). Seatoun 14 (tries by Morrice, Grace, Mabbett and Morris, one of which was converted by Grace), beat Air Force 3 (a penalty goal by Parker). Training College 25 (tries by Sutherland 2, Smale 2, Fox 2, and Ingram, two of which were converted), beat Athletic B'll (tries by James and Cameron, one of which was converted by Withers, who also kicked a penalty goal). Johnsonville 20 (tries by Cowley 2, and Powell, one of which was converted by Powell, who also kicked three penalty goals), beat No. 2 Port Depot 0. Upper Hutt 14 beat Miramar 5. Navy 27 (tries by Rutledge two, Marshall two, Beard, Reynolds and Slater, three of which were converted by Webster) beat Hutt B O. Lower Grade Results. Junior.—Onslow 17, Base Camp 8; Navy 6, Onslow Army 3; Taita 9, Athletic 8; Seatoun 6, W.C.0.8. 4; Karori 14, Oriental 9; Wellington 9, Mangaroa 8; St. Patrick’s College Old Boys 5, Army 3; Petone 3, Marist Brothers’ Old Boys 3. Third 1-—Wellington College 11, Petone A 5; Marist 17, Athletic 0; Wellington 11, Seatoun 0; Training College 6, Varsity 5; Hutt beat Oriental; St. Patrick’s College 21, Poneke 6. Third 2.—Miramar 14, Varsity 8; Eastbourne 6, Johnsonville 5; Petone 6, Onslow 0; Taita 6, St. Patrick’s Old Boys 6; Plimmerton 9, Wellington A.T.C. 6; Porirua 14, Wellington B 0. Fourth Grade—Poneke 9, Oriental 3; Petone B 3, Miramar 0; Athletic 23, St. Patrick’s Old Boys 0; Seatoun S, Training College 0; Petone A 39, Marist 0; Eastbourne 16, Porirua 0; Upper Hutt 14, Onslow 0; Hutt 29, Wellington 3; Institute defaulted to College Old Boys.

Fifth I.—Hutt 9, Upper Hutt 8; Petone 8, Athletic 0; Marist 14, Wellington 0.

Fifth 2.—Hutt 3. Johnsonville 0; Institute defaulted to Poneke; Onslow 11, -Fetone 9.