RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 78, 19 April 1937, Page 8

RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Jottings from Saiurday's Games TECHNICAL'S SH0WING For their first outing of the season rechnical Old Boys gave a, most pleasing showing. They should enjoy a good 3eason. Havelock North were a big disappointment to their supporters on Saturday. Against Teehnical they were far from the promising side they appeared on the opening day of the season # * • F. Gloyn, the Village full-baek, went well in the first half of the game against Teehnical Old Boys. He brought off many fine saves. # * * • V. Herbert, the provinclal representative from the East Coast area, contributed two good tries and a converdion to Teehnical Old Boys' tally against the Yillagers. * • • • .Doug. Dalton and Campbell were the leaders of the Teehnical forwards. Tha latter scored two tries, and each time his skipper was associated with him. • # # Jack Davis put in some hard toi! Oehind the Havelock North pack, but his confreres were all having a day off. * • • The most popular try scored in the M.A.C.-Celtic game was when the outsize Joe Te Ngaio finished off a snappy forward passing bout. « • Nine tries were scored in the two games at Hastings and only one wae converted. Only one of the shots at goal from penalties was successful. • # The packs dominated the play in the . clash between M.A.C., and Celtic, but they made a poor job of the scrums, nearly all of which ended in melees. • # • Fraser, Pirate's forward, was always in the thick of the fray against Hastings and his try weus a reward for being always on the spot. • • • Maurie Dver did some powerful punting and his dr-opped goal was a marvellous effort, but he was not at.his pccst when Watts ran down the side-line to score. • • » Hastings Old Boys on Saturday were a youthful combination, but their tackling was 100 per cent. An opponent on the grpund is out of the game, but so many of our players forget this point. • # • Irwin's left foot kicks nonplussed the Napier H.S.O.B. forwards, who alwaya went for the tall forwaTd on the latter 's right side and ace players should be adept in the use of the left foot, be they backs or forwards. • • • Emergeneies were in keen demand in the Old Boys match on No. 1 McLean Park. Garnett and Rawiri, of the visitors, had to leave and Craig and W. Clothier, of the' home side. It was a busy afternoon for' the abmulance. e * # Eossiter, Teehnical 'a last line of defence, played an enterprising game. finding that the Yillagers did not giva him a great deal to do he sought out work as a counter to the wintry blasts And on one oceasiou was within a.n ace of scoriug. • • ' • Despite the absence of Everard Jackson, who is on the injured list, the Maori forwards were in wonderful a.nd spectaeular form against Celtic. The latter, though not so brilliant, were nevertheless very consistent and earnest toilers. * • • TheTe were many highlight® on McLean Park, Napier, on Saturday and not the least thrilling were the three potted goals from the respective boots of Holt, Dyer and Bradley. Holt's was a snapshot from the side-line, the ball striking the crosfs-bar en ronte. The efforts of Dyer and Bradley won the match for their respective sides. • # # . Teehnical Old Boys made full use of the speed mer chants they possess and they outstripped the Villagers on numerous occa'sions. Bill Johnston and Peterson started tfie seoring movements with a relay race, and before the end of the game the two wingers outsped the opposition to collect further tries. ■ * # # For audacity .lim Mapuhi, Pirate full-back, took all the points on Saturday. He was never at a loss to turn a triek at the expense of the opposition, even to side-'stepping three of them right on his own goal-line and then iinding the "line at. half way with a mighty punt. » # * . A brilliant run by Mapuhi brought the Pirate rearguard into action, but' a frightful pass from Dowriek to Thompson was nimbly retrieved by Johnny Nelson, and .Mapuhi being temporarily absent, the Hastings centre just had to run 50 ykrds to scoro. • # • At one stage of the Old Boys struggle on McLean Park tho Napier brethren were run to a standstill. and it was at this point that Thompson rau down the side-line to pass to full-baek McCarthy who had scnsed the possibilities and who rau on for a fine try.

Leading 15 to 5 with 15 minutes to go, Hastings Old Boys looked all-over winners, but the Clothier-Bradley combination then engineered a blind-side try for Hawkins. A centre field thrust was the next epic with the flying Butlor to top it off. and then 30 seconds from time~came the pass from a ruek" by Clothier to Bradley who raised a fourer. # # e M. Hutchinson, Napier H.S.O.B. fullback, brought hilarious cheers for a magnificent tackle, but there was a deathly silence a few minutes later when he rqgistered a clean miss. His positional play was not of the best at times • * • Of the 32 points rogistered in the match between the Old Boys of Napier and Hastings no fewer tlian 20 canio from goals.. For sheer excellence in this department Oaptain McCarthy, of Hastings High School Old Boys, took the honours with three goals in as many ) attempts. His first was from 50 yards out.

Celtic rearrauged their rearguard owing to Pullen, being on the sick list. George Harvey was taken out of the pack to go as centre and Brown was moved from the five-eighth line out to" the wing. At times the new line went well. # # 9 Each time the ambulance was required o'n No. 1 ground, McLean Park, tho Brains Trust, representing the players of Napier Old Boys, would repair to the fence fronting the stand where O.C. Preston would meet them. The two players may have been pining for a little chat, but in any case the referee should have exereised his powers.