RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 96, 10 May 1937, Page 9

RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Points in Saturday's Games ITEMS OF INTEREST It is generally the rule that teams c n the No. 2 area at Nelson Park, Hastings, do not play up to f orm, this being attributed , to "inferiority complex.'." Marist, however, are the exception to the rule. They turned on a splendid game, with Celtic also. rising to the occasion. # » # G. Cox, the Napier Old Boys centre, was responsible for several nice breaks against Hastings. # * * Determined loose forward rushes wefe the main feature of the HastingsNapier Old Boys game. The packs on both sides worked overtime. *• # # Celtic were definitely unlucky that their score was not considerably bigger than it was. They .earned at least eight more points. # # • Dyer, the Hastings full-.back) again turnod-on a splendid game. He has been a most consistentiy good performer under all conditions this season. * * • Apsey, H.H.S.O.B., had a busy day on the end of the three-quarter line, and he made some nippy dashes and did some very effective tackling, too. # # # Benson, who replaced Allen on the Tight wing for Marist at the interval, scored a nice try. He had to engineer it with dummies and side-stepping. * * « As as individualist, Bowers, the Celtic odd-man in the forwards, is one of the brightest and best in the competition. « « • Marist suffered a lot from infringements. Fortunately for them, the free kicks were in neutral territory and Celtic could not turn them to good ac- ' count. v # * Hastings H.S.O.B. forwards were no match for the Technieal pack on Saturday, but back of the serum the Blues were superior, which adds another argument in favour of a good vanguard. # # • Petersen, Tech. five-eighths, had a bad attack of kickitis against Hastings O.B., and when he forgot to kick he also forgot to pass until it was too late. # # « The Hastings Old Boys backs ex« ploited snappy passing with good back-ing-up, while some of the TecE. reurguard passed the ball as if they were putting the shot, # # • Tech. Old Boys in the four games played so far has not had their lino crossed, but Hastings Old Boys went close to spoiling the record twice in the second spell. # # • Hargreaves is one of the most useful members of the Marist pack. He performs excellently in the loose and, in addition, kicks _goala with more than average conSistency. # • • Mclvor and Hansen were the prime movers in three bright tries (scored by Marist ' against Celtic. Mclvor played quite his best game to date in Hastings. * * • cv Hastings deserved their win oveiNapier Old Boys. Territorially they held the advantage thoughout. They were .more consistent and orthodox in their play. # # # The provincial representative combination of Clothier and Bradley Teaped another triclcy four points for Napier Old Boys, Bradley causing diseomliture in the Hastings camp with a fine field goal. # # # A strange coincidence in the Hast-ings-Napier Old Boys game was that the first spell ended immediately after Bradley had kicked a goal, and the game ended with Nelson landing a conversion. # # * For the first time this season the crowd divided itself into two equal parts at Nelson' Park, Hastings, and gave each game a fair share of patron* age. # # * Johnny Nelson had the benefit of the full f'gallery" at Nelson Park, Hastings, for his match-winning conversion. It was a wonderful effort and was w&l rewarded with a rousing ovation from the crowd. # # # Only three of the Joll family helpod the Villagers against Pirates on Saturday. Cargill of the clan kicked a great penalty goal from the sideline and then did all the work that led up to Russell'® try. * # # The Havelock forwards lookod dwarfa alcngside the Buccaneers on Saturday. Being close to the ground has its advanrages — as, for instance, when the ground is as hard as it was on Saturday. The Village forwards did not go in for "necking," either. # * » Against Havelock, the Pirates forwards did very well; but Koeble would persist in hooking the ball in the scrums, and by the time the Blnek backs had finished juggling with it the lost territory amounted to anything up to 60 yards. « « *

Fifty-seven yards from the goal Los McCarthy planted the ball for a penalty kick, and, travelling high, it, (sailed easily over the cross-bar. A roar of applause greeted the effort, which bears favourabte comparison with any ever seen on McLean Park. # © & Only twice in the first 35 minutes of the first spell did Celtic enter thp Marist quarterway. On the first occasion they colleeted five points, and on the second Pullen failed to eollect a penalty goal. After the interval, however, Celtic improved vastly and more than held their own territorially. & % # Cushing, Technieal O.B., retirod early with a knee injury and McAustin rusbed on to fill the breach. A hectic tally on the Bluo line followed, and with a headlong dive McAustin was acrova for ft try, Out of it ull Mac got

was a knock on the head and his wristlet watch, whieh he had forgotten to remove, was wrecked. * * # Bill Johnson, Tech., once a rep. threequarters, is making good as a forward. On Saturday he put a nice finish to two gOod movements. • * • Meads, Havelock North half-back on Saturday, wa/s a sprightly scrum worker. He made the most of scant opportunity. At present he is on holiday from his adopted Tasmania, where Rugby is a curiosity. • * • Dalton and Bowman were a grand pair of forwards against H.H.S.O.B., and time and again they. smashed their way goalwards. Dalton notched two trie, an unprecedented happening for him. * * * Aceident can easily happen, as wlt« ness Taylor, the village winger, who, when running to Tetrieve the ball out of bounds, slipped on the concrete be- > neath the stand entrance. Result, a 'sprained ankle.