RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 120, 7 June 1937, Page 9

RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Points of Interest in Saturday's Games Spectators were nearly 100 per cent. in favour of the M.A.C. v. Napier O.B. game on the No. 1 area at Nelson Park, Hastings, on Saturday. The covered stand was filled, as was the northern wing. • # • Plested, Tech.'s new centre, did many bright things, and he impro-ved the thrust of the back line. # • • J. O 'Brien, Marist f orward, . sold a deft "dummy" to the Hastings backs and then sailed over for a nice try. • » • Fergttsson and Russell, with Wright on occasions, were the leading lights of the Yillage pack against ueitic. » * • Cfeltic tried out several kickers - on Saturday, but only two out of six attempts at conversions were success? ful. * • » M.A.C. backs shaped better when Newton, went to half-back and Arthur Walford moved into the five-eighths line, • • • P. Reid, of Wellington, former New Zealand Varsity representatlve, is the latest .aequisition to Celtic. He looks 1 a good five-eighths and worked smoothly on Saturday agaijust the yillage ra. • • • It is now almost a habit with. Havelock North to open and close the scoring-card iu their games. They did dt again on Saturday for the umpteenth time this season, s . # • From a scrum near the Marist goalline, Cooke, Hastings half-back, with an alert wriggle . disappeared under a mass of green-clad forwards, but he got the try. # * • ; Fielding a ground ball at top speed, V. Herbert, Tech. winger, fled 30 yards to score a good try. The ex-East. Coaster is a difficult man to stop in full flight, • * • S. Jackson, Maori full-back, brought . off some great saves against Napier Old Boys. And his greatest save was saving the game for M.A.C. witli his two penalty goals • • • Throughout the first spell of the ma,tn attraction at McLean Pafk the Marist waves broke on the impenetrable defence of Dyer, who delighted the crowd with a gi'and ^xhibitlon. # «= • The tackling of the Pirates rcarguard was at zero in the second half of their match with Tech., and when Bowman ran upfield with the ball the Blacks just would not gp .near him. * * * A strange face in the Hastings pack to the present generation of playcrs was that of "Duffy" Pearson, Bay rep. of .more than a year ago, and he was up with the young ones all through the game. • • • The Celtic forwards, with Laurie Hannigan as leader, provided many bright movements in the first spell against Havelock North. They sliowed up better on the pas&iftg Stunt than did their own backs,

» w m Low scoring in the first spell marked both senior fixtures on McLean Park, Napier, the score-board reading 3 — 0, 3 — 0. Players sparkled up after discussing the oranges, an.d much brighter Rugby resulted. » • • Nimbly intercepting in a Tech. passing bout, Thompson, Pirates winger, left hurriedly for tho opposing goalline 50 yards distant. • He led all the way and Pirates took_ a short-livcd 5—3 lead, ' • • • • The Tech, forwards this season have revived the proviously extinct art of scrum-screwing and wheeling. • In the old days it was done to catch the opposition unawares, but Tech. perform the move continuonsly. Familiarity is apt to breed contempt. * « • The attention of the officials- 6n the sideline was drawn to an exchange of players by Havelock North, who apparently played their emergency unti! Rangi Joll made a belated appcarance. The Vil'lagers will probably get a rap over tho knuckles for the breach of the rules.

m m m After tasting the joys of four. suceessive vietories, Hastings have experienced the opposite in a similar ftumbcr of revorses. Still, nobody can take from them the lioneur of being tho only side to date to lower tho M.A.C. colours. • • • ■ The fcature of the niain attraction at Hastings was the deadly tabkling of both sides. Napier Old BOys particularly shone in this department. There Were no lialf-hearted measutes aboiit the tackling. The mai! w6nt dOWn atid stayed there long ettough to be Well out of the particular inovement In haiid. • • • With Dalton, Bowliian, JoliftSon and MeAusliii dribbling doWnfield, a try seemed imminent; but Mapnhi, in audacious maiiner, took the ball from his adversaries' feet, coaded tlie grasping arms and', with the greatest sang froid. commenced a eounter passing bout that almOst ended in a score. # * * Marists ' first try was a geftt. White started the move with a deep thrust to throw in to J. O 'Brien, wlio made ground before handing on to Robins to Benson, and with tlie defence corrtpldt^lv Rhattered, the iatter. rau over for. the points. Arthur Walforrl was iu eXi'eileut fprm fo t M.A.C. 011 tlie left wing against Napier Old Boys, but though he did niake, several promising break's he was juvariablv grassed. Once ha actually crossod the linei but tlie ball was knocked ont of his haiid as he was nndeavouring (o force liis Way round

nearer tlie posts. A bird in haiid is vvorth two iil the blisll, ArthUr I % # Quite an interestihg feattire of tlie Tecii.-Pii'atcs match w&s the hookiiig duel bctween tlie rival rakes Dalton and Iceebla." Hoohiug hoiiours were 50-50, but tlie. superior scrunimagiug of Tech. gave them the best results.