RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 126, 14 June 1937, Page 9

RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

m .. r Points of Interest in Saturday's Games Marist soored. fivo times against Pirates, and all were converted, How's that for goal-kicking, bearing in. mind way? teprmgboks are trekking this ; _ * * • A win in all grades was again accredited to Hastings Old Boys * « » Russell continues to be, Havelock's best forward. ^ He is one of the. best cxub forwards in the competition. * • # # Hastings Old Boys backs w:ero in great form against the Villagers. Hojfc played an inspired game, while both ■ , Palmer and Apsey were excellent. . * V # The Celtic backs now look a very promising lot,, with Reid, Pullen and Hannah, three quite eiiterprising and lively players. . * # » Cargill Joll must be quaiifying for t the ' f trophy ' ' for the. best. ali-rounder. He was a-mong the forwarda on Saturday against Hastings 'Old Boys. ^ ^ % Tackling of genuine 'vintage was a big faetor in Celtic 's surprisingly big win over Napier Old Boys.; There were no hulf-measures a-bout their handling of the men. * • Beid1, the former New Zealand Varsity representafive, gave several samples of his. piereing runst for Celtic. on Saturday. He is likely- to be the; main-spring to- the rearguard. th

W w w George Harvey put over as fine a drop kick from the' penalty aa Iws been seen at Nelson Park for souie time. J.t was a good start to Celtic 's scoring ■ against Napier Old Boys. «\ m . * C; Robins was the director of strategic operations emptoyed by- the Marist backa in the first half against Pirates, but in the second spell he. disappeared and the Green attack s eulfered in consequence. * * # Penalties were frequent for scrum infringements in the Marist-Pirates clash, the Blacks being the main otfenders for a, long; period, after which the Greens eaught the habit. ; • 1 Travelling at top speed, Mapuhi, Pirates full-back, brought down tho kouse by briliiantly 'ficlding a ground ball and fihding. the line 50 yai'ds distanfc. Rumour has it that this. .spectaeu.lar player departs for Wellington this week. • - * #. The Pirates five-eighths line did not move up at all quickly .when Marist had the ball, and Robins, quiok to senso- tho possibilities, was through in a twinbling to sencl Mclvor gallopiug over for a grand try. ' - * • J. O'Brien, Marist forward, confined uiost of his operatioiis to the centre field and picked up all the infield passes, scoring two tries in brilliant faahlon. Cries of "Put him oif !' -greeted the pugilistie etfort of a Marist . forward who resented being tackled with the ball, but, l'uckiiy fox tbe delinquist, the incidcnt escaped thc referee's nutice. * * ■ * A bumping run by "Wicky" Davis paved the way for the last- Alarist try, tbe ball going out to the wing and then in for Robins to jink his way Qver. M. O'Brien's converting kick was a beauty. * & w

When Morgan (Pirates) ran tq the blind side of a scrum he tricked Marist completely, Bliss took the pass, and aiter making headway, handed over to Fraser tc score. It was a pretty move, swiftiy eompieted. # * Everard Jackson and Juiy Thompson were the two most consistent performers for M.A.C. in the paclc, Tori Reid, however, collectcd the honours with three tries. He reserved his big efforts for noar the gaal-line. - ' • ♦. * As indicating how M.A.C. have im* proved ahd Hastings have struck the downward grade, their ' two meetings provide something of interest. The first game was 13 — 12 in favour of Hastings but their second game was 25— 0 to M.A.C. « * • There was an uuusual coincidence in the scoring on Saturday, Two. games ended 25—14, and iu the other. tVQ matches the losing sides failed to score, Three winning totals were 25. The half-time score for three teams was 14 points, and in the two late-afternoon games the half-time score was 14—0 in each case. • • • There was a sensation at McLean Park when Marist Irickod-off against Pirates, for the bold Buccaneers, led by Thompson, executed an immediate raid that left the enemy gasping in the scuppers. It terminatcd with Mor-» gan, nepiiew of a Welsh iuternatioual, running over for a great try. 0 w 0 Napier Old Boys did not play as poorly as 0 — 17 would indicate. They wero beaten in the forward division, which was a now tliing for them. Thq Celtic forwards, with Hannigan, Ben, nett aud Bowers as maia leaders, played a truly wonderful game and bottlcd up tho ball in great stylc.