Rugby.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 177, 13 August 1937, Page 15

Rugby.

"Omni. M)

MARIST CHAMP10NS On cSeason's Play M.A.C* Were Unfortunate C0LIN LE QUESNE RETIRES

(By

MariPt Old Bo-/3, by their victory over M.A."C. last Saturday, perfected their claim to the title of senior champions for 1937, thus ropqating the victory of 1936. The senior competition has produced a high standard of club Bugby, and of the nine gpmpeting fifteens there is ho doubt that the two best were Marist and M.A.e,, with the natiye team on the generai run of games perhaps unfortunate to fini6h only as runners-up to the champions

Marist, in this last soason, have reaped the reward Of years of endeavour. Before their 1930 guecess oue lias to look back to 1915 for a similar res'jlt, bnt in the ycftrs botwoen they were consistent triers. Tho club today is a very well-organised one^ and it is pleatging to noto that in the suceess of the senior flfteen the enoouragement of the lower grados has not been forgo'tten. Tbo fonrth-grade side, which rose from oBscurity last winter, has this winter conflrmed tho good impression created oarlier. The policy of enqouraging the lower-, grade players will undoubtedly tend to maintain the club spirit so necessarv to succesg in the years ahead. Marist should continue to be a force in club Rugby for many seasons ahead. "Ornni" joiiis in tlie genoral cOngratulation to the-winners of the Maddison Trophy, and at the same timo oxtends j,ppreciation to all tlie contcnding teams for providing such au entertaining season of club Rugby.

Defeat Avenged. Pirates and Hastings Old Boys had an enjoyable set-to at McEean Park, Avith the Bluos avouging their flnstround defeat by the Blacks. The game waa fast and entertaiuing, * and the H.S.O.B. players, who started in grancj style, found tho early excellence difficult tp maintain, Les McCarthy is partial to McBean Park as a goal-kick-ing area, and .again ko snppliod two excellent flag-raisers, even allowipg for the wind assistance. The Pirates forwards were more than a handful for the oppositlon, but as usual tlio roarguard undid the good worli, and Old Boys were not slow to take advantago oi' this laxity. Pord, Thompson and Trwin were a promihent trio for tho visitors in the frontal division, with Apsey and MeCurthy best in the rearguard, For Pirates^ Bob Keeblc, who had travellcd 200 miles to aTrive just before the begjnning of thq match, found the travel fatigue no bar to his hooking ability and, with McKenzie and Wolstenholnic, led most of the Blaek attacks. In the backs Dowrick was the one bright light in an otherwise cloudy baekgiound. Tecbnical's Win. Technical Old Boys were very early all ovor Hastings, J3ut tlie Yellows in the second half evened up matters somewhat. As usyal, Dalton was the outstanding forward in the game, with Bowman next. .q The Technical backs' were not as happy aq the forwards, Steele, a new f'ace in the threequartor line, being most unhappy, a fact that was duly ajipreciated by the opposition. Promi' nout for Hastings wero tho trusty Dyor, Robortson, Qooke and Aldiddge, J Lo Quesne'e Decision. A recurrcnce of knec trouble has decided Colitt Be tfuesno to retirc permanently from active participutioii in Rugby, a i'act that will be rogrettcd by gll folloAvers of tho game, By ail tlie rulos Colin, with his natural gifts as un oxponont of tho gamof ehouid liave reachod the goai to which all players aspiro— an Aj] JLJlack jereey— but his cnreer was doggcd by a acrieu of misi'ortuues that would uavc caused a less sfcout-bcurlcd player to givo up loag ago. In tho summer pf 1982 he broko a bono iti his aukie" pluyiyg crickot, and then, in 1985, fractured a Jcg idayiug xor Ilawke's Bay against Poveny Buy at Gisborne. Nothing dauuted, ho curned out ugain in 193-1 and this and the following winters wero the only ones ho escaped- frce from injury, Jn 1936 ho suffcred a budly-wrcucbecj kueo but coiitinuod to play brilliautly m epito of the handicap, as thoso who eaw his flnal game for Hawke's Pay against Australia last spring will recall, Tho hcavy grounds in Wejliugton ihis winter provcd to bo a con^arit strain on the weakened knee and no doubt prevented him from rcaching the goal of his desire. He now gocs into ro tiroiti ent ivitli the Iiouout of a North Island jorsoy and flve yoars of splemdid sorvico for Hawke's Bay to ioot; back on, during which period he led his inon to many tjotablo victories. Dcspitc tltc di'sappointmeuts, it is a record in Imo..uig with tlie family tm. ditiou and, for his ownjiart, sohicthing of which he uiay aycII be proud.