FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1921, Page 4

FOOTBALL

WEST COAST V. WESTLAND,

The inter-district mutch between the West Coast-and Westland Sub Union f teams took place on C ass Square on ] Saturday afternoon before an excellent < attendance, considering the weather , conditions and resulted in a win lor the West Coast team by 17 points (five tries, one being converted) to 6 points (a try and a penalty goal). Following on the heavy rain of the past two days the ground was very wet and heavy, large pools of water laying about in places, and these played tricks with the tvall to the disadvantage of those trying to handle it on the ground. The game was opened by Grey kicking off from the southern goal. For a time there was a continual whistle for free kicks for offside play, one or two Crey forwards being the main offenders. Then Grey went away with a passing run by the hacks in which Walton, Nelson and O’Callaghan were prominent, taking the ball to the local line, Rutherford' forcing. Another run, in which Nelson was prominent looked dangerous the ball which was going to Seebec.k stopping in a pool and lie over-ran it. Then the ball went to the other side where Steele missed a high pass, but Nelson came behind and picking up, got over near the corner, scoring the first try. The kick off was followed by a , fumble by Ross, and Steele made a j fine run down the line, only to lose the | ball which came back mainly by a nice j dribble by Cut bush and Devaney. A beautiful mark by Walton stopped th. rush, and then the ball went among the Orev backs, but Ross broke through, and Rutherford showed the way with 1 lagar in a rush that took play to the (;rey line. Willoughby got offside, and then there were-several more penalties to each side, the play being ragged, from one penalty Grey having an unsuccessful shot at goal. Then ji esi land rush led by Rutherford and Haga: took the ball to the Grey line, but offside stopped the attack. Irvine wr, | prominent in a loose rush, but the Grey backs got possession and the ball wen to Steele, who was tackled high an i easily evaded a poor attempt to stop bii i I and lie ran over near the corner, an 1 I running round touched down under the posts. Walton failed with tlie kick--15—(). Almost immediately, the Grey I forwards took the ball to their opponents line and Ross failed rattier badly, I and AlcEnaiiey scored near the post: . | Nelson converted with a neat kick, 11—0. Half time was called soon altc - wards.

The second spell opened with a lot < uninteresting play, the handling boin very poor, the local team sullering i comparison. The forwards more tba

held their own, hut they were let. do" s badly many times. The play bun about midfield for some time and the Hagar broke away, Devaney carry in it on, and a good opening wa - old stopped by a lucky force. Then a Grc, back got possession and I lagan, Nance kiveil and .Movnihan till lulled to sto j him. going for bis neck. The playe lost the ball, and then <•’('allaghr-; , with a fine kick took play "ell (low; ■ the field, hut almost immediatclv ih forwards In-ought the ball back. Do | vaney getting posession and lie niuce ; j determined run to the fullback win j stopped him, but from an ensuin: i sci urn ('utbush picked up and torecd 1 i wav ovci, scoring a try lor th" 100. ' team. Naticckivell failed to enhance :i -11. The play was in midfield till th ball went to Steele who was badly miscd by Wright, and Steele went room to the posts, only to be called hj toil scrum. Soon alter trout a kick mi.: field, Steele got possession and O’Con nor missed badly, a score resulting. . j fail kick failed to enhance. 14 A The forwards took the play to the Gi'e end, where for nfiside.Naueekivell Inn a shot and kicked a good goal, (i—II I’Liv was of tin uninteresting natun with much mishandling by both side til! just on time, when the ball went oil to Steele who went straight down tin , line and over, scoring lus third try i The kick „t goal again failed and the whistle went with the West Coast teat : victorious by 17 to (i. Mr M. Ilouslo! j wtis referee and controlled the gam j. oxceUontly. ; Of course the condition of the ground and ball was against good play, but flu Westland backs failed badly in comparison with their opponents. In tackling there "as an litter refusal to go low and three at least oi the tries were caused by this failure. The handling o! the hacks was also poor and the schoolboys who played earlier in the afternoon could easily give them points in this department. The forwards worked hard anil in the loose play bad easily the besi of the play Inn nere beaten a good mans times in the serum by their heavier opponents. Rutherford showed to great advantage, while Devaney, llagar and (‘utbush were the best ol the others who all worked well. It t s a well known axiom on a wet dav "to kick high and follow up,’’ but Irvine showed « grave lack of judgment many times (luring the day in punting free kicks across the field away from his own men, into the reach of his opponents’ wings, and (■specially two such fast men as O’Callaghan and Steele. Those tactics repeatedly almost led to disaster, but were continued, in the decided disadvantage of the side. It was not understandable why the course was continued so olien, mi such a dav.

The visitors’ pack wore considerably fhe heavier. Init except in the tight scrums fhe\ did not have much advantage. Many of them were repeatedly offside, and spoilt their play, causing many penalties. Mount and Hall seemed to show out best. Their success mainly came by the faulty play of the opposing hacks in handling. The Grey hacks handled far hotter than their opponents, Walton and Nelson putting in a lot of stopping, while Steele made hacks of his opponents when he got going. O’Callaghan showed an old failing tit times, especially in the latter half of the game, when lie failed to use his speed and weight to proper advant-

Taken till through the visitors were lucky to win by such a large advantage, as the play was in the Grey danger zone more often than it was near the Westland line, hub the Grey attack was a far more finished one, while their defence was also mush stronger, and so they thoroughly deserved their #in. After the game the President of the Westland Sub-Union (Mr F. McGregor) in a suitable speech, presented the Dittman Shield to the manager of *he visiting team (Mr T. O’Donnell); and

hearty cheers were given for the winners. Mr O’Donnell briefly replied.

SCHOOL FOOTBALL' On Cass Square on Saturday, prior to he big game, teams representing the Tokitika and Grcymouth District High Schools met. The local team to excellent display of handling and won jy the substantial score of 20 points six tries by Wogan (3), Aitken, Breeze md Baird, one being converted by Wogan) to 3 points (a try by Heinz). Mr D. Dowell was referee. | f:v TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH GAMES. CHRISTCHURCH, June 26. The results of the football matches here yesterday were as follows in Rugby: Marists 10 beat Linwood 3. Merivale 14 beat Albion 5. Old Boys 22 beat Sydenham 3. ’Varsity 14 l>eat Christchurch 3. WELLINGTON RUGBY RESULTS. WELLINGTON, June 26. Iu the Wfellington senior Rugby matches on Saturday, the results were ns follows. Perhamporo 6 beat Marist 5.Retone 36 beat Wellington 0. Orientals 10 lieat Poneke 9. Athletic 20 beat Selwyn 8. WAIRARAPA V. BUSH COUNTRY. ' MASTERTON, June 26. Wajrayapa representatives defeated the Bush Country on Caturday by 23 to 12. The scores indicate the merits of the teams. SPRINGBOKS WIN. SYDNEY, Juno 26. j The Springboks defeated ; Wales yesterday by 25 points to 10 in ! the presence of 20,000 spectators. It ! rained throughout the game, which was | consequently devoid of the sparkle ami ! brilliancy which were anticipated. The first, stages of the game were stubbornly contested the visitors demonstrating superiority in combined effort in both the vanguard and back division. Van Heerden. who was hurdles champion at the Olympic games, played a dazzling wing game, scoring five tries by clever individualism, though he was opposite to Lane who was somewhat weak on defence The half time score was 13-3, consisting of two tries bv Van Heerden and one by Meyer of which G. Morkel converted two. Ming ay kicked a penalty goal for New South "Wales. When Van Heerden added three additional tries for the greens in the second session. Carr the New South Wales sprint champion, exchanged places with Lane, and terminated the first-named’s scoring. New South Wales strenuously endeavoured to get moving, but the solid and determined i ckling of the Springbok forwards effectually blocked open play. Loose play in the New j South Wales 25 gave Meyer a further I opening, which he accepted making a ■ total of 25-3. After this. New South j V ales, per medium of Carr charged the Springbok territory, the latter ulI t innately accepting a return from tile j full back near touch, and sprinting across he scored.. Nodding drop kick. , cd a goal from the field, making the j final score 25-10. I WELLINGTON V. CANTERBURY. CHRISTCHURCH, June 20. There was a fast and open game in the Rugby League rep, match between Canterbury and Wellington.' The result was a win for the visitors by 2] points to 15. The opposing forwards I 'we re fairly evenly matched, but the i Wellington hacks were better than those of Canterbury. NEW ZEALAND V. AUSTRALIA. BRISBANE, June 25. | At League football, Australia defentI ed New Zealand by six points to five.