UNDER SCREW

NZ Truth, Issue 1176, 14 June 1928, Page 14

UNDER SCREW

.. . 1 Varsity Are Pushed To A Draw (From "N.Z. Truth's" Christchurch Rep.) Varsity-, still hold their unbeaten record in the ' Canterbury Rugby Union's senior competition, but no longer can they claim to have won every match. HN Saturday, Christchurch, with a pack that played a game out of the box, held the students to a draw, 9-all, and gave them the fright of their lives. It was the first time this season that' the Oval has-been really wet and holding, and on the greasy ground, the red and black packmen battled along like champions. ,• For the. best part of the game, Christchurch held a lead, the students finding their usual dash and sparkle only in the last 15 minutes. At that, it was a penalty goal that stayed off defeat. i Both fare and aft Varsity were off I form. The forwards were sluggish and the .backs were colorless.' The Christchurch backs, behind a winning vanguard, seized most of the opportunities that were i going, but, fortunately for Varsity, their handing left something to be desired., . No Primrose Path .j It was a grjmj hard struggle to the bitter end, and public interest •• in the game, which is very keen' this year, will be given a considerable fillip .by the result. Both Old Boys and Merivale rank above Christchurch' in championship points, and when Vai-sity meet Merivale It should be a- great game. ' On Saturday, J. B. Jackson and G. J. Burrell were the best of the maroon van. -, '■■■■■.' ;C. D. Chesley, the students' full-back, is unfortunate in having. to fill a position other than' his .own. He gave a

iimiiiiiimiiKiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiimiitimummimmumui fairly safe and sound exhibition on Saturday, but it is a great pity that Varsity is losing all the dash and resolution that he shows as a wing threequarter. • H. Jj. Stephenson was playing a good game at wing-forward when he retired with an injured ankle. J. W. Mardon and B. Marshall, the Christchuroh five-eighths, both played well. Both have speed and dash, and. Marshall promises to develop into a first-class back- . J. Robilliard went well on the wing again, although he did not. handle as well as usual.. • ' , J. Mills', a lower grade full-back who was tried out, gave a very good exhibition. ... .' Old Boys ran up 20 points against Albion in the first spell, making the blacks look like third graders. But in the second session Albion were all over the whites. They put on 11 points, and nearly notched a few more, .while Old Boys failed to score. ; It was a remarkable come-back. ' • < W.\E> Merritt,qn one wing, showed improvement?,'' , ' " ; .' ■ •'•■■■ "\ ; '■ i ; / . 1 - ; - ;' '■■■•.■■'.. H. Ogieir, .who,; turned-: out af tfer three Saturdays ;ph the > sick lidtr.shqwedt the Effects" of ' little....uncertai?ity;in handlip'gV^buti'o'therwise'pig.yed a rattiirig .; good', game. ; nHe '■ looks' like the 'best bet for' centre in the" CJiriterbury te&m. '.■■;■ ■' ; *f.. '<*"■. ':*;•:'■■' - '■>:'''''v '.."•■ ; G. . Morjtip'ck,. oh. 7 flie'' .other .' yjing^. played Ills; last gaime^forXthei'tearti.^and 1 it >vas a.yeW'soiind^xt^d^so.iid^ef/b^ \ ' \j] , ;;■■■■-••• *'■;•' „>- i: ]v; 'i; £r'- : ' './■■'ff .-^ c'^-^, AsHeavyriLpss^^'f^--'^': '; ■;V>-V^^ VI •M&rtl6ckV"::and"V-' : cJ^Sp'eight^ •.thVtall' forward . leave ' New ' Zealand '.in- a • 'f <6w, days for Kenya .Colony." All Jßugby enthusiasts will wish them well , but the double loss will be a 'bad .one for Old Boys. , ''■ . .•■■•'■' '.'■ ;■■'•■■■ ■■'.•'. ■.' . . Best of the Albion backs was M. Lilburne, at flve-eighths, a tiger for work, and a dashing player on attack. K. Smith, wing three-quarter, is another ; player who is showing better form as. the season goes on. - M. Eaglesome, at centre, played a fairly good game, 1 but showed a tendency to hang on to the ball. N. Wylie, O. Jaggers and D. Pinnegan were the best of the forwards. Merivale made the. mistake of treating Technical too lightly, and halfway through the second spell, had to hustle to regain a lead .in points. .Eventually they won- by 23 points to 12, getting out of.it much more comfortably than did, Christchurch a week •or ; two ago" when they > also underestimated the greens. * Confident of ah easy day the Merivale pack ambled rather than dashed into the fray, and came off second best, for the heavy green forwards were going well. . ' .'.;.' N. Dorreen scored a couple of tri^s, and played a consistently good game on the right-wing. ['■'.. W. Oliver, at half, was good, but big brother Charlie, at five -eighths, lapsed into some of his bad habits in handling. ■ . ■ ■ ■■ ' : ■ . ■■■■•= ■ .. ■ .. On Credit Side . ■ -yThe Merivale- backs get the credit for winning the game, and their passing rushes after Technical took' the lead were first-class. Technical's big fault .was shown up by them. Until the greens learri to tackle properly, they Will remain low in the championship list. • , „ Dick' Dunbier was the best of the Technical forwards, and he must go^ close to representative :honors before long. A fine player in the loose, he is a battler frpni start to rfinish. .: M. Waterhouse played a good game at centre, arid : his ;^try : was - a; * trimmer. B. Bamford and -G-,'. Morris ■■ are , still the best defensive backs on the side. Probably Linwood was glad of the bye, on Saturday, for the team has suffered from injuries lately. ..'" ; Jim Tiirpin, who was carried off the field with a neck injury the previous Saturday, underwent an operation during the week. He was. reported to be making satisfactory progress after it. '