RUGBY FOOTBALL

Southland Times, Issue 21101, 5 June 1930, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

EASTERN SOUTHLAND GAMES. NO SENIOR FIXTURES. Out of consideration for those players who journeyed to Invercargill on Tuesday to hold up Eastern Southland’s end of the Rugby stick, the sub-union at its last meeting decided that no senior fixtures should be played on Wednesday. Consequently second-grade matches wfre the only games of interest yesterday. '

On the Waimumu grounds Pioneer defeated the home side by 3 points to nil, but a draw would have been a better indication of the play. Waimumu are a very strong side but lack combination. Pioneer on the other hand owe their win to team work and not to individualism. The teams lined out as follows:— Waimumu (Green): A. Kubala, C. John■ston, G. Cowie, El Briggs, W. Stewart, D. Cowie, R. Peart, Bastian, E. Johnston, J. Kubala, Moore, E. Kubala, D. Johnston, J. Copeland. Pioneer (Red): Dunbar, Whitehead, Shave, Green, Baldwin, Holland, Kerr, Roberts, G. Johnston, Forbes, McGregor, Cooper, Sexton, J. Davidson. Following the initial exchanges in which Waimumu did all the forcing, Pioneer changed their tactics from defence to attack, and following a general passing movement by the Red backs in which Kerr, Green, Holland and Shave figured, the lastnamed swerved through to score. Dunbar’s kick went wide. Pioneer 3; Waimumu 0. The game now swung up and down field with pleasing rapidity and from a general melee about half-way. the ball came out to Baldwin who put in a good run down the line, but lost a sure try through hesitating and looking round. Shave then made a strong bid for another try, but Peart was handy and upended him. Half-time then sounded.

On resumption of play Waimumu had the benefit of wind and sun on their backs, and used both to good advantage. Following desultory play in the Green 25, Peart sent out from a ruck to Stewart who raced through the opposition to Dunbar who grassed him. The game became very willing, and Whitehead received a nasty smack on the leg, which held up play for a few minutes. The Green forwards indulged in bouts of short passing which gained a lot of ground, making Pioneer work hard to retain their lead. The Waimumu side were now' asserting their superiority in both divisions, and Stewart and the Cowie brothers flashed, down-field on several occasions in dangerous passing rusjies. Pioneer were attacking when full time sounded shortly afterwards with the scores still: Pioneer 3, Waimumu 0. i Mr F. O’Kane controlled the game. WYNDHAM (25) V. ALBION (0). Playing on the Showgrounds, Wyndham seconds registered a very decisive win over Albion. For the visitors tries were scored by the following: Jones (2), E. McLennan (1), G. McLennan (1), Popham (1). Of these Jones converted two and kicked two penalty goals. MATAURA DEFEAT SEAWARD DOWNS. Mataura journeyed to Seaward Downs yesterday and defeated the home side bj’ 17 points to nil. Mr W. Chaplin (Edendale) refereed. THIRD GRADE. At the Mataura recreation grounds Mataura beat Albion by 22 points to nil. Mr W. Leitch refereed. Pioneer travelled to Edendale and defeated the latter in a close.game by 11 points to 6. Mr McCorkindale refereed. Wyndham defaulted to High School and withdrew from the competition. FOURTH GRADE. Playing at the Showgrounds, Pioneer trounced High School B by 45 points to 0. In another match at Gore, High School A defeated Wyndham District High School by 6 points to 0.