PICNIC RUGBY

Southland Times, Issue 24836, 31 August 1942, Page 2

PICNIC RUGBY

MARIST-BLUFF BEATS PIRATES-STAR The Marist-Bluff Rugby team decided its right to contest the final of the Southland Rugby Union’s senior championship by defeating Pirates-Star at Rugby Park on Saturday afternoon. Pirates-Star held Marist-Bluff in the first half, and it was not until after 10 minutes play in the second half that the first score of the game was recorded. After that Marist-Bluff held the upper hand and in the end won comfortably by 9 points to 3. Saturday’s game marked the last series of games in the third and final round of the senior championship for the Fleming Clup, and now that MaristBluff has drawn equal with Old BoysInvercargill a play-off for the premiership will be necessary. That match will probably be played next Saturday. The afternoon was fine, warm and sunny, and the playing conditions could not have been better, but the reaction of the summer-like conditions was one of lethhargy on most of the players, and the standard of football suffered accordingly. In both senior games picnic Rugby was the order of the afternoon. Military Reserve, again reinforced by some promising High School players, almost accomplished the unexpected against Army, but after leading by 10 points to nil in the second half its play fell away and Army ran out winners by 17 to 10. MARIST v. PIRATES The number of free-kicks given to Marist was the only outstanding feature of a poor first half in the Pirates-Marist game. Pirates was frequently penalized, but in spite of shots at goal from fair positions Marist was unable to open its score. Marist, although packing down seven men (the team was a man short for most of the first half), got the ball almost at will from scrums, but the backs lacked combination and made little use of it. On one occasion, however, the combination worked correctly until Small (centre) got possession and tried to go over on his own instead of passing out to Brown, unmarked, on the left wing. It was a certain try lost. It was Marist who did the infringing in the second half and Pirates got the free kicks. Ten minutes after the opening of the half Marist bustled the Pirates backs and Small won the race for the ball when it was kicked over Pirates’ line. Ennis failed to goal from an easy position. A quarter of an hour later Thompson, who had been playing on the right wing in the first half, and was one player who was not affected by the heat of the sun, showed up in loose play in Pirates 25 and went over for a good try. Small’s kick was charged down. Marist’s third try came from good solo work by Dean (half-back) about five minutes from time. He beat two men and dived over for a good try between the posts. Small failed to goal from in front. In the last minute of play Marist was penalized and Taylor kicked a goal. The game ended: Marist-Bluff 9, Pirates-Star 3. Mr J. McKenzie was referee. The teams were:— MARIST-BLUFF.—Scott; Thompson, Small, Brown; Ford, Williams; Dean; West, Muir, Cournane, Raymond, Ward, Connolly, Crooks, Ennis. PIRATES-STAR.—Campbell; Maslin, Hodge, Wilson: Johnston, Adam; Taylor; Brown, Reid, Cooper, Wright, Hume, Findlay, Smeaton, Fisher. ARMY v. MILITRY RESERVE Military Reserve led Army by 10 points to nil (two converted tries), but Army finished strongly and won by 17 to 10. Mr C. Anderson was referee. MATCHES AT GORE The fourth and fifth grade teams of the Invercargill Football Club travelled to Gore on Saturday and played matches against two teams from the Albion Club. The fourth grade match resulted in a win for Albion by 15 points to three. Albion also won the fifth grade match, the score being five points to three in its favour. BULLER BEATS NELSON WESTPORT, August 30. In the second Seddon Shield Rugby match of the season played on Victoria Square yesterday before a large attendance, Buller defeated Nelson by ten points to three. For Buller, tries were scored by W. Neighbours and J. Burt, S. Stewart converting both, while Kotua kicked a penalty goal. For Nelson, Edde Holden, an All Black who later played League in England, was back in his old place in the Buller team as centre three-quarter and showed glimpses of that fine form that characterized his former play here and overseas.

CYCLING GORE4NVERCARGILL ROAD RACE Conditions were perfect for the thirteenth annual Gore-Invercargill road race on Saturday by the Invercargill Amateur Cycling Club. Good roads and a light following wind gave the back markers a hard task, as with the assistance of three-speed gears the whole held was able to attain good speeds throughout the 40 miles. As the town clock struck two the field was dispatched in the following order:—J. Popenhagen (18min), P. Waddick (13min), C. Hood (O.), R. Boyd (O.) llmin, R. Duncan, E. Mitchell, F. King lOmln, G. Aslett (7min), L. Hubber, A. J. Macrae (O.), G. Aitcheson (O.) 42mln, J. McKenzie, R. Grave (O.) 32min, H. Hubber, C. Flowers (D.) scratch. The riders averaged 25 miles an hour for the distance, and the order of the field changed little throughout. Hood and Boyd, both Oamaru riders, were caught by Mitchell and company at Brydone hill. These five picked up P. Waddick at Edendale, while Popenhagen was overhauled by this bunch of six riders at the top of Edendale hill. POSITION HOPELESS The back markers of this bunch crossed the top of the hill 46 minutes after leaving Gore, then came Hood (who had been dropped) I’/a minutes later, Aslett 3>,fc minutes behind: with the 4 1 ,4 minutes' markers a futher l'/ 2 minutes behind; J. McKenzie and R. Grave passed just 35 seconds later, having gained 25 seconds on the next bunch. The scratch men were losing time steadily, being llmin 20sec behind the leaders. Having lost over Imin on them over the first 20 miles, their position was hopeless at this stage. Popenhagen was dropped at Dacre, Aslett being caught by the 4 1 / 2 min markers at Woodlands, having ridden a hard 28 miles on his own. At Longbush the leaders were still a good smin ahead of this bunch. Macrae punctured at Kennington. In a good sprint Mitchell headed R. Duncan over tire line by less than a length, with P. Waddick 17 seconds back in third place. Times and placlngs were: E. Mitchell (10 min), ihr 36min 55sec, 1; R. Duncan (lOmln) Ihr 36min 55 Msec, 2; P. Waddick (13mln) ihr 40min 12sec. 3; R. Boyd (Oamaru) (llmin) Ihr 38min 22sec, 4; L. Hubber Mismin) Ihr 35min 40sec, 5; and fastest time. G. Aslett was sixth and G. Aitcheson who was seventh registered fastest junior time. Two excellent performances were recorded by R. Duncan, a veteran rider, who filled second place, and P. Waddick third place. Duncan, now in the veteran stage won this event in 1931: he was second in 1932 and filled fourth place last year. P. Waddick is a schoolboy of 14 years of age, though having ridden with success in short events this season his performance on Saturday was a surprise. The special award for first unplaced visiting rider went to R. Grave, of Oamaru. On Saturday evening visiting riders and officials were entertained by the local club at a dance in Lindisfarne Kindergarten, when trophies of the day were presented by Mr J. A. Johnson, Invercargill delegate to the Otago Amateur Cycling Centre. BASKETBALL ' JUNIOR GRADE MATCHES ON SATURDAY No first grade matches were played yesterday, the competition having been completed. Following are the results of junior grade basketball: — Second Grade—Collegiate A beat Woodlands 15-8. Pirates beat Bluff 14-11. Rata beat St. Mary’s 11-9- Technical drew with Makarewa 12-12. Third Grade— Collegiate beat Makarewa 17-4. Stuarts beat Rata 13-10. St. Mary’s won from McKenzies by default. Bluff beat Rata B 29-4. Roslyn Bush beat Pirates 20-14. Fourth Grade—Makarewa beat Technical 22-11. Collegiate B defaulted to Collegiate Aa.