HAMILTON BEATS ALL CHALLENGERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 154, 20 September 1927, Page 9

HAMILTON BEATS ALL CHALLENGERS

PEACE CUP RUGBY A HARD-FOUGHT" GAME A record crowd witnessed the Peace Cup game at Hamilton on Saturday, the fact that the holders of the trophy were being called on to sustain the final challenge of the season from the team, which lost it to Hamilton, stimulating interest in the match to a marked extent. The attendance of spectators was estimated to be in excess of 3,500 at Rugby Park. Hard forward play which kept the ball in the tight robbed the game of its spectacular interest, and though the standard of fotball was very good, only glimpses of open play were given, the forwards of both sides smothering the opposing backs effectively with fast loose rushes before they could get properly moving. Hamilton successfully sustained the challenge, however, and won by nine points to three. The opening exchanges favoured Thames, who set a fast pace, and keeping up a hammering attack seemed determined to wrest the trophy from the holders. The visitors quickly got moving and threatened the Hamilton line, but were unable to penetrate the defence. Hamilton was compelled to adopt a defensive policy for the major part of the first spell, but though Thames attacked repeatedly, Hamilton had a lead of three points at half-time owing to the ability of Bayiy in making an opening which was rewarded by good following up on the part of Charleston. There was more mishandling than there should have been, but the backs were continually harassed by the forwards. The Hamilton pack held its own, with Thames in the loose, but the latter had the better of the tight play, and might have done better if it had made it still closer than it was. VISITORS WIN SCRUMS

In the scrummages the visitors were successful, and their tactics were too good for the opposition. They screwed the scrum effectively and showed cleverness in this department. The weakness of the Thames backs lay with the inside men, who were not smart enough off the mark or at getting the ball away, while the other backs were playing too deep. The Hamilton backs had very limited opportunities, and did not really get inio their stride, keen tackling preventing them from getting away promptly. Nevertheless they showed more onerprise than their opponents, and took advantage of the openings which offered.

HAMILTON’S FINISHING EFFORT Not until the last lew minutes o£ the game were they really effective, when with the aid of the forwards, two tries were quickly added which definitely decided in whose keeping t.iie trophy would repose. Hamilton came with a rattle and a number of heavy onslaughts gave it the six which placed it with a safe mai&in over the Thames men, who, it seemed, had worn themselves out with their attacking efforts. The closing spurt by Hamilton provided an exciting termination to a hard-fought match. The Hamilton team s combination suffered in consequence of Carter s inability, owing to illness, to fill the position of first five-eighth, but ti e changed back formation proved ; t=elf to be sound, and would undoubtedly have been most aggressive if it had seen more of the ball. Tuck tided the first five-eighth position with distinct credit, and got the hall away smartly, while Snodgrass, who had come in from wing threequarter to his old position behind the scrum, was very effective, and showed his marked partiality for working the blind side. He had a hard time of it with the Thames forwards, who came round VG M Brown, who replaced Snodgrass on the wing, fulfilled expectations and justified his inclusion. He did everything that was of him, and paved the way for two tries, one of which he secured himself. The conditions were not ideal for tlie maten, a strong cross-wind interfering witn play considerably. The Hamilton scrum formation underwent a change, Charleston and Ardern going up as side supports and W. Christie and Stubbs replacing them in the back row. The pack gave a very good account of itself, Scott and Courtney working very hard in the tight, while in the loose, Stubbs and Charleston were outstanding. Bayiy played another great game as rover, and made some fine openings.

Lomas played with great dash and the Thames hooker was the best forward on the ground. He broke through repeatedly, coming very fast. He showed some “fine points”'in the scrum, but the referee caught him at his tactics more than once when the ball did not go in properly. Ensor was solid as lock, while Pollock, Hayward and Smith played good games. O’Brien, the Thames fullback, was speedy and resourceful. He played an excellent game, while Moran made some strong runs on the wing.