KING’S ONCE AGAIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 703, 1 July 1929, Page 6

KING’S ONCE AGAIN

CLOSE VICTORY OVER GRAMMAR BY SIX TO THREE MARGIN King’s College owed its victory over Grammar in the big secondary schools Rugby match on Saturday to the sterling tackling of both divisions, and the goal-kicking of the youthful R. Gillett. Had it not been for these factors Grammar must have won. The crowd of four or five thousand assembled at Middlemore saw a good even contest that maintained its interest to the last minute At no stage did either team show any sign of slackening up. Neither could have afforded to do so. Considering the amount of rain lately, the ground was in fairly good condition. A slight drizzle fell for ten minutes or so during the game, but was scarcely enough to be the cause of bad handling, being more discomforting to the watchers than the players. From the start the Grammar backs showed what they could do in the way of throwing the ball about, and this they did all through the game; but such was the tackling of King’s (Caughey, Hargrave, Lewis especially), that in scarcely any instance did the ball reach the outside men, Currey and Ferneyhough. King’s passing, however, was by no means up to this standard. Either the handling would be bad or when two or three had succeeded in catching the ball, the next man would be well out of his place. On one notable occasion Jackson threw away a rosy chance when the ball went from Caughey to Hargrave to him, and he was several yards in front of Hargrave. It was SLich things as this, combined with most inferior hooking, that might have lost the game. The hooking was indeed bad. However well King’s College’s l'rontrankers may have played in the loose they were certainly disappointing in the scrums, getting the ball only twice. Forwards who acquitted themselves well were McCarthy, Palmer (particularly) and Hollinrake; but Gillett was the one to stand out above the others. His play in the loose and tight was good, tackling most excellently tor a forward, and his goal-kick-ing was a sight to see. Behind the King’s scrum Lewis got few opportunities and, while playing well, was outclassed by the Grammar half. Caughey was the best King’s back, with Canning also good and Jackson, though over-eager and inclined to tackle his man by the neck, displaying a pretty turn of speed. Grammar’s pack was the better of the two and Sharp, Fraser, Mcßeath were the pick of it, while Mulgan, rover, did all that was required of him. Its superior hooking gave the Maori halfback, Newton, plenty of chances to show his worth, and Newton (whose ability has already been commented on in The Sun) made good use of them. As Gillett was the best forward on the day, so Newton was the best back. Alone among the Grammar backs his tackling reached the King’s standard. Collins and Slyfield, too, were prominent members of the blue rearguard, Grammar being fortunate in its inside backs and also in Currey and Ferneyhough (though rather starved), its wings.

A safe fullback, McFarland, who was always sure, kept cool, kicked well and managed to keep his line uncrossed.