THE RUGBY GAME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 May 1939, Page 2

THE RUGBY GAME

WAIRARAPA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES KEEN PLAY AT MEMORIAL PARK. OLD BOYS AND CARTERTON WIN. The Wairarapa Rugby Union’s championship competitions were continued or- Saturday in fine weather. The more than average-sized crowd at Memorial Park was rewarded with two rattling good games, in both of which the standard of play was definitely good. Carterton made amends for their defeat of the previous week, with a good win over Red Stars. On No. 2 ground, Old Boys had to go all cut to defeat Masterton. Greytown caused a surprise by downing Gladstone on the latter’s home ground. RESULTS AT A GLANCE. SENIOR. Carterton. 10; Red Star G. Old Boys, 8; Masterton, 0. Greytown, 10; Gladstone 3. JUNIORS. Martinborough, 21; Opaki, 5. Red Star, 13; Masterton, 6. Carterton, 19; Old Boys. 11. Featherston 3 Greytown 0. THIRD GRADE. Masterton, 3; Red Star, 3. Greytown, 13; Carterton, 8. SUPERIOR SPEED. ENABLES OLD BOYS TO WIN. Superior speed in the backs was the deciding factor in Old Boys 8-0 win over Masterton at Memorial Park. Apart from this speed which enabled their winger Meurk, to outpace the opposition and score two tries, there was little between the teams, and the result might easily have gone the other way. The Masterton forwards were considerably outweighted but once they settled down they had the edge on the opposition in both the tight and tne loose. The Old Boys backs were a faster and more finished lot, but they found it difficult to pierce the sound Masterton defence, and were also handicapped by being beaten for possession in the set scrums and line outs. It was a keen, hard game in which interest was maintained' throughout. Towards the close of the game 'tempers became a trifle frayed. Old Boys started off in fine style, and for the first ten minutes they had Masterton well bottled up. Masterton, however, produced a defence which refused to be broken, and their forwards eventually drove the invaders cff, and stormed the Old Boys’ line. Good work by O’Callaghan, who played a great game at full-back, saw Mastertoh repulsed and just before the interval the Old Boys backs got underway and Meurk raced across for an unconverted try.

The Masterton forwards, led by Percy, Ford and Hargood took the upper hand early in the second spell, and they had Old Boys in a dangerous position for ten or fifteen minutes. Several scoring opportunities went west before Denbee shot through a gap to turn the tide. At this stage the Masterton forwards faded out and Old Boys were agaih on top. From a scrum in Masterton’s twenty-five, the whole Old Boy’s chain handled for Meurk to score. O’Callaghan converted. Masterton came again in the dying stages, but although Lamb hit an upright, and Percy kicked a poster from penalties, the game ended without further score. Four Old Boys’ players left the field with injuries. Mr W. Grantham was the referee.

EXCITING GAME. CARTERTON BEAT STARS. After one of the fastest and keennest games seen, at the Park for a long time, Carterton' defeated Red Star 10/6. Carterton won because they had the ability to take advantage of the mistakes of their opponents, and because their fast raiding forwards created havoc among the Star backs, who were a faster and more polished lot. The pace was on from the start, and right thoughout the game fortunes fluctuated in an exciting manner. The forwards were fairly evenly matched, but Carterton broke up faster, fanning out among the Star backs. Stars secured a plentiful supply of the ball from the set scrums, but Carterton’s effective spoiling tactics did not give the Star backs much chance and their attack was invariably lateral. Both teams defended roundly and both missed a number of scoring opjfortunities. Stars had Carterton in a dangerous position when the first try came with lightning suddenness. O’Kane, one of the smartest inside backs seen out in the Wairarapa for some time, sent out a nice cross-kick to Peterson’s wing, but Thompson, the Carterton winger collected in nis stride and raced clean away from his own twenty-five. On reaching the Star full-back he handed to Loader, who had an easy run in. Loader converted. It was as pretty' a piece of work as could be seen anywhere. Undeterred, Stars immediately swarmed to attack and B. Clarke went across for a splendid try. Dwyer missed the kick. Keen play ensued, and near the interval Toucher capped a hot Carterton forward rush with a try, which Loader converted. The standard of play improved still further on resumption, both sides taking turn at attack. Carterton were now getting more of the ball, and for a time they had Stars hard pressed. Stars, however, staged a good comeback, and in the closing stages of the game they were completely on top. Cross added three more points to Star’s tally, with an unconverted try. Mr E. Grantham was the referee. SURPRISE WIN. GRF.YTOWN BEAT GLADSTONE. Greytown created something of a surprise by defeating Gladstone 10-3 at Gladstone. The defence of both teams was first-rate as may be seen by the fact that neither line was crossed, all the points coming from kicks. The Greytown forwards worried Gladstone throughout and they gave the country backs little chance of getting underway. R. Brunton was responsible for all of Greytown’s points, kicking two penalties and potting a field goal. Foreman kicked a penalty for Gladstone. NEXT SATURDAY’S GAMES REFEREES APPOINTED. The following are the fixtures and referees for next Saturday:— SENIOR. Red Star v Old Boys, at Memorial

Park, No. 1, at 2.30. H. J. McKenzie. Masterton v Greytown, at Greytown. J. Blake. Gladstone v Carterton, at Carterton. E. Grantham. JUNIOR. Opaki v Greytown, at Memorial Park, No. 2, at 2.30. W. Grantham. Red Star v Featherston, at Featherston. H. Matson. Carterton v Martinborough, at My’tinborough. J. Power. Masterton v Old Boys, Rugby Park, No. 1, at 2.30. H. Empson. THIRDS. Carterton v Red Star. H. Tinsley. Martinborough v Featherston, at Featherston. E. Millar. Masterton v Greytown, at Greytown. C. Kendall. College v Gladstone, at Gladstone. A. McKay. Dalefield, a bye.

IN OTHER CENTRES Wellington.— Wellington’s comfortable win over College Old Boys and the improved form of Marist Bros. Old Boys were the features of the third series of senior Rugby fixtures in Wellington on Saturday, played in dull weather. With few exceptions, the standard of play was not high, scrum infringements causing repeated penalties and detracting from the merit of the football. Results were: —Wellington 14. College Old Boys 6; Marist Bros. Old Boys 9, Athletic 6; Poneke 22, University 3; Hutt 16, Oriental 3; Petone 15, Eastbourne 3; Johnsonville 24, St. Patrick’s Old Boys 11. Auckland. —Ponsonby 11 beat Grafton 8; Grammar Old Boys 16 beat Training College 9; Marist 14 beat Technical Old Boys 3; North Shore 9 beat Manukau 3. Christchurch. —Fourth round: Athletic 12 beat University 11; Merivale 14 beat Sunnyside 3; Old Boys 24 beat Christchurch 8; Southern 11 drew with Technical 11; Air Force 5 beat Albion 3. Dunedin.— Pirate 6 . beat Zingari, Richmond 0; Kaikorai 3 beat Union 0; Alhambra 15 beat University A 9; Southern .16 beat University B 3; Taieri 5 beat Dunedin 4. Taranaki.— Tukapa 27 beat Star 6; Eltham G beat Old Boys 3; Stratford 3 beat Clifton 0; Inglewood 9 beat Okato i Opunake 21 beat Paten 6; Athletic 6 beat Waimate 3; Kaponga 16 beat Hawera 3. Manawatu. —Feilding Old Boys 17 beat United 14; Kia Toa 6 beat University 3; Palmerston North High School Old Boys 20 beat Feilding 3. Wanganui.—Pirates 13 beat Marist 8; Kaierau 16 beat Technical College Old Eoys 6; Taihape Old Boys 9 beat Waverley 8; Wanganui and Old Boys 19 beat Taihape Country 9. Hawke’s Bay.—Hastings High School Old Boys 14 beat Celtic 8; Havelock North 8 beat Napier High School Old Boys 5; Maori Agricultural College 19 beat Pirates 3; Marist Brothers Old Boys 7 beat Hastings 0. Southern Hawke’s Bay.—Ruahine 3 drew with Athletic 3; Weber 10 beat Old Boys 6.