RUGBY FOOTBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 August 1939, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

THRILLING REPRESENTATIVE GAME Wairarapa and Wellington Juniors Draw OUTSTANDING DISPLAY TURNED ON BY HOME FORWARDS VISITORS FIELD CLEVER BACK COMBINATION Rugby patrons were treated on Saturday at the Memorial Park, Masterton, to the most spectacular game seen in the Wairarapa this year, when Wairarapa and Wellington junior representatives drew, 17 all. Play right from start to finish was fast and furious, there not being a single dull moment during the entire piece. Fielding a set of backs whose perfect combination and speed would have done credit to any junior side in New Zealand, Wellington often had the home side in trouble but the grim and determined tackling of the Wairarapa rearguard did not weaken. Although the Wairarapa back division played sound football the result would not have been a draw had it not been for the display turned on by the home pack, and in the second spell the game developed into a struggle between the Wellington backs, fast, clever and nippy, and the Wairarapa forwards, fast, clever and determined.

The first spell saw the visitors gain the majority of the ball and the- Wairarapa rearguard was kept busy tackling the Wellington backs. The second spell unfolded a different tale. On the resumption, the Wairarapa pack gradually gained the upper hand and kept on top until the finish. Breakingfast they gave the inside 'Wellington backs no show and literally “mowed them down.” Time and time again the Wairarapa forwards would break away with the ball at toe, and when this happened the whole eight forwards were on hand —not just one or two.

Outstanding in the! Wairarapa pack were I. and A. Blake, closely followed by Busch. In the loose and line-outs Madden and Wilton also showed up. while in the tight, Corlett, McPhee and Rayner all toiled hard. For Wellington, O’Sullivan, Te Puni. F. Bryers and McNeil appeared to be the best of a hard-working pack. All the Wairarapa backs played soundly, but none was brilliant. C. Brunton did good work, while Brice and Hancox often showed up. Of the Wellington rearguard perhaps the most impressive was Thurston. He ran staight. hard and handled perfectly while his swerve often left 'the Wairarapa standing. J. H. Bryers, Brown, Bowyer, Carey, Patrick and Clemens did well.

The teams were: Wairarapa—C. Brunton; Rippon, M. Hancox, S. Brice, T. Wilton, J. Steffert, R. Warrington, B. Rayner, L. Wilton, J. Corbett, P. McPhee, A. Blake, P. Madden, F. Busch, I. Blake. Wellington: Clemens; Brown, J. H. Bryers, Bowyer; Patrick, Thurston; Carey; F. Bryers, McNeil, Garner, Schroeder, Harding, Te Puni, O’Sullivan, McGregor.

Five minutes after the start Wairararapa scored when A. Blake following up fast crossed close in, after the Wellington backs had fumbled. Hancox converted. Thurston made a beautiful opening, passing to J. H. Bryers who sent Brown over in the corner. The kick failed. Wairarapa 5, Wellington 3. The same movement was repeated a few minutes later, this time Bowyer scoring. No goal resulted. Wellington 6, Wairarapa 5. Wellington came again and Brown crossed in the corner. The kick failed. Wellington 9, Wairafapa 5. From a ruck Busch forced his way over. The kick struck an upright. Wellington 9, Wairarapa 8. Just on half-time F. Bryers was caught off-side and Hancox goaled with a magnificent kick. Half-time sounded with the score Wairarapa 11, Wellington 9. On resuming Wellington were penalised and Hancox found no difficulty in goaling. Wairarapa 14, Wellington 9. Obtaining from a scrum Carey sent Patrick away. F. Bryers eventually crossing well out. The kick failed. Wairarapa 14, Wellington 12. Again the Wairarapa forwards took charge and Madden was extremely unlucky not to score. Brice put in a 50-yard run down the touchline. He punted past the Wellington full-back and the Wairarapa forwards coming up fast carried on. Finally the ball shot out to Steffert who scored. The kick failed. Wairarapa 17, Wellington 12. Bowyer went right through the Wairarapa side, handed on to Thurston, who in turn sent Te Puni over under the posts. Thurston converted, making the score Wairarapa 17, Wellington 17. Te Puni later retired from the Wellington side, being replaced by Marsden. Wilton (Wairarapa) retired and Cardno came on. Time sounded shortly after. Mr Grantham was the referee. REDMOND CUP GAMES FIRST ROUND PRODUCES GOOD RUGBY. The first games of the Redmond Cup competition for senior Wairarapa Rugby teams commenced on Saturday.

The weather was bright and fine will a chilly breeze. Some bright and in teresting Rugby was seen, especially in the Red Star and Gladstone game. RESULTS AT A GLANCE. » Redmond Cup. Carterton 6, Old Boys 6. Gladstone 15, Red Star 9. Greytown 23, Masterton 13. Third Grade. Martinborough 6, Red Star 0. Wairarapa College beat Featherston Featherston 8, Carterton 6. Fourth Grade. College 6, Masterton 0. Carterton 4, Featherston 3. FAST AND OPEN RUGBY. CARTERTON AND OLD BOYS DRAW. Old Boys and Carterton played i draw at Carterton and on the run o play the result was a true one. The game was fast and open, specially it the second half. For Old Boys Callag han kicked a good penalty early in th< I game, and soon after Lipinski perform ed a similar service for Carterton Shortly after the start of the seconc spell Carterton worked downfield t< within striking distance, where Browr secured and went over. The lead wa; soon reduced, Parsonson equalising with a nice solo movement in whicl he dummied his way through to score a fine 'try. Rasmussen was the outstanding Carterton forward, and Brown and Lipinski did splendidly in the back line. Foi Old Boys, Rayner, Armour and Dyei played solidly in the forwards, anc Hoggans and Parsonson did excellent work in the rearguard. Mr W. Grantham refereed. RED STAR GO UNDER. GLADSTONE WINS IN LAST TEN MINUTES. Fielding only 13 players, Red Star went under to Gladstone at Gladstone after leading 9 —7 with 10 minutes to go. The final score was Gladstone 15, Red Star 9. The game was open and back movements which delighted the crowd were frequent. Russ Howard, the Red Star and Wairarapa front ranker filled the first five-eighths berth and played an outstanding game. For Red Star Henson kicked a penalty and Clarke and Peterson each scored a try. For Gladstone Walker kicked two penalties, Henderson potted a goal and Joblin scored a try which Walker converted. MASTERTON SUFFER DEFEAT. GREYTOWN WINS HIGH SCORING GAME. Masterton went under to Grey town 23 —13 in a game of fast scoring and solid rucking. Greytown forwards dominated both scrums and line-outs. The Greytown back received plenty of the ball. In the closing stages of the game Masterton appeared to tire, but Greytown kept going well. For Greytown Brunton scored two tries and converted three, Stringfellow and Humphries scored a try apiece, and Sugrue scored and converted his own try. For Masterton M. Hargood scored a try and S. Lamb scored a try, converted his own and Hargood’s, and kicked a penalty.