RUGBY FOOTBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1940, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WAIRARAPA GAMES GLADSTONE STILL UNBEATEN. BRIGHT, CLEAN GAME AT MASTERTON. The Wairarapa Rugby Union’s championship fixtures were continued in fine weather on Saturday. The leaders, Gladstone, still remain unbeaten, beating Old Boys by 12 points to nil in a fast game played at Gladstone. Carterton prevailed from Red Star by a fourteen points margin in a bright, clean game which drew a fair gate at Memorial Park. Grey town secured a well deserved win over Masterton at Carterton. Mr Marlin Parker has built up a fit team from juniors, and has been warmly congratulated on his sound training principles, which has resulted in Greytown scoring a win for the second consecutive time.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE SENIOR. Carterton 14, Red Star 0. Gladstone 12, Old Boys 0. Greytown 22, Masterton 6. JUNIOR. Featherston 23, Old Boys 8. Martinborough 33, Red Star 8. THIRD GRADE. Carterton 8, Gladstone 3. Red Star 14, Featherston 6. College 22, Dalefield 5. FOURTHS. College 30, Martinborough 3. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP CARTERTON v RED STAR. BRIGHT CONTEST AT MEMORIAL PARK. Carterton beat Red Star by 14 points to nil in a bright exhibition on Memorial Park. The weight of' the Carterton team told in the second spell. Red Star made a good showing in the first half. There was little difference in the teams, but Carterton possessed a little more finish. Stars, although often dangerous, lacked that little extra ability required to complete their movements. The game was an attractive one, but was marred to an extent by excessive line kicking. With the sun and a slight breeze at their backs Stars opened brightly when W. Peterson went through a gap, but when a score seemed a certainty was stopped by F. Fitzgerald. Stars kept up the pressure, but several promising movements were spoiled through indifferent handling. From a scrum at halfway F. Fitzgerald (Carterton) cut through nicely and when faced by the Star full-back kicked over the latter’s head. The movement was responsible for what many considered a doubtful try, as the ball rolled near the Star goal line, and Mowatt, the Star winger, beat Fitzgerald to throw himself on the ball. Stars had all the better of the ensuing play until halftime, but could not open their score. The spell ended 3 —o in favour of Carterton. On resuming the visitors set up a hot attack, F. Fitzgerald cleverly reversepassing to J. Fitzgerald, the ball going along the back to T. Lipinski, who outpaced the Star full-back to score a determined try well out. Mahupuka’s kick was successful. Carterton launched ' a further attack and from an infringement by a Star player in front of the Star goal posts. Mahupuka made no mistake with his kick, making the score Carterton 11, Star 0. Carterton were making every attempt to use their backs but particularly sound tackling prevented them from making much ground. Stars were tiring and were penned down in their own 25 most of the time. However, they made several raids into Carterton territory, B. Howard, Peterson and O’Kane nearly going over. Carterton increased their tally just before the final whistle went when, from a scrum near the Star goal line, a concerted back attack resulted in T. Lipinski going over for his second try. Time sounded soon after, leaving the score Carterton 14, Red Star 0. Mr H. McMenamin was a capable referee. J. Fitzpatrick was the leading Red Star forward. Possessed of a powerful physique Fitzpatrick was a tower of strength in scrums and line-outs. On his performances this season the exMarist (Wellington) player is regarded as a probability for the representative team to play Hawke’s Bay. D. O'Connor (Star) went well, particularly in the line-outs, where he frequently secured and broke through. N. O’Kane, although opposed by the wily Fitzgerald, acquitted himself very well. His handling was very clean. G. Brown (Carterton) representative centre, who was given plenty of the ball found the going very hard through the determined tackling of W. Peterson. Without fail Brown went to the ground. T. Lipinski, former representative half-back, played his first game this season, taking the vzing position. That he has not lost his dash was shown by his two determined tries. J. Mowatt, a newcomer from the South Island, shaped well on the wing. Being hard to tackle and possessed of a nice side step, he often beat his opponents. GLADSTONE v OLD BOYS. HARD FORWARD STRUGGLE. Gladstone beat Old Boys at Gladstone in a hard forward struggle by 12 points to nil. The game was full of incident.

Gladstone’s points came from a. try by H. O'Brien, converted by L. Foreman, and an unconverted try scored by M; Ross, while G. Colquhoun potted a field goal. Play was very rough at times, resulting in a Gladstone player being ordered off.

The outstanding player nf the day was G. Colquhoun (Gladstone), who played a very heady game at first fiveeighth.

There was little between the backs and forwards of either side, all working hard. Mr W. Grantham was an efficient referee. GREYTOWN v MASTERTON. MEDIOCRE DISPLAY. The Masterton and Greytown teams met on the Carterton Showgrounds on Saturday. The play was below the ordinary standard. The line-outs were mostly won by Greytown and in this respect the Masterton players preferred to call for scrums, of which they invariably got the better, but they very seldom reaped any material advantage, their attack being promptly smothered by the Greytown forward division. Most of the play in the game was of a hard rucking nature and several minor injuries resulted. The first spell ended with Greytown 8. Masterton 3. The second half saw Grey town

a little more aggressive and the game ended Greytown 22. Masterton 6. Mr W Spooner was referee.

IN OTHER CENTRES

Wellington.—Wellington regained the lead in the senior Rugby championship by beating Athletic on Saturday after one of the most thrilling games seen at Athletic Park for years. The weather was dull and the ground and ball heavy, but this did not detract from the standard of football. Results: Wellington 9. Athletic 8; Marist Bros 0.8. 14, Petone 11; Poneke 14. Hutt 8: Johnsonville 19, College Old Boys 0; Eastbourne- 6, University 3; Oriental 8. St Pat’s College 0.8. 8.

Auckland.—Suburbs 14. Ponsonby 9; North Shore 17, Technical 11; Otahuhu 16. Training College 14. Matches affecting Army teams were not played because of the cancellation of leave as the result of influenza. Christchurch.—Linwood 9, Army 5; Sunnyside 13, Air Force 12: University 18, Merivale 7; Technical 13, Athletic 3; Albion 11, Old Boys 6: Christchurch 19. New Brighton 12. Dunedin. —University A 19. Pirates 9; University B 16. Zingari-Richmond 5; Southern 8, Dunedin 3: Alhambra 12, Taieri 8; Union 6. Kaikorai 0.