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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 2, No. 12. June 28, 1939

Sport

page 4

Sport

Fine Rugby Win

Pitted against the leading team on Saturday, 'Varsity rose splendidly to the big occasion and won a hard-fought game on a heavy ground by a single point. The 8/7 victory was a meritorious performance against the strong Petone fifteen.

Relegation to the Second Division of the Senior grade has been the unhappy fate of the Hockey Club's first eleven. But the Club as a whole fared better on Saturday, four of the seven teams winning their matches and one drawing.

In the important Dorne Cup race, the harrier team finished sixth, due largely to good running by Newall and Scrymgeour, who filled 9th and 10th places respectively.

—L.B.S.

Rugby

Hutt and Old Boys Games

This year's University Team, like all Varsity sides, has the Knack of turning on really indifferent games followed immediately by football of a much better class. Against Old Boys, Varsity played as poor a came as anyone could have despaired to see; against Hutt one week later the side, despite weaknesses, was much more convincing.

In both games Race at half was in good form and against Hutt his performance was an outstanding one. He was directly responsible for three of the five tries scored, scoring one himself and converting two of the tries. His outstanding play inspired the other backs to greater efforts and after the lamentable display against Old Boys this rejuvenation was most welcome.

The Backs.

The Varsity five-eighths are still the main weakness of the back-line. Against Old Boys their general play was poor and defence indifferent. Against Hutt their play improved but pointless kicking is still a weakness of their play, and their handling and giving of passes very ragged. With a powerful three-quarter line outside them it should be the Varsity team's ambition to give the three-quarters a run as often as possible but this idea apparently escapes the insides' attention far too often. Tricklebank against Old Boys was off form and played his worst game this season, but his play against Hutt was much improved and he showed much more of his old dash. He scored one good try.

Eastwood against Old Boys scored a brilliant try from centre and defended grimly. He is a great scoring man given just half a chance, but against Hutt he did not get one run. His defence however was all that was required. O'Regan seems to have struck a bad patch in his handling, but against Hutt he improved as the game progressed. Kissel played his best game this season against Hutt and it is to be hoped that he will continue to improve. He is still a little [unclear: lackadaisical] in his play, which tends to unnerve the side.

Forwards Impressive.

The forwards are still going well though in the Old Boys game they missed their leader Burke and also the presence of McVeagh and Meads. They were a little spasmodic in this game though they battled well. Against Hutt the pack was most impressive and Burke commanded most of the ball, giving the Varsity backs the chance to call the tune—and call it right merrily they did.

McVeagh, McNicol and Hansen were in fine form and the two Shannons continue to show their consistent dash. The tackling of these two forwards must have been a delight to the onlookers against Hutt. Stacey is another whose tackling has been first rate.

Varsity seems to be on the improve, though it is hard to judge after two games so different from each other. The weaknesses in defence in the backs are still in evidence however and a disinclination to go down on the ball still to be seen. Hutt did not capitalize on Varsity's mistakes, but other sides most certainly will.

It is, however, a pleasant sight to see a team pull up so well after a heavy loss and it shows that Old Man Despair is no member of the side.

After all, the All Blacks were beaten 17 to nil in the first test in 1928, and who won the second?

—J.A.C.

Next Saturday

Rugby

  • Seniors v. Oriental, Kelburn.
  • Juniors 1st v. Technical Old Boys, Wakefield 1.
  • Juniors 2nd v. Eastbourne, Kilbirnie 2.
  • Juniors 3rd v. Poneke, Kilbirnie 3.
  • Thirds 1st v. St. Patrick's, Western Park.
  • Thirds 2nd v. Seatoun, Kilbirnie 1.

Harriers

  • To meet at the end of the [unclear: Berhampore] tram section at 2.15 p.m.

Dorne Cup

Varsity harriers did not fare well in the Dorne Cup race of 5 miles at Hutt Park last Saturday, when the team finished sixth, nine teams competing. The weather conditions were by no means ideal for racing, and they certainly tested the keenness and hardiness of harriers. Rain during the week and further heavy showers immediately before the race made much of the course rather boggy.

Although in the total points scored, the Club was well down, two runners. Newall and Scrymgeour finished ninth and tenth respectively. In a field of 196 runners but the others in the team filled low places, Palmer, Varsity's third man home, being in the forties. De la Mare again ran well, and Farquhar showed a return to form. Caird and Brewer were rather disappointing on the day, filling ninth and tenth places for the Club. Caird has been out of action of late, and did not have much time to prepare for the race. Brewer seemed unable to adapt himself to the prevailing conditions.

Although at first glance sixth place seems a very poor performance, when compared with those of the other teams Varsity's 541 points were not quite so bad. Scottish won easily with 134 points, and after that the points of the next six teams ranged from 420 to 543 so that they were comparatively close together, as in a race of this kind 123 points is not a great difference between the best and the worst of six teams. This shows that at this stage Varsity is holding its own with some of the best clubs in Wellington and is superior to others.

Tramping

Yes—it definitely was one of the best Orongorongo trips held by the Tramping Club for some time. Everyone enjoyed it—even those who didn't go on the big trip, but stayed and quarrelled in Tawhai all Sunday.

Fifteen trampers in all arrived at Tawhai in dribs and drabs between the hours of 5 and 11.30 p.m. on Saturday, and were duly filled with an enormous stew and tucked into bed, replete and bloated. With bodies strewn round the floor, Tawhai resembled a morgue.

A start was made by the party going on the main trip just after seven on Sunday, and good time was made by the eight stalwarts to the ridge at the top of Green's Stream. Here Messrs, Croxton and Watson Munro left the main party and set out along the ridge towards Matthews. Although the balance of the party couldn't find Mr. Croxton's mythical shingle slide, and almost scaled Tapokopoko in its efforts to do so, it descended precipitously and fast down the Tapokopoko stream into the Mukumukus. The only accident during the descent occurred when the great Braybrooke, in the rear of the party, calmly stepped into a large and deep pool, in the mistaken belief that the rest of the trampers had also done so. This unfortunate incident made it necessary for Mr. Braybrooke to remove his trousers while walking up the Mukumuku stream, a spectacle which made the most hardened trampers quail.

A short climb up the picturesque stream, and the South Matthews saddle was reached, numerous signs clearly indicating that Messrs. Watson Munro and Croxton had been there an hour or so before. A swift descent of the ridge into the Orongorongo river, and Tawhai, with hot soup and stew, was soon reached.

Most of the occupants of Tawhai had straggled off, so as to be sure of catching the boat, and the whole party, with the exception of a few lost en route, congregated on the Eastbourne [unclear: Wharf] at 8.15.

Yes—definitely a good trip!

—I.SAX.

Well-known member of the Defence Rifle and Hockey Clubs, Hugh Olive, B.Sc., left for Hamilton last Monday. He has taken a position at the Ruakura State Farm. Hugh represented V.U.C. as a rifle shot at several Tournaments. At hockey, as goalkeeper for the Senior Second Division team, he blended courage and sound judgment with real skill, and his cheerful wit enlivened many a hard-fought field.

Men's Hockey

With four wins, a draw and only two losses, Saturday's results for the first time this season make pleasant reading. A word of explanation is however necessary, for with the completion of the first round, two teams have, alas, been relegated to lower grades. Whether this ignominy was merited is open to question; and it is for the players themselves to supply

As was expected, the Senior team, despite the absence of two of its more prominent players, had little opposition in its match against Karori, leading team in the second division. Nevertheless it had by no means the overwhelming victory an ex-first division team should have gained. The opposition rarely looked like scoring, yet our team, despite its territorial advantage, also rarely looked like scoring. For this, there seem to be two reasons—poor shooting and lack of co-ordination between halves and forwards.

The halves as a whole played well, but Buchanan and Hobson would be well advised to endeavour to vary their play a little more. Newcombe's play, though in itself admirable, does not seem suited to that of the team as a whole, and consequently loses much of its value.

Neither of the backs, or the goal keeper for that matter, was overworked, and their play was flattered by the weakness of the opposition. All three should endeavour to develop a keener sense of anticipation, and also strengthen their clearance shots. As is the case with the whole team, a failure to draw their opponent before hitting was all too apparent.

In the forwards, the main weaknesses were a failure to back-tackle and a lack of finish in the circle. They should remember that goal-scoring is their only objective—that once in the circle, a single determined hit should suffice. The goals scored by clean hits this season can be counted on the fingers of one hand. A push shot from a melee in the circle is admirable in some circumstances; but it is better to have a "snap" shot at goal before the melee develops. It must be realised that the unexpected tactics are the most effective, and so it is with goal-shooting.

Neither of the insides, Cole and Shaw, gave the support to the halves they should have, and neither followed in, in the circle. The wings, especially Naidu, were weak incentering though Souness did some nice work on the right.

Yet despite the faults pointed out, the club has the material for a first-class team. But it is up to everyone to do their bit and pull their weight one hundred per cent.

Weir House Team.

This team will achieve better results as combination improves and team-work supplants individual play.

Playing at centre-forward. J. Rutherford is captaining the side. His stick work is good but a disinclination to pass to his supports is marring his play. W. Cook (inside-left) keeps position well. C. Aickman at inside-right is steady and persistent but has a bad habit of turning on the ball. On the right wing L. Jenkins is fast and improving, but at present hits too hard. Kellaway on the opposite wing has not yet had enough practice.

The three halves, G. Culliford, S. Whitlock and Tilson possess very fair stickwork. Whitlock, however, has a tendency to obstruct.

[unclear: Mass] has been playing the best hockey of the three full-backs. His clearances are usually strong. At right-fullback, Goldstone is very reliable, though his clearing hits lack force. Speedy is improving with practice. He should keep his eye on the ball more.

Inter-House Hockey

Goals should have been plentiful in the inaugural hockey contest between Victoria House and Weir House last Saturday morning. The game took place on the soccer ground on Kelburn Park and the goal-mouths yawned 24 feet wide.

Excited by the cries of some seventy partial spectators, players dashed into the fray with abandon. Greater speed, harder hitting and, alas, bustling tactics, gave Weir control of the game in the first half. The second half was more evenly contested. Lila Marshall playing well in the Victoria House half-back line.

Weir won by 5 goals to 2, the best of its ungallant players being Rutherford (Captain). Whitlock, Cook, Moss, Tilson and Bath. For Victoria House Nancy Spiers played probably the soundest hockey on the field in the first half. The two goals were scored by Betty Rider and Sybil Green.

—L.B.S.