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'Page 18
THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 21, 1989.
U.Services Beat Shanghai XV
Askwith's Two Tries Despite Injured Chest
HUNT'S MAGNIFICENT FULL-BACK DISPLAY: VISITING FORWARDS OUTSHONE IN LOOSE
(By REFEREE)
Shanghai Rugby Union Football Club were unable to repeat their Interport success of last Saturday, yesterday, when they bow- ed to United Services by two tries (6 points) to a try (3 points) in a scrappy encounter on the Club ground featured by the splendid. running and pluck of P. O. Askwith, who secured both the winners' tries.
Shanghai packed three-four with a roving extra half-back, but made the mistake of playing Mills at stand-off-half, for although he endeavoured to get the ball away to his backs, he failed in his initial object of drawing an opponent first and, as a result little ground or advantage was gained.
Although the seven Shanghai Rigg threw away a good oppor forwards held the Services' pack,tunity of gaining valuable ground their heeling was sluggish, while late in the second half, when he they were hopelessly outclassed fielded and burst through only to in the lineouts and lose mauls, punt for touch when confronted by where Services' forwards, notably Hunt and Hankin, although sup- Romans, Cuthbertson, Thatcher ported on the inside by White and and Anderson were very conspi- Martin. cious.
Thomas, Services' right-wing Another of the outstanding fea- threequarter, was a bitter dis- tures of the game was a brilliant appointment following his recent display by Hunt, Services' full-fine showings. He knocked
A
back, who took opposition punts on several occasions when and kicks very safely and kicked a score looked certain. good length ball to touch. Rigg, A disappointing aspect of the en- Shanghai's back, was also fairly confident, although he made two blunders in the first half when he was tackled in possession in trying to gain ground instead of finding touch immediately.
· LACKED INITIATIVE Services threequarter line · was by no means overwhelmingly superior to Shanghai's back divi- sion although they saw more of the ball and both Skelton and Stevens were guilty of wrong tac- tics when the right moves would probably have brought about a score. Stevens, essentially a full- back, was fairly safe in defence as a centre, but lacked initiative and when he should have opened up... play invariably kicked into touch, throwing away valuable op- portunities. Skelton was guilty of too much individualism and his ef- forts to break through the centre..were invariably checked by Shanghai's centres.
OUTSIDE WEAKNESS Shanghai's back division changes made little difference for their out- sides were still very weak despite Hutchison's score shortly before the interval. Innes tried hard to get away, but found Askwith and Hankin too fast for him. .⠀
White and Martin, the right and left centre-three quarters, did not get many opportunities, but were fairly safe in their tackling. White was probably the most dangerous of the visiting backs and was very nearly over once but for slipping 15 yards from Services' goal-line:
SPECIAL
Members of the victorious Shanghai Rugby Interport team being presented to His Excellency the Governor at last Saturday's match against, Hong Kong Football Club, who were beaten by 12 points to 11. ("China Mail" photo).
Yesterday's Rugby Game
By The Clock
9th Services in dangerous loose rush, but Martin fielded well to relievo with
good kick to touch.
་.་
11th Skelton broke away but when only three yards from Shanghai's goal- line attempted futile drop-kick with Askwith and Stevens waiting for the ball on his left.
14th R. P. J. Stewart off field for minute with knee trouble. 15th Rigg fielded well for splendid 40 yard kick to touch.
17th Services penalised near touchline on their 25 yard line, but Rigg just
failed to kick penalty goal.
19th White burst through in right centre, but slipped. In next minute nearly burst through when he backed up splendidly in a loose movement. 20th Shanghai pressed heavily, but ball from White to Hutchison was inter- cepted by Askwith, who relieved danger with splendid run and pant: of over 50 yards.
23rd
24th
ASKWITH'S MATCH!
(BY SCRUM-HALF)
Held at forward and beaten be- hind the scrum, Shanghai's defent at the hands of United Services came as no surprise.
It was P. 0. Askwith's match,
He sustained an injured rib in the game against Malaya, received a nasty crack on the same rib early in yestero
Shanghai back again in Services 25 where Stevens picked up only to be tackled in possession, and ball rolled away for Hutchison to play it withday's game, was in obvious pain before his feet, gather and open Shanghai's account in the right corner.. Rigg failed to convert.“
Askwith went down on ball to stem Shanghai loose rush, but in doing so was injured on left side of his chest, a recurrence of an injury he Bus- tained in the Colony's match against Malaya.
HALF TIME SHANGHAI 3 U. SERVICES 0
5th Services attacked and after ball had travelled along their back division, Hankɖn sent Askwith away and latter ran brilliantly for 50 yards to score between posts after cutting in from touchline. Hunt converted to give Services 6-3 lead.
9th Shanghal penalised 45 yards in front of their posts, but Berry's penalty
goal-kick. just missed.
!
13th Skelton broke away but was tackled in possession by Rigg with Stevens
and. Hankin waiting for the ball.o 14th Askwith retired for few minutes and Lt. Anderson was taken out of
pack to all left-wing threequarter vacancy.
15th Services pressed and looked like scoring when Thomas knocked-on. 20th Askwith returned to field.
22nd Mills, Shanghai's fly-half, left field with knee trouble.
32nd Askwith took hard knock and again retired but came back in next min- ute to score doubtful try on the corner flag to place issue beyond doubt, Hunt failed to convert.
counter was the continual blast off on the open stand side of the the whistle, although several glar- ground, were either ignored or not ing off-side scrum infringments, seen. On one occasion a portion of
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the spectators bawled "off-side" when Green fell on top of Laird with the ball between Shanghai's second and back rows.
be made an electrifying run of 35- yards to score between the posts to give Services a 5-8 lead, and, after going off twice, scored another try almost on the corner flag in the last minutes of the game.
team
For sheer pluck and
spirit Askwith's performance will live long in my memory.
Hunt was the only other player in a Handling scrappy game to impress. very safely and kicking consistently well, he gave a very cool display of full-back play.
Shanghai, packing 3-4 with a five- eighth, were almost invariably robbed of the ball in the tight scrums, and it was only 'due to very crude passing by Green, and needless touch finding by Skelton that the Services did not cross over with a substantial lead. Skelton was a failure at fly-half, though he improved greatly after the interval, when he sent his threequarters away more often. Stevens makes a better. full-back than a threequarter, although his tackling yesterday was invaluable.
CHANGE INDICATED
Mills again held up the Shanghai back division as the result of his slow- ness-I rather thought White should On another occasion Innes was have displaced him before the game
was very old-and when he was injur away on the left-wing and slung aed and had to go on the wing the Ser grand pass inwards to White, but vices had the game well in hand. was pulled up for a forward pass, which by no means looked forward from where I was sitting.
There was little to choose between either back. Shanghai were very sluggish, in all departments and hopeless outshone in the lineouts while Laird way at times a trifle slow in getting the ball away, -
Roynolds **"and": Kennedy wore Shanghai's only forwards to dis play anything like last Saturday's
R. U. Reynolds, Warner and Kennedy were again very much to the fore in the Northern pack, while Anderson and Thatcher wore the pick of the Services' eight.
Those Club threequarters - who watched the game must have gnashed their tooth when they saw how vulner- able the Shanghal back division wore in the face of a quick passing three- make quarter line who attempted to progress. The Servicon had soveral good passing bouts in the second half, the one leading to Askwith's first try being perfect.
WHITEAWAY, LAIDLAW & CO., LTD. form, while Stewart tried hard but I cannot close these brief notes with-
was at a distdvantage as he was suffering from a wrecked knee-joint
out roforonco to the refereeing, which thought well below the usual stand-
ard