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The Rugby Game
PRESTATYN V COLWYN BAY
An
energetic effort to popularise Rugby football in North Wales, where the game is
little played, is being made. Under the presidency of Lord Mostyn a club was
formed at Prestatyn last year, and is now permanently established. It is hoped
to form a club at Colwyn Bay, and with this object in view a Colwyn Bay and
District XV, selected by Mr C.A. Rowland, and captained by Mr W. Sutcliffe, the
well known Manchester and Lancashire half, visited and played Prestatyn last
Saturday. Mr Ashton was in charge of the following players:-
Prestatyn
– Price, full back; Williams, Hocking, Kemp and Hatton, three quarter backs;
Howell and Cooper, half backs; Woodward, Moore, Dutton, Rees, Botham, Jewell,
Wallace and A. N Other, forwards.
Colwyn Bay
– Williams, full back; Mallalieu, Arnold, B. Cooper, and Pilsbury, three quarter
backs; H.Sutcliffe and H. Cooper half backs; P. Arundale, Allan, C.A. Rowland,
Bartley, W.H. Rowland, T. Taylor, H. Lord and Mitchell forwards.
Despite
the wretched climatic conditions under which the game was played, Lord Mostyn,
after receiving the rival captains and formally kicking off, set a fine example
of sportsmanship by staying to the end of the game. Colwyn Bay were prominent
in the early stages, but not having previously played together, did not combine
well. Ultimately the heavier and more experienced home pack exerted pressure on
the visiting defence, where Sutcliffe, Williams, Arnold, and the brothers Cooper
were often prominent and prevented a score. Colwyn Bays forwards, led by
Arundale, Lord, and Allan, occasionally broke away, and appeared likely to
score. Just before the interval Dutton, after a scrum on the visiting line,
scrambled over far out, the place-kick failing. At the interval Prestatyn led by
3 points to 0.
The game
fluctuated from end to end in the second half. Dutton put the home team further
ahead by another unconverted try. Excellent defence work by Sutcliffe, Mallalieu,
and Pilsbury for the visitors kept the score down, but in the last ten minutes
the superior weight and combination of the Prestatyn team told, and Williams, by
a brilliant effort, and “A.N.Other” (2) scored, Howell converting on each
occasion. A very pleasantly contested game terminated with Prestatyn winners by
3 goals 2 tries to nil.
The form
displayed by the visitors was extremely promising, and with further
opportunities of practice and coaching little difficulty should be experienced
in building up a team. A return match will take place in Colwyn Bay at an early
date. An effort is being made to enlist the support of the public and county
schools along the coast to take the game up.
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