Ex High Gold took the lead in the Eastern Southland Competition when it beat St Mary's A 25-15.
They never looked like being beaten especially with a half time score of 12-5.
It was not just the superior court work of Ex High but the accurate shooting of St Mary's, Gillian Adiar (goat attack) and Janice O'Brien (goal shoot), the latter having her first game in A grade.  If they had have got more ball the score would have reflected the game, but it was the defence of Ex High that stopped the ball reaching the circle.
Ex High's defence of Lynette Kerr (goal defence) and Glenda Knowles (wing defence) made lots of brillant interceptions.

The early season fitness of the young team coupled with a better court combination were the main reason for the winning score of 24-21.
Good play by its centre, Julie Standish and strong defence work in the circle by goal keeper, Sandra Heffernen kept School to the fore througout the game.

It was a day of upsets or near upsets when the third series of matches for the GS Rugby in 1971.  The two leaders in the competition, Marist and Invercargill won by slender margins and held their positions at the top of the table.
H. Townsend and D. Crombie both extended their good form, but the Waikiwi back who made the best impression was the light mid-field player, G. Ballantyne.  His tackling was terrific and he ran with pace.
Waikiwi produced a new full-back with considerable talent in Kerry Popham who was promoted from the lower grades for the match.  He ran into the backline well and was safe on defence.
Waikiwi won the match 14-11.
Old Boys had another game which would make the coaches wonder what they have to do to win matches.  Tom Pryde played well in the forwards, winning a good amount of ball at number two in the lineouts and doing more than his share of work in the tight.
However, the best Old Boys forward was the backrower, I . Maze who gave a covering performance which must have brought him to attention of the selectors for the town team.
G. Barnes was an astute and nuggety half-back, who had his best game, with L. Lumsden much improved, with Ian Polson playing with his usual class.
Old Boy's drew away to a 11-3 lead which should have been enough to win the game, however Waikiwi had another story.
WAIKIWI: Dickson, Townsend (1) tries, Townsend (1) Con (2) PG
OLD BOYS: D. Clayton, Lumsden (1) tries, Polson (1) Con (1) PG 

Upset wins to Clyde-Earnscleugh and Upper Clutha on Saturday were features of the final first-round games in the Vincent-Manioto senior rugby competition.
Playing at Wanaka on a slippery surface affected by rain before and during the game, Upper Clutha knocked Gimmerburn-Pateroa from its leading position on the points table with a second half penalty goal kicked by Tony Hunter, the only points in what was a predominantly forward struggle.
Although GP dominated the first 30 minutes of the game, tenacious defence by the home team denied the opposition points, and led by captain Dave Grieve and Kerry Chittock, Upper Clutha applied pressure up front through some fine rucking.
Half-back Peter Neil and first five-eight Hunter kept the ball close to the forwards and with astute kicking.
GP missed the services of Tony O'Neil behind the scrum while up front Mark Harris and Paul O'Neil
were committed forwards.
Matakanui-Valley took a clear two point lead in the competition with a runaway win over Strath-Taieri at Middlemarch scoring 10 tries on the way to 54-7 victory.
The makeshift backline proved far too pacey and enterprising for the ST team and though the home forwards, through work of locks Gavin McNair and Steve Stewart, did well in the early stages, the defensive play of the acks offered little resistance to the rampant MV team.
Dave Sinclair and Lloyd Davies each scored three tries with Denis Flannery, who called the shots expertly from the base of the scrum, being rewarded with two tries.
Forcing Wakatipu into costly errors through its bustling play, CE once again showed it scant disregard for reputations with a 16-9 surprise win.
Allowed to skirt the fringes almost at will, the loose trio of Philip Lucas, Leon Van Boxtel and Peter Laing for CE caused havoc amongst the Wakatipu inside backs and upset the normal patterned play of the team.

Albion took advantage of the wind to run up a 19 point lead against Waikaka in the first half and went on to win 23-10 at Gore.
Albion took the lead when Waikaka failed to touch down after a penalty goal attempt had missed and Albion centre Gary Brook was quick to press the ball.
Jimmy Cormack scored two tries, the first after bursting up the sideline for 40 metres and the second, after half-back Les Roberts ran the blindside.
A dropped goal by Kevin Gentle gave Albion its 19 points at half-time.
Early in the second half Roberts ran the short side from loose play in the middle of the paddock and broke straight through the Waikaka defence to score.
After that Waikaka came back and prop Bill Hunt scored after his backs had created a good overlap, Further good back play saw Brian Dickison go over for another try midway through the half but that was the end of the scoring.
ALBION: Gary Brook, Jimmy Cormack (2) les Roberts tries, Kevin Gentle (1) DG, Fraser Neil (2) Con.
WAIKAKA: Bill Hunt, Brian Dickison tries, Dickison (1) Con.
REFEREE: Mr M. Sheehan.

The weather was atrocious and Invercargill (Blues) were without some key players but this did not stop them storming to a 21-7 victory over Pirates.
The storm passed after 20 minutes and it was Milton Haig (Invercargill) half back that broke from the back of a scrum and passed ball to centre, Vaughan Allison, who had speed to burn, to score the first try.
Pirates was given no respite by Milton Haig as he had a grand game controlling the play.
Full-back, Kevin Burns kicked a penalty and then another when half-back Barry Dunn kicked ahead and dived across for a try.
Pirates were ahead 7-4 at halftime.  It did not take long for Invercargill's Peter Harrison to kick a penalty goal.
Invercargill camped on Pirates line and it did not take long for Kerry Flowers to dive over from a lineout to score.
Tries soon came to Milton Haig and Stephen Molloy.
INVERCARGILL: Vaghan Allison, Kerry Flowers, Milton Haig, Stephen Molloy tries, Peter Harrison (1) Con (1) PG
PIRATES: Barry Dunn, try Kevin Burns (1) PG

Southland lost to Porirua 65-41  and also lost to Palmerston North 74-55 in the Hertz National League in 1984.
Behind 31-4 at half-time Southland proved more competitive on attack in the second half scoring 27 points.
Poirua's national payers headed the scoring. Pene Hippolite  top-scored with 20 points, former Southlander and New Zealand captain, Jane McMeeken sored 15 and Deslea Wrathall 14.
Vicki Beardsley headed the Southland tally with 12 points.
Southland coach, Russell Frisby, acknowledged the ability and speed of Porirua.
Southland out-pointed Palmerston North by eight points in the second half of their game but could not overturn the 49-22 half time score .  Palmerston North's Kim Jennings top scored with 20 points and Yvonne Crighton score 19 while for Southland Lyn Clark scored 11 and Sarah Waldron 10.
It was also noted that in the Southern League men competition, Southland had a 74-48 win over Eastern Southland.  Jerry Hoffman scored 18, Sot McCrea 12 and Paul Polard 10.
For Eastern Southland Alan Fletcher scored 16 and John Potter 8.
The women's Southland League saw Southland having a 62-53 over Eastern Southland with Lynn Chamberlain scoring 15, Penny Dunckley 10  and J. Black 12 and W. Kennedy 8 for Eastern.

Rata A beat Ngawai by one goal in 1984..17-16...The game was exciting and aggressive with both teams evenly matched.  Ngawai's goal keeper, Julie Wilson was inspirational and hard working for her team, collecting many interceptions and working hard giving her team an 8-7 score at half time.
Rata A were not their usual slick attacking team, with sloppy passes and indecisive play missing a lot of opportunity for the shoots to have a go.  Moira Gerken, goal keeper for Rata A played her usual steady game using her height well to make it hard for the Ngawai's attack.  
There was also another one goal margin in the game United V Brigadiers A which United took out 38-37.
It was virtually goal for goal with neither team dominating.  Teresa Panagiotidis shot well to give her team a 17-16 lead at half time.  United's goal attack, Jenny Mason played well and shot some impressive goals.  
St Mary's easily disposed of Rata B. 26-19.  Linda de Ruyter had a great game at goal keeper . Catherine Wyering at the other end of the court for Rata B worked tirelessly, which gave her team a lead of 12-11 at half time.  Katherine Ward played well for St Mary's which gave her team full control in the last 10 minutes.  
The Southland team was named to play at a national tournament at Timaru and coached by Robyn Broughton, they were:
Linda de-Ruyter (Captain), Debbie Angus, Vicki Beardsley, Moira Gerken, Marie Forde, Lynne MKenzie, Meraldo O'Rourke, Teresa Panagiotidis, Sharalyn Rodan, Kathryn Ward, Julie Forde.

A reader has asked us to find something about Jack Hinton, a Victoria Cross winner and has a memorial at Colac Bay.

We have found an article in a 1964 Newspaper which goes as follows:

The presentation of a boxing trophy to the Southland Boxing Association by Jack Hinton, bought to light that not only was Jack Hinton a brave Soilder but a great boxer.  Jack Kelly alias ("KO") who was then living in Dunedin was present at the presentation.

Everyone knew of "KO" and his expolits in a career of more than 100 fights in southland and Otago   His association with Jack Hinton came about in 1927 when Jack ran a boxing school in Invercargill and Hinton was one of his champion pupils.   Hinton was a country boy and visited Invercargill at the weekends for instruction.  Later he worked in Tokanui where Kelly also ran a school. A personality in the Tokanui school was Hughie McLeod, mile champion runner, who was secretary of the Tokanui Club.

Hinton won his first trophy at Tokanui, the Hobson Cup for the most successful boxer at the tournament.  E. Fraser another well-known name in southland sport, won the medal for the most scientific boxer in the school.  The Fraser brothers, Ika and Bay were also good boxers.  Bob another brother, was a heavyweight.  The brothers won fame for Southland and New Zealand as winners of the world double-handed sawing championship.

The record of the Invercargill school was noteworthy, and numbers among its members several champions whose names still run through Southland boxing.  Jack Kelly, the instructor won featherweight at Tuatapere; W. Burgess was first in bantamweight at Bluff; W. Stiles won the lightweight at Bluff; H. McFarlane still be seen seconding boys from his Mataura school, won featherweights at Bluff and Tuatapere. J. Winders won the bantamweight at Bluff.

Five tries by winger S. Mcgregor and two by centre R. Jefferson and a penalty goal by front row prop G. Spencer and a try by half back F. Williams ensured Western kept Baird Cup, beating Central 15-6.  The attendance was light and the spectacle was nothing to enthuse over, and the only highlights came from Western.
With second five eight, Kevin Laidlaw directing the attack the Western backs looked dangerous at all times.  He skillfully ran the men outside him into gaps and his well judged kicks had the challenges in trouble.
Although having to bow to the Central big men in the tight play and lineouts, the Western pack was far the livelier of the two and excelled when the ball came loose combining with the backs in many concerted rushes that resulted in points.
The line kicking of both teams left a lot to be desired, and the same applied to the goal kicking, which was atrocious.
Central held the upper hand in the middle part of the first half, but was not good enough to consolidate its position when it lead 6-3 at one state.
Central's halfback F. Williams got through a terrific amount of work outshining Western's R Hampton. It was rarely that the ball went through the Central chain.
Of the Western forwards, J. Smeaton, R. Donald, G. Erskine and J. Carr were always in the thick of things.
The big men J. Hazlett, J. Hall, J. B. Porteous and R. Laughton were outstanding in  the Central pack.
​Mr R.Balloch was the referee.

The two above teams met up in 1964 after round 8 of the Galbraith Shield Competition, Invercargill was on top of the table with Marist at the bottom.  It was a game for Marist that "could have been" but it lost a couple of key players only after 2 minutes of play.
Vin Nally retired after being injured.  Marist started with enthusiasm and the forwards were going to let Invercargill know they are playing rugby. 
Invercargill tried opening the game up with passing, but found the Marist crowding defence stopped them in their paths.
The loose work of the Marist pack gave G. Ward the opportunity to kick a penalty goal, which was successful and in reply to H. Townsend's kick just earlier.
The Blues forwards although, beaten in the loose, dominated the scrummaging, and K. Dixon gave his team good ball.
P. Imo, on the wing, came in from the short side, beat the defence and kicked goalwards, G. Barrett was unopposed and dotted down.
Bill Scully then retired injured.
Half time saw the score 6.-3 to Blues.
R. Smith, Blues right wing came into his own soon after the start of the second half.  He received the ball at the end of a passing rush and went over near the corner for a try.
A false move cost Marist another try.  B. Harvey (half-back) sent a wild pass back from a scrum in his 25.  It went to ground and G. Moody, ever alert, pounced on the begging ball and went over without a hand being laid on him.
N. Gutsell retired from the Blues pack.  At that stage the Marist forwards fought back and forced Townsend into a hurried clearance at the line.  He failed to find touch, D. Hicks fielded the ball, beat a man and scored out wide.
Mr M. Muir was the referee.

MARIST:
G. Ward, A. Hardiman, W. Scully, P. O'Neill, G. Ware, B. Harvey, P. Dowling, L. Fahey, B. O'Connor, L. Holder, V. Nally, P. Rooney, T. Maher, M. O'Neill, P. Quirke, D. Casey, M. Smith, N. Brown.
INVERCARGILL:
G. Lee,  R. Smith, P. Imo, G. Barrett, H. Townsend (VC), J. Healey, K. Dixon, J. Lindsay, A. Burns, G. Moody, J. Hall, G. Gutsell, N. Gutsell, G. Clode, D. Crengle, M. Findlay, L. McIntosh, I. Burns, N. Saville, C. Hutton.

Seniors:
Congratulations Blues on a well deserved win playing better controlled rugby and taking advantage of every scoring opportunity.  Although, we made vital mistakes at crucial stages, we were not disgraced and the try scored by Peter Laurie was the most constructive of the match.
In the backs, Barry Belesky proved his worth, while Wayne Soper in the forwards was true value.
It was a hard fought game - losing 13-6.  Refereed by Dawson.
2nd Grade:
Beaten 6-4 by Waikiwi which was a much improved performance, with tackling now being of the highest order
Winstone Spence has improved to the extent that he is now a must as a regular, with Robbie Balfour the try scorer, and looking to be promoted to Senior.  Referee - Jarvis.
2nd Grade Second Division:
This game was a disgrace, and what had happened to the players' spirit.  Going down to Marist 52-0, was nothing more than a training run for the opposition. 
Under 20's
Beating Murihuku 32-0 was the club's only win of the day.  The rearranged side turned on a complete performance with David Clark being outstanding in the lineouts, and being assisted by Gordon Becker and Mervyn Eade in the forwards and in the backs Paul Howley topped off a good all-round performance by scoring two good tries.
Under 18's
Held the highly rated Kingswell side to 3-4, with a win almost within grasp, the loss through injury of Bruce Thomas was fatal.