Fred Ward best of the Marist fowards against Star, in 1956......

Continuing on with the 1956 Invercargill rugby championship in 1956..... Marist just got home ahead of Star in an uninspiring game at Rugby Park.  Star's failure to finish off moements cost it certain points on many occasions, but its defence was strong enough to upset the dangerous Marist backline, which was never allowed to show its paces. Marist won the game 11-6

The Marist fowards appeared lethargic, and difficulty in getting the ball away cleanly hampered their rearguard.  The Marist five-eights Daly and Ron Wills attempted to put some dash into the attack, but sound tackling by their opposites broke up many promising movements.
Fred Ward was the best of the Marist forwards and his barging try in the first half enabled Marist to lead at the half-time.
The second half started untidy with neither team playing constructive football, and when Milne kicked his second penalty to give Star the lead with less than 15 minutes to play Marist was in trouble, only a late rally by the Greens and Black and a lucky try gave them the win.
TEAMS:
Star: R. Soper, W. Milne, B. Freeman, L. Bell, L. Ashton, D. Watson, Z. Soper, R. Valli, W. Mathieson, B. Harrington, B. Hewitt, D. Munro, D. Russell, L. Lorne and R. Anderson.
Marist: B. Reilly, R. Flynn, Kevin Laidlaw, R. Bewley, A. Daly, Ron Wills, K. Taylor, Fred Ward, Bert Winders, M. O'Neill, B. O'Connell, H. O'Neill, P. Sheehan, R. Scott, L. Ward.
Referee: Mr M. Muir

Reference:  Marist Did Not Impress in Game with Star.  The Southland Times June 1956