RANFURLY SHIELD.

Auckland Star, Volume 198, Issue LVII, 21 August 1926, Page 13

RANFURLY SHIELD.

AUCKLAND V. HAWKE'S 3AY. IDEAL PLAYING CONDITIONS. FIRST SCORE TO AUCKLAND. ("Star" Cpecial Wire.) NAPIER, this day. The 81st match for the Ranfurly Shield, New Zealand's most famous football trophy, commenced at McLean Park to-day between Auckland and Hawke's Bay in perfect football weather. There was no sun, and a slight breeze was blowing up and down the playing area, which was close cropped and like a bowling green on top. After the crushing defeat inflicted on Wellington the previous week it was not expected that to-day's gate would attain the record dimensions of last Saturday, especially as the regular attendance in that occasion was reinforced by special train and petrol driven conveyances from Wellington, which it is estimated brought an additional two thousand people. Nevertheless, the crowds commenced to congregate early in the morning in Napier's streets. A picturesque touch was lent by the arrival of hundreds of Maoris from the back country, wearing wide brimmed sombreros a la Tom Mix, and dressed in the height of native fashion. The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union's splendid system of auxiliary stand accommodation, whereby ten thousand pepple can be seated in comfort round the playing area, commenced to fill rapidly early in the afternoon, and by the time of starting it was estimated that ten thousand people were present. The Teams. Hawke's Bay: Nepia, Grenside, Blake, Jensen, Cooke, Johnson. Mill, Walker, Single, Swain, M. Brownlie, Mahoney, C. Brownlie, Kirkpatrick. Irvine. Auckland: Butler, Hook, Lucas, Ifwersen, Cammick, Freeman, Wright, Batty, Finlayson, McWilliams, Cathcart, Webber, Knight. Hadley, Palmer. There was a tremendous roi;r of applause when Maurice Brownlio led the shield-holders on to the field. Lucas and his men also received a good reception. It was evident when the teams lined up to greet each other that the Bay had a big preponderance of weight in its favour, and the figures fully bore this out. The Auckland forwards averaged 12 stone 12 pounds per man, as compared with 13J stone for the Bay scrummers. Short-Lived Auckland Lead. To avoid clash of colours, Auckland played in white jerseys, the Bay appearing in their well-known black and white uniform. Auckland won the toss, but it was no advantage in overhead or ground conditions. At the ouset play started at a great pace, McWilliams receiving Cooke's kickoff and setting his backs going. Freeman, Lucas and Heck took part in a smart rush, which fully taxed the Bay defences. Following a series of hot forward clashes in midficld, Grenside flashed out in a spectacular run on the far side of the ground, but was solidly tackled within a few yards of the line by Butler. Play returned to midfield and in a scramble outside the Bay twenty-five, Freeman snapped a great mark, and potted a magnificent goal. Auckland 3 Hawke's Bay 0 This unexpected succees roused the Bay to a typical massed forward rush, which drove Auckland back towards their own twenty-five. Here Auckland were penalised for offside and Nepia kicked a fine goal from 35 yards out. Auckland 3 Hawke's Bay 3 Solid forward play followed, Aucckland pack fully holding their own, but in another forward ruck in almost the identical position to the previous penalty the Bay were awarded a free kick. Nepia this time elected to drop-kick for the goal and launceh a tremendous pot, which described huge are in ai rand dropped straight down over the posts amidst tremendous applanse. Hawke's Bay 0 Auckland 3 The report will be completed in a "Star" Special Edition at 5 p.m., and reproduced, with comment on the play, in our Sports Edition. PRIMARY SCHOOLS' TOURNEY. WELLINGTON PROVINCIAL CONTESTS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, this day. The a-nnual tournament of the Wairarapa, Wellington, Wanganui and Manawatu primary schools' Rugby teams commenced tin's morning, Wellington beating Wairarapa by 10 points to 9, the losers being somewhat unlucky. This afternoon Wanganui and Manawatu are playing as a curtain raiser to the senior Rusbv came.