RUGBY REP. GAMES

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 188, 11 August 1930, Page 14

RUGBY REP. GAMES

AUCKLAND UNLUCKY.

DRAW WITH TARANAKI.

REFEREE MAKES A MISTAKE. FORWARD BATTLE ON A QUAGMIRE Colour was not a feature of the Rugby match 'between Auckland and Taranaki, which attracted a few hundred enthusiasts to Eden Park on Saturday. The ground was a quagmire, and if the fixture had not been a representative one it is likely that the game would have been postponed. As was only to be expected the match resolved itself into a battle between the rival sets , of forwards, and there was but little variation in play from bell to bell. Officially, the result V as a draw, six points all, but the score should have been 6 —3 in Auckland's favour. The extra three points which allowed Taranaki to save themselves from defeat came from a kick at goal which fell short, but vas allowed bv the referee in mistake.

Heavy rain all Saturday morning thoroughly soaked the Held, and by the time tiie teams which provided the curtain raiser had finished the ground had been churned into a sea of slush. As soon as the ball had bounced in the mud a couple of times it became .a slithery, elusive thing that refused to be handled accurately, and the foothold ■was so treacherous that even with their sprigged boohs the players at times found difficulty in keeping their feet. It was these queer antics of ball and men that provided much of the amusement of the game." With the teams plastered with mud from head to foot it was difficult to distinguish- the players. Except for a group of staunch Taranaki supporters, who defied the rain and. barracked mightily from the almost deserted terraces, there was little enthusiasm shown, and only the closeness of the scores maintained the interest until the end. . . Auckland were weakened by the absence in Wellington of five of their star players, and Taranaki also were below full strength. The visitors started the name with great dash, their forwards making the locals step lively. The Auckland rearguard macb several brave attempts to show their worth, and twice Hook was almost over. Midway through the spell the Auckland forward's gave Taranaki, who were working the kick into touch a great deal, a warm time of it, and after a line-out Palmer crossed, for an unconverted try. Then came Taranaki's stroke of luck, and a shot at goal by Collins was ruled.good, although Mr. Peace afterwards admitted that he had made a mistake. Auckland ■went to the front again before half-time as the result of an unconverted try by Jones. The game was evenly contested in the second half, and it was not until five minutes before the end that a great Taranaki forward rush caught Auckland out of position and took play more than half the length of the field, for Guy to dribble over and score between the posts. Collins missed an easy kick that would have given his. side a lucky victory, and the came ended in a draw. ,'■.. ° Auckland backs were rather more successful that fheir opponents in handling the greasy ball, but neither rearguard could do much with it. Jamieson was about the best black on the ground. He picked his . way ■smartly . through the mud and made several' excellent openings, this cut in frequently beating the opposing five-eighths. Conway, 'behind the scrum, looked'like a ball of mud, but got rid of. the ball Well when he got it. The three-quarters received few opportunities in attack, but Butler, .at full-back, at times had to work hard. Soloman and the' members of the scrum toiled hard, A. Knight, Fiulayson, Satherley and Hadley being a lot in the limelight. » Collins, the Taranaki full-back, handled well 'and several times saved splendidly, picking up the ball from the feet of the Auckland forwards. ' The other backs were prevented by the con-' ditions from showing their real worth, although Hunt's line-kicking was excellent. Guy, the rover, played an outstanding game and was always well up with the play.' His try was well deserved: The forwards showed themselves a tough lot and were seldom overshadowed by the Auckland van. Mr. G. Peace, who controlled the game, came in for considerable criticism from the grandstands.

Jamieson.