FOOTBALL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6498, 27 September 1915, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

TAURANGA v. TE PUKE.

[Visitors Victorious.

There was a large attendance on the domain on Saturday to witness the return match between the representatives or the Tauranga and Te Fuke Rugby Unions. The game resolved itself mainly into a trial of strength between the forwards, the backs varying the play on occasions with passing bouts. The home vanguard more than held their own in the first half, but in the second portion the Te Puke forwards showed up conspicuously. The visiting rearguard proved superior to the local backs aid their combination was the chief factor in aiding Te Puke to victory. At halftime the scores were even —three points all-—but in the second half Te Puke notched another eight points and left the field victors by eleven points to three. Mr J. Crichton controlled the game, while Messrs Lyford and Murphy acted as lire umpires for Tau ranga and Te Puke respectively. The teams lined out as follows: —

Te Puke (red and black)—Fullback, Abraham; threequarters, S. McEwen, J. Marara, K. Kokiri; h'veeighfhs, Timoti and Taite; half, J. Harawera; wing forward, B. Pniilip3; forwards, vV. Webster, P. Gray (captain), M. Riiin-Ji, Whare, T. Paul, Tiwha, M. Gray. . Tauranga (blue and gold)— Fullbscfe, P. Prendergast; three-quarters, Morehu, A. Hicks, D. Poole; fiveeighths G. .Slane, J. Meharry; half, A. Heheiiey; wing forward, I. Bullock; forwards, S. Cleal, (captain), H. Castles, Walter Murray, Darby, Witana Muiray, E. Plummer, T. Knka. Te Puke won the toss and Gray decided to defend the eastern goa?. Cleal opened hostilities and Timoti lined near centre. From the throw-in trie ball was sent to McEwen, who kicked well into the blues' ground. Morehu secured and dodging several opponents, "made a strong bid'to score, but was collared and thrown into touch in,the south-eastern corner. The Te Puke forwards retaliated, but a knockon nullified the effort and a scrum was ordered in the reds' area, the leather eventua^y finding touch. From the line-out Meharry gained possession, cut in and passed to Slane,who transferred to Poole and the latter raced over and scored in the north-eastern corner. The extra points were not added: Tauranga 8 Te Puke 0 Paul set the ball going, Bullock returning to Marara, who found touch in neutral territory. Ririnui and P. Gray headed a strong rush, in stemming which one of the blues hung on too long and the visitors were awarded, a free kick. The ball was laid ior Abraham forty yards out, but he failed in his objective. Cleal and Poole were associated in a smart offensive effort, but the redoubtable Abraham—nicknamed "John Bunny"~-blocked progress. Even play followed in midfield, until Kokiri lifted the oval to Preudergast, who found touch in the reds' twenty-five. Combined work by Cleal, Meharry, Pcole and Castles severely tested the opposition, until Timoti trapped the ball and cleared, Paul further accelerating matters for Te [Puke by booting to Prendergast, who lined near the middle mark. Tins visiting vanguard then set up a determined attack, and were only beaten back by the line kicking of Heberiey, Prendeigast, and Slane. Harawera attempted <x movement with the design of getting hi3 bg«ks operating. Poole, however, intercepted and flashed through, being collared by Marara in the reds' area. limoti then set the Te Puke backs going, but a slovenly pass to Kokiri necessitated a halt. The reds attacked and relief was brought by Hicks kicking to touch at centre. From the line-out Timoti cut in, but was brought down by Cleal. A scrum followed and Ririnui found touch in the blues twenty-five. The visiting vanguard then made a great onslaught, un Tauranga's citadel, but Kuka extricated his side from an awkward situation and kicked down thejeld. Walter Murray and Hicks broke through, but the blues were penalised, Phillips kicking to Slane, who lined at centre. Whare headed a rush by the Te Puke forwards, which was checked by Prendergast, who, unfortunately, was hurt in the process, A free kick was given against Tauranga. Thirty yards out the ball was placed for Abraham, who landed a fine goal and equalised the scores, to the great delight of Te Puke's supporters:

Tauranga 3 Te Puke 3 Shortly after resuming the Te Puke forwards assumed the aggressive, Heberiey saving by making use of the touch line, and, again by marking, when he sent the leather well into Te Puke's ground. P. Gray and Whare led another Te Puke rush and swept back the opposition. The ball was dribb led across, ani Slane ran for it and forcsj. The Tauranga vanguard coun-ter-attacked, but Abraham checked progress. An attacking manoeuvre by Timoti and Marara was frustrated by ri.mmer, who marked and Slane lined in Te Puke's twenty-five. At this

stage Pfendergast, as the result of the injury previously received, was compelled to retire and Te Whara came en in his place. The reds then made an aggressive move in the northwestern angle, only the smart tiering work of Hicks, Mehairy, Cleal, Heberiey and Slane averting a score. Hair tiir-e was sounded with the figures even—three points each. 2 Midh'eld was the scene of operations for some minutes after the opening of the second spell. Webster marked a return from Siane and Abraham made a good but unsuccessful attempt to rsgister a goal from the t^.itre line. Morehu, Pocle and Plummer broke through from close play, but Harawern nullified the effort. Kokin, Taite and Whare replied with a bril- i liant 1 a=sing run, the last mentioned be I ing pushed outright in the north-; eastern corner. A scrum was ordered five yards out, and the Taurang3 forwards, assisted by Meharry, rallied and cleared their line. The reds were penalised and a powerful kick by Slane enabled Tauranga to deliver an attack in which Plummer, Cleal, Bullock, and Witana Murray were prominent. Morehu and Poole were next conspicuous in a passing bout along the southern line, but owing to lack of support a good opportunity was lost, and Harawera was able to clear. Sparkling play continued fcr some minutes, the . prominent participan's for the blues being Poole, Cleal, Plummer, Morehu and Heberiey, and for the reda McEwen and Abraham, "Bunny's' 7 remarkable agility in fielding and his powerful kicking earning the greatest applause from all sections of the spectators. Eventually a magnificent kick by McEwen saw the ball fly out in the south-eastern angle placing the Tauranga citadel in jeopardy. The excitement was now intense and in reply to .the exhortations of his supporters the Te Puke skipper secured the oval from the lineout and hurled himself across but a scrum was ordered for a breach of the rules. Infusing the greatest ener.gy into their play the visiting forwards continued the attack, but the home vanguard gamely stuck to their task until Hicks picked up from the opposing host and kicked to touch in neutral ground. The Te Puke vanguard returned to the charge, and the home backs attempted to pass in their own area, which nearly brought disaster. P. Gray received from Phillips and was tackled a few yards from the line by Slane. Whare was handy and toed the ball over, but Hicks forced in the nick of time. Play followed at midfield for a brief period until iMcEwer, found the line again in Tauranga's twenty-five and the reds' forwards were once again on the offensive. Tiwha then picked up and passed to Kokiri, who beat several opponents' and handed on to Marara, who scored. Abraham failed to add the extra points:

Te Puke g Tauranga ' 3 Once,again McEwen sent the ball to touch in the south-eastern corner and placed Tauranga on tha defensive. From a forward movement Timoti secured the ball and whipped it out to Kokiri, who passed to Taite, the latter scoring in a good position. Phillips converted: Te Puke n Tauranga 3 > After desultory play in neutral ground the Te Puke forwards swept back and carried the leather across, Hicks forcing. After resuming Kokiri' was noticeable in a smart dash, but was collared by Mcrehu. Meharry then intercepted a pass and improved matters for the blues. Offside play by a|Te Puke back gave Hicks an ineffective shot at goal. With only a few minutes to go the Tauranga forwards vigorously attacked, but the defence was too round and left no loophole. Just before the call of time Witana Murray seized an opening, being checked by Abraham close to the coveted line. The ball was kicked to Hicks, who returned to touch in the south-western area, the whistle spundie.g with the scores in Te Puke's favour by a majority of eight points,