BAY OF PLENTY FOOTBALLERS DEFEAT AUCKLAND REPRESENTATIVES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7464, 2 August 1920, Page 3

BAY OF PLENTY FOOTBALLERS DEFEAT AUCKLAND REPRESENTATIVES

Match at Tauranga Attracts Record Crowd.

The increasing popularity of theJKugby game was well exempted on Saturday afternoon, when two thousand people assembled on the Tauranga Domain to witness the match between the Auckland and Bay of Plenty representatives. The weather was fine, with a clouded sky, and there was not a breath of wind. The ground was in excellent condition, and the spectators looked fora high-class exposition of the Ruiiby code. They were not disappointed, as there was not a dull moment from beginning to end. Most people favoured the chances of Auckland, the general opin;on , being that they would possess more combination than the Bay I

of Plenty team • This pre dicti on, - however, was not borne out, and the match was won by the Bay of . Plenty by 17 points to 10. In great measure the victory was due to the superiority of the home

pack and to the brilliant work of several of the backs, notably D. Borrell and Reke Rogers, botn of whom gale a finished display and are class enough for any team in the Dominion. The Auckland fifteen included three I players from the Thames, and as Fisher ,one of the backs, did not make the trip, the local threequarter, G lies, was called upon .to make up the Auckland com- "' plement, and played right up to " his best form, A very-pleasing feature of the day was the liberal support of the public, who by - their patronage rendered a service to football and ensured for the - future that similar important fixtures will be .played here. The idea of the match originated with the Tauranga Rugby Union, and at great personal inconvenience two of its officials, Messrs F. H Hammond andC.F. Oliver, made a trip to Whakatane on the occasion of the Poverty Bay match and placed such a strong case before the Bay of Plenty Union that the President, Mr W. T. Parata, promised to endeavour to . arrange the match. He was successful in doing so, and is deserv-,-ing of the thanks of the football community. As a sportsman he , Mil have -the satisfaction of 'knowing that he has given Rugby in the Bay \ great lift. The playing of the. match here meant a substantial financial guarantee, audit is a reason for congratulation that the 'Tauranga Rugby Union's optimism was fully justified. This was accomplished with the help ofthe local citizens and by the patronage oi hundreds of

people from the Te Fuke, Pae

ngaroa, Pongakawa, Matata, 'Whakatane, and Rotorua districts. The assistance from the eastern area was highly appreciated, and should not be forgotten when important fixtures are played atTe Puke and other centres. The train arrangements made by Mr J. D. Holmes, district 'engineer of the Public Works ■^Department, came in for thecom- - menclation of .travellers, and were a material factor in the success ; which .attended t'le fixture. It is also worthy of mention that a large number of sportsmen from Katikati were present at the -match. The crowd in town was the largest that has ever U3semcbled*here for a football event, and -illustrated the fact that Tauranga As, a. popular centre with the sporting -fraternity. The game was played in an excellent spirit, and this fact was due in no small degree to the ability, firmness, >and impartiality of the referee,Mr '•R.:.H. Phelan, of Tauranga. Messrs Ivan Fatlweli and Price -acted as line umpires-

The Teams

The teams lined out as follows

Auckland, blue and white. —

Full-back., Molloy (Marist); G. Doherty (Marist), V*. Badeley (Grammar, captain), G. lies (Tauranga-); five--.eighths, J. Prussing (Thames), R. McLeod half-back, >■■:.?• Olsen (Grammar) ; rover, H. Alexander (Thames); forwards, S.Cleal ? L Knight, F. Arnold, A. Wington, A. W. Greville. R, Mc--^ullough (Grammar), A. Lomas ;..(Thames).; .Bay of Plenty, black—FiTH•ttack, D. Borrell (Tauranga); Wihapi (Te Puke), jj. Rogers (Rotorua), A. Stewart rtvVhakatane); five eighths, Reke Rogers (Rotorua). Met ton (Whakatane);. half-back, A. Keepa Rotorua); rover. Hutchings (Whakatane, captain); forwards, W. (Rotorua), R. Petherbridge Ue Puke), • Pini fßotorua), Heather (Whakatane), G. Garfmer(TePukc),J. Pattie (Whakatane), R. Munro (Tauranga). -

The play f

-^The teams -exchanged cheers. v nutchings won the toss and elect edto defend the southern goal. Seville kicked off for Auckland. A Bay of Plenty player missed in .beheld, but Gardiner came to ■:*ne rescue and lined on the eastfjnside. A scrum followed the throw-in. Olsen secured and -Passed to MeLeod to Badeley, }wwa S crowded on to the side line and found touch. From the ■■.:*ne.out Hutching made an elec- ■■:. Wmg dash and the ball was f^ed across, Stewart being just fatcn bra score by an Auck;.Ja.A.det forcing. The Bay for/E I*' fed by Patlie, Pcther"Z ge ' Gardiner, and Heather, assumed the aggressive. The ; ■■^rvnerners were then penalised "sW ardiner hud 'm unsuccessful ■,;■■ W,, at «oal- Arnold fielded y ancl lined near the midvfflag. When the leather can^ vrin Seville, Ciea!, Arnold, and

Lomas broke through, but Borrell checked and play settled "at cen tre. Petherbridge, Munro, and bcott werj associated in a. drib bling rush to the Auckland area. The blues were penalised, and Gardiner made a good attempt to goal from 45 yards, missing by a couple of feet. Greville set the ball going, and then Reke made an effective d?sh to the Auckland zone. Hard play followed on the line, and Cleal, Greville. Lom«s and Billington shattered the opposition and swept risrht through to the last defender, Borrell, who i saved brilliantly. Mulchings, Pattie, Heather, and Munro were then associated in a slashing manoeuvre, which ended in the : leather going out at centre. Smart handling by G. Rogers and' VVi hapi carried play to Auckland's 25, where Molloy marked cleverly and eased the pressure- Borrefl fielded superbly and made a sparkling dash, beating half-a--dozen men, and being finally thrown into touch in the northwestern corner. Another penalty here gave Gardiner a chance to goal but the ball' missed the. uprights. j

Alexander, Lomas, Greville and Billmgton replied with a hard forward thrust. The whole of the visiting vanguard then attacked in a bunch, and a score looked imminent, but Stewart saved with a speculator to touch in the Bay area. The northerners, led by Cleal, Greville, and Lomas, continued to press, and then G. Rog-ers relieved with a kick to midfield, where Auckland was awarded a free kick, and Badeley made a nice attempt to goal. The opposing forwards, then /engaged in a series of scrums and line outs. Munro, Pini, Gardiner and Scott joined issue and broke through to the northerners'zone, where Wihapi marked. Borrell took the kicK about 25 yard? out, close to the eastern side line, and landed a nice goal :

B.iy of Plenty Auckland

Upon resuming Olsen, McLeod, Prussing and Badeley were associated in a brilliant passing 'ibout, which was steadied by Gardiner intercepting and kicking back to Cleal. Clever work in the field by Prussing, Alexander, Billington, snd Arnold enabled Auckland to assume the aggressive. Arnold marked, and Badeley went close to goaling. Attractive play followed, and another Auckland thrust was foiled by Borrell, who lined at centre, and the whistle sounded the end of the first quarter.

The teams changed over. Gardiner kicked off, and Molloy returned to touch in the neutral zone. •■ Hutchings and Petherbridge made a fine opening, and the ball was sent out to Reke, who gathered it -in and streaked for the line, but Doherty checked. The Bay forwards attacked vigorously, and eventually lies cleared. Wihapi marked, and Gardiner sent to Prussing, who found touch near centre. From the line-out Prussing teinted and beat several opponents. The Thames back then handed on to lies, who kicked, again got possession, and passed to Badeley, who raced over in a trice in the north-eastern angle and opened the visitors' scoring account. Badeley converted : Auckland 5 Bay of Pfcnty 3 Immediately after resuming Heather marked near midneld. Gardiner kicked high and the B.i y forwards smothered the return. An Aucklander got off -

side and a penalty was awarded. Lorn a s", Arnold, C'.eal. and Alexander retaliated in a concerted move in which Badeley joined, and the blacks' citadel was placed in jeopardy. Borrell, however, was handy, and again saved with his customary coolness and skill, finding touch at the middlemark. The Bay vanguard held the line-out and a scrum followed. Reke made a brilliant opening and sprinted throughHe then passed, but a colleague missed- Scott, however, was handy and dived across and scored in the south-eastern corner. Gardiner failed to add the extra points.: . ■

Bay of Plenty Auckland

The ball had not been long in play when Olsen, Prussing, Badeley, and Doherty treated-the spectators to a sparkling passing bout. Auckland attacked, and Borrell checked by marking. A little later, Prussing, Badeley and Doherty again got going, but Heather intercepted and kicking well, placed the northerners on the defensive. Eventually Greville and lies relieved the pressure Reke opened up the game in spectacular fashion and after beating several handed on to G. P.ogers, who transferred to Gardiner. The Te Puke Hercules raced for the line, but was tackled gallantly and brought down when within an ace of scoring. The blacks attacked. Reke made another fine opening and handed the oval on to Wihapi, who made a bold bid to cross, but was thrown into touch, deal cleared from the line-out, and the ball was sent to Borrell, who lined in Auckland's /.one. The whistle sounded h-ilt-time, with the Bay of Plenty leading by one point.

The early stages of the second spell were marked by flashes of dangerous passing, by the Auckland backs, which kept the Bay of Plenty busy. From a scrum in the blacks' area Olsen .obtained possession and passed to Prussing, who cut in and handed on to McCtillough, who dashed over and scored. Badeley added the major points, and the city team was in the lead : . Auckland 10 Bay of Plenty 6 Munro, Pattieand Petherbridge led an attack on the Auckland line, until a northern forward