TAURANGA UNION RETAINS SHIELD

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LVII, Issue 10149, 12 August 1929, Page 3

TAURANGA UNION RETAINS SHIELD

KEEN UUGBY GAME ON DOMAIN

ROTO RU A 1) EF EAT E D

The largest crowd of the season gathered on the local domain on Saturday to witness the match for the Hurinui Apanui Shield between the representatives of tho Tauranga and Rotorua Rugby Unions. It is now past history as to how Tauranga wrested the Shield from Opotiki a few weeks ago after a hard struggle. It was known that the Tauranga players were in good form and would fully extend the challengers, but very few wore prepared for a scoring margin of 17 points between the teams. The score is hardly a fair criterion of the difference between the fifteens, but undoubtedly Tauranga outplayed their opponents and their success was the reward of good football, with the men trained to the hour. The local fifteen combined like clockwork, and if they do not relax training will prove "a very tough proposition for Taupo, who are due to play them on the local ground on August 24. Should Tauranga win fhat match they wall then be called upon to withstand a challenge from Opotiki. and wc hear that a great crowd will come from tho coast to witness this contest when it is put on. In the game on Saturday last the early advantage passed to Tauranga, who had a lead of three points at half time. This was increased in the third quarter to eleven points and an additional six points were put on in the final quarter, bringing the total to seventeen points, while Rotorua failed to scon-. Nevertheless the visitors played bright football and the interest of the. spectators was maintained throughout the contest. At times the play of the victors was brilliant and was well up to the highest standard of the code. A meed of praise must be given the captain, Farmer, for his fine generalship. The local team came out for the 1 first time in their new caps, which represent a gift from the Union in recognition o! their achievement in winning th l Shield from Opotiki. Mr C. Montgomery, of Te Puke, a former notable Rugby exponent, was referee and controlled the contest in a highly efficient manner. The teams were; Tauranga. — Full-back, R- JPhelan; three-quarters, A. Tassell, E. lies, H. Kelly; five-eighths. G, lies. G, Fanner (captain); halfhack, R. Mirrielees; rover, W. Turner; forwards, Tn Tangitu. D. Mountfort, C. Cameron, E. Policy, A. Kelly, C. Haua, F. Bick-Full-back, E. Bradshaw; three-quarters, Tupara Morrison, Tern Morrison, W, Young: five-eighths, M. Thomas, J- Dw son; half-back, N. Steele; rover, K. Richards; forwards, W. Scott, A. Awatere, S. Parakuka (captain), 1). Hinton, B. Heko, R- Kclsall, W. Allen. Farmer won the toss and marshalled his men in defence of the northern line. Tern Morrison kicked off and Farmer secured and smt to Iks, who returned to Rotorua territory. The first scrum followed and Heke dribbled through, Tassell checking and finding touch in the neutral area. From the line-out the Tauranga forwards made ground down the eastern side, Stock checking. For infringements each side was penalised and Scott lined near the middle flag. Farmer secured and passed to G. lies to E. Iks to H. Kelly, who centred. Bradshaw fielded brilliantly and found touch on the western side. Young and Scott, in a concerted movement, dashed away and were steadied by Phelan, who passed to E. Iks, the latter punting to the opposition territory. Fast forward play ensued between tho twenty-five nags. Tem Morrison tried to cut in and start a back movement, but Turner intercepted smartly and made the Rotorua twenty-five the storm centre. Tauranga assailed strongly, but Thomas cleared with a kick to the side line. Spirited line play and scrums permitted the home side to reach the Rotorua area, Steele checking for a time. Effective play by Haua saw the I a uranga vanguard back again in the Rotorua territory. From a scrum near the Rotorua line Mirrielees secured and sent to Tassell, who made a great bid to score but was thrown out at the corner. The Tauranga backs attacked vigorously. Rotorua was then penalised and Farmer made an unsuccessful attempt, to goal. ' Tom _ Morrison fielded effectively and Richards led tho visiting pack in a sturdy movement, but G- Iks foiled tho effort and broke through. The Tauranga forwards massed and drove to Rotorua’s south - eastern corner. From a line-out Mirrielees gathered up the ball and dashed over to score a meritorious try • eighteen minutes after the start. Phelan 8 kick went close; Tauranga, 3; Rotorua, 0. Upon resuming Farmer punted high and the Tauranga forwards followed up rapidly, *- )C0 fielding safely. Tassell secured and sprinted for the line, but was thrown into touch. Tho teams changed round for the second quarter. Parakuka was prominent in a footwork movement, but the Tauranga forwards crowded quick!v and checked. The advantage passed to Rotorua for a period and they launched a tiling attack. Turner secured and sent out to E. Iks, who cut through and passed to G. lies, who made a spectacular run and punted to the full-back with the honae forwards in hot pursuit, but Bradshaw checked. Rotorua was penalised and the resultant kick at goal missed. Farmer made a, fine opening, but the Rotorua full-back checked his assailants by marking, and sent the ball out at half-way. The ]ine play which ensued favoured Rotorua/ Thomas set the visiting backs going and immediately Rotorua delivered a great team attack. The forwards packed right in front of the home goal, bteele secured and the visiting backs handled with precision for the last man in the chain to be pushed into touch at the corner. Farmer niado way in a solo effort Anil sent tn Bradshaw, who returned with a long range kick. The Tauranga

forwards showed up in a unified movement and swept into the visiI tors’ twenty-five. Tem Morrison intercepted a pass and broke clear. Tuoara joined issue and took the ball from his brother, but Phelan steadied the advance at the critical moment. The visiting backs swung into action and made a great attempt to pierce the defence, but a free kick to Tauranga brought relief. Then Scott had a penalty shot at goal from half-way. the ball going close. A little later Tauranga was again penalised and Scott had another kick at goal. Then Turner made an opening, which was immediately capitalised by the home forwards, Scott neutralising with a punt to touch, i Tauranga hammered hard in the north-western corner, but the defenders rose to the occasion valiantly and kept their opponents at bay. Tauranga was penalised and Scott cleared. The visitors gradually • worked to the Tauranga area. Phelan finding touch on the western side. Half-time sounded with Tauranga leading by three points. Tem Morrison set the ball in motion for the third quarter. Turner intercepted in the middle of the field and broke away. The defence weakened perceptibly. From a scrum Mirrielees snapped up and sent out to Farmer, to G. lies, to E. lies, to Tassell, who pluckily raced for the south-eastern corner and scored a splendid try to the accompaniment of hearty applause l . Phelan’s kick missed narrowly: Tauranga, 6; Rotorua, 0. The visitors retaliated in a telling movement, and made ground to the Tauranga salient. G. lies seized an opening and punted towards the middle of the field. H. Kelly carried on and kicked the ball down the western side. Turner ran through at top speed and touched clown in the south-western corner. Phelan, from the sideline, kicked on the additional points: Tauranga, 11; Rotorua, 0. Thomas, Alien, Richards and Young participated in one of the most attractive handling bouts of the day, Young beirg pushed into touch in • h ,v corner by Phelan. Rotorua, assailed with marked determination until Turner secured the ball and ■nmted to Bradshaw', who return'd to neutral territory. Concerted work by Policy and Tassell placed the visitors’ line in jeopardy. The Tauranga forwards made things very lively for the challengers, who ' kept busy defending , until Bradshaw cleared with a long kick to the eastern side. Wheri the ball •ame in E. lies obtained pessesjioii and heat several opponents. He then short punted over the opposing back cordon and a try looked certain for him, but Bradshaw saved like a wizard. Thomas was prominent in a solo effort and ’ashed off but Policy ran through and stopped him. A spell of bright fielding followed. Tem Morrison •nt through and beat several men before he was checked on the line. Bine-outs and scrums in the Tauranga zone made matters merry for the home men. Then a Tauranga man worked offside and Tem Morrisen had an unsuccessful kick at nri,jil. The visitors maintained the , •wsurc, until -Kelly removed the , danger by means of nippy solo j work. The forwards stren- ; uously down the eastern side to centre, and the bell sounded for the final quarter with Tauranga 1 leading by eleven points. After the change round the early mtstanding feature was an effective handling movement by the Rotorua backs. The home forwards, . led bv Policy and Tangitu, replied and passed all opponents except Bradshaw, who went down to ihe rush and stopped progress. Thomas set the Rotorua backs running and they made way to the home territory. Rotorua was penalised and a judicious kick by Farmer sent the ball into touch deep in the Rotorua zone. Spectacular play by 11. Kelly saw the leather travel to Bradshaw who -becked smartly by marking. G. lies fielded Bradshaw’s kick and >nt to Young, who marked near his own line. Turner obtained, and swerved past several opponents, and when the opposition crowded on to him he sent the ball out wide on the wing, but cohesion wns lacking and the pass went astray. A penalty kick enabled Rotorua to clear and their forwards worked down the eastern lino. The visiting vanguard then started a drive which reached tho Tauranga - salient, and a score looked to be at hand. G. lies, with characteristic cleverness, extricated his side, but the 1 Rotorua forwards surged back again. Steele picked up and passed to Thomas, who cut in cleverly and sent to Tem Morrison, who missed the pass near the line right in front of the Tauranga goal. Rotorua attacked with vim, and again G. lies relieved the position and was joined by Turner and E. lies, who carried on to tho opposition territory. Rotorua was penalised and Phelan landed a fine goal from twenty-five yards: Tauranga, 14; Rotorua, 0. The game was now safely in Tauranga’s keeping, - hut the disparity in the scores did not damp the ardour of the visitors. Play continued at a clipping | pace. The Tauranga forwards assumed tho aggressive. Thomas neutralising with a mint to the western side line. The play worked across field with the home forwards searching for an opening. Heke cleared, but the home men swept ; back again. Bickers secured and shook off several opponents in determined fashion to reach the line I and touch down. The kick failed; ’ Tauranga, 17; Rotorua, 0. The visiting forwards replied in con- i vincing fashion and invaded the Tauranga twenty-five, but the home vanguard countered effective- 1 ly and then held the_ play in neutral territory, the whistle sounding time with the scores; Tauranga, 17; Rotorua, 0. CURTAIN RAISER. A curtain raiser was played between the Tanranga and Te Puke High Schools’ primary teams. The game was well contested and was won by Tanranga by eight points to nil. J. Armstrong and M. Kohu scored for Tauranga and W. Hare converted one of the tries. Mr H. Allely controlled the game.