RUGBY TOPICS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 18, 31 May 1939, Page 8

RUGBY TOPICS

— o PLAYERS IN WHAKATANE COMPETITION GOOD GAMES ON DOMAIN The most interesting match in the Whakatane Rugby competition las 1". Saturday was probably the senior game on the Domain where Whakatane and Poroporo drew, each with six points. Whakatane on this occasion had enough players and the team seems to be shaking down well, though some members are still palpably unfit. Roth teams had penetrative inside backs and wingers who -howed dash. Goodall ,s display at fullback was not so good as his game the week before. He did not run enough and persistently kicked from the centre of the Held against the wind to the side away from play. Had the ball bounced so that the Poroporo winger could have gathered it in it would have meant scoring chances. However Goodall was lucky and a miss, js as good as a mile. NICE TRY Howat scored the first try after a pretty bit of side-stepping that left the Poroporo men groping for him. Howat has shown that he can score by the bash and dive through process, and also by clcwr changes of direction. He seems to be well suited to the position of winger. On the other wing Oswald was as mercurial as over. He '"sailed through (lie air with the greatest of case''-on one occasion when his feet were knocked from under hint as he was springing., and he hit the ground and bounced on lo his feet again, but he had too much pace on and wont over again. The try he got when he dived oecween the men who were about to once the ball was the product of pi ck thinlung and action, Ray nor at first five.eighth played a very sound game. He was never spectacular, but he has a good eve ;'or an opening and he made some long runs in very determined fashon. One should have resulted in a try, but Rest was just short when he lived for the line. GOOD FORWARDS "Whakatane had a good pack and t made some great rushes with three four men shoulder to shoulder are! the others on their heels. The Houri. Cain and Dennehy gave gooi. aippoit to Rest and Wilson but thfTi v.-as not a passenger in tile eight. Rest landed on one of the danger* eus corner posts when ho dived for a uy on one occasion. These short -ticks should be replaced bv something a 1 ttle less likely to impale i. player or break his ribs. K. Waaka was very nippy for Poroporo and he slid round from a scrum in front of the Whakatane posts to | score' in great style and open the poroporo account. "Whakatane were very lucky when Spade Merito . w.-is >topped after a slashing run. Merito i laved very will. So did Riini who had to bo watched closely all the t'me, a job that Jackson and Raynor c irried out satisfactorily. IfOHAPATA Eddie Hohapata v, as again in splendid form for Paroa aga : nst Taneatua. Ho really seems a bitter centre than he is a winger. He is a hard man to scop,, but most plave's make it hard, or for themselves by persistently go* iog high, and those who have felt Ilohapata'x lend know that it is pretty solid. The next best man in the Pnroa t am on Saturday was possibly Courtenay at lirst fjve.eighth. ile is fast i: -d has a useful cut in. Sisnm was generally in good form f-.r Taneatua, but Taneatua in the 'neks did not have the crisp oom- ■ b'nat on and power that Paroa show. 11 ay ward should have waited anther week before playing as his ■ikie wa- far f om right, and it let him down finally about ten minutes ! > fore th" end of the game. Tt looks ' though the representatives will 1- !vc to do without his services on j ing's Ri.thday against Opotiki. | OLD ROYS WIN When Old Roys get properly fit t' e other junior teams will have their 'work ''u't out to beat them. As it wa.s they managed to hold on in that criti al second half on Saturday and beat though once it looked ir< though they wo- Id fade away. A Cleland and Fitchett were per., h 'ps the two best men on the Old r >y.s side. D. Morpeth is likely to be a very ' ;od half-back and he feeds the Staline very well. As long as he keeps ■'s running powers for au ocea-ion.nl s'-rprisc packet lie will be hard to •"•It. In Thorburn Star have a re-

na.'-kably good goal kicker. He converted four of the six tries and also k'eked n penalty. Gee ran well for Taneatun against Par>oa and scored two fine tries Paroa held Taneatun ?n the first half 'vit iii the second spell Taneatua ■-" r r> irr-^i^t'Mo.