POROPORO BEATS TANEATUA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 43, 31 July 1939, Page 8

POROPORO BEATS TANEATUA

In a bright but confused game Poroporo snatched a win from Tan. eatua by 8 points to 5. The Taneatua forwards were net ovei'-powertul in their scrum work, but they showed speed and ability in the open, and this nullified much of the work of the Poroporo backs. Their own backs were disorganised through the absence of several players, including Old who broke his nose in the representative game last week: The teams w r ere:— Taneatua: Pipe, Sisam, Merito, Lam bert, Rorj, Biddle: J. Bluett; J. Stewart; K., B. and G. Merito; C. Moore; G. Walker; T. Hillman, D. Bluett. Poroporo: I. Riini;' P. Merito; K. King; Ruri: Rangikotua; Kari; Tuna; T. Tunui; Maui; Savage; Hoterie; Taupo; P. Mason;" Wharewcra. The Taneatua forwards went in with rare snap at firs',, and after several minutes near the Poroporo line P. Merito picked up to dive across. D. Bluett's kick hit the bar and bounced over. (5-0). The game resolved itself into a solid forward struggle with occasional back flashes. Taneatua had the wind and forced play down. J. Stewart, was, on the* whole, quite solid. He handled cleanly and kicked .with judgment. Lambert was prominent at the head of the pack. Poroporo retaliated and the blue forwards fought over in a confused mass, but Stewart cleared friom a penalty. Taneatua kept surging through and when a Poroporo man infringed in front of the posts D. Bluett had a fairly easy shot. However he seemed to kick across the ball and it screwed off. - Rangikotua cleared well from a scrum on the line and Riini did the same thing. Eventually the blues tried for the Taneatua line but first Mer.ito and Ruri failed. D. Merito missed a long shot. In the second spell Poroporo bustled Taneatua. Taneatua infringed on the 25 and Riini goaled excellently, but there was a too.hasty Poroporo man out in front and a scrum was given. The game became pretty aimless though it was interesting. Ruri made a good run but his infield pass was knocked on. Both Ruri and Rangikotua took turns, but they could not penetrate the defence. From a shattering burst by the blue backs following a good cross kick P. Merito scored. The kick succeeded and the scores were fivc.all. Poroporo were now in the saddle and press ed most of the time. Merito missed several long kicks, but eventually a free kick went over to make the score 8 to 5 in Poroporo's favour. There was no further score. The referee was Mr R. Burton.