RUGBY FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 196, 7 August 1940, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

A GOOD GAME AT TE TEKO RANGITATKI'S STAYING POWER DID THE TRICK Contributing largely to R.angitaiki's victorj r over Wliakatane on Saturday was the staying power of a well-seasoned combination. In every representative game this year Rangitaiki has been slow to start .but has been going great guns at the finish, and the Wliakatane representatives on Saturday, were defeated in much the same manner as were the Te Puke men a fortnight earlier. The majority of the Wliakatane boys were feeling the strain long before the final whistle. * 9 * » Morpeth, behind the Whakatane pack, played a good all round game. With K. Mcrito's splendid hooking, Morpeth saw much of the ball from the scrums and got it away well with good passes. He might have shown to more advantage with inside backs of the calibre of McCracken and Lees. a * * w McCracken, Rangitaiki hve-eiglith was responsible for another consistently sound game. He made two or three mistakes and did not get the opportunity to repeat his Te Puke brilliance, but he again showed the selectors that he is very capable. He takes his passes well and possesses a nice turn of speed. * * * 9 If the two best forwards had to be picked the honours would probably go to Moore, Whakatane, and Kakaho, Rangitaiki. Both Avere tireless toilers, and Kakaho especially, appeared to be as fresh as the proverbial daisy at the finish. Hughes, Wliakatane, was another to show up. m'* 9 • Ropa, Whakatane's second fiveeighth, spoiled several promising efforts by hanging on too long and frequently he was pulled down when a pass to his outside men would have at least gained ground, He made some amends in the second half. * m m * Rangitaiki has two good wingers in E. Gardner and Renal a. Both are heady players and can crack on the pace when it is needed but opportunities were few on Saturday. Old and Mitchell, Whakatane's wing men, played good football. * * « a Few people remained .to see the match when the players who had been ordered off for fighting commenced the settling of their differences in, a convenient hollow behind the field. As Soon as the word flew round that things were moving the spectators also moved. Which goes to show that no matter how interesting and exciting a football match may be, it has nothing on a good, hearty bout with the knuckles. The police swiftly intervened on this occasion and there Avas no decision.