Taranaki Beats Wanganui 17-11, In Shield Game

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28963, 3 August 1959, Page 14

Taranaki Beats Wanganui 17-11, In Shield Game

(New Zeuiaud Pr K ss Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH, August 2. The Ranfurly shield rocked a little on its Taranaki pedestal at Rugby Park. New Plymouth, on Saturday, but settled back into place after 80 minutes of patchy Rugby. In a far from convincing display Taranaki retained the shield by beating Wanganui, 17-11. Taranaki’s points catne from a converted try and tour penalty goals and Wanganui's from two tries, one of wnich was converted, and a penalty goal. At the beginning of each half and right at the end of the game. Taranaki had some brief periods of bright play. In between, the team looked very ordinary. Taranaki led 6 (two penalty goals) to 3 (try) at half-time. Wanganui, though enterprising, had not looked incapable of being beaten, but those of the 19,500 spectators waiting for a second-half rally by Taranaki, were disappointed. Throughout the game Wanganui’s enterprising forward pack, with the captain, J. N. Staines, R. D. Horton and T. L. Stent outstanding, was as good as anything Taranaki had to otter. The marauding type of play characteristic of Wanganui, bustled All Black half-back R. Urbhan, and Taranaki’s inside men Taranaki deserved to hold tiie shield. It was a team below form. It had a backline suffering from a bad dose of mishandling am: scratchy passing in the inside backs, yet it got in front of a useful provincial side intent on taking home the shield. Only the inherent football ability of a fundamentally good team could have done this. Outstanding Forward

None played better for Taranaki than its captain, P. S. Burke, who is still an outstanding lineout forward. But apart from him and I. C. A. Flavell in the forwards, and J. L. Bayly and R. . H. Brown in the backs there were no stars in the Taranaki side. The two Taranaki wings, e. J Keith and T. P O’Sullivan, got few chances to show their worth.

Fo' Brown it was a day of continual frustration. Whenever he got near the ball something happened. He scored Taranaki’s only try, a

typical example of his ability to follow up play and seize all the opportunities offering. Urbhan could have a lot more forward protection. He threw out some good passes, but he also threw out some very bad ones. He made a beautLul run from the scrum which resulted in Brown’s try. Bayly, Taranaki's full-back, played outstandingly. He showed an acute sensfe of positional play and his fielding of the ball, in the air or on the ground, was without blemish. The Wanganui backline never really operated as a unit. First fiveeighths, P. McAndrew, penetrated deep into Taranaki territory several times, but nothing came of his probes. Either he lost his supports or they lost him. Taranaki led 6-3 at half-time, and the scores were even at 11-11 18 minutes before the end of the game. W. J Cameron kicked three of Taranaki’s penalty goals and converted Brown’s try. Bayly kicked the other penalty goal. I. W. B. Lockett and W. T. Rewiti scored Wanganui’s tries. B. J. Boswell converted one and kicked a penalty goal. ’