ANOTHER RUGBY WIN

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 291, 4 September 1933, Page 11

ANOTHER RUGBY WIN

Taranaki Team Beaten r HARD & TIGHT PLAY .Wellington’s Game Cramped FIFTH REP. VICTORY The Wellington Rugby representatives maintained their unbeaten record for the season, winning their fifth successive match when they defeated the touring Taranaki team at Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon by 23 points to 11 after the visitors had led at Jbalf-time by eight points to five. The weather was fine, and the attendance the biggest recorded at the Park this season. The play was always interesting, and contained many bright incidents, but -Taranaki kept it fairly tight, and seldom allowed Wellington to develop their spectacular type of open game. For the fifth time in succession Kilby lost the toss, so Wellington had to face a strong northerly wind in the first spell, and though they lost a number of scoring chances their deficiency of three points at the Interval was a fair representation of the run of play. Wellington adopted similar tactics to their previous meeting with Taranaki at Haw'era, replying with tight play in anticipation of an open game in the second spell with a wind behind ‘ them, but after the teams turned round Wellington were prevented from obtaining the dominant position by the smothering tactics and superti tackling of the whole Taranaki team. Consequently the play was not 1 nearly so' bright as previous matches 1 Wellington have engaged in this season. The Taranaki forwards revealed splendid form and individually their backs did some effective work, but they did not impress as a combination. Wellington lost Barry early in the game and with Peck already a non-starter were thus deprived of the services of their two best lineout men. • Owing to a bereavement in his family, Lilburne, the selected full-back, • withdrew from the Wellington team, and Pollock, who was selected at centre to substitute for Killeen, went back to his old position, Robins coming in to centre and Macdonald being drawn from the reserves^to fill the. wing position, The teams were:— . .■ •, ’ Wellington: Pollock; Fuller, Robins, Macdonald; Page, Griffiths; Kilby; Dellabarca, Lambourn, Bydder. McLean, Butler, Reid, Barry, Wilson. Taranaki: Collins; Hill. Rutherford, Ross; Crawford, Edwards; Dymond; McLeod, Fowler, Gargan, Wills, Wetere, Clarke, Young, Fookes.' Taranaki, accepted the advantage of the wind and sun for the first spell and from the kick-off their forwards immediately set up an attack. Dymond gave an early warning that, he needed watching by slipping round the scrum-to beat Wilson and reaching the line before being grassed. Page effected a timely save, a speedy run-finding a gap in the Taranaki back line, but his pass to Dellabarca was knocked on. Play settled down at midfield until Page opened up a movement and sent Barry away. The latter was well tackled, but Kilby snapped up the ball- and passed to Griffiths; who cut in to score by the posts. Fuller goaled. Wellington 5, Taranaki 0. Wellington Lose Barry. ' Wellington were winning the ball from the scrums and Kilby, getting through a lot of work, 'engaged with Butler and Macdonald in a passing bout. Kilby-re-gained possession and passed to Robins, who beat Rutherford and sent . Fuller away down the flank, only to be pushed otlt at the corner flag. In a succeeding melee Barry ricked an ankle, aggravating an old injury, and had to retire. Lamason went bn in his old position on the back rank and Wilson went on the side of the scrum. Individual work by Ross and Rutherford was replied to by Macdonald, Bydder and McLean, the latter making a good rim to the twentyfive, but nothing came of it. Tight rucking kept play , rather quiet for a spell until a penalty against. Wellington for a scrum infringement saw Ross open the visitors’ score. Wellington 5, Taranaki 3. . A big touch kick by Collins, who used the wind nicely, placed Wellington on defence and from the line-out Fookes broke through to the twenty-five, where from a rubble Crawford darted through and Edwards raked up a late pass from him to score in a handy position. Ross goaled. Taranaki 8, Wellington 3. Heartened by this success, Taranaki launched a succession of attacks with Clarke, Gargan, Fookes and Wills prominent for good forward work, while Ross and Edwards showed speed in passing movements/ A passing duo by Ross and Rutherford ended with Young missing the final transfer when Wellington had been run out of position. Wellington came back into, the picture when Kilby made a solo break through the defence and Wilson carried on to be grassed a foot short of the line. A misunderstanding* between Pollock and Griffiths was taken advantage of by Edwards, but the Wellington pack rucked out of danger and Macdonald, Robins, and Griffiths outpaced the opposing backs in a dash to the other end of the field, where a knock-on ■ wrecked a very likely movement. Taranaki Forwards on Top. The first incident of note in the second spell wasl a penalty shot by Fuller from half-way. which fell short. Poor handling by the Wellington backs gave Taranaki several chances, and Fookes and Clarke seized on them promptly, taking play to the other end, where Pollock was forced into trouble. He ran back to ingoal to clear, and Reid was penalised for being offside, Taranaki taking a scrum back near the line. A penalty, however, eased the position for Wellington. Passing between Robins, Dellabarca and McLean ended with Dellabarca crossing for a try, but he was recalled for a forward pass. At this stage the Taranaki forwards were throwing their whole weight into the fray, and had command of the game for a good period, while their tackling was exceptionally sound every time Wellington gained possession. Wetere was injured, and was replaced in the Taranaki scrum by D. Murphy. A spectacular dash by McLean was held up by a forward pass, and Taranaki replied with a passing rush among the backs, which met a similar fate. Robinb and Griffiths again put Wellington on attack, and Macdonald potted for goal, missing narrowly. From a succeeding scrum Kilby sent Fuller along the blind side, the winger being pushed out at the flag. From the line-out Reid dived over to score in the corner, and Bhiller converted with a fine kick. Wellington 10, Taranaki 8. A loose rush by the Taranaki forwards found weaknesses in the Wellington defence, and from a penalty Ross easily goaled. Taranaki 11, Wellington 10. Wellington Score Winning Points. From this point Wellington came into their own. Rutherford was caught standing offside on his 25 in front of the goal, and Fuller raised the flags. Shortly afterwards Pollock ran up to commence a rush, made good ground, and passed to McLean, who dashed off down the line to draw Collins and send Fuller across. Fuller converted. Wellington 18, Taranaki 11. Macdonald and Robins were changed in their positions, and Macdonald and Griffiths nearly raised a score Juat before time. From a scrum Kilby used the blind Side, then broke across to the open, outwitting the defence, to score by the posts. Fuller goaled. making the final score: Wellington 23, Taranaki 11. Mr, J, Kins waq referee.