RANFURLY SHIELD HELD

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 73, 24 September 1923, Page 4

RANFURLY SHIELD HELD

AUCKLAND'S CHALLENGE FAILS

SUBSTANTIAL VICTORY FOR

HAWKES BAY,

<»I TILSOBAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ; .. ■ ; NAPIER, 22nd September. Hawkes Bay Eugby. supporters fully ;; expected that their representatives would ,' to-day fight the'hardest struggle of the .-; season in defence of the Eanfurly Shield, :'■', but;the strength of the challengers from '*' Auckland apparently was over-estimat- ■ ed, as the holders of the trophy, left ' the field victors to the tune of 20 points -'■ to 5. The Auckland defence was at •- times really splendid, but they were ? completely lacking in successful offensive • ; tactics, and in consequence spent most of ,'i the afternoon in their own territory. : The speed of the Hawkes Bay forwards '■■_. and their superiority in the scrums and line-outs meant that the visitors' backs % had few chances,- and the opportunties ■ that did come their way were missed / on account of lack of combination. - Warm spring weather prevailed, and . there was an attendance of between ';". 8000 and 9000. , Auckland opened against a medium -•■ wind. A Hawkes Bay back movement • r from a scrum was stopped by a knock- ■ on by Kirwan. Following up a. kick 7 Hawkes Bay forwards forced an Auck- .; land'back to kick into touch on his 1 own line. The pressure was relieved by c the Auckland 1 forwards getting through ;;. » line-out and then a loose forward assault by the holders was relieved by a .; free-kick.. A series of line-outs were 1 ~inade' use of by Hawkes Bay to get into striking position, but M. Brownlie ■j got off-side. Prom a scrum all the T Hawkes Bay backs ■ handled but. made ' little ground, and were forced out on ?■ the other side of the field by the Auck- ;. land defence. Continued pressure on : the challengers* line was again relieved . by a .fine kick. From the twenty-five ; Nepia had an "unsuccessful pot at goal. ■ The Hawkes Bay forwards were making 7 the pace very hot, and from a scramble ~X the visitors were compelled to force. An % opening} made;, by Jlfwerson let Auck- -■ land across the half-way line, but the Hawkes- Bay ibacks got possession and ■.:;; Grenside took the bafi to near the line. it From a line-out there was some care- •; less handling by the- backs arid thebaU merely went to the other side of ; the field. C. Brownlie broke through ; from a line-out, but was tackled; how- ~ ever, Paewai took- the ball from him "' and scored. Nepia's kick failed. .. •';-" Hawkes Bay- .„....., 5-... X, Auckland : 0. ;.T The visitors had a short spell, in ;,7 Hawkes Bay territory, bu^ Grenside changed .the appoaraiice of the game -■ ynth a run down the line, and ...trans--j ferred infield. An Auckland back fum- :; bled and M'Nab picked up and scored. ;•;. -Nepia again "failed with an easy kick. I: Hawkeg.JßajL .i .- _.6_.... Auckland ..;..;............;...;. 0 ;j ■ Sheen here retired .injured, and was :.-; *eplaced; by Wilson. Play hovered .; around midfi'eld for a time until fumb- ? ling by a Hawkes Bay back let the . Auckland forwards through. Kivell'pickcd tip well, breaking the attack by a '-i line kick. Then the Auckland forwards fot away. with, a sharp passing rush, ut .they were^ arrested at the line by ;;; »s»SßchJbx_Arnoid,_who obstructed., a ■yHawkes Bay player when a scrum' was ;; breaking;up ; -tb;efeby spoiling an oppor- • tunity for the backs to- get in motion. | 'A player offside stopped another Auck- j land onslaught, and Hawkes Bay invad- j ed the visitors' territory; Cook© reliev-i ; «d with a splendid line kick. Auckland .... broke through from a > line-out, but .. Haywai-d's pass was smothered. .A j .":.: mark taken at half-way gave Nepia a - chance, and he landed a beautiful goal. ■i Hawies Bay ..:... .9 :,y Auckland ;.... 0 2 The visitors failed to work in concert y during momentary of attacking, '■'."■ with..the. result that, the holders seldom, let the play out of Auckland territory for any length of time. -The Hawkes Bay forwards continued to make the play fast, and another force-down followed. A movement of a promising nature by the Auckland forwards was '-'■ again nullified by offside, and Hawkes _„ Bay soon'got into .the-visitors' twenty- :~ five again. Interception of a pass by an Auckland back took play to halfway.- Soon after, M'Gregor' made a bad attempt to pot. Wilson broko up a Hawkes Bay attack, and then Lucas ■ ■ succeeded in stopping another effort. The, Hawkes Bay backs essayed a pass•- -• ing rush,;but were tackled one by one,, a-nd the ball, getting free, rolled over, the line, and Auckland forced. M. Brbwrilie marked arid had a long, unsuccessful kick. 'After changing over; Hawkes Bay im- . mediately opened the attack, and-Mal- . loy, holding, gave Nepia a free-kick, which was unsuccessful. Twice the Auckland backs broke Hawkes Bay .movements, and the ball went out in] .. the defenders' twenty-five. Auckland got the ball, and-all the backs handled without making ground. A cross-kick . by. Wilson, was marked by Waller, sav-' ing an ugly situation. The Auckland pressure continued, and a well-judged kick by".'Gregory found the line just at . the flag. Wilson . cross-kicked, but M'Gregor got possession, reaching halfway: .Then the Hawkes Bay forwards came through from a line-out, but\ a knock-on stopped progress. A long kick by Malloy left the players behind, and Kivell forced. Following up a sTiort : kick, Grenside beat an . opponent and got the ball to touch ten yards from the line. Mill' got "the ball from a. scrum and dived round the blind side and scored in the corner. M. Brownlie missed the kick.

Hawkes Bay 12 Auckland :...............! 0 On resuming, the visitors were awarded a free-kick, which went too far, and a force-down resulted. Soon after Brownlie got off-side, and Ifwerson had a shot from half-way, but he was not successful. A series of line-outs in Hawkes Bay territory followed; from oho Walker pushed through to the Auckland twenty-five. Then WilEon got away with- the hall at-his feet, and he sent out to Lucas, who' kicked infield. Cooke. was ir> his right place, and scored. Ifwerson goaled. Hawkes Bay 12 Auckland 5 Three line-outs brought Hawkes Bay right into Auckland territory, and Grenside, securing from the forwards, made a dash' for it' and was" thrown 1 out at the corner; a kick to the line relieved the pressure. The Auckland half endeavoured to work the blind side, but was smothered for room. He- did - the same thing again from the next scrum, and again failed. A mark by Wilson at his own twenty-five stopped a Hawkes Bay rush, but the local: forwards and. backs participated in.an attack, and! Grenside got over, but was recalled for a forward pass. Hawkes Bay kept on the visitors' line until the sound Auoklahd defence enabled the- latter to change the aspect of affairs, and the ball wen,t. put in the Hawkes Bay twenty-five. M'Gregqr then putin a bblo run to ibe challeh-

gers' twenty-five. Auckland were solidly defending, but attacked more frequently than in 'the first spell. Fast following up and a couple of slips by the Auckland backs opened the door of the visitors' domain to Hawkes Bay, who %vere penalised for a breach on the line. The kick went to half-way, but Paewai, with adodgy run, took the ball .back to the same place, where Mill "■'Sjssd round the blind side of the scrum and scored. Nepia goaled with a splendid kick. Hawkes Bay 17 Auckland 5 An exchange of kicks characterised the next few minutes. Then "loose stuff" by the local forwards and backs saw Walker win a race with an opponent and score. Nepia missed the kick. Hawkes Bay 20 Auckland ■ 5 Play was in neutral ground when time was sounded. Mr. Eckhold (Dunedin) made a splendid referee.