HAWKES BAY BEATEN

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 129, 4 June 1927, Page 7

HAWKES BAY BEATEN

SHIELD CHANGES HANDS

WAIRARAPA DESERVE WIN

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NAPIEB, 3rd June.

' Th* Eanfurty Shield shanged lands to-day when Wairarapa defeated Hawfces Bay hy 15' to 11 after the latter held the trophy since defeating Wellington in 1922. The weather was dull, Tsut fine,: and the attendance about 11,000. The defenders took the field a much weaker side than last season, 'and without the services of Irvine and Cooke, who turned out^for Wairarapa. The game was not inspiring, but there is no doubt that the better team won. Hawkes Bay forwards played splendidly, but faulty handling in the backs spelt deJfeat.: Seal replaced Neal at fullrback on the Hawkes Bay side.

' Wairarapa won the toss and kicked 'off. Almost from the jump the visitors .attacked, Cooke being conspicuous., Grenside.relieved an awkward situation, however/with a splendid line kick. J., Donald: broke away, but the Hawked defence was too sound and play returned :tb halfway. Passing rnshes initiated by Hiroti were frustrated' by deadly tackling, and play settled inthe" defenders' twenty-five. Wairarapa persistently attacked and gave Hawkes Bay, a merry time, but a free kick ' eventually relieved the situation. A .kick by M. Brownlie removed play to ,the- Wairarapa line, where Blake 1 dropped the'pass and spoilt a promising ■■■back movement. An infringement by Wairarapa gave Grenside an opportunity'to; open Hawkes Bay's score. •Hawkes Bay 3, Wairarapa, 0. : 'Hawkes Bay. returned to' the attack, ; but Cooke relieved. Hawkes Bay's 'rearguard again got going, but tackling on- both sides was deadly, and nothing ■-came: of it". , ( Cundy evened up the 'scores with a penalty goal from an 'easy position. Hawkes Bay 3, Wai-■-.rarapa 3. : '. .-. v Two minutes later the visitors again assumed a lead' when Cooke broke" and passed to Yates, who grounded in. the corner. Cundy's fine effort to convert failed. Wairarapa 6, Hawkea.Bay 3.

;. Wairarapa were again nearly over, but by dint of hard play Hawkes Bay elearod their territory.- Hawkes Bay were penalised for playing the; ball in the scrum and Cundy landed his see--?,on'd goal.- Wairarapa 9, Hawkes Bay

;: A-minute later Hawkes Bay ,were again penalised, and Cundy kicked his third goal. Wairarapa 12, Hawkes Bay !3. . ■;-. ■ • ■ ■

The.defenders eventually cleared their ; territory but the challengers had the .tetter of the play. Hawkes Bay showed a.flash of their old form when M. Brownlie led a passing rush, bu 4; faulty handling thwarted the move. Half-timo found Hawkes Bay on the attack with .the scores unchanged. Wairarapa easily had the better of the spell; the d» ienders being a totally different team ;from the one that scored .such a slashing victory last year..

. Almost from the commencement of play on the change-over the. visitors at- . tacked, arTd Hawkes Bay were compelled „■ to force. Hawkes Bay changed their' .rearguard, B; Grenside coming from the ■wing to. replace his brother, N. Gren-: ..side, first five-eighth. By Bheor weight the Hawkes Bay pack worked to the iline,-but Wairarapa found relief in a free kick. Play livened up..consider-' - ably, the defenders working like Trojans to make up the leeway. Their reward came when, Roache was tackled hard by Swain when fielding the ball in open, field. Campbell picked up and "pasße'd" to .Swain, who ran round under the posts." Grensido converted. Wai- ; rarapa 12-, Hawkes Bay 8. Play see-sawed for a whilo until Wairarapa pinned the home side on the line, a" stern defence only retrieving the, situation. Slowly but surely Hawkes Bay pushed down to Waira: rapa's twenty-five, but the ball was forcedi. A penalty for an infringe: ment by the forwards was awarded to Hawkes BaVj and Grenside kicked: a beiuitiful goal. Wairarapa 12, Hawkes BayVl. *:-• /.'- ■ ■- - '.

The holders settled down much more than in the first half, and were giving the challengers all they could take. Cundy further onhanced his reputation by .kicking another penalty awarded, for offside .'. play. Wairarapa 15, Hawkes :-BBSr:',ll.v\ ,;.^ -.- V ,•'.'■.•■.■• ' ; :JThe defenders were by no means ■ beaten,, however, and returned to the attack with renewed strength-. At this stage; Campbell (Hawkes Bay) and Hi-1 roti' (Wairarapa) were temporarily disabled. B. Grenside put in a wonderful Tuta, and removed play to the Wa:iraraga twenty-five, where play was held ups Some minutes through an injury toi: him. . Once again Hawkes Bay were nearly over, but faulty handling was their undoing. Cundy had a gallant but fruitless attempt to goal from a.penalty. ; A further hold-up occurred when Yates (Wairarapa) sustained an injury to his head., *In the concluding stafces the, play wag hard and fast, all'Hawkes Bay's efforts to even proving] useless. Time found the score unchanged. Wild scenes followed, the - victorious team^being carried off the field shoulder high. : * ■' Wairarapa 15 j; Hawkes Bay .......... 11