FORWARD BATTLE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 24, 28 July 1927, Page 16

FORWARD BATTLE

TARANAKI DRAW WITH HAWKES BAY

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

. HASTINGS, 27th July. The Taranaki Rugby representatives mot Hawke;s Bay at Nelson Park to-day, before an attendance of about four thousand. The weather was fine, but the ground was very heavy after the recent rain, consequently the game resulted in a forward struggle. The teams were as follow:— ■ Hawkes Bay: Yates; Grenside Blake, Huxtable; Corkill, Te Ngaio; Edwards; Barclay; Campbell, S. Gemmell, M. Brownlie, Tankard, Conrad, Swain, and J. Gemmell. Taranaki: Petty; Dinness, Brown, Bourke; Hohaia, Owen; Lynsky; Wells; Aspin, Walter, O'Keefe, Ward, Robinson, Young, and Guy. The visitors went early to the attack and kept Hawkes Bay. defending hard. O'Keefe carried Taranaki to the goal-line, and from a scrum the ball went to Lyusky, who sent on to Bourke, but the latter mulled, and allowed Yates to secure. The Hawkes Bay forwards now took a turn at attacking, and Brown cleared a determined rush by kicking, but a mark brought the home team back again, and Petty was compelled to force. Barely had the ball been kicked again into play when the Taranaki forwards carried play to half- j way. Brown received the ball, sent on i to Dinness, who, though collared, broke j away again, and struggled across; Brown converted a difficult kick. - Taranaki 5, Hawkes Bay nil.

The home team now got going. From a line-out M. Brownlie broke away, and sent the ball on to J. Gemmell, to Swain, to Huxtable, and back to Gemmell, who scored; Grenside converted. Taranaki 5, Hawkes Bay 5. The visiting forwards made the going hard for the home pack, continually penetrating their territory, and just before the spell ended Yates had to force. On the change-over Hawkes Bay took the ascendancy and were on Taranaki's line, but Petty smartly cleared. A few minutes. after, from a line-out, M. Brownlie hurled himself across well out; Gronside's kick was a failure. Hawkes Bay 8, Taranaki 5.

Play travelled up and down the field for a time; Grenside took a long penalty shot and Yates tried a pot, both of which failed. Wills, Ward, and Walter led a laranaki attack, but Conrad turned the tide. Hawkes Bay then forced matters, but Petty and Brown were safe. Back movements by both sides were not productive of much good on account of the heavy ball. A strenuous forward battle took place in the closing stages, play being up and down the field. Led by Walter, Taranaki were getting the best of it Bourke fielded a kick from Yates and battled his way through the Hawkes Bay forwards to pass to Ward, who handed to Brown, who scored in the coiner, but his kick failed. The final whistle then s6undcd with the score— Hawkes Bay 8 Taranaki. ]] S Mr. R. Paton, of Wellington, was the relcree.