HARD AND FAST

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 128, 4 June 1929, Page 14

HARD AND FAST

WAIRARAPA DEFEATED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NAPIER, 3rd June. In a hard and at times very fast game, characterised by frequent stoppages through injuries to players, Hawkes Bay defeated Wairarapa at Napier this afternoon by 0 points to 3. The match was played on a springy turf, and witnessed by over 6000 spectators. The victors' team was an exceedingly youthful one, fit and full of spirit, and almost from the start showed to advautage against the heavier but slower Wairarapa iifteen. Though it was by no means faultless Rugby, it was. open and interesting to watch. Hawkes Bay held the advantage for fully two-thirds of the time, and except for an occasional rally on Wairarapa's part, most of the attractive back work was done by, the winners. _ Cooke waß the most outstanding figure in the visitors' rearguard, but very seldom was he allowed to operate. He was quite overshadowed by Ruru, a young Te Aute College back playing on the Hawkes Bay wing for the first time. Ruru was always spectacular, and often brilliant. His popularity was shared by Jimmy Mill> who, was as tricky as ever, and South. The home back line was vastly superior, and... the forwards, if beaten in the tight; outshone the opposition pack in the loose.

The Shield-holderß' display, ■ despite the fact that they had several good men absent at the AH Black trials, was not impressive. Over-eagerness on the part of both sides was responsible for a succession of scrums in the first fifteen minutes of the game, when no less than liulf a dozen hold-ups occurred through injuries to players. The Hawkes Bay full-back and'a Wairarapa forward hid to retire. The visitors' forwards held the upper hand at the beginning, but the Bays faster pack combined with the nippy backs in a series of dangerous movements, that had the Wairarapa: line in "jeopardy for a considerable period. The Bay forwards stormed the Green line, and the backs swung into action with consistent -regularity, ouly. stern tackling saving the score. The emergencies were called on again when another Wairarapa man was taken off with an injured ankle, and at. the same time Mill and Keeble (Hawkes ■ Bay) had to receive medical attention. After this stoppage Wairarapa, launched a back attack, which the Bay rearguard speedily squashed, and the home fox-wards cleared their territory. Ruru delighted the crowd when he ran clean through the opposition, to be collared within a few yards of the linei . He repeated the movement a few minutes later in a • manner that classed him as the best back on the ground.

Cooke arid Ms backs were kept very quiet, being quite overshadowed by the home rearguard.- Hawkes Bay were beating the opposition in every department. The spell ended scoreless, with Wairarapa endeavouring to pierce the defence, with solo efforts mainly on the part of Cooke. . ■-•'.■.. Hawkes Bay renewed the offensive role on resumption, >but Wairarapa momentarily turned the tables, and were within an ace of scoring on - two occasions. Shock tactics by the Bay forwards, and snappy movements by the backs, with Mill and Ruru . conspicuous, drove the visitors within their own twenty-five, where "they -had a' hard struggle to keep the line intact. ■-'■•-.->».-■...'■

Only a lack: of '-finish .--to- well-judged movements stopped the home rearguard from notching points by means of good forward ■ work. Wairarapa cleared their territory, and worked to half-way, when Cooke sent a long kick but hear the inner. The subsequent'scrum hear the line saw the ball go but to J.Donald, who niade the extra man in the backs, and enabled A. W. Jury to go over well out, after the whole back line had handled the ball. It was a. splendid movement. Irvine's kick failed. A few minutes later, the Bay had Wairarapa pinned down, Keeble paralysed the opposition when he

picked lip in the loose, and dropped an excellent field goal. . Hawkes Bay i, Waivarapa 3. ...

Play became fast and vigorous, seesawing rapidly. Lively play in midfield left Cooke (Wairarapa)' and Setford (Hawkes Bay) prostrate, while. South, accompanied by Ruru, cut clean through the opposition, only to get out fci yard from the scoring line. Pla;- was held up for three minutes till the injured men were able to ■ resume. Hawkes Bay increased the lead when Keeble snatched the ball up in a scramble near the line, and dived through to touch down just outside the post. Mill converted. Hawkes Bay 9, Wairarapa 3. ,„..'' , > The visitors from then on held the advantage, but were unable to break down the Bay's deadly defence. The closing stages found the. Bay backs repeatedly threatening #the Green line. The game ended without, any further score.