THE FINAL GAME.

Franklin Times, Volume 14, Issue 193, 19 October 1925, Page 5

THE FINAL GAME.

RUGBY SEASON CONCLUDED.

N. WAIKATO BEATS GRAFTON

J SPECTACULAR FOOTBALL

he of the most exciting games of

e season was witnessed at Pukekohe

|fn Saturday afternoon, when the N. ’’Waikato Rugby representatives defeated the Grafton senior team by 17 points to three. The game was fast throughout, and especially in the first half 3,he spectators were treated to some spectacular bouts. The hero of the imatch was L. Wood, who was responsible for most of the home team’s points. The visitors arrived by ’bus from Auckland at 2.30 p.m., accompanied by. the club’s secretary, Mr T. McConnell, Mr N. Ottway, manager, and Messrs Cameron and Adams, members of the club. Mi* A. E. Cooke, the brilliant All Black five-eighths, and ■captain of the team, also accompanied the party, but was unable to play as a result of injuries received a fortnight ago in Auckland. However, he acted in the capacity of linesman. . The teams lined out as follows: —

Grafton (black and white) : Jacobs, Thomas, Findlay, Stuart, R. Cooke, Kirk, Finlayson, Noakes, Kelloway, T. Bell, B. Keary, Helander, J. G. Stewart.' N. Waikato (black) : T. Searell, L. \\(pod, 0. Cronin, S. Duder, J. Lewis, J. Wood, G- Wilson) A. Wray, M. Kinlock, F. Heard, S. Marshall, N. Ingram, J. R. Massey, G. Harvey, N. Crisp.

Duder retired shortly after the commencement of the match with an injured shoulder, and was replaced by A. Cronin. ' <, r N. Waikato won the toss and Grafton kicked off with the sun in their faces. jiLewis returned the ball to Kirk, wl|6 promptly handed it to Loft, to Cooke, to .Findlay, who .gave a forward pass, spoiling a promising movement. ■■vJFrpm.v’rthe resultant scrum Wilson transferred to Duder, who ran lown thp. line, short-kicked and folowed up’, but Jacobs beat him for the iall and ’found touch. From the ■hrow-in. Kirk set his backs in motion tgain, but Loft was caught in possession. | . Grafton on Attack. Lewis secured and made a sprint for he goal, but Finlayson stopped his ■ush with a beautiful tackle. Bell hen set up a dribbling rush in which

3. Keary and G. Stewart took part. Icwever, Searell sent them back with , speculator, the going finding touch o a favourable position. Wray gaind possession from the line-out and ■assed' to G. Cronin, who cross-kick-d' to L. Wood, the ball going out. ’inlayson. broke away from the lineut, but his"progress was retarded by Irisp, falling on the ball. Cooke ecured from the loose and broke way. After some clever; side-step-ing he slipped and lost possession.

'he .Grafton forwards then made acarrying the ball \yilh. iem'Tamxrtlie blacks forced. Prom ae kick Loft secured and made a dash own the field, but lost the ball. 0. Ironin snapped up and sent it out to ■uder, who darted down the line, only 3be pushed out by Thomas. Duder len retired with an injured shoulder replaced by A. Cronin. Crisp nocked the ball back from the lineut to Wilson, who set his backs movlg, the ball travelling out to L. Wood ?ho made a great- dash down the line, ut was pushed out. ■ Grafton in■inged. in the throw-in and a scrum ras ordered, from which Wilson reeived and transferred to Wray, who lade a determined rush, but was owned by Helamlpr. Kirk snapped p and sentj.it out to Loft, to Cooke, ) Findlay, to Stuart, who missed.:

miling a .brilliant exhibition of passg. Loft gained possession again, id beat Heard, Wray, and Kinlock and ideavoured to kick. but Marshall nothered it. From a melee a few

dmites later Loft once more secured icked high, and caught Searell in Dssession,. J. Wood relieving the dansrous position by kicKing down field. Visiting Backs in Action.

Harvey got off-side and a scrum as ordered. The leather came out i Kirk, who let Cooke have it. to iss to Loft, who was downed by /ray. Bell broke away from the jrum but ,Lewis robbed him ol the ather and /vfyjth J. Wood and-O. Cron gained considerable ground before Le ball went to touch. Kirk rejived from Noakes in the line-out and issed to Loft, to Cooke, to Stuart, ho mulled and the home team’s forards, taking advantage, toa#s their opponents’ goal, a sure lyfreing averted by Loft, who darted nsk and picked up the ball, from [gram’s toe. and relieved with a great ruch-finder. Finlayson broke away om the line-out, but Lewis downed m Wrav picked up and passed to Hlson, to J. Wood, to O. Cronin, who issed an easy pass right, in front of Le goal. Finlayson rushed up and eked the ball out of touch just as ie bell went for the change ovei. The blacks made a determined rush ■om the kick-off B. Keary saving well, sarell returned to Cooke, who passed • Loft, to Findlay, who passed forard Wilson received from the •rum and passed to Cronin, who sliped past Cooke and Loft and passed > A. Cronin, who sprinted down the ne, but was bowled over. Finiaym and J. Keary broke away from ie line-out, and succeeded in taking lay into the home team’s territory, 'here Searell relieved by finding touch, he Grafton forwards made a cleternned rush from the throw-m, but . Wray saved. Jacobs, the all-back, took the ball on the full and ut in a tricky run before pass ‘^ l0 d indlay, who was grassed by J- ' ,ewis secured and passed to J- Wood 3 0.- Cronin, to L. Wood., who:mad spectacular dash down the line, but nfnrtunately ran out of bounds. )way sent, Kirk away but Lewis held im up TT. Wood nipped in and after pretty run transferred to his‘brother fE& made another unsuccessful dash or the goal. Jacobs pushingbimouL Torn a scrum following the line-ciut i/ilson secured and working: the ut past the opposition backs and cored a beautiful try, which Heard ailed to convert.

Score Evened. ’ N. Waikato . 3 Grafton 0 Just before half-time, Stuart followed fib a dribbling rush started by Finlayson, and snatched up the leather and scored. B. Keary failed to convert. N. Waikato 3 Grafton 3

Upon resuming Wray secured and transferred to L. Wood, who galloped down the line, but Cooke got him. From the throw-in Wilson passed t,o Lewis, who put in a great dash before transferring to J. Wood, to 0. Cronin, to A. Cronin, who was hauled down by Bell. Grafton then set up a great dribbling rush and carried the ball the whole length of the field, but the leather was returned by Lewis with a lucky speculator. Jacobs gained possession and beat the opposition backs completely before finding touch in a favourable position. Wilson received from a scrum, and passed to Lewis, who was robbed of the ball by Loft. Another sprint by L. Wood put the home team on the attack under their opponents’ goal. Lewis and J. Wood in turn tried to bullock their way over, but were repelled by Grafton forwards. From a scrum on the line Loft forced. 0. Cronin obtained from the kick-off and sent a long pass to L. Wood, who scored an easy. try. Wray failed to convert.

N. Waikato 6 Grafton 3 A few minutes later J. Wood secured from 0. Cronin and made a dazzling run, but slipped. He crosskicked to L. Wood, who dashed over to score another easy try. Heard added the major points. N. Waikato H Grafton . . . . .... • • 3 Play was very fast from now on, and some good passing bouts were indulged in, but the score was unaltered as Ihe teams changed round. Waikato Forges Ahead. The pace in the last quarter was a cracker. From the kick-off the Grafton backs were seen to advantage in a passing bout, which was spoiled by Lewis intercepting a pass from Loft to Cooke. Lewis was downed by Thomas, who in turn was robbed by Massey. Massey and Ingram forced their way through the opposition, but a knock-on retarded progress. From the scrum Cronin passed to Wilson, to Lewis, who missed, and Kirk snapped up and sent the oval to Cooke, to Thomas, who cut through the Waikato backs and kicked to Searell, who returned. Jacobs kicked high and followed up. but Harvey beat him for the ball and passed to L. Wood, who kicked down the line and followed up, but Findlay forced. Bell kicked to A. Cronin, who made a dash down the line, only to be hauled down by Finlayson. " Cooke secured but Massey took the ball from him and forced his way through the Grafton forwards but was bowled over near the line by Jacobs. From a melee near the goal posts L. Wood secured and dived over, for his third try, which was unconverted. N. Waikato H Grafton 3

Stung to action, the Grafton men made super efforts to increase their score, but the defence was impenetrable. A few minutes , before the final whistle J. Wood, receiving a pass from 0. Cronin, completely beat the defence and gave a long pass to L. ■Wood, who dashed over to score his fourth and the final try, which Heard failed to improve on.

N. Waikato 1* Grafton • • - 3 The final whistle found the scores unaltered..

Mr .T. Reynolds gave every satisfaction with the whistle.

Before the visitors departed, amid musing cheers, they were entertained at dinner at the hotel, after which Mr W. Short, on behalf of the N. Waikato Rugby' Union, thanked them for making the trip and giving the people of Pukekohe such an enjoyable and sparkling exhibition of Rugby.