TOLAGA BAY RUGBY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22655, 4 June 1948, Page 6

TOLAGA BAY RUGBY

RECOVERY BY TAKAPAU TAUWHAREPARAE DRAW (Herald Correspondent. ) Conditions were ideal last Saturday for the continuation of games in the senior grade championship under the control of the Tolaga Bay Rugby subunion. After the enforced spell through wet weather the previous week-end, not only were the players keen but they showed their appreciation of the conditions by putting on an excellent exhibition of sparkling football Takapau, last year’s champions who have had a chequered career this season through defections from their ranks, staged a recovery of last season’s form in holding a formidable Tauwhareparae combination to a six-point draw.

In the curtain-raiser, Country, playing with two men short for most of the game, accounted for Paikea by 14 points (four tries, one converted), to three (an unconverted try). Two Tries Each.

Without the services of G. Stubbings in the forwards, and Boyce in the backs, the chances of Takapau against the virile Tauwhareparae combination seemed slender, but from the outset they confounded the critics by an exposition of team work that upset the calculations. Their forwards to a man were on the ball in the loose and packed well in the scrums, while their backs were quick to take advantage of anv openings. Good play by the Takapau pack put play in a favourable position and after a gallop by their backs the forwards carried action across to the right wing where Ward dived over for a good try. —Takapau 3. Tauwhareparae then made a series of attacks and K. Henry forced his way over. This kick also failed and the score was still even at the interval.

Early in the second spell Takapau forged ahead when Andrews received the ball on the right wing in Tauwhareparae’s 25 and crossed near the corner flag.

The Whites endeavoured to open up the game but met stubborn opposition and repeated counter-attacks in which Stubbings Ward, and Jones were prominent, and were compelled to force on two occasions. Success came their way' when J. Hooper, who was playing well on the wing for the Whites raced along the side-line to crash through a tackle and get an unconverted try. the scores being six-all. Full-time came without alteration.

The match involved possession of the McNeil Cup, which is held by Takapau. Prominent Takapau players were: Andrews, Jones, Stubbin’gs.’and D. McNeil among the backs, McNeil playing an excellent game at full-back, and Ward. Percy Lincoln and Wills in the forwards. For the Whites' J. Hooper. Donald. Lambert and W. Hooper were notable backs, while I- Hooper, K. Henry, and Moore were leaders in a pack‘that nlayed a sterling game. Mr. Wi Pere Amaru was the referee. Country Beat Paikea

Country had difficulty in fielding a full team and for most of the game played two men short against Paikea. Despite this handicap the Greens plaved a surprisingly good game and took play into Black territory from the start where Paikea forced. A Black attack was renulsed and the Greens gained first points when T. Gilman crossed in a handy position. The kick failed.—Country 3. , , , , Paikea then staged the best back movement of the match followowing a nice cut - in by the*r half-back. Paenga who set ms backs in motion for the winger to transfer infield when crowded on the sideline. The pass was accepted by Mafete who scored an unconverted try. On the resumption Country with an extra man but still plaving one short, opened play up more and Tautau scored in the corner. J. Crawford converting, givine Country an 8-3 lead. Paikea were attacking in Country s twenty-five when H. Crawford snapped up the hall aPcr it h“d apparently been knocked on bv a Paikea player and broke away before it was realised that the whistle had not sounded, to score under the bar. PaMna missed an easy kick. —Country 11-3. Country now had control of the game and were giving their backs every opnortnnitv. From one of these movements Tanre, the half-back scored an unconverted try. the final score being 14-3 jn favour of Country. In the latter stages of the match a nlayer from each side was ordered off the field. Fo r the winners Tan'm, J. Maur'rere and R. Brown were the pick of the backs, and .Wanoa. and Crawford were the best of a hard working foam of forwards Mr. Bert Moles was the referee. JUNIOR REP FIXTURE The following team will represent Tolaga Bay juniors against Tokomaru Bay juniors in a representative game at the Tolaga Bay Domain on Monday: Backs: L. Temepcr S. Williams, H. Callaghan, H. -.Sherwood; E. Milne, R. Higgs; R. Tanre. Forwards: K. Weeks (hooker). E. Dobbs, D. Wilson, S. Milne. B. O’Connor, J. Paea, C. Nicholson, M. Mauheni. Reserves.—Backs: N. Wilson. D. 1-laero. Forwards G. Gibson, J. Dover.