SCORED 7 TRIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22669, 21 June 1948, Page 3

SCORED 7 TRIES

GISBORNE (II.) SIDE

NGATAPA DEFENCE FAILS

SHARE IN THE ATTACK

The Gisborne second team ran up seven tries to one against Ngatapa in the second of the three Rugby games on the Oval grandstand ground on Saturday, but the sub-union side essayed many promising attacks and had much more of the play than the score of 23—3 indicates. While the Gisborne defence was generally sound, however, the Ngatapa backing-up in that phase was faulty, and the weakness was exploited fully by the bustling Gisborne forwards ana fast-moving set of backs. The teams were:— *

Gisborne (ll),,Navy Blue—S. Onckura; J. Casey, C. Waldock, E. Carrington J. Richards (capt.), E. Woodford; E. T. Read; C. McGrannachan, I. Munro, W. Cummings, P. Ngaira, T. Steel; P. McGrannachan, G. Shanks, L. Smith. For the second spell the wings, Casey and Carrington, were replaced resycctivcly by D. Brown and J. Grcig, while C. Swan replaced Smith in the forwards.

Ngatapa, Blue and White. —H. Spence: B* Falkner, J. Faikner, T. Albert; W. Sherratt (capt.), B. Hawea; J. Parker; T McGrannachan; K. Dunlop. K. Cooper iVI. Grant, L. Atkins; P. Pettit. T. Wilson, D. McGrannachan. The altered back line for the second spell was: G. Robb. W. Sherratt, B. Hawea, H. Spence, while in the forwards I • Goodyear replaced T. McGrannachan and A. Tooby replaced Wilson as hooker. During the spell _ Sherratt came in again to second five-eighth and Porter dropped to the wing and when the forward, Dunlop and the back Spence retired they were replaced respectively by Wilson and B. Falkner. Statistics recorded in this game showed that the Gisborne backs had the greater share of the ball, the front row winning 19 scrums to 11, while the lines-out which were decisive gave Gisborne the margin by _22 to 13. Ngatapa were awarded six and Gisborne four penalty kicks respectively. Soundest Back The Gisborne second five-eighths and captain, Richards, was the soundest back of the game. Besides his prominence in attack his consistent tackling broke many likely movements by the opposing middle-backs. Read was very alert behind the scrum, Waldock was a reliable centre and Onekura's display at full-back was among the best of the day. Each of the four wings fielded by the Gisborne side had pace. In Carrington they included a Maori All Black and Poverty Bay three-quarter of last season. Steele, Shanks, C. McGrannachan and P. McGrannachan were generally in the picture in hard forward play. Sherratt, who played five-eighths and wing, Hawea, five-eighths and centre, and if. Falkner, centre, were the most prominent Ngatapa backs. The whole line combined well on occasions in attack, but lacked cohesion and understanding in defence. Pettit, Atkins and Cooper were prominent Ngatapa forwards. Dunlop was notable in loose play. T. McGrannachan played well during his period of the game. Opening: Scores Gisborne scored twice in the first quarter of an hour, an opening by Woodford leading to a try by Smith and a transfer from a ruck by Read being accepted by Richards to score. In the closing stages of the spell the ball travelled from a line-out to Carrington, who went in to score about five yards from the corner. C. McGrannachan converted with a fine kick, bringing the Gisborne score to 11. A fast Gisborne attack opened the second half and from a scrum well in the twenty-five the ball went through the chain to Waldock who, with Grcig unmarked outside him, crossed for a try near the corner. Ngatapa’s only successful invasion followed, the forwards pressing close to the scoring area and the ball going from a ruck to Hawea who touched down for a try about 10 yards from the corner. Further tries came for Gisborne when Ngaira succeeded at the head of a forward rush, when Waldock sent Brown over and when Grcig booted the ball across and beat the defence to the touch down, the final tally thus being 23—3. Mr. P. Buckingham was the referee.