RANFURLY SHIELD

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 10095, 7 September 1925, Page 5

RANFURLY SHIELD

HAWKE’S BAY RETAIN TROPHY

BEAT WELLINGTON BY 20 POINTS TO U.

ONE OF AxOST EXCITING GAMES EVER WITNESSED. (PBESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 6. Close on 23,000 people saw one of the most exciting c O7l tests for the Ranfurly Shield eve> witnessed in Wellington. They saw two great'sides dash and saw the better team win. 1 The teams were as follow : Wellington: Walters, Hickey, Svenson, Beddell, Johnson.', Nicholls, Warwick, Porter, Young, Crotty,’J. ■Shearer, Alart'ensimth, Sly, S'. Shearer and Osborne. Hawke’s Bay: Nepia, Grenside, J. Blake, Falwasser, Corkhill, Paewai, J. Mill, J- Walker, S. Gemmell, J. Ormond, AI. Brownlie, C. Brownlie, M. Alahoney, W. Irvine and Kirkpatrick. Hawke’s Bay owed their victory to their great forward pack who, on the heavy ground, dominated the play It was only the magnificent defensive work of the Wellington .backs that kept them out on several occasions. In the first spell, after a, Hawke’s Bay attack, the Wellington forwards dribbled up the field and were •hammering on the Bay line, when Alill secured from a scrum, shot' round the blind side, and passed to' Falwasser, who ran up to Walters, short-punted 1 , secured possession again, and raced the last 50 yards' and scored a sensational try. The kic-k failed. Hawke’s Bay 3, Wellington 0. Wellington, returned, to the attack and just as the Bay forwards were relieving Svenson marked off their toes and. kicked a groat goal. , Wellington 3, Hawke’s Bay 3. Wellington now had a long spell of defence. The Hawke’s Bay forwards were getting the ball in the scrums and line-outs and giving the backs every opportunity. Falwasser fielded in an attempt to clear and veered upfield. He passed to Paewai and the ball went to Corkhill, who dashed over under the posts. Grenside failed. Hawke’s Bay 6, Wellington 3. The ball came back to Wellington. Nicholls gained ground' by line-kick-ing and a penalty on the side line saw him land a beautiful goal. Wellington 6, Hawke’s Bay 6. Early in the second spell the H.B. forwards carried all before them. Swain scored and Irvine fajled with an easy kick. Hawke’s Bay 9, Wellington 0.

Wellington shot ahead as the result of a beautiful solo run by Nicholls, who passed to Svenson, and the latter scored. Nicholls goaled. Wellington 11, Hawke’s Bay 9.

The game was now. exciting, but Hawke’s Bay soon put the issue beyond doubt." A foolish cross kick let Swain through and Irvine converted. Hawke’s Bay 14, Wellington 11. Then followed a groat passing rush among the Hawke’s Bay forwards which resulted in Gemmell crossing. Grenside faded with the kick. Hawke’s Bay 17, Wellington 11.

Just on time Hawke’s Bay were pressing hard and AI. Brownlie bullocked over from a line-out, the game ending: Hawke’s Bay 20, Wellington 11.