RUGBY ON THE PLAINS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 9 August 1926, Page 8

RUGBY ON THE PLAINS.

WAIM ATE CLUB’S HISTORY. 1904 TO 190 S. Further re-miniscenees dealing -with the history of the Waimate Rugby Football Club are given to-dlay, the period covered being from 1904 to 190 S, during which the club’s representatives, always well to tlio fore, trained and played with a consistent determination which was rewarded in 1908 by the re-establisliment of Waimate as the Taranaki champions. The notable successes which in following seasons contributed to the six engravings earned by the club on the McMasters-' Shield will be dealt with in a later issue.

The scoring ability of the big threequarter Tamu, who -was later to become noted as one of tlxe greatest forwards tlio province has produced;, and the prowess of tliei other rear division men, among whom Edwin Burke, ,T. Paterson and 11. Vine were, prominent, and the aggressive forward play of W. Glenn, J. Young, Edmund (“Major”) Burke- and J. S'. McKay, were factors which contributed to the .success of the Waimate seniors iu 1904, when they won the southern competition, but. had to cede the provincial championship to the north. During .the first round of the fixtures they were defeated by a goal from a mark (4 points) to a try at the hands of Eltham, and by three tries to two in the' game with Hawera, but in the- remaining eight of the ten games constituting the- two rounds Waimate Aver© victorious. The second -clash with Hawera, which took place at Manaia. on June decided the .southern leadership, the home team winning in an exciting battle by 4 points to 3. Waimate’s points came from a goal from, a mark placed by the full-back, W. 'Bighorn, with -a, magnificent kick taken from two yards within half-way and , -c-iljos-ci jto . the boundary line. Glenn, “Major” Bourka and McKay toiled strenuously iu the forwards on that day, while, in tlio rear division, the critics applauded Tamil, J. Paterson, and Edwin Burke, the rush-stopping and tackling of the last-named calling for particular attention. J. Christie- made- his first appearance behind! the senior scrum in this game and created a favourable impression. The Waimate forwards were noted for their superiority iu the play-off with Tukapa at New Plymouth on July 5, but the- fortunes of play went to "the northern team by two tries (one converted) to a try. It is worthy of note, however, that to pie-r-ee Waimate J s defence taxed -the resource of 11. J. Mynott, who was responsible for both tries, and who afterwards held eighth place on the scoring list of the 1905 All Black tourists. Waimate’s try resulted from a passing movement by Vine.' Edwin Burke and Paterson, tlio latter crossing the line. The team representing Waimate •comprised: W. Bigliam, fill-back,' Tamu, Edwin Burke, J. Paterson, three-quar-ters; 11. Vino, .five-eighth; W. Young, half-back; W. Mellow, C. Brown, wing forwards; W. Christie, “doe” Young, “Major” Boiuke, W. Glenn, A. 11. (Fred) Guy, J. -S. McKay and T. -Riley, forwards. Of these Edmund (Major) Bourko received his first rep. cap ■ this season, while W. Glenn, who first wore tlio Amber and Black jersey in 1901. and 1C cl win Burke, .J. -S. McKay and J. Young, who had been selected in 1903, again found places in the provincial team.

The juniors of 1904 maintained their reputation of the previous year by winning tho south division competition without meeting defeat, though they drew with Eltham, Opunake and Ilawora. Tukapa’s second fifteen, (had securing first place in the northern junior division., The first play-off was contested at Manaia on July 16, when the W aim ate boy’s won by 9 points to 6. In the second game, played five days later at New Plymouth, Tukapa equalised with a 6—3 decision, but. on their own ground on August 4 f Waimate, by’ a converted, try r to nil, held the title gained in the previous season. D. tßashfordi is credited with the try and If. Putt with tho conversion. The winning team comprised: Nieholl, G. .Meuli, D. Ryan, Pokai, 0. Hill, J. Christie, 'M. Ryan, W. Tait, P. Levdon, J. Yandle, C. Preston, E. Putt, J. Hughes, 0., Davis and D. Bashford. The Jury Cup, having been won twice in succession by the juniors, passed into the possession of the club’ by whom it was later donated for competition by schoolboys of ~tlie Waimate district, the first contest being held in 1906, when teams were entered by the Auroa., Awatuna, Riverlea, Kaponga, Kapuni, Manaia, Manaia Convent and Otalvcho scliolos. Further evidence that Waimate and Tukapa were the pick of Taranaki clubs in 1904 is shown in the strength of their respective third grade teams, who also met in the final. Waimate, however, annexed the honours, their thirds beating Tukapa by 10 to nil and 11 to nil, the, club thus securing two of the three .provincial chamlpionships. The. club’s third team included A. Willis, A. Gargan, L. Butler, 11. Parsons, G. Young, L. Young (captain), L. McCurric, P. Leydon, G. Hurley, G. Richardson, A. .McAleen, A. Malone. J. Fitzgerald, J. Franklin and W. Wasley.

The .most notable feature for the club during the following year was, the distinction achieved by W. Glenn through his inclusion with the 1905 All Black combination. The seniors qpened tho season sensationally by overwhelming E-ltham. Winning this game by 32 points to nil, they gave rise to optimistic speculation on the part of their supporters, but tho second gamo found ,thei>f matched against Opunake, who proved"” a stumbling block, the coast ream's dashing wingforward, W. A. Guy, twice crossing Waimate’» line, while the latter could only reply with w solitary try by Glenn. Thereafter came a succession of narrow margin defeats, .the only' victory being a five .to nil decision over ITawera. As the latter made their firslf‘%uccessful bid for the Mcyear, the game gave evidence that, though occupying nn obscure .position on the championship ladder, Wainnft© were /by no means an inferior side.

Claiming the honours in all but the second! game of the first round, yvlien they played a 3-point draw with Opunake, the juniors won the southern division handsomely. In the second round they downed their only possible rivals by 39 to. nil. July 13 at Manaia was fixed for the .play-off with Stratford, who had gained the laurels in the north. This clash resulted in a pointless, draw. A try scored and converted by the centre three-quarter, J. Franklin, was thought to have decided the issue in Waimate’s favour at Stratford on July 20, but a protest was entered by the losers on the ground that the Waimaet team included a player with three, senior games to his credit was upheld, with the result that the twice, and so nearly

thrice, acclaimed junior champions ceded the, title, to, Stratford. Though at the conclusion of the 1906 season the Waimate seniors, occupied only fourth .place on the'championship points list, one of tlieir five victories was secured over Okaiawa, the southern winners. Two notable, acquisitions to the club ranks, this year were, P. Ward and J. Pini, the former being prominent as five-eighth in provincial' games. These two, with Edwin Burke, G. Meuli, Ta.mu, McKay and * ‘Major” Burke were, among the most useful of the club’s players during this season.

The juniors of 1906 were well to the fore, two teams, A and B, taking the field. The B’s were recruited from the Kaponga district., where an actively sponsored movement for the establishment of • a senior club failed this year to receive the sanction of t-he union, though it was successful in the following season'. Both teams hacl a distinguish career, the southern division premiership finally lying between them. The. issue was decided in favour of the B’s, who, in the, first piayoff for provincial honors, held the Tukapa juniors to a 6-point draw, but in tho subsequent meeting were defeated by 6 points, to 3. Six matches won, two drawn, and two lost gave the club seniors third place, in the southern division in the year 1907, one of the no-decision games being against Pat-e.a, and the other against Havvera, who held the two leading places at the finish of the season. The. juniors were more successful, only one reverse—and that by the narrow margin of 6 to 3—showing on their record. Their most sensational win was over Opunake,, who were trounced by 42 points , to nil. Notable players were J. Campbell, F. Wallace, ill. Vine, M. Ryan. Burke, Robinson, W. ißearsley and G. Meuli, whose scoring powers were mainly instrumental in placing the Waimate juniors, five points ahead of the tuii-ners-u,p (Kaponga) in the southern championship. In the provincial playoff with Stratford at Eltham on August 1, however, a potted goal gave the decision to the northern team. The determined endeavours with which, during, the previous, seven yearS, the Plainsmen had battled to recap-

ture thei laurels gained and lost _by their famous predecessors of the nineties reached fruition in 1908. This notable year heralded the commencement of Waimate’s remarkable career of successes which, throughout six of seven successive seasons, gave the club pride of place in Taranaki 'Rugby. Messrs Edwin Burke and A. H. Christie were the .selectors, and from the excellent material available chose sides whose play during the competition led to the first engraving of the name Waimate on the coveted MeMasters’ Shield. 11. A. (“Blazer”) Wilson, a fine general and a former Taranaki representative, came from Ilawera this year to .captain and .strengthen what was already a powerful combination. The. following were the first fifteen: D. Rvan (full-back); G .11. Meuli, J. Eranklin, 11. Prince (three-quarters); J. Pini (five-eighths); J. .Christie (half-back); M. Rvan, C. Jones (wingforwards); E. (“Major”) Bmirke, 11. A. (“Blazer”) Wilson (back row); Tamu, O. Young (sides); J. S. McKay (lock); H. Birchall, W Moffitt (hookers); C. Davies (emergency)..

Their record in the south competition was five wins and three draws, the latter being with Kaponga (no score). Patea (,3 all), and Ilawera (3 all). To the cheeks given in the opening round by the first two, they replied in the second round with 40 to nil and 17 to 3 victories respectively. Ilawera were beaten in the first round by .1(5 to nil. the draw being the concluding game, o.f the fixtures, when a somewhat weakened team visited Ha* Aver a. Waimate’s leading position, howeA r er, could not then be affected. The province aa-ss this year drvide.d into southern, Avestcrn and northern divisions. On July 30, Tukapa (the north victors) came to Manaia hopeful of triumph in the semi-final, but despite the strength of A. 'HaTdgraA T es and H. J. Mynott, and other Avorthy exponents, lost the day by 20 points to nil, an outstanding margin for such a game. H. Birchall (2), Oj, Young, J. S. McKay, J. Pini and G. H. Meuli crossed Tuka.pa’s line to register tries, one of Aviileh Avas eonA T erte.d by J. Eranklin, avlio had achieA r ed considerable success in goal-kicking throughout the season. The final found. Waimate matched with. OLato (the western

winners) at O.punake on August 16, and the elect of the south Avon by 13 to nil.

In passing it is Avorthy of note that Tamu, Avho in the previous year had gone into the. forward division, represented the club in the Taranaki fifteen A\*ho defeated the British touring team at NeAv Plymouth on July 10, 1908. The British captain, A. F. Harding, himself a sterling forward, i>aid tribute to Tamu as. one of tho most brilliant opponents he had met and it Avas a proud moment for the redoubtable yet modest Tamu Avlieu in exchange for his amber and .black, he received the red and Avliite jersey Avliich the distinguished. visitor had worn in the encounter. Giving Avorthy support to the first, grade players, the juniors of 190.8 Avon their dhdsion by securing two championship points in every .match excepting one, Avlieu Patea claimed a draw. Meeting Tukapa in the semi-final they had to acknowledge defeat by 1.1 points to 3‘, though their chagrin Avas some,what lessened Avlien, in the final, Tukapa overwhelmed Opunake, the Avestem junior premiers, AA’ith a total of 38 points to nil.