TARANAKI RUGBY REPS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 21 September 1926, Page 3

TARANAKI RUGBY REPS.

MATCH AGAINST WELLINGTON. A MERITORIOUS WIN. (By Our Special Reporter). The match played at Wellington on Saturday brought a happy and successful, tour to a conclusion with a very well deserved win, and, as the >' Ellington. ' captain (Martin-Smith) generously said at dinner the same evening, the score about represented the merits of the rival teams. He complimented the visitors on the fine standard ot play, and admitted that Wellington were fairly beaten in every department of the game. The match exacted a. lot of local interest, and drew an attendance which was estimated to be in the vicinity oi 10,000. There was plenty of support for Taranaki among the spectators, and many complimentary comments were heard on the improved standard of Taranaki football. The game itself was not what could really he called: .a highclass exposition of the code. It was a hard game, and for the most part payed at a good pace. There were times, however, when the play was of a scrambling and disorganised character, but, on the other hand, there was much to admire in the way openings were made on one side and movements developed, and in the way these were checked with good defensive tactics by the opposing side. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

In the early stages the home side had a distinct advantage in the scrummaging and the lane-outs, and it looked,°with the assistance, of a strong breeze and having the sun an then backs, as if they would press the visitor® severely. Their first score of three points had a salutary effect upon Taranaki, which at once accepted J?he chitltomg*3 and swung into a goon -style play, in which the whole team worked well. Thereafter the issue was- never in doubt. The visitors rattled cm points at A prettv lively pace, and to have scored 19 against a side which had the wind and sum in their favour was a performance which merited the enthusiasm Und applause which the, play repea,tedlv orovoked. , '. Everyone expected tnafc when tne change-over took place Taranaki would pile on the points even more- merrily, but the game .in the first half against what was realty a strong wind, had “taken it out” of the visitors, and with the margin they then, had it was not surprising that they should take matters a little more easily. It should be stated. also that the breeze __ perceptibly dropped during the seconoi hai» a.nd the pun was shadowed, so that Wellington had by far the greater gam from anv weather advantage, iho loss of Petty (although Goutts substituted well), also had its effect upon the team. Fortunate,\v the full-back’s injury was not very serious. His shoulder was soon set at the hospital and he was able to, return to the hotel. SPEED AND COMBINATION.

Wellington suffered' somewliat through the difficulty of getting two representative teams 'selected at the same time, though, it was generally conceded that tlie side which Taranaki defeated was a better team than that which went on tour in the South. The- players, however, effected little combination, except on a couple of occasions during the latter part of fell© game. This was due principally to the inside backs who, while being individually good, did not work in. concert with the rest of the team. They made few openings because they could not run straight, and they were repeatedly smothered by tha more speedy visitors, who got all over them at times. In the open play, also, TaiCnaki were much faster than the homo side, and once they got on the move they outstripped their opponents with ease. Most people were disappointed that. Sven son was an eleventh hour defection, from the Wellington team. The Taranaki team have played good football throughout the tour, with the