TARANAKI’S NARROW WIN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 4 June 1927, Page 5

TARANAKI’S NARROW WIN

EXCITING RUGBY CONTEST.

CLASH WITH WANGANUI. HOME BY FOUR POINTS.

Approximately 6000 spectators, including a fair sprinkling who flaunted the amber and black ribbons, witnessed a thrilling exhibition of the Rugby code at Spriggen-s Park, Wanganui, yesterday, wiien in a hard, forceful game contested by the Taranaki and \Vanganui fifteens the decision went to the former by the narrow margin of four points. The winners compiled 20 points with five tries, one of which was converted, and a penalty goal, as against the losers’ 16 points ..with three tries, two conversions, and a penalty goal. Wanganui fielded a swift, hairiworking set of, forw’ards, who fought resolutely throughout, and their punishing thrusts in the first spell made it evident at an early stage that the Taranaki men would be fully extended. While the latter, owing to the fiery onslaughts which characterised their play in the concluding stages, probably deserved the victory, they met a keen opposition which never wilted, and the struggle was reminiscent of the gruelling battle of the sariie day two years previously, when 12 points all left- honours evenly divided. Gn paper the Taranaki forwards appeared a likely combination, but the day found them inferior to the Wanganui vanguard, though rear division play showed a margin in Taranaki’s favour. For a first-of-season provincial fixture, the general standard of play was pleasing, and though, as w*as to be expected, combination was at times lacking, the pace was vigorous from bell to bell, and frequent bursts of sustained cheers manifested the popular appreciation of the game presented. The ground was in excellent order, and mild, windless weather, afforded conditions conducive to bright, openorder play, as well as to the comfort of the large, crowd. The teams took the field as follows: „ J WANGANUI (Blue). Full back : A. Darby. Three-quarters: W. Wakeling, E. Jones,* T. Vangioni. Five-eighths: W. Fitzgerald, E. A. Beilis (captain). Half: J. Duncan. Rover: P. Stiver. Back row: P. Bennett, L. Fromont. Sides: E. Leahy, J. Johnston. Lock: A. G. Jackson. Hookers: M. Coulston, W. Pine.

TARANAKI (Amber and black). Full-back: A. Petty. Three-quarters: L. Bourke, EL. Brown, W. Hohaia. Five-eighths: R. Fletcher, E. Owen Half-back: E. Jeffries. Rover: A. Guy. Back iow’: McGready, J. Walter. Sides: A. Kivell (captain), G. Lusk Lock: G. Graham. Hookers: J. Young, AY. Robinson*

THE! PLAY. 'like choice of ends fed to the home skipper and. Taranaki faced the sun in cue opening session. Kivell’.s kick-on oalii was returned conventionaily by •stiver for a midfielcl line-out, from which the bald went across the Blue backs tri the right wing, A’angioni wiio.se inpumt left it with a. battling group of forwards. The tussle resulted in a sweeping advance by the Blues, but an over kick gave Petty his first opportunity to effect a powerful punt. Almost immediately a high return by Darby sent action hack to the visitor & half, but again a dashing assault was spoilt .by a boot driving, with 1 too much force and Bourke forced. AA’itli the return from the kick-out action hung in neutral territory till Beilis effected a surprise breakaway and passed fo Fremont; The latter’s transfer fell in an open space, but- la supporter's - boot, connecting with the bounce, .sent the 1 leather soaring, with the hustling Blue pack in full cry, and only a clever over shoulder accept ace by Hohaia, who found touch in goal, stemmed the invasion. Gaining respite with the kickout', the Amber backs essayed their first passing bout, Jeffries and Owen making headway, but a faulty pass by Fie teller w’a.s not accepted by Brown and Leahy turned the attack with a dribble to the visitors’ quarter; Here Beilis appeared' dangerous, but was checked by Fletcher. Taking a. penaity kielc in the twenty-five. Brown, lined with fine judgment in the home quarter and w»s accorded vociferous applause. In iline-out clearances and loose rushes the home forwards .were maintaining superiority and for a further period fluctuations showed in their favour. Though lacking his customary dash, Guy, the Amber rover, showed m effective spoiling tactics and received particular attention when, following up a punt by Jeffries, he smothered uarby’s attempted return. The •advantage was pressed by Lusk' with a knot of Taranaki forwards, till Jones re•ieved with a hurried 1 touch kick. A scrum just outside AVanganui’s twentyfive zone gave possesion to Duncan, but the transfer to Fitzgerald being ill-directed gave McGready the chance to frustrate the move and gain ground for the visitors. The first points came sensationally. ‘Stopping a AAianganui forward counter, Petty snatched the ball practically from Fremont's boot, cut in and punted high at the twentyfive. Following swiftly, he sprang for the falling ball a fraction of a second before it found refuge in AVakeiling’s arms, and’ flashed paist for a try in the comer, twenty minutes after the opening of the game. Brown’s fine attempt to convert from the difficult angle was almost successful, the ball glancing off the outside post, well above the bar, and dropping infield. , Taranaki ... AVanganui 0 ,

Wanganui implied with a further series of forward thrusts in the face of which the fickle jade favoured 1 the defenders, the battling Blues being 'a\sheartingly unfortunate when, after a startling dribble from' a loose mud-field •scrummage, Leahy sent the ball (across the line and Stiver, stretching down as he raced over the leather, just miss-

e:l tli© touch; down. Following the kick- ] out Taranaki’s vanguard were led on, a successful sortie by Walter, who etfected a twenty yard® dash from hiailr-u-ay and handed to Guy. The Kaponga rover gained further ground, and m ~hort passes the hall went via Young, ■Robinson and Walter to Brora, who oanped the sally with at comer try, which he was unable to convert. Taranaki ® Wanganui G With a penalty kick taken from a few yards within half-way Leahy faded to notch three points, hut the merited reward 'of Wanganui’s persistent en-

deavours came when Beilis . secured about 20 yards from the goal, and went round a massed bunch of forwards. His well timed pass to Promo fit mas returned and Jones, dashing up to accept the next transfer from Beilis; was thrown by Walter, but fell over the line close to the posts. The conversion proved easy for Fitzgerald. Taranaki 6 AVanganui 5F

The •strenuous plumes of the ensuing action provided the most exciting-pfenoa of the spell. Led by Leahy cinq Bennett, the home pack‘were swarming on die goal-line when a. brilliant snap kick oy Kivell found touch beyond the dan-;_, ■: ger zone. From the throw-in a Taranaki. counter xr'm commenced by del-, fi'ies, who sped into the other.hall, transferred to Bourke, and latter taking the reverse puss, sent the ball, .infieid. Jones nipped in lor an interception and raced back to Taranaki's territory where* Birown turned the tables again. His move sent the ball flashing across -the Amber' backs aud the .spectators saw Brown running strongly down the touch line ,till stopped by AVakeling. Further swaying attacks gave no decided advantage and the spell ended without alteration. ,

SECOND SPELL.

Early in the second session Fitzgerald ‘ figured in a corkscrew run, and Vangioni followed the punt to the corner. but found Petty in position. A moment- later the Blue forwards pressed in a short passing bout. Brown gave check as the attack threatened, his punt sending the ba'-l to Darby, who •leared before Young and Guy could* reach it. Fitzgerald tried a penalty , kick from about fifteen yards inside half-way, • but a well directed place kick lacked distance. Taking a diffi--ult ball in his own quarter, AVakeling showed judgment in lining at the other twenty-five flag, and .another succession of exenanges saw play veering without; advantage till Jackson made ground for AVanganui and passed to Jones, to \Yaltering, whose punt was smartly marked by Petty. Johnston forced the pace from a throw-in which followed, and just outside the Taranaki twentyfive a penalty was ceded to the home side. Fitzgerald’s sure kick put Wanganui two points in the lead. _ Jones returned Brown’s kick-off with a punt to the other half, and l a moment later Stiver cut in and passed to % Vangione, whose career was abruptly checked by Bourke’® hard tackle. Kivell took a following penalty kick and sent the ball into touch in the Blue area. A throw back from Lusk csu’ted in 'an essay by Jeffries, Owen .md Fletcher, the last named crashing when he met Beilis. Guy improved till' Darby cleared, only to give possession to Bourke. who was grassed: fay Vangioni. The JTa.ranaki vanguard, with the Stratford trio, Kivell, Walter and Young, showing prominently, was proving troublesome fo the home backs,but the score was not augmented tall a Wanganui offside infringement gavel a kick to Brown, who. from well outside the twentv-five, made a spAendid drop hick, the ball travelling on a steep trajectory to fall beyond the bar.

Taranaki 9 AVanganui 8 Lighting doggedly to increase the n#drgin, the wearers of the Amber and Black introduced sparkling tactics, which were culminated with an, outstanding exhibition of combination. Jeffries secured from a ruck between the mid-way line and the Wanganui twenty-five; .and passed to Fletcher. With a neat dummy, the second fiveeighth made his best opening of the day ,and a baffling display of interchanging passes, which brought Owen, Fletcher, Brown and Bourke into the limelight, ended with a cheer-raising try by Bourke we 1 ! out from the goal. Brown missed the extra points by a bare margin, but Taranaki were four points to the good. The fortunes of play now seemed to be almost entirely against the home team, the visitors repeatedly, pressing ruthless attacks. A Taranaki (assault found Bourke last in possession, but A 7 angioni was .sound. Shortly after, Hohaia was testing the other wing, A\ 7 akeling. Despite plucky endeavours to afford relief by Duncan and Jones, the ground was held by .Taranaki, the forwards ,reasserting, themselves, and eventually McGready made a >shoirt dash, seeming to spring a surprise on three defenders, who made no decided attempts to oppose him. McGready went in for a try, which gave Brown his first easy.kick, and the ball sailed over the bar fairly between the uprights.

Taranaki 17 Wanganui ........................ 8 With the Taranaki backs dominating the position, the defenders of the faari|e citadel became flurried and gave signs of almost total collapse, till . Stiver, neahy and Johnston rallied with a rush to tlm visitors’ end. Hohaia called a temporary halt behind half-way, but BeE,is carried on to Petty, who sent, player and ball into touch. From the throw in on the left the oval went practically straight across field, Jones, Stiver, Fitzgerald and Vangioni handling in turn, and Fromont came in to cross the line near the corner flag, ltige.rald failed with the kick. Taranaki 17 . AA r anganui ................... 11 '

The reduction of the margin produced renewed vim aiming the AVanganui exponents. Twice m quick succession the steady play of Brown foiled; their efforts. Stopping another invasion led bv Goufiston, Brown commenced an run., but crashed heavily, over Jofies’ tackle. Though temporarily incapacitated, he was abler to resume within the three minutes’ limit. Ail effort by Hohaia and Kive’l met retaliation from Fitzgerald, whose punt resulted in a keen dual for possession by Hohaia and AVakeling, the Taranaki wing finding touch in the danger area. From the throw in Stiver found a gap in the defence, and allowed Belli® to burst through for a try in a good position. A gain Fitzgera d’s kick was sure, and with eight- minutes to go, Taranaki’s Jead was reduced to one slender point. Taranaki 17 AA 7 anganui 16

Bellis, Fitzgerald and Wakeling were associated in a following likely movement, whichi was cheeked with but little to spare by Owen’s line kick. Getting .away from the line-out, the Taranaki first five-eighth skied a punt under which his forwards streamed clown the centre, and were within an ace of overwhelming Darby, who, 'however, made a cool save. Jeffrie® claimed a mark in the line-out, but ihis placekick for the goal failed to rise- the ball. Exchanges between Petty and Darby were followed by a Taranaki rush, as Graham and Guy raced after a punt by Brown. Darby’s kick cleared by the barest of margins, and was accepted, by Bourke, who. raced over after swapping passes with two supports, but was recalled for a scrum. The final score came just as the watch showed full time. Fielding in the open, Hohada streaked along the line from, outside the twentv-five, and, after drawing Wakeling. sent the ball infield with a quick pass to Fletcher, who touched down just as Fitzgerald and Stiver tackled. Brown’s kick sent the ‘ball vyide of the goal, and- the bell sounded with the scores: Taranaki 20 Wanganui 16 Mr J. S. King was the referee.