RANFURLY SHIELD

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 11 July 1927, Page 6

RANFURLY SHIELD

REGAINED BV HAWKE’S BAY.

CROWD TREATED TO SENSATION. M. BROWNLIE AND Q. DONALD ORDERED OPE. The encounter between Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay, which took place at Master Lon on Saturday, provided one of the most exciting matches in the history of Ranfurly Shield games. The large crowd early broke the barriers and seized places of vantage nearer the playing area, and a sensation was provided earlv in the afternoon by the collapse of a small grandstand. So far as is known, there were no casualties. The big sensation of the day came when Maurice Brownlie, the famous Hawke’s Bay forward, and Quentin Donald the Wairarapa skipper, were ordered off the field for exchanging blows. (BY TELEGRAPH - PRESS ASSOCIATION.) MASTERTON, July 9. Wairaxapa’-s tenure of Rugby premiership expired to-day, when Hawke’s Bay won back the Ranfurly Shield in a match which, while far from brilliant, contained many exciting incidents. The weather was. ideal, there being a total absence of sun and wind. The ground was lifeless as a result, of recent, heavy raius. The attendance was 10,000. The Hawke’s Bay forwards won the day, their combination being superior to that of the holders, who seldom displayed any genuine team work. They were beaten for the ball in both line-out and scrum, and only rugged defence by the home side prevented Bay from rattling on a big score. Both teams were in great fettle, and the smothering tactics of both .sides broke up most of the passing rushes. The first sire 11 ended with the score 5 all, but territorially Hawke’s Bay had much the better of it. Hawke’s Bay were earlv on the attack, and within the first few minutes Wairarapa forced. Plav remained in Wairarapa territory. where in one scrum the referee issued a, warning to the hookers on both sides. Cundv, Stringfellow and Booth'removed play to Hawke’s Bay territory, where a force down rlieved. SM ASH TNG FORWARD RUSH PS.

Both sides threw the bail about freely, bub deadly tackling frustrated most, attempts at cohesive play. Smashing forward rushes, in which the Brownlies, Conrad and Swain were prominent, twice had Wairarapa pressed, till Cooke drove the attackers out. Harvey broke through in a loose rush, and was supported by Roach. Both Huxtable and Cork-ill failed to field the rolling ball, which Roach dribbled from the 25 to the Hawke’s Bay line. The Wairarapa full-back won the race to the posts and touched down. Gundy goaled, making the score 5 to nil. Hawke’s Bay livened up, and successive rushes, mainly by the forwards, were nullified by Cooke’*? elusiveness, fn the succeeding play Hawke’s Bay repeatedlv swarmed round the home line, but Roach retrieved the position time and time again in brilliant fashion. Wairarapa found -great difficulty in making headway through the superiority of the Hawke’s Bay pack’s heeling and hooking, and the home backs were seldom in possession of the ball. Cooke and Gundy were both kicking splendidly. But for this Wairarapa would have made little headway, for their passing movements were of lateral inclination. At this stage Brownlie and Donald were, caught in pugnacious embrace on the side of the scrum and ordered off. This upset Wairarapa’s scrum. Fairbrother hooking with Irvine. Hawke’s Bav kept their usual serum, and did without the wing forward. Wairarapa gained a favourable posi-t-ion through Blake fumbling the ball, but Booth and Strop gfellow both missed scoring, and Hawke’s Bay forced. Just he for© the interval Hawke’s Bay set up a hot offensive, -and. after being temporarily -driven out, Gremsid© made an opening, from which Huxable crossed in the corner. G renside igoaJed with a. great kick from the side-line, making the score at half time: Hawke’s Bay 5 Wairarapa 5

Soon after the resumption J. Donald severely handled BVike in a tackle in front of the stand, though unobserved by the referee, who was watching an incident in mid-field. Feeling ran high and several spectators near the' sideline participated in a hot argument with the players till removed by the police. HAWKE’S BAY GAINS LEAD. Hawke’s Bay forced the issue to the Wa.ira.rapa quarter, where, from a penalty, Gireniside placed Hawke’s Bay ahead with a fine goal. Wairarapa shortly regained the lead, Gundy breaking through from lialf-way after J. Donald had caught Tengaio in possession. Gundy ran through to Gorki 11 and transferred to Cooke, who scored under the posts. Gundy goaled. Fair brother, Irvine and Beside, in the forwards, and Cooke and Stringfellow, in the backs, frequently put Wairarapa in a commanding position, but the nippiness of the Hawke’s Bay backs held them safely. Huxtable them broke through and evaded all tacklers except Roach, who grassed the Hawke’s Bay winger with a spectacular tackle. Play continued to fluctuate at great speed, until Barclay and C. Brownlie dribbled through to the line, where Cooke and Roach both failed to gather the ball and Barclay scored. Grenside goaled. putting Hawke’s Bay again in the lead lyv I*3 to 10. Immediately after, Cundv jnst failed to square up the scores, a penal'tv kick from” 40 cards out curling outside the posts. Wairarapa made strenuous efforts to retrieve their position, but without success, and thev were further handicapped by the retirement of .T. Donald, who was replaced by E. B. Booth.

Hawke’s Bay placed a further gap between themselves and the holders when Swain scored from «• loose rush, making the .score 10 to 10. .Tust before the end Grenside and Gemmed rounded off a fine combined movement, sending Huxtable across at the corner. Grenside goaled, making the final score : Hawke’s Bay 21 Wairarapa 10 Mr TL J. McKenzie refereed. TAR AN A KI’S CH A ELEN GE.

Hawke’s Bay’s success in re-gaining the Ranfurly Shield will give the next game for the trophy to Taranaki, the latter union having, at the beginning of the season, arranged a gain© with Hawke’s Bay on the: hitter’s ground for Juiy 27. Conditionally upon Hawke’s Bay retaining the shield, this wa3 to be a shield challenge game., and

a® the fixture still stands the shield will be at stake. , The Taranaki team to meet Haw ire s Bay is to he selected after next Saturday’s matches. At the meeting of the Taranaki Rugby Union Management Committee on Saturday evening, Mr W. A. Guv was appointed manager ol the team to visit Hawke’s Bay.