NORTHERN DIVISION

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 18 June 1928, Page 10

NORTHERN DIVISION

SENIORS. STAR v. OLD BOYS. ! A wet ground, slippery ball and pourin.<T rain wore the conditions undoi which Rugby matches were played in New Plymouth. The first match at Pukekura Parle was between Star and Old Boys, and the prevailing conditions were not eondueiv'C to a very hig'K standard of play. The game wa;s ragged for the most part, but there were occasional bouts in which both sides made veTy good attempts to develop, concerted movements. Star finished up winners by 17 points (five tries, one converted) to nil, but they had by no means all the best of the game. There were times when the Old Boys’ forwards pushed them severely and the defence was tested to* its utmost. A very safe full-back and good kicking by several members of the team were factors which kept Old Boys from scoring. Star scored their first try within, a ‘ minute or two of the the start of the game. From a scrum near Old Boys’ line, the ball came to McLean and Webster made a feeble attempt to tackle him, but the five-eighths side-stepped him and crossed in a handy position. It was McLean’s use of the blind sid'o which, caught Webster napping. Old Boys then, opened up with a loose rush and Star’s line was menaced for a time. Brown, Dridcr and Fookes were in the van of a dangerous thrust towards the corner, but Morris was able to check just in time. Two tries 1 were added- to Star’s account before the interval, Which gave them a clear lead of nine points. Old Boys set up a determined attack at the beginning of the 'second' half, and for a long time Star were again pressed hard. Morey broke away from a scrum and was nearly over, and had there been anyone to support him a try looked easy. Prior’s failure to take a ball as it went over .the line was responsible for Star’s try which Wolfe got by fast following up, and the last score came from a strong dribbling rush by the Blacks which carried the ball over the line and Ardern fell on it under the posts. Morris converted and play was still in the Whites ’ territory when the whistle sounded ‘ ‘no side. ’ ’ Mr J. O’Grady was referee.

ELTHAM v. STRATFORD. Due to the tardy arrival of the home team at Taumata Park Eltham, the start of this game was delayed twenty minutes, and in consequences the closing stages were fought out in the gathering gloom. Heavy rain had fallen throughout the forenoon, making the ground treacherous and the ball very difficult to handlle, though no rain fell during the game. Play for the greater part was confined to the forwards and was not of a brilliant nature, the ball proving elusive in both passing and dribbling movements. The local forwards held Stratford surprisingly well in packed aud open phases, only the superior dash and weight ol the"latter carrying the day The match was played in excellent spirit, there being a pronounced absence of questionable tactics. Stratford fielded their full strength, but the local team was deprived of the services of Cruden aud Pepperell through sickness. The teams were: Stratford (red and black). —A. Collins (full-back), Bonner, Kivell, Wynyarcl Carter, Owen, Sangster, Young, Bond, Walter, Coleman (lock), O’Keefe, Hinton Smith (hookers), Fryday (rover). Eltham (black and white). —H. McDonald (full-back), Mancer, D. Gower, Trolove, Attrill, Leatham, E. Casey, Campbell, Elliott, H. Potts, Highet (lock), D, Jones, A. Corkill, Thomas (hookers;,' Sloeombe (rover;.

Eltham kicked olf and Carter and Owen were instrumental in returning play to the centre for a brief period, when the locals again invaded. Kivell kicked hard down-field for -Wynyard to overtake the ball and continue to Kltham's line with a series of dribbling kicks. Losing possession, however. Eltham were allowed to force down. Dreary play followed the kick-out, a noticeable feature being the inability of either side to handle the greasy ball. Carter kicked through to the twentyfive, followed up, and, taking advantage of McDonald’s failure to field the slippery ball, again kicked over the line, racing two defenders to the touch down. Collins converted with a fine kick. Stratford 5. . Following the kick-off Wynyard sent a long pass to Owen at the centre, and the hall travelled smartly to Carter, Kivell and Bond in the first concerted movement of the day; a check came at the quarter line and the reds were driven back. From a scrum Sangster shot a clean pass to Carter, who, after a short run, kicked over McDonald’s head and once more raced to the touch. Collins did not improve the score Stratford 8, Eltham 0. The home team temporarily fell to pieces, and successive thrusts by. Wynyard and Fryday aroused enthusiasm . Recovering, the Eltham forwards penetrated the visitors’ territory, where an ill-advised kick effected a force down. Maintaining the pressure, the home forwards held Stratford to

their ground, Young filially transferring with a strong run to tli© centre. Hero Eiy cl ay secured and sent Owen away. The latter’s pass to Carter was knocked on and the attack broke down. Operations shifted to the opposite end, where Casev was prominent in open work. Through the agency of Owen, Carter and Kivell, play centred inEltliani quarters, where Carter burst through, and, passing to Payday, gave the latter a clean run in under the bar. Collins failed with the kick. Stratford 11, Eltham 0. The kick-out gave little relief to the whites, for the Stratford forwards carried play to their objective, their last man to handle the ball being Fryday, who lost possession and a force resulted Exchanges by the rival full-backs saw play gravitate to mid-field, from where Owen transferred to the twenty-live, The home forwards retaliated, their advance being stopped by Hinton smartly marking. Midway between the half and twenty-five Kivell secured and, palpably passing forward to Bonner,, initiated a passing movement to Walter and O’Keefe, the latter touching down for Stratford’s fourth try. Collins failed to improve, and the half-time whistle sounded with the. score. Stratford 16 Eltham 0

The change over saw Stratford attacking, the attempt breaking down with a, forward pass from Fryda.y to Walter in front of tlie tonic goal. T'h-o aggi-essite was repeated immediately after however, and Kiv.il 1. burst his way over near the. corner. Collins missed, the ball being much too slippery to ensure successful place-kicking. Stratford' IP v. Eltham 0. Eltham gained ground with the kick-out, and Stratford were forced. Returning to the attack, the whites were awarded a penalty for obstruction on the (line, but McDonald’s kick was abortive. Beating back up the field, a (succession of forward dashes carried play to Eltham s goal mouth, where Owen obtained possession andi opened out a passing bout, resulting in Wynyard going over and gaining his try, although well taken i\- McDonald. From a. difficult angle and with, a heavy ball, Coil'd ns converted with a magnificent kick. Stratford 24, Eltham, 0. Holding tlieir own rcmarkablv well in scrams and line work, tin? local forwards kept play hovering in neutral territory for a time. A timely mark by Miancer gave Eltham; a chance, and Attrill; gaining possession, unwisely attempted a field goal, the greasy ball flying wide for Wynyard to force. Desultry play in neutral ground eventuated in the Reds’ unsuccessful invasion on two occasions, only to be' forced back by dogged determination on the part of the home pack, i Owen took a high return in great style. ! and, starting for the line, boat several obstacles' to fall, to Manoor’s sure tackle. Then Frvdav broke loose, and with' a, clear field for Carter, sent a oasis which; the latter failed to gather. The reward of persistency came shortly after, when Walter gave Young possession to barge over near the corner flag. ■Collins again converted wrrth a beautibil kick. Stratford 29, Eltham 0. The visitors kept Elthaim penned dn a corner until a force gave relief. For the 'ast two minutes of the game play centred at midfield, no-wide sounding with, no additon to the score. Mr F. Atkins was the referee.

TUKAPA v. CLIFTON. Clifton secured victory by a point, defeating Tukapa at Pukekura'Bark by 9 points (three, unconverted trues) to S (converted try and penalty goal). The match was played under very >vet conditions, but despite this the teams handled the elusive greasy hall with a marked degree of accuracy, the forwards were evenly matched, but, there was a weakness in Tubapa’is outside backs Whose dropped passes lost them many chances. Tukapa scored first, Medley accepting a pass on the left wing three minutes after the start and bolting around to stoore behind the posts. Hooker converted. Hooker retired with an injured shoulder soon after and Moorhead went on Tukapa s wing. Evans being shifted to centre. The change was not for the best. About midway through the spell Joyce intercepted a, pass from Evans to Medley and outstripping all opposition, scored for Clifton near the corner. _ Peterson was unsuccessful with the kick. A little while before tlie breather Jones burst through on the outside, chasing the ball over and scoring at the other corner. Peterson failed to convert. The half-time score was : —•

Clifton 6 Tukapa 5 Tukapa, renewed with vigour after the sipefl, did a lot of attacking without success until Petty kicked a penal ty goal from outside the twenty-five, this kick wais the cause of a great deal of argument and not a little chagrin to Clifton players, Ayho did not know the rules too 'well. The first attempt did nob go over, but the Clifton men on the mark had moved to obstruct it as Petty kicked. The referee allowed a second kick, but after Petty had placed the ball it rolled over, the same thing happened again, and one of the Clifton men rushed it and protested strongly when the referee ordered him back Petty finally placed the .ball again and sent it over the bar. Clifton were roused by this reverse and swept down! on Tukapa’s line in a terrific rush, which ended in Williams getting the ball out to the backs, who- handled as far as Watson (centre), who. crossed by the posts. M. Jones failed to convert. Tukapa recovered, but wore unable to score again, thei match ending : Clifton f) Tukapa 8 Mr C. Gernhoefer was referee. INGLEWOOD v. OKATO.

In a match played ,in almost continuous rain Inglewood defeated Okato by nine .points (tw r o unconverted tries and a penalty .goal) to nil, in a game in which play was largely confined lo the forwards, although the hacks on both sides did well considering the conditions. A feature of ithe game was the good display given by N. Ross, the Inglewood wing three-quarter, who scored a pretty try and defended well. For the first spell play was very even. The Okato team held its own well, doing a full share of the attacking, but in the second session the home team assorted itself and hardly gave Okato a look-iii. The maroon forwards swept to the Okato line with .monotonous regularity while their backs made, telling attacks, but the defence nearly always managed to get out of trouble somehow. A brilliant run by N. Ross, who picked up twenty-five yards from the Okato line and beat a number of .men before scoring fairly wide out, brought. Ingle wood’s first try and Cout.ts Was unlucky not to convert with a good kick, which hit the upright and infield. There Was n'o -further score in this spell, but Inglcdvopcl soon got to work on commencing the second. Coutts lacked.a .penalty' goal from a few yards inside half way, i a splendid effort with a heavy 'ball, and i a little Inter forced liis way oyer after I a loose forward rush, but. missed with 1 an easy kick. j