PROVINCIAL RUGBY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 9 August 1928, Page 11

PROVINCIAL RUGBY

TARANAKI v. MARLBOROUGH.

CONTEST AT HAWEEA. HOME TEAM~SCOR*E EARLY. Brilliant sunshine and a linn turf, with onl,v a slight breeze occasionallly raising vno touch Bags wore flic ideal combination of circumstances which prevailed for the Taranaki Rugby team's fourth fixture of the season this afternoon, when the side met the Marlborough fifteen on the Hawcra showgrounds. A crowd of about 2-000 ' representative of various portions of the province was in attendance when the teams lined out. The teams were as follow:

TARANAKI. (Amber and Black.)

Full-back: Collins. Three-quarters.- —W. Hohain, H. W. Brown, K. Fookes. Five-eighths : D. Johnston, E. Owen. Hallf: S. F. Riley. Rover: A. Guy. Back Row: O. Wills, J. WalteE Middle Row: A. Kive.ll (captain), Ike. J. Baldwin. Hookers: Smith, W. Robinson. Emergencies: O'. Murphy, It. Williams. O. UohaiaMARLBOROUGH. (Red.) - - Full-back: -S. Aston. T 1 ircc-q iiartern: N. Hodison, J. McDonald, H. Cameron! Five-eighths: J .Crump, L. Hounsell. Ha lf: K. Roberts. Rover: R. Dobson. Back row: V. Glennie, E. Gill. Middle row: L. Devine, H. Woolley, G. Washington. Hookers: • J. Balthon, AT. Gathley (captain). Emergencies: Hadfield, Ishenvood, Boyce, -Barclay-. Playing with the 'breeze, hut, against the sun, Taranaki opened in sensational manner, results coming within a minute of Marlborough’s kick-off. Well in the 25 zone Riley’ shot a pass to Owen and Johnston received in turn to send the right-wing, Ilohaia, across in the corner. Ike made a good, but unsuccessful attempt from t.he difficult angle. e Tar’anaki 3 Marlborough 0 A following attempt by- Ike with a penalty was unsuccessful and play waged evenly- for a few moments till the Red forwards took charge, Grill, Devine and Washington handling smartly for a try between the posts by Washington. Hodison, w*ho had just previously failed with a penalty kick was successful with the attempt at goal and after seven minutes’ play- the scores were: Marlborough 5 Taranaki 3 A t half-time the .score was : Taranaki 17 , Marlborough S

TARANAKI “COLTS.”

SPECTACULAR. CURTAIN R AISEPd.

As a curtain-raiser to the representative game teams .representing North and South. Taranaki and selected from players other than the season’s provincial representatives appeared in a trial! game arranged to allow the -selector to choose a “B” representative side to play the Taranaki fifteen at New Plymouth on August 25. South Taranaki (Amber and Black). — J. Cheevers; IX Crawford, O. .Dowdile, R. Syme; C. Whalen (captain), J. Crawford; J. Paterson (half); E, Griffen (rover); M. Conroy, E, McCollum; B. Espin, Hunt. R. Guy; H. Hodge, J. Free (hookers). Emergencies: T’. Robinson, O. Hammond, K. Riley, Sutton. North Taranaki (Black). —H. Petty; H. Brown, J. Goodwin, N. Ross; Carter (captain), Gudgeon; Rowe (half); Hoffman (rover) ; Wolfe, Bird; De.vereaux, Coiman, Peterson; A. Chard, McDonaid (hookers). Emergencies: McLean, Ogier, O’Dowda. The Biliacks faced the sun, but had the advantage of the breeze in tiie opening session and were immediately placed on tiie defensive in face of a solid sortie by tlve Amber forwards. Carter, at first five-eigbtlis, transferred the venue. After some Jesuitry exchanges at midfield Carter opened a pretty movement in the Southerners twenty-five, the* ball going through the chain to the left wing, Brown, whose return to Carter resulted in the latter going out at the corner Hag. A moment tarter Cheevers roused the crowd with a clever mark in a dangerous position. A penalty taken by Goodwin failed tc liaise the touch flags for the North. The Southern five-eighhs, J. Crawford and Whalen, were noted in a number of good movements, which caused trouble to* Gudgeon and Carter, but superiority qii the part of the Northern hookers gave the Black middlemen the greater share of the ball. A period of hard play between the twenty-fives was relieved when D l . Crawford, xhe Southern left wing, made a .spectacular dash and sent a pass infield to the half, J. Paterson whose improving out in allowed R. Guy to go over by the upright. J. Crawford goaled. South 5 North 0 A, series of-bids by the Northern backs kept action in. the Southerners’ territor v for several minutes. Petty failed with a pot from a* wide angle, and an exchange on a. line-out between Ross and a Black forward failed narrowly to get results when Ross was collared by Cheevers in the corner. Faulty passing by the Black half marred a number of opportunities given by the Nortnern hookers during a term in which the Blacks made the play. Though play was -against them territorially, the Southerners were next to score. A short dash and punt at midfield by Dowdile whs followed with a break away by Guy, and Free was smothered on the line, but from a mix-up the ball went from Paterson to Whalen to -D. Crawford who went, round to score midway between touch, and the goal. J. Crawford failed with a good kick. Petersen retired from the Black pack with an injury and was .replaced by O’Dowda. Until bait time, which was signalled five minutes later action showed in favour of the South, but the* breather was taken with the score still showing:

So-uth S North 9 Early in the second spell the Opunake forward. Conroy, who was playing very consistently, was noted in a fine dribble to the line. Petty cleared, and the ball came back to Ch'eevers, whose attempted pot from 30 yards- out met the fate of most such •endeavours. Near the- objective Paterson got a clean ball from bis hookers, hut- sure tackling stopped his- supports and play swung to muffled, where Carter started a crisp passing rush which eventually left him racing for the line with H-o-ffman. D. Crawford’s tackle blocked the bid. but the Blacks held the ground, and in the face of tricky play by their rear division Paterson forced twice- in as many minutes. A forward rally led by Conpoy and. Guy put action in northern territory, where J. Craw-

ford made a feeble attempt to turn a long distance penalty to points. The Amber rover Griffin wa,s a ruthless .spoiler in ensuing movements' opened by Carter, and also shone in a loose forward rush, from which D. Crawford made a determined dash. _ Paterson came up to go over, but failed to get away with the offside pass, and North relieved with the penalty. Whalen’s powers as an opportunist* were shown a moment later when he robbed Brown of the ball and travelled 20 yards in a beautiful swerve to score in good position. The scorer’s kick made the tally: South 13 North 0

North made a successful reply within two minutes when Brown made ground and the ball went infield to Carter, whose exchange with Goodwin sent Ross over in the corner. Brown failed narrowly with -a fine attempt. South . 13 North 3

A forward 'thrust, by the Blacks terminated' in O’Dowda being stopped right on the line by Griffin, but in the next rally Bond broke clear, and Hoffman carried on for a. try in good position. Goodwin missed the goal. South 13 North 6 In fast, ojton order action the Northern backs were now bolding a decided advantage. JJ-owrtle saved an almost certain try with an interception between Ross and a -supporter, and other bids- broke on Whalen, Paterson and Griffin. Just on full time Guy took flic South to the assault, and Whalen failed with a good penalty attempt. South • 13 North 6 Mr. F. Atkins was the- referee.