RUGBY

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 18 July 1929, Page 3

RUGBY

j RATANA CLIP MATCH. I'AIHAPK EIGHT POINTS DOWN. On t-iie Manaia Domain yesterday, in the best of weather and before a large attendance, a Maori team from Taihape made an unsuccessful attempt to wrest ownership of the flat ana. Cup ■ from the Waimate team, the undefeated holders of the. trophy since the competition was inaugurated in the 1928 season. The ground surface, though on the sticky side, did not prevent the presentation of spectacular Rugby, both teams making it their business to play as open a game as possible. The final scores (11. to in favour of the holders) cannot fairly be said to indicate the merits of the contestants for, if anything, the comparatively lighter Taihape team gave a more finished exhibition of passing and pace than di<J the winners, whose solid; defence and happy knack of turning the tables at • interesting stages made all the differ- | once between winning and losing. Wai- ; I mate was really only two tries better j than the visitors. Spencer Rei’s placekicking being responsible for the ' I greater difference in actual points. The 1 t work of both full-backs, Tamanui (WaiI mate) and Hekenui (Taihape) was ex- / ceptionall'ly good, their excellent taek- ) ling going far towards limiting the ‘

number of tries registered. . The game was. played in a. fine spirit, but was unfortunately marred by an accident resulting iu the enforced retirement of one of the visiting team’s forwards (J. MacDonald) with a serious leg injury. The teams were : Waimate (blue and black). —S. Taman ui (full-back) ; W. Edwards, D. Pa.ra.ta, P. Nuku; D. Wincera, W. lving.i; T. Rei ; R. Ilikaka. (rover); W. Tamil, T. Tamu, S. Rei, R.uru Sam (lock), E. Edwards. 0. Tvalni. i'. Nuku (hookers). Taihape (red and black). —P. Hdkenui (.full-back),- T. Reo, A. Muiphy, T. Chase; H. Raukawa, P. Carroll; C. Bennett; Tai J-feketa (rover); R. Sma.llinan, N. Toma, J. MacDonald, H. Femie (lock), C. Hunter. J. Rlaiiginui. J. Afurpliy (hookers). From Waimate’is opening play soon dribbled into touch and from the resultant line-out the home team surged into Taihape territory. Swinging out to Nuku on the. left wing a score looked imminent, but the visitors turned defence into attack and swept to the opposite end, where a forcecknvn saved the situation. Keeping up the pressure and throwing the ball about freely Taihape backs, with Raukawa, in tile

limelight, carried play to the home 25. Back in Taihape ground, T. Nuku cleverly marked, and from his short high punt into the danger zone, S. Rei was almost over. A short respite saw the blues again attacking. T. Rei picked up fifteen yards out and smartly threaded his. way through the defenders only to drop the ball a yard from the goal line. Tamanui, the visitors’ full-back, was bustled in possession and kicked back to. the dead line. AVaimate had to. concede a force from the resultant scrum. Improving considerably in combination, the blues continued aggressive movements and a series of passing rushes in which AVineera and W. Edwards were prominent, terminated in a. rally in which S. Rei gathered the bouncing ball, and evading clutching hands, crossed for the opening score. Rum Sam’s attempt, at conversion frbni a. long, difficult, angle, dropped' under the bar.

Wnima-U*, 3—Tlniihnpei 0. A period of jvlav in neutral territory (.culminated in a mix-up among the forwards, resulting in an unfortunate accident. to a. member of the visiting team. .1. MacDonald. Examination disdfased a „s>oiiik>us leg injury and the injured ) forward was .replaced by M. Wliennn-vo-a. Stirring iPoi clients* in the game on resumption were an attempt at Wadmate’s goal from seven yards inside haif-wiaiy and a- .successful long placekick, from a penalty, by Hekenui. who landed a beautiful goal from forty yards- out to- even the -scores to: Wad mate 3—Tniha-pe 3. Bright, open football followed, in which Wa.im-ate wore twice forced as the result of smart- transfers and consistent ibalc.lving -up on the part of Taihape backs. The second force signalled the breather with the scores- unaltered. With the kick-off ball of the change over alternate advances ended to Wa.imate’s adi vantage teanutorafly, but Rural Sam’s dash for the line brought only relief to the visitors in a force. Fairly even scrummaging powers gave equal opportunities' to the respective I halves- to open the. game out and delightfully crisp, displayisi of the handling code were- «-ervedi up iby each set, of backs, cadi of -whom were also adept at punting. The consequence was that (the game swung from cud to end! and it was quite on the cards- for either team to' improve on the equal score mark. In these exchanges. Wa-muito

I had rather the better of it and twice I forced the visitors. The pendulum of fortune swung in Waimatc’-s favour, and they held a protracted siege in the visitors’ 2d. Twice T. Rei secured from the -sc.rum and sent his hacks a-wav. and twice dashed- lone-handed for the line, ibut the defence was solid. At length a- succession of passes from Uni to \V. Edwards gave the speedy winger a clean - run in at the corner. From the touch-line at the 2d Hag S. Rei piloted- the ball over the centre of the bar and at a great elevation. It was a magnificent effort. Waiima-te B—Ta-ihapeß—Ta-ihape .'l. W ith ten minutes to go desperate measures were adopted by Waimate to hold their lead ancl equally strenuous efforts made hy the- visitors to- pull the game out- of the fire and hashes of < brilliance kept spectators -on the. tiptoe* of anticipation. There was still time : for the Taihape men to make at least a. draw until a. penalty for off-side enabled- Si. lleii to again prove his pjwelt inking abilities* from outside th<* I fjnairleir line, the flags going up for an additional three points, making tin* Kcore : Wa inrn-te 11—Tn-illape .'5. For tin* balance of the time allowance the game- continued to vacillate from end, to end and the reds were, unfortunate in not scoring, over-eagerness < spoiling several good chances of cross- 1 i-nig. At tihe- call of time play had once 1 1 more swung in the home team’s fa-vonr 1 and centred in Tail)-apod territory. c Air H, A. K. MbNa© was the referee. a