FOURTH VICTORY

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 August 1929, Page 3

FOURTH VICTORY

! fe. I TARANAKI RUGBY. l J B TEAM’S SUCCESS. TWENTY POINT MAP GIN. In the Taranaki Rugby Union’s fourth representative engagement oi tlie season the 1} team defeated Rangi- ; f'l'ei by AS points to 8 at Taumata Bark, JOltham, yesterday. Though the visiting team maintained a fast pace to the end. the home side proved too strong in ail departments, though prin- ! eipaily in rear-division play and scored i eight tries, only two of which were converted. Rangitikei’s points came from a goal from a. try and a penalty goal. The game was played in fine though cool weather, with, a still' gusty breeze assisting Rangitikei. in the first and Taranaki in. the second sessions respect-

ively. The ground was in perfect, condition lor open order play which was lreely exploited by both sides, and provided interest for a gathering of about lOOt). Taranaki lias won each of the lour representatives game* played so far this season.

The teams were as follow: TARANAKI. (Amber and Black.j Kull-balck : C. Hunt.

Three-quarters: 0. Evans, I). Grant J. Crawford. Five-eighths . - Hunter, T. Robinson. Half-back: R. Holiaia. Rover: S. Fookes (captain). Back Row: C. Wills, F. Wolfe. Second Row: Clegg. Howell (loc-k) R. Clarke. Hookers: R. Smith, J. Young. RAN GITIKEI. (Green.) Full-back : D-. McKenzie. Three-quarters: C. Ledingham, Geo. Hartley, D. Cameron. Five-eighths: Gardiner, G. Shanley. Half-back: B. Johnston. Rover: A. O’Stejx (captain;. Rack Row: P. Groon, H. Doitbin. Second Row : A. Cameron, S. Gibbs (lock), Toltu. Hookers : B. Holmes, D. Boss.

t he choice of ends was secured by the visiting skipper, who sent Taranaki on to lace the sun and 1 a- .stiff gusty breeze which made accurate punting difficult. J aranaki .set the ball rolling, but were almost immediately placed: on the defensive and 0 Steu made a rapid dash to spoil Hunter when the latter accepted a high ball cleanly in the twentylive. Hunt gave relief, but the Greens held the territory for three minutes till Holiaia fielded in his own twenty-five and cut through on a short dasli to set Grant racing. Crawford carried on | and) sent a reverse pass to Grant, who brought .Holiaia into the move again. A try looked certain, but Hohaia’is inpa,»s near the comer was smothered by Hartley. Action swung to the other side of the field with an ensuing penalty kick and from a line-out the ball went to Evans, who dived across in the corner. Hunt failed to goal, but with the game only four minutes old the score showed : i Taranaki 3 Rangitikei 0 Play was last, the venue veering rapidly between the twenty-fives without decided advantage for a. few moments. Tile first dangerous bid, was by Rangil ikoi, Sbanley engineering a tricky opening and sending the powerful i onward Gibbs on a- clash with an open goal. Hunter made a tackle just short of the line and Hunt cleared. Points came again to Taranaki when the forwards took charge in the neutral zone and forged to the Greens’ quarter, where* Clarke got away in a dribble. Fookes gave 'support and actually crossed the line, where be wa.s held up by McKenzie, hut. got the ball, loose for a. try in a good position by Young. Again Hunt, missed tlie extra, points, though the margin was slender. Taranaki 6 Rangitikei 0 Rangitikei were repeatedly dangerous during the- next five minutes and in successive hidis the half, Johnston, and the centre. Hartley, were unlucky in failing to score, while the forwards, led by Gibbs ami Cameron, gave a. Job of trouble to the home- defence. 'Pile Given backs proved! equal to occasional sorti.es by the Amber rear division. .McKenzie, with a mark in good position, was awarded no charge. He sent the ball outside the uprights, but results came to the Greens when O’Sten got among the Amber middle backs to spoil a transfer near the- goal and Gibbs. Toh'U' and A. Cameron swept over for a try by Cameron. McKenzie) goa led. Taranaki 0

Ilnngitikei, , o The Amber middle backs were indulging in ispairlvling play, which frequently roused the crowd. They seemed to have the advantage in speed, though, when Crawford got away lie was overhauled close to the objective by Lidingham. Still, a try seemed certain, but Fo'okesi missed a golden opportunity when, with a clear line and only a few yards to go, be mulled Crawford’s pass. Inside the homo half Hunter sold a. couple of dummies and travelled about d(> yards before banding to Grant, whoso pass was accepted by Crawford and, racing bard, the wing side-stepped McJvcii/.ie to swerve*, round for a try between the posts. Hunt converted. Taranaki .1 I’augilikci ;i Further fluctuating exchanges were swinging in favour of the home side, ' but several likely excursions by the

backs woro spoiled by the visiting rear guard. Eventually the Amber divisioi went away from a. midfield scram am the bait went through the chain lx Evans, who was istopOted in the comei by McKenzie, but let the ball go, 11111 tne result that Hunter dashed hi tx ■score. Hunt missed the goal. During me remaining few moments to the in--1 cereal the iGreejts reached striking position and a well-judged penalty kioii rrom 40 yards out by D. Cameron added throe points to the Rangitikei score. The breather signal found the tallies snowing: Taranaki 14 Rangitikei 8 The Green forwards, Holmes and A. Cameron, made a. break for a midfield scrum in the first few seconds of the second spell, in the twenty-live the developing attack was checked by Grant, and Clarke burst to midfield fiom the resultant mix-up. In the Greens’, end faulty handling by the Taraaki .hacks meant, the loss qI opportunities. The Green backs tried to take the offensive bv working tile left wing, i). Cameron, who .failed to make use of one likely chance when he tried to sidestep Grant instead of using tihe advantage actually field in position. From a

scrum in the Green’s territory Hohaia rut out his-first five-eighth, and threw a long delivery to Hunter, who caught the defence napping wiitli a speedy career to the goal, to touch down just as Hartley and McKenzie crashed to him for a tackle. Holmia’s kick secured the extra points.

Taranaki 4 19 Rangitikei S Within half a minute tlie home backs again swept towards the objective in a crisp passing bout and Grant trans- ’ lerred in the twenty-five to Evans, who gave a reverse pass close to tihe line and Grant side-stepped a tackier when across the line to race over for the touch, down by tlie goal. Holiaia’s kick veered outside the post. Taranaki 22 Rangitikei S The visiting skipper, O’Sten, who liad received a -shoulder injury earlier in the spell, was forced to retire. He was replaced as rover by Tohu, andi the emergency, J. Adams, went into the pack. Though their tackling ivais good and held up many attacks, Rangitikei were unable to reach assaulting position. Hunter was the shining light in Taranaki’s attacking force and was repeatedly noted in swift, straight running. From one sensational effort he gave another good opportunity to Fookes who, however again mulled the ball wit.li an open line ahead. After a lengthy period in. which Rangitikei were unable to get past lial.f-way and were twice forced, Holiaia opened a .siKsoesssfiiA Taranaki assault, bringing Robinson and Evans into, an electric dasli, capped, with a try in the corner by Evans. Holiaia again failed to convert. Taranaki 25 Rangitikei 8 in tbe Ambers next invasion Hohaia. was given the hall from a scrum close to the goal and made a .snap drop kick which sent the hall across fine har, only to he recalled as an Amber hooker’s foot had been raised too soon. A short time later Hohaia attempted to repeat the drop-kick, -but the ball was blocked by a green-clad player. The Rangitikei players were game to the end and pressed ' Taranaki in the final stages. Just oil time, however, the home backs agaim penetrated and Crawford sent Hohaia over for Taranaki’s eighth try. Hunter failed to* raise the flags from the wide angle -and full-time sounded with the scores: Taranaki 28 Rangitikei ' 8 Mr F. J. ESggleton was the referee. Okaiawa juniors to play Ha we r a at Manaia to-morrow; IBailey, Nuku, Rakei, Wilkinson, Barclay, Watson, Poole, Tito, Jerry, Skipper, Guy, Janies, Murdoch, Ngaia, 'Clark, Hooper, Blair, Hunger. Cars leave Okaiawa at - p.m.