SECOND DEFEAT

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 6 September 1929, Page 3

SECOND DEFEAT

TARANAKI RUGBY TEAM. BEATEN BY CANTERBURY. RED RACKS SUPERIOR. After having accepted defeat at the hands of Wairarapa, Auckland and Waikato In succession during the previous. eight days, Canterbury’s Rugby touring combination defeated the Taranaki, representatives by 10 to nine at Stratford yesterday. Canterbury registered two tries, both being converted, while the home side secured one try and two penalty goals. The'-bright display given by Canterbury’s nippy middle back combination merited the' decision, though the territorial run of play actually a margin in favour of Taranaki. The latter’s claims to superiority, however, rested mainly in the shock tactics of its hustling forward division, whereas the Canterbury men were responsible for the greater share of open order back play, and the side deserved to register the two. tries to one figuring in the scores. Had Canterbury been' at full strength, with the services of H. Dailey, H. Liihunie. S. R. Carleton, and company, the result would have been a walk'over for the tourists, despite the fact that Taranaki's two most prominent forwards, in A. Kivell and W. Baldwin, were not available. Mild springlike weather ruled with a stiff breeze favouring Canterbury in the first and Taranaki in the second session. Sure fielding and tackling was a. characteristic of the game and particularly ill the second spell the pace was considerably faster than is indicated by the comparatively low scores, both sets, of Hacks indulging freely in the pass and reverse pass tactic, with

l Lilt; 1 jJRS>) iIMU ivtciw |' 4 ‘ 1 Canterbury as the more clever combinI ation. Taranaki took the honours in line-out and, l general forward play, though the Canterbury pack won lli scrums, compared with 11 won by Taranaki. ‘ Twelve others were indecisiwe. Much to the disappointment of the crowd of about- 2000 Lilburne, who was with the team, was .still nursing a 3 - shoulder injure suffered in the YYairar rapa, game last week and was unable , to appear. In the first spell the All . Black, J. Steel, played full-back for s Canterbury, but had to retire at the . interval with a shoulder injury and was replaced by the usual full-baolc. J. Harris. who had been second five-eighth in the first spell. The vacancy in the five eignth line was fulled by G. D. Junes, one of the team’s star backs who, owing to a foot injury, had not been included when the teams lined out at the ’ eoimneeeninent of the game. In both ' the five-eighth and full-back positions 1 Harris gave a finished exhibition. Ho ’ was the best back on the field and undoubtedly saved the game for Canterbury by hi:s splendid defence in the eoneluding stages. The. teams lined out as follow: CANTERBURY. (Red and Black.) , Full-back: J. Steel (captain), i Three-quarters : YY. Merritt, R. Hasi tie, G. Hart. Five-eighths: J. Harris. D. Hay. J Half-back: T. Malian. | Rover: G. Scrimshaw. Rack Row : T. Manning, AV. Tliomp-j son. Middle Row: C. Anderson, Toby Robinson (lock). J. Manchester. Hookers: J. Kirkland. J. T. Burrows . TARANAKI. (Amber ami Black.) Enll-liack : A. Collins. Three-quarters : J. Crawford. H. \V. Brown, K. Fookes. Five-eighths: D. Johnston (captain), E. Owen. Half-back: i'ui Robinson. Rover: A. A. Guy. ; Back Row : B. Espin, J. Walter. 1 Middle Row : H. McLean, Ike (lock), i R. Williams. Hookers: O. Murphy, W. Robinson. With the advantage of the sun and wind, Canterbury set. the. ball rolling, lint a, mail in front necessitated an immediate midfield serum, which gave possession to the Amber rear division. The movement broke alter going a lew yards, but the forwards went to the Rod twenty-five for a line-out. Toby Robinson broke through sw.iltly to be , held up by Brown after a useful run. Steel gained further ground with a ( penalty kick, but a few seconds later ; • Tui Robinson flashed up in a run to 1 half-way and the developing move re-, suited in the right wing, Fookes, grubkicking across the line, where Steel • forced. Canterbury went to the twenty-j five with the kick-out, but Tui Robin-1 son, Guy and Crawford opened up a\ further Taran.aki attack, stopped in the danger zone by Steel. In a hard forward tussle near the visitors’ line ’ Murphy plunged across to touch down, 1 but play was recalled for a, scrum. Action swung again to midfield, then veered to the visitors’ quarter again in a loose rush b.v the Anrber for waxes (and from just outsides the twenty-five a penalty allowed Collins to open the score six minutes from the commencement of play. Taranaki 3 z' c, —u,,.... n

Canterbury 0 Canterbury quickened the pace, ; Mu 11 an. Hay and Harris showing in several clever movements which tested Colling. Harris was constantly in the lime-light, but allowed Taranaki to relieve a prolonged defensive when his attempted pot gave Collins the chance to force. In a succeeding attack Harris .broke through deep into the home quarter, but, .with a. clear run. Scrimshaw was unable to get to a difficult pass. In. a few brief sorties the home forwards endeavoured to take the initiative. but could not make serious impression on the Red’s defence and regional play continued to favour the visitors. A punt by -Steel was carried over !>,- the* wind and resulted in another force bv Collins. Half-way through the spell Cunlerhiiry’s consistent efiortsj wore rewarded with a pretty try. Eol-i lowing a line-ont just, inside the home i hall'. Afullan threw a swift pass to Hay. The latter cut in and transferred to Harris, who gave Hrustic the opportunity to draw the full-back and send the racing wing. Hart, over unopposed in a good position. Afullan converted. Canterbury b Taranaki With the wind- freshening, the Rod| hacks kept the ball ill the air and Taranaki were on the defensive for a further period, till McLean made a fine j breakaway and the ball swung across j the field,' where the backs gave sup-

port and Canterbury’s lino was imperilled till a penalty gave relief. Heady punting by Steel was a notable feature of -the ensuing play, and repeatedly turned Amber lor wards. Against tiie; wind the home backs had to use the pass tactics, when tlio ball came t lie i t way and a nasty position developed when Tui Robinson and Guy moved to half-way, where Johnston gathered a hard delivery and sent Crawford on a dash till -stopped by Steel. In the next move Brown made a spectacular i un, but was not supported when checked by Hart. Slowness on Crawford’s part- almost let Scrimshaw through I loin a pass by ll astie, hut the All Black rover was overhauled close to I lie line' bv Johnston. Attack and counter, winch brought Johnston and Brown among tlio homo hacks and liastie and Merritt in the visitors’ rear division into the limelight in a series of useful dashes showed a margin in Canterbury’s favour, but the interval He 11 isouncfeci with, the scores unaltered. Johnston’s kick-off ball for t-he second spell was promptly followed by Walter, who smothered Merritt’s clear--a nee. A line-out followed and in the mix-up a, Red forward was penalised and allowed Collins to place his second goal, with a beautiful kick which almost grazed the near post, and curled outside after securing the points. Taranaki 6 Canterbury 5 A successful reply came within two minutes, when Hart and Scrimshaw, penetrated from a, melee well into the homo twenty-five, and Scrimshaw dived to score in the corner. Merritt converted with a magnificent kick, which soared into the wind from the placing point, almost on the touohline, and the scores, read : Canterbury 10 Taranaki 6 For the next five minutes Taranaki stormed (lie Reds’ citadel. An injury sustained by Tui Robinson left him lying in, midfield for .some three minutes’, during which Guy, acting as halfback , whipped the hall to the hacks and floated two close quarter bids winch all but penertated. Tui Robinson resumed without retiring and figured immediately in a thrust to get over and hand to’ McLean, only to be {recalled for a scrum. Pressing furiously the Amber forwards swarmed on the lino repeatedly and points came when Walter and Guy charged for a try near the touch-line by Guy. Collins failed with the lack, hut only a point separated the scores. Canterbury 10 Taranaki 9 l-l immo in linu nArmictmufl/l DASltiiifin lit

fall-back, was a. shilling light during following action, which threatened his line and spectacular dashes by the new five-eighth, I lines, were features of excursions made by Canterbury into_ Taranaki’« territory, when the dropping of the wind allowed the visitors to secure a more even division of territorial honours. Fluctuations still favoured Taranaki. however, and one of their most spectacular efforts was made when Owen, Johnston and Brown were associated in a swift bid from midway. At the twenty-five Fookes came into the movement and returned a long pas's to Guy, whose transfer to Brown again was followed by the centre's electric dash, which broke when right on the line he was floored by two taeklers. Following the scrum Harris relieved the position. Piny was faster than in Hie first spoil, both rear divisions throwing the hall about freely and action swung swiftly between the twenty-fives. Canterbury appeared to have an advantage when llastie raced in near t]i<i line ami threw a long pass to Merritt, but Collin® got across and the hall found touch in goal. Mull an was temporarily incapacitated when stemming an Amber forward rush, but resumed without retiring. and a few seconds later was claiming a mark from the feet of a group of home forwards in dangerous position. With a spectacular dribble, Hastie and Kirkland travelled thirty yards to the goal, but Kirkland was | beaten for the touch down by- Oraw- ! ford. The next incident wa s a rush down, the line by Crawford, who punted over the. head of Harris, but was prevented from following up. W. Robinson followed through, only to he beaten for the touch by Anderson, who had a. few yards start in the race for the ball. Espin, who had been injured earlier in the game, was forced to retire, and was replaced by C. Wills in the home pack. Three minutes before time Collins failed narrowly with a. penalty and following the ensuing drop out Fookes tried a pot which sent the ball falling just beneath the bar. No side followed a force down by Harris from a long distance punt by Williams, the score still showing : Canterbury 10 Taranaki 9 Mr J 8 King was the referee.