RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

Hawera Star, Volume L, 11 September 1930, Page 3

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

TARANAKI JUNIOR TITLE

VICTORY TO CITY TEAM

DEFEAT OE STAR;

Playing off with the Star Club in | the hit,-il for thoi junior Rugby championship af Taranaki, the City (Hawe.ra) fifteen took the title at New Plymouth yesterday with a score of five points to three. As indicated by the scores, the game was keenly contested from bell to bell. Early in the. game the southern team registered the 'Only try and added the goal points. Star replied with a. goal from- a mark, but could not. cross the City line. (Weakened by the loss of the middle' (back, R. Morrissey, who received an injury in the semi-final' a't Stratford, and further, depleted during yesterday's game owing to the retirement of A. Cairncross with a; fractured finger ini the firsip spell, the City rear division was below strength as an attacking unit, but provided a sterling display of defensive tactics. E. Hart, L. Barlow, T. Norris, and' L. F. .Kendall were reliable to a degree and but for the sureness of their play the decision might easily have gone the other way. The rover, (B. Cannon, who played'' (wing-forward and five-eighth at different stages of play,, was constantly in the limelight and in attack or defence was the day’s outstanding player, though the hero of. the match was the five-eighth, Cairncross who, after recording the only try, had to retire with an injury. The City team’s victory marks the second occasion in. which it -has taken the Taranaki junior championship. It previously gained the title in H92S and last season: was defeated .in the semifinal by the ultimate winners, Inglewood.

The teams lined out as follows:

Star (Black with Gold Star). —J. McLeod; J. Wilkins, F. Bell, J. Fitzpatrick; G. Harvey, D. Crapper; D. Hoskin (half); .R. Utigor '(rover); J. Payne, D. Way; C. Smith (captain), G. Bridge, R. McLeod; N. Forbes Faulkner, D. Beer (hookers).

City (Amber and Black). —E. Hart; L Edwards, L, Barlow, L. Bryant; T. Norris (captain), A. Cairn cross; L. F. Kendall (half)-; B. 'Cannon i(rovor); M. Good, A. Hart; R. Pearce, K. Barron, O. Brown; A. Macbeth.' C. lmung (hookers).

The toss- of the. coin favoured 1 the home skipper, who lined his men out

with the sun at their backs and the advantage of a cross breeze in the opening scission. City made the initial invasion after winning the opening . scrum, But were driven out of the twenty-five with a penalty. (Star's answering - bid was also- -held up by ail infringement in the, twenty-five and E. Hart found touch- in, the neutral zone with a high punit. Following a- stoppage owing to an injury to a Star player, the home backs opened up a bright, movement and Bell made a spectacular run to the corner, where, he was upended in dangerous position bv Bryant. For five minutes action favoured the home side, the pro] on god invasion being- turned when Hoskim gave a force down; with an attempted! pot. In the next minute Macbeth headed a City rush. Utar forged back to the half-way 'line, inhere Kendall skied' h punt. Cannon, following up, -spoiled the full-backs attempted clearance and Oairineross, fielding the rolling ball at top speed, made a twenty-five yards’ dash for a. ‘try close to an upright. Hart, goaled and T2i minutes from ‘the coalmen cement of play the score, showed:

City s—Star 0

Attempts by the Star backs to take the offensive were .checked by hard tackling' and, bav-k ini -borne territory, City were awarded a penalty. Hart, from' a range of 40 yards, sending a> place kick wide of the goal. With a group of Star forwards sweeping under a .high punt, Hart was in' difficulties till Xorris cleared brilliantlv. A moment later the Black backs made a swift attack and! the ball went through the chain; to Wilkins, who was collared within three yards of the line by Hart. The fonwards massed for a; fierce melee, from which ‘Cai riLcross l made a clearance, but .received a hand injury which necessitated! bis retirement-. The emergency, >G. Batchelor, came on as> rover and Cannon dropped to first five-eighth. Jm an ensuing bid: by 'Star Itos'kin failed- t'oi goal with a mark, but within- 30 secant I s wan successful with a. drop kick front another mark at the twentyfive and the score showed: 'City b— Star 3. j City advanced with the kick-off' and , s Hart tailed with another long range penalty. The sun was proving a severe | s handicap to the City rear division! and interferred with clean fielding of steeply dropping balls, but sure Itackling provide :m# effective, stopper to Star's repeated invasions. Cannon and i oung were conspicuous figures in hard forward play, which ruled mainly until the interval. The breather whistle sounded nvith Stair holding the territorial advantage, but with the scores unaltered

As City resumed l for the- second spell A. 'Hart went, to the left wing and Bryant took the rover berth. Star opened l with a series l of vigorous- forward rushes, the second of which reached touch in! goal, while a. third was stopped right on the line by E. Hmrt \s mark. Ho skin made another fruitless

pat which Barlow marked. A long punt by a Star back sent the ball be-

hind, but E. Hart had, ample time to loree. Star maintained: the advantage and from the twenty-five .T. ‘McLeod

had a good chance with a penaltv, but sent, the ball outside the goal. ’ In a fierce forward duel the honours were showing in favour of the bustling Star peck, mho battered the City defence with attack after attack. ‘ Prom a scrum before the goal the Star backs opened a dazzling move and the wing was all but. across when stopped' bv Barlow. A corner line-out followed and City saved with a force. Though unable to take/ the attack, 'City were hanging grimly to their two" points, margin. They survived another fright when- J. McLeod again failed narrowly

J with, a penalty. Following tlie kic’kout. play hung at midfield for an appreciable period. ‘City made their first sortie into the home, twenty-live with a ])iuit from K. Hart, but the Star forwards came back immediately to neutral territory. Kendall and 'Cannon (m ho had changed place® with Bryant) the principal stopping agents of ’•he Star forward rushes and eventually Young and Cannon put play on the Star line. A hard battle developed in the Star corner. Cannon was almost over in a headlong charge, the check to which incapacitated him temporarily. Brown; trying to cap 'the thrust, was recalled when over the line. Tested severely, the Star backs cleared when Crapper made a lucky speculator, but from near half-way Kendall put City jon the assault, again with a. mark. City's, dogged defence of the earlier stages of the spell was now turning into dashing attack, the forward® pressing relentlessly and spoiling the endeavours of 'Star’s rear division to take the initiative again. Star reached the twenty-five, but could not. con--1 trot the ball. Suspense was kepn when IVfcLeocL took another penalty kick in good position, but -was unable to raise the flags. In the closing stages City were again penned in a desperate defence, but the line remained unbroken and no. side was signalled with the ] scores still showing

'City <s—Star 3. Mr L. Hoffman was the referee

TEAM'S' ENTERTAINED

Following the match the teams met at- dinner as the guests of the Taranaki Rugby Union, Mr W. 11. Moves, of the union management committee, presiding. Opening an appropriate toast list, Mr Moves congratulated City on its victory and both team's on the fine.spirit in'which the play had been contested. He also paid tribute to the work of the coaches of both •teams.

Congratulations on behalf of the Star Club were voiced by Mr A. Ferry in proposing the toast "to the City team. “ We all join, in hearty congratulations to the City players, particularly the for war dis, who played an inspired game,” said Mr Ferry. The win achieved by City held particular merit in that as a Wednesday 'Club it had beaten 'the best of the Saturday clubs and as a means of fostering the spirit of sportsmanship between the mid-week and the Saturday players he proposed that. Star and! City juniors should 1 arrange an annual fiixture.

Replying on behalf of the City Club, the coach, Mr A. H. Guy, said' that the decision could have gone to either team without disgrace to the losing side. The losers, as it turned out, had) given a very fine display of the code and' had been possible winners right to the end of the game, but the fortunes of play had favoured the City team. It had secured' the victory and' it was excee.diihgly pleasant to note that the first to extend congratulations were the very fine sports who comprised! the Star team. Mr 'Guy also expressed thanks to the Rugby Union for arranging the function and paid tribute to the members of the management obmmdttee and its chairman, Mr J. in particular, for their services to Rugby. The toast to the referee was sponsored bv Mr A. R.. Elgar, of Haw era, who complimented Mr Hoffman on his control of the game and also commended the Taranaki Eugby Union on the evidences of interest being shown in the players of the junior grades. One of the cleanest games I have ever had the pleasure of refereeing, ” said Mr Hoffman in reply.

BRITAIN BADLY BEATEN

N.S.W. WINS 28 TO 3

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.)

SYDNEY, Sept. 10.

The New South Wales Eugby team beat, Britain by 28 points to 3 on the Sydney cricket ground in the presence of 11,680 spectators to-day. The ■weather was summery and the ground was as hard as rock. New South Wales scored six tries, five being converted, and Britain kicked a penalty goal. It was expected as this was the Englishmen’s last match here they would play brilliantly, exploiting the internation rules to advantage. As in the previous two matches, however, with a weak back division, the visitors were below form. The forwards were listless and the passing was erratic. Almost the sole exception was Spong, who enhanced his reputation in endeavouring to carry his side in the second half until a succession of tries demoralised the British play.

The British team nvas: Bonner, Novis, Bowcott, Ivnowles, Morley, Spong, Poole ..Tones, Beamish, Prentice. Black, Hodgson, O’Neill, Row, H._C. Jones. The New South Wales forwards held their own in the scrummages and were vastly superior and more enterprising in the line-outs and speedier in the loose. Malcolm was resourceful and his varied moves were excellently supported in attack, particularly by the centres, Egan and Towers, while Ross, who graduated in medicine on Tuesday, showed all liis old form as full-back. At half-time the score was: New South Wales 10, Britain o.

Cerulti, seizing a chance through the British centres fumbling the ball, dribbled, gathered the ball, accepted a return pass from Storey and scored a bril-

* ui| t try. Then Morloy, anxious to intercept, allowed Towers to cut in and -ore. Itoss converted both tries and three from four attempts in the second nell. Prentice kicked a penalty for ritiiin, after which the Englishmen

rarely troubled New South Wales except when Spong broke through. ■Grossman twice crossed, outpacing his opponents. Knowles, Ford and White scored tries, each after 50-yard solo runs. Ford initiated a movement when Towers gathered from a long throw-in in the British twenty-live. The Englishmen were tired and [spiritless long before the whistle blew. Their three-quarter passing was mainly 'lateral, only Spong’s straight runninggaining ground. On the other hand New South Wales introduced clever tactical moves, exploiting pace to the fullest. Malcolm’s reverse passing to Ford as the scrum was breaking up I twice caught the defence napping. The British inferiority in the forwards isj exemplified by the fact that Ford rarely packed, generally waiting chances in the loose, though frequently his off-side play spoiled his display. At times during the second spell play was exceptionally ragged. ’ After the whistle the teams joined hands, forming a ring in midfield, and sang Auld Lang Syne. The British team will leave for Melbourne to-mor-row. Sobey witnessed the match after the operation to his knee, which is believed successful, but itTis doubtful if he will play in England during the com ing season ""