WIN BY ELEVEN POINTS

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 7 July 1932, Page 6

WIN BY ELEVEN POINTS

WWM BEATS KAPONGA

BACK PI4Y DECJTOgS MATCH ; LEAD FOtR CHAMPIONSHIP In a match that virtually decided the South Taranaki senior Rugby championship Okaiawa, playing at home, defeated Kaponga yesterday by 22 points to 11. Okaiawa scored five converting two, and a penalty goal. Kaponga’s tally comprised two penalty goals and a converted try. All of Kaponga’s points were scored in the first half, when playing with the sun and a strong wind, but on, the change over Okaiawa rattled up 14. points. Prom the outset the game developed into a battle ol tactics between the bustling Kaponga forwards and Okaiawa’s enterprising hacks, whose initiative was the deciding factor of the game. Okaiawa now top the championship ladder with 16 points, patea being second with 12 and Kaponga third with 11. The teams lined out as follow:

Okaiawa (maroon and blue). —Murdoch: D. -McCallum, Ngaia, Blair; Johnston, T. Robinson; Edwards; E. McCallum, Scott, Greenough,. Ike, Guy, Crawford, IV. Robinson, Preston. Kaponga (black). —M. Paterson; C. Paterson, R. Cuff, G. Cuff; Hohaia, Williams; Whalen; Gardner; Joyce, R. Murphy,’ sargan. ' Thoinnine; P. Murphy, SuttonJ F. Gargari. Okaiawa kicked off against the sun and a strong wind. The ball was field-, ed the Kaponga twenty-five, where from a scramble, in less than one minute from the commencement," Tui Robinson secured to cut in and hand on to Johnston. The latter made a jinky run through the defence to within live yards of the line, wheSs he transferred to Ngaia, who scored well out. Crawford took the kick, but failed to raise the ball. Okaiawa 3—Kaponga 0. ~~ T. Robinson made the mistake of hanging on too long in a passing rush and was well grounded, enabling the black forwards to open a rush to the Okaiawa quarter. A scrum followed, in which Kaponga were penalised for handling. Blair failed to line and Williams returned the leather to find to'uch 10 yards over half-way. Working' solidly in the loose and tight the Kaponga forwards again invaded the Okaiawa twenty-five in a hustling dribbling rush, only to he penalised. Williams, taking ‘full advantage of the wind, essayed a field goal, just lacking direction. Keeping the ball down the Kaponga shock division penned the home team in their ' -territory until Johnston cleared to find touch at midfield. Two scrums followed the lineout, Kaponga securing from the second, but the backs were too slow in moving off. Williams intercepted a ■pass to break through, but again the blacks suffered a- reverse for off-side play Williams! fielded the hall to centre" and Ngaia, fumbling badly in trying to pick up and clear, almost let Kaponga over." but Johnston made a snappy and timely clearance to the twenty-five. From the line-ont the ball was whipped _to the Okaiawa backs, Ngaia securing and pacing his way upfield in a spectacular run. With onlv M- Paterson to pass he sold a simple but neat dummy and went over between the posts. Crawford converted. Okaiawa B—Kaponga O'. Kaponga had all the advantage of a forward tussle and ’on their twentyfive Okaiawa were penalised for off-side play. Williams, with a beautiful effort, sent the leather between the uprights. Okaiawa B—Kapongaß—Kaponga 3. Ka-ponga’s try was scored as the result of sheer carelessness and fumbling. The blacks attacked in a bunehe4 rush, C. Hohaia kicking for the line. Blair and Murdoch, with ample time to force, hesitated and both fumbled the ball., C. Paterson racing up" with a good turn of speed to secure the touch down. "Williams added the extra points. Kaponga B—Okaiawa8 —Okaiawa 8.

Working the line to hold the territorial advantage and keeping play close, Kaponga held Oka iaw a in hard forward, sorties, but the backs exhibited decidedly weak tackling and an almost complete lack of enterprise. Flay was held up at this stage through Williams receiving a leg injury, but he was able to resume, A hustling forward rush crumpled the Okaiawa back line, the black shock division sweeping downfield in a bunch, the maroons forcing to save. Play swung to midfield from the drop-out, Okaiawa being penalised in a scrimmage. The maroons were badly bustled in the next few minutes, being compelled to defend practicaly on their line from a succession of rushes. Whalen marked from a penalty kick to line at Okaiawa’s twenty-five, and from the throw-in R. Gulf made a sparkling cut in to reach within 10 yards of the line. He transferred infield, but the pass was not accepted, T. Robinson kicking into touch. Off-side play afforded Williams a shot at goal from five yards inside the touchline at quarter-way. With a magnificent effort he found the uprights. Kaponga 11 —Okaiawa 8.

Solidly accurate tackling halted a 'breakaway by the Okaiawa backs, and again the Kaponga forwards came through with a burst of speed. Solid rucking was all in favour of Kaponga, who were held up 10 yards out. Okaiawai were pushed back to the line and in a hard melee forced. Okaiawa reached midfield from the drop-out. but were penalised. Williams attempted to goal, but lacked direction, the defenders forcing. Ike received a caution for playing the man and Kaponga were given a penalty kick, the line being found at the home team’s twenty-five. Whalen was found off-side, Crawford lining at half-way A poor transfer by Whalen and equally indifferent handling by the backs bad Kaponga in difficulties' when the maroon hacks secured to come through, but the tackling of the Kaponga hacks compensated for the passing and the movement was halted. W. Robinson and Guy broke away in a dribbling rush to the black line, the ball going out at t-lie corner. Okaiawa wore penalised in the line-out, but a clearance kick to midfield was fielded by Tni Robinson, who instituted one of bis characteristic passing rushes, only to throw away a promising chance because of an endeavour to get through on bis own. B. Cargan secured to make a brilliant run to the twenty-five, but be lacked support. Kunonga completely, dominated a forward tussle and Okaiawa were defending in their quarter until the end of the spell. i Keeping play tight Kaponga held the territorial advantage in the first

few minutes of the second spell, but were repulsed for off-side play. Kaponga carried the ball hack in attempting to clear from a succeeding rush, a scrum being ordered. Okaiawa heeled the leather, but the black forwards cut through to open a dribbling clearance to the twenty-five. Again they were penalised for off-side play, and Crawford had, no difficulty in raising the flags to equalise the score. Okaiawa 11—Kaponga 11. Joyce and Paterson were associated in a sparkling breakaway, and carried the leather to the maroon’s line. Offside play once more nullified a splendid chance, Okaiawa dealing well _ downfield. The black forwards again _ asserted themselves and had Okaiawa fully extended in repeated rushes. Scott was found off-side in a scramble 15 yards out, but _ Paterson gained nothing from the kick. So far Okaiawa had only twice reached the blacks’ twenty-five, and in tight play the home team was decidedly at a disadvantage. Williams punted for the line to open a solid rush, but T. Robinson took the ball on the full to race down to the twenty-five and hand to Ngaia, who cleared to midfield. Okaiawa exploited, line kicks to regain the territory and Crawford had a shot at goal from 10 yards over half-way following obstruction by the defenders. Hi s. effort was good, but the ball went wide of the oosts, Kaponga forcing. Fast following up of a centreing kick had Kaponga pressed, M. Paterson attempted a hurried clearance kick to the line, hut failed, and Crawford, pacing bis way down tlie line, gathered up the ball to go over near the corner. He failed to convert.

Okaiawa 14 —Kaponga 11. Playing a magnificent game ; the Kaponga forwards were in their element, but lost numerous opportunities through persistent off-side play. Splendidly timed and accurate tackling broke up a snappy passing rush instituted by Johnston, the Okaiawa backs being held up on the black quarter. Okaiawa were momentarily repulsed for off-side play following a scrum, find again a minute later. The black forwards gained 15 yards in a burst, but play was too close to the wing for either side to gain any- advantage until Crawford found touch 10 yards from the Kaponga line. Okaiawa secured from' the throw-in, the hall coming out to T. Robinson, who spoiled a splendid chance by trying to brea.lv through on his own when. he was welt supported, Kaponga clearing to halfway. ' Hohaia was injured in a scramble and had to be replaced by Hall. Long range kicks enabled Okaiawa to gain the territorial advantage, a scrum ensuing 15 yards from tbe black line. Kaponga heeled the ball, but Edwards secured from a short clearing punt to race over five yards from the ‘posts. Crawford missed with the kick. Okaiawa 17 —Kaponga 11. T). Johnston halted an almost certain scoring movement immediately following the dron-out, making a. timely clearance to the twenty-five in the face of a forward rush. From the throw-in Okaiawa gained ground with line kicks, onlv to he forged back in a, close forward struggle. Whalen was penalised for picking the hall out of a scrum at midfield, T). Johnston lining inside the black twenty-five. Offside play halted an Okaiawa breakaway, but Blair secured from tbe -Renal tv kick to find touch five yards from the line. Okaiawa- gained possession, Johnston snapping the ball out to Ngaia, who- attempted a “pot” as he was tackled, but failed. Kaponga forcing. Plav swung back to midfield, where, following a melee, .Crawford and M. Sutton were cautioned. There was not tbe sparkle and pace in the concluding stages that characterised the earlier part of the game, hut Okaiawa’s final try was earned as the result of a brilliantly elusive run by T. Robinson. From the twenty-five he reached to within five yards of the line, where he transferred to Johnston ns he was tackled, hut the latter missed, Ngaia, however, came up to secure and go over. Johnston converted with a splendid effort.

Okaiawa 22 —-Kaponga 11. Mr A. Spratt was the referee. B-EBBING TON SHIELD PLAY. DAN N EVIR KE IIEA TS R ANCITTIK El DANNEVIRKE, July G. Dannevirke. who recently lifted the Bebbington Rugby Shield from Bush, to-day withstood a challenge from Rangitikei, heating the visitors by 31 to 9. Tries for the winners were obtained bv Ell ingl lam, Hagan, Ayres (3). Smith and Beck, five being converted by Peeti. Potaka kicked three penalty goals for the challengers. Te Ture, the Dannevirke five-eightlte suffered a broken leg early in, the game and was sent to hospital.