REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 8 August 1932, Page 6

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

PLAY BY TOURING TEAMS AUCKLAND BEATS WELLINGTON TWENTY-FOUR TO FOURTEEN (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Aug. 6. At Athletic Park under bleak, winery conditions the Auckland touring ltugby team Inflicted a very decisive, defeat on Wellington by 24 to 14. The ground was greasy and the ball became very heavy. Driving sleet sweet the field at one stage, and there were intermittent showers of misty rain which completely spoiled the game. .Auckland were clearly the master on the day, thanks to their superlative forwards, who outclassed the Wellington pack. Auckland played with a southerly gale behind them m the first spell, leading at the interval by 21 to 3. It was thought Wellington would come into their own in the second spell, but the , standard of Auckland’s, play did not deteriorate, whereas Wellington did everything wrotigly. Their tactics were not suited to the conditions and their tackling was chronically weak. The Auckland hacks gave glimpses of good form, indicating that they would be a clever combination with a dry hall and ground. Pearson on the wing appealed as much as any, next to Corner. All the forwards played well, particularly Hadley, Kahu, Solomon and New dick.

The Wellington forwards were completely overshadowed, their front rank being no match for the visitors. Their backs were seldom in the picture. Palmer’s hooking was a winning factor for Auckland, and when the tourists failed to get the hall clear to their hacks they broke through repeatedly with the ball at toe and gave Kilby and the other Wellington inside backs a torrid time Wellington foolishly endeavoured to counter these tactics by making it an open game, and their failure to handle the greasy hall safely let Auckland through time and again. The Auckland hacks showed more enterprise than Wellington’s for the reason that they had more room and time to work in’. Corner was a bright spot behind the scrum, and his defence was superb. He scored a. clever try in the second spell, completely fooling the Wellington centre and winger, though he was aided by Wellington having no fullback as Pollock left the field injured early in the second spell. Batty and Kahu both scored tries early in the game for Auckland from loose rushes. Then Jessep touched down for Wellington. A fumble by Pollock allowed Palmer to score bv the posts, Hazelwood converting. A clever movement in which lamie.son, Milliken and Hadley participated saw the ball go again to Milliken, who in-paissed to Solomon for a try. Hazelwood converted. A loose rush just before, the interval saw Finlayson score. Fuller improved We llington’is score with a penalty kick from near halfway. Then Corner worked the blind side on the 2 Si and scored a clever solo try. Reid scored from a' loose rush for Wellington , Fuller converting, and Fuller placed another penalty just before time.

NORTH OTAGO DEFEATED. VISIT TO! NELSON. NELSON, Aug. a. T.n perfect conditions the North Otago Rugby tourists suffered defeat at the hands of Nelson by 24 to 12. Tiie game was bright in patches but was one-sided in the first half, Nelson leading then by 14 to nil. The second half saw a keen struggle and the honours with the visiting forwards, Otago more than holding their own and scoring 12 to 10. For the winners Bear. Ferguson, McLean, Newman and Griffiths scored tries, Newman converting two and Stewart one. Newman kicked a penalty goal. For the visitors Newlands scored twice and Holland once. Grainger kicked a penalty goal.

MAORIS DEFEAT WAIKATO. BRIGHT OPEN DISPLAY. HAMILTON. Aug. 6. Rugby football of sparkling quality was witnessed to-day wlien the New Zealand Maori tourists defeated Waikato by 14 to 8. Both cades made the play bright and open, but the superior packing and field work of the Maoris forwards and rapid hack movements carried tho day. . The AA aikato pack held the opposing forwards well and often turned the attack against them, so that often the Maoris were kept on the defence. In the second half Waikato had the visitors defending desperately, but the movements of the Waikato hacks always lacked finish The speed of the Maori backs proved too much for Waikato. Rika scored the first try for the Maoris, Potaka converting. Following a forward rush Hedley scored for W aikato, Carlson goaling. Mataua scored before halftime. After a long A\ aikato siege the Maoris .staged a rush, Mataua scoring. Tuhoro scored in a. loose.rush. AVaikato revived, T. Cassidy scoring in a rally, and continued to "be aggressive till tho finish. bay of PLENTY VICTORY. AVAIHI, Aug. 6. The Bav of Plenty Rugby representatives defeated Thames Valley by li points to 8,

OTAG 0- REPRESENTATIVES. TEAM TO'MEET AUCKLAND. DUNEDIN. Aug. 7. Owing to rain during the week and the consequent heavy state of “ie grounds no Rugby matches were played on Saturday. The following team has been selected to meet Auckland on Wednesday: Symonds, Procter, Smith. McSkiniming, Fookeis, Bathgate. Simon, Service, Hore. Hamilton. Findlay, Hartnell, Allan, Finlay,son, Niven.