SUPERIOR COMBINATION

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 30 April 1934, Page 6

SUPERIOR COMBINATION

TUKAPA BEATS OPUNAKE!

THIRTY-FOUR TO' SIX POINTS

Superior team play gave Tukapa the easiest of victories over Opiiriake in their Rugby match at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, oil Saturday afternoon. _ Tukapa ran out the wiririOfs by 34 points (seven tries, five converted and a. penalty goal) to six (a try and a penalty goal). Yet play was not nearly so one-sided as the scores, would indicate. Opunake, principally by virtue' Of swift forward rushes, at times pressed Tukapa hard. Pour tidies iu the last ten minutes of play the home side Were compelled to touch * down in Order to get out of awkward corners. Opunake lacked finish to their play arid their backs never looked, like being a combination throughout the whole game. Not onCe did the ball travel fiorii half to wing three-quarter. Rarefy, indeed, did it . get past the second five-eighths. Chiefly, it was the better concerted work of the Tukapa. backs which earned * their side’s score considerably. The Opunake pack showed themselves to be the diallings of a magnificent vanguard. They were slightly heavier than their opponents, who, however, were not in full strength in their forward division. Frequently the Opiiriake forwards, in devastating loose rushes, would move play from brie end of the field to the other. However, they had no one to cap their mbveinerits and opportunities galore went begging. The teams were : —•

Tukapa (blue and white). —Papps; G. Sullivan, J. Sullivan, Gardiner; Wallace, Brown; Boswell; Knott, Kenny; Difikie, Ruakere, O’Dowda; McNeill, Soreftsoti, Allan. . Opunake (green).—Hairison; Spence, R. Malcolm, J. Malcolm; Langton, O. Hohaia; King; Riley; Smith, Upson, Conroy, Murfitt: Tavlor, Mabie. '

. Tukapa early attacked, but- a pass between Brown, and Wallace went forward and halted the attack. The gipiinake forwards; Riley iri the van, fokri throiigh but again -the- Tukapa backs gained possession. Wallace punted Arid the whole Tukapa. back line followed dp ; fast. Hflfrison, the greOri fullback, failed to take the ball. .J; SullivAn wak right oh top Of it. The leather boiincrid into his arms arid he raced over near the posts, two Ophnake men making vain, endeavours id catch .him. Boswell converted.— lTuka.pa 5; .Opunake 0. . Opunake were awarded a.. penalty about ten yards' outside the half-way mark. Despite..caustic comment from the spectators. Riley attempted to pot .a goal, but his kick fell short. The visitors for a time' hemmed . Tukapa in their dwh territhry. Hohaia- made two penetrating dashes; but was stopped jilst short of the goal-line each time. Ohoe Papps made a. great save. O’-Ddwda and Dickie werb at the head of a bind forward rush, which moved play nearly to lialf-wa.y. Here Opunake Were awarded a penalty. Harrison kicked it. magnificent goal frOlri fl. few yards inside half-way and at an angle. His effort .x.uis warmly applauded.— Tukapa. 5, Opunake 3. Wallace essayed a field goal from a. handy position, hut his kick went astray. Tukapa were , not long in an attacking position. Working like Trojans, the Opiiriake pock cairie downfield. Smith being prominent. Good line-kicking by Pappe sent the invaders back arid twice the Tukapa backs broke away, but each time the movement. hrolie down when Wallace threw a bad pass to J. Sullivan. Then, when Tukapa, gained! possession from a loose scrum, Boswell kicked through. Harrison and Spence converged on the ball, with the result that they got in each others' wav and both misfeed it. Gardner, the Tukapa winger, flashed iri between them and kicked the ball over thF goal-line, following up fast to score unopposed. Boswell again coriverted. —Tukapa 10, Opunake 3. C. Hohaia faced through and, when confronted by Papps, short- punted. Several Opunake men followed up fast but a knock-on. cost them a golden opportunity. However, they were not to be denied and, going great guns,, their forwards kept up the pressure. A loose .scrum formed right on the Tukapa goal-line. . Oprifiake gained possession and the ball flashed out to. J. Malcolm who dived over. Harrison just missed the extra points.—Tukapa 10, Opunake 6. , Tukapa, forwards and backs combining well, came to fhe o|punake twentyfive mark. Here offside play by Smith resulted in Tiikapa. being awarded a penalty. Boswell landed his. third successive goal with a beautiful kick.— Tukapa 13, Opunake 6. j. Sullivan was tackled by Harrison after ai great dash, just, short of the green’s line. Boswell, Wallace and J. Sullivan combined in a splendid dash and the last-named was again tackled by Harrison right on the line. He received injuries to his shoulder arid had to retire. G. Sullivan then went to centre, N. Webster coming on to the wing. Half-time sounded a moment later with the scores. —Tukapa 13, Opunake 6. The Tukapa backs carried, play to Opimake’s territory, but. the visiting pack broke through and took play right- upheld, where Papps.. saved. Magnificent line-kicks by Harrison kept. Opunake iri a good attacking positidh uritil the blue backs again took a hand and play travelled downfield. Here Tukapa gained possession in a riielee and the ball shot out to Knott, who dived over the line. Boswell failed to convert.—Tukapa 16, Opunake 6. Shortly afterwards a penalty gave Harrison a shot at goal from near halfway, but his kick was short. The Tukapa forwards, in a dribbling rush, took play to the quarter-way mark. Here Langton, the Opunake five-eighth, was injured and retired, beiiig replaced by Bradley. From a scrum Tukapa secured and the ball travelled through the back-line to Webster oil the wing. Webster made a magnificent run to'

outstay the opposition, and. score in the corner. Boswell was unable to convert.—Tukapa 19, Opunake 6. Tukapa now held definitely the upper hand. Again they, came dowrifield, Webster and .Sullivan being prominent in the attack. Both made valiant efforts to score. Then, frOin a scrum, the ball came to Brown who 'battled his way over. Knott converted. — Tukapa 24, Opunake 6. The next Tukapa score came when Sullivan, after a good run, gave the ball to Webster on the quarter-way mark. Again Webster showed a. fine turn of speed to outstrip the opposition and cross in the corner, funning round to a handy poisition. Boswell again converted.—Tukapa 29, Opunake 6; ... . Gardiner further increased Tukapa’s Score. Sullivan secured and passed to Gardiner, who battled his way. past three mgn to score in the corner. Knott converted.—Tukapa 34, Opunake 6. Opunake attacked and twice forced Tukapa to touch down. They maintained pressure and Riley failed with an easy shot at goal. Opunake held a marked territorial advantage but were unable to cap their movements. Twice more Tukapa touched down. Play ended in neutral territory with the scores.—Tukapa 34, Opunake 6. Mr F. J. Eaglet on refereed. PRIMARY SCHOOL MATCHES South Taranaki primary school games resulted: Senior A; Haw era [Main A 14 beat Okaiawa 4. For 'Hawera tries were scored by Richards, Rowson, J. Oakes and R. Oakes. V. Nickel converted one try. For Okaiawa Wards scored a field goal. Senior B: Manaia 26 beat (Hawera Main iB 0. PLAY IN OTHER CENTRES. CITY COMPETITION GAMES. Results of competition Riugby gamte9 in the respective centres on Saturday are as follow: Wellington. —-First Division: Marist O-'B. 22 v. Wellington College OJB. 11; Poneke 11 v. Wellington 6; Petone 14 v. Athletic 12; Butt 14 v. Eastbourne 9. ®econd Division: University 27 v. Melrose-,Selwyn *9; Berhampore 11 v. Miramar 11; Oriental 14 v. - Johnson.* villc 3; St. Patrick’s 0.8, 20 v. Onslow 3. ' Auckland. —College Rifles 12 v. Pon-so-ruby 8; University 40 v. Marist 6; Manukau 13 v. Otahuhn 8; Grafton 9 v. Technical Old Boys 3. Wairarapa. —Canteitton 11 v. Halefield 6; Greytown 7 v. Featherston 0; Martiinborough 6 v. Gladstone 6; Old Boys 3 v. Stars 3. Christchurch. —'Christchurch 15 v. Sydenham 13; Old Boys i 3 v. Albion 6; University 24 v. Merivale 0; Linwood 1,1 v. Athletic 10. Dunedin. —Varsity A 11 v. Pirates 0-, Southern. 19 v. Kaiborai 3; Alhambra 3 v. Dunedin 0; Zirigari 15 v. Taieri 0; Varsity B 9 v. Union 8.