REP. RUGBY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 199, 6 August 1928, Page 7

REP. RUGBY

AUCKLAND v. CANTERBURY NORTHERN SIDE JUST WIN. PLAY COULD HAVE BEEN BRIGHTER. Christchurch, Aug. 4. Auckland beat Canterbury at Lancaster Park to-day, by 12 points to 10. The game was not nearly so bright or so good all round as might have been expected. The handling ot both sides was often weak, though at intervals flashes of good play were •seen. One of the Auckland tries and two of Canterbury’s were the result of excellent play. The ground was in fast order, A crowd of 14,000 saw the match. The teams were :—Auckland : Fullback, Paewai; three-quarters. Minns, Hook, Hook; five-eighths, Falwasser, Jenkin; half-back, Carter; rover, Linton; forwards. Knight, I, Cathcart, Batty (capt.) f Anderson, Wanoa, B. Palmer, A. Finlayson. Canterbury: Full-back, Harris; three-quarters, Doreen, Oliver, Hart; five-eighths, Grant, Hay; half-back, G. Cox; wing-forward, Fookes; forwards, Manchester, Tom Robinson, Toby Robinson, Jackson, Lawson, Clark, Cottrell. FIRST BLOOD. Canterbury won the toss and took the northern end, getting a slight advantage from a north-west breeze. Canterbury attacked for the first few minutes, without being dangerous, and Auckland soon moved the scene of play. Finlayson started a passing rush, at the end of which Anderson picked up the ball, after a tackled player had lost it, brushed off Cox and ran over at the corner for an unconverted try. The Auckland forwards had most of the ball. Tn loose play at midfield, Cox sent the ball out from a scrum, but Hay was caught with it and Auckland broke through quickly. Harris slipped in trying to find the ball, and Hook kicked it away. He kicked it ngam twice before he was checked by Oliver. Then Carter, the Auckland half snapped it Un and nassed out to R. Hook, from whom the ball came back to Falwasser. who scored. Hook failed With the kick. Auckland 6, Canterbury nil. AUCKLAND ALERT, Auckland was getting the ball from most of the scrums, and the forwards were more speedy and elert in follow! ing up and in general loose play. Presently the Canterbury forwards showed a flash of real form and carried the ball near Auckland’s line. Auckland cleared from a scrum. Hart, who had moved infield, picked up and drop-kicked a perfect goal. Auckland 6, Canterbury 4. The next incident of note was a passing rush by the Canterbury backs, which, started Doreen on a good run down the side-line. He beat several men before Paewai, with a perfect flying tackle forced him into touch a few yards from the Auckland line. A few minutes later Hay made a good run and had the defence out of position when he lobbed the ball infield, but Grant failed to take it, and a good scoring chance was lost. For the remainder of the spell territorial advange was to Canterbury, but there was no further score before half-time. AUCKLAND IMPROVES. Resuming, Canterbury, after one slight set-back, were attacking again. A movement from the blind side set Hart off on a brilliant run, and his great speed carried him past all his opponents to score at the corner. The kick at goal failed. Canterbury 7, Auckland 6. The Auckland forwards improved after this reverse. R. Hook, getting the ball outside the Canterbury twenty-five, raced down, punted over the full-back’s head, got the ball again and touched down. The kick failed. Auckland 9, Canterbury 7. For a long time play, see-sawed with varying fortunes, until the Canterbury backs were sent off by Hay. Doreen made a dash for the corner and was able to crash over, in spite of Paewai’s tackle, to touch down almost at the flag. The kick was too difficult. Canterbury 10, Auckland 9. Auckland was quickly in the lead again. The backs camo into action in Canterbury territory. Hook drew Hart and gave Minns the ball. With room to move in. Minns flashed past Harris and touched down between the posts. The kick at goal was again missed. Auckland 12, Canterbury 10. In the last minutes of play Auckland had the advantage most of the time. There were exciting moments, but no further score.

INTER-ISLAND MATCH. NORTH WINS’S?BIG MARGIN. (Per Press Association.) Palmerston North, Aug. 4. In the North and South Islands minor unions Rugby game, North Island proved victorious by the big margin of 39 points to 6. The weather was dull, and a strong wind blowing down field considerably affected play. About 4000 people were present. The game was patchy and one-sideld. North Island holding the upper hand throughout. North, playing with the wind and sun in the first half, registed 25 points, never beiifg seriously challenged. In the second half South improved and secured two tries, North adding 14 more points. South were very weak in the backs, Snodgrass (Nelson) and Day (Ashburton) being the only two who showed up. Kent (North Otago) was very weak, and as a result South’s inside back line was almost useless. The South forwards saw little of the ball, North gaining possession from both scrums and line-outs in the first half. The second spell saw the South pack playing better in the loose and forcing the play at times. W. Cameron (North Otago) and Frietas (West Coast) proved two good forwards. The South team had no defections, but McCleary (West Coast) had to go off at half-time, beinq replaced by Lash (Golden Bay). The North team was considerably altered from that selected. Nepia and Mill (Fast Const) and Price and Robinson (Thames Valley) were absentees. HOW THE GAME WENT. The North backs and forwards were superior to the South. Thomas (Waikato), full-back, played a great game; also Bramwell and Langjands (Poverty Bay). The North hack line, though patchy, worked nicely nt times, and was well fed l-v the forwards, who got most oi the ball.

Thomas (Poverty Bay), Mahoney (Bush), and Leachy (East Coast) were good forwards. In the first half North were attacking the whole time. Langlands and V. Thomas secured two tries apiece, and Bramwell, Kemp (Waikato) and Skelton (King Country), one each. Langland? and Kemp each converted a try, making the halftime score 25—nil. For North in the second spell. Hislop (King Country), Anderson (Waikato),’ Kemp and Langlands scored. Langlands converted his own try. W. Cameron (North Otago) and Day (Ashburton) scored for the South, Snodgrass failing to convert either try. In a curtain-raiser the Wanganui thirdgrade representatives defeated Manawatu thirds by eight points to six. WANGANUI WINS, MANAWHENUA DEFEATED. [Per Press Association.) Wanganui, Aug. 5. For the first time since the Manawatu and Horowhenua Unions combined, Wanganui scored a win when they defeated a combined team, by 22 points to 6, on Saturday. It was a convincing victory as the home team gave a good account of themselves in all departments. The visitors -impressed on occasions with their dash and speed, but was not sustained. Vangioni, the local half, gave a display full of merit, as did Talley, centre. Once settled down, the backs of the local team played good Rugby,, throwing the ball about in fine style. On the day’s play/it was the best set of backs Wanganui has fielded for several years. The forwards contributed to the success of the Ijomc team’s victory by their dash and enterprise. Set scrum honours went to the visitors, and their backs were given plenty of chances, but they found the defence rocklike. All tho Manawhenua forwards grafted hard. Roberts and Parata were outstanding in the backs.

OTAGO v SOUTHLAND. Blenheim, August 4. In a representative fixture to-day, Otago defeated Marlborough by 16 points to 6. SOUTHERN MATCH. Oamaru, August 4. The Southland Sub-Unions defeated North Otago by 16 points Io 9. SOUTHERN HAWKE’S BAY DEFEATS MANAWATU. [Per Press Association.) Dannevirke, Aug. 4. The annual match between Manawa ta and Southern Hawke’s Bay, played to-day in a heavy westerly gale, was won, after a vef-y ragged exhibition by Southern Hawke’s Bay, by 20 points to 13. HAWKE’S BAY TEAM TO PLAY TARANAKI, The following team* has been selected by Mr. N. McKenzie to represent Hawke’s Bay against Taranaki, in Taranaki, next Saturday Full-back c Yates. Three-quarters ; Huxtable, Bennett, S. Russell. Five-eighths: Setford, S. Smith-Half-back : Botherway. Back-row: S. Gemmell, Heffernan. Middle-row: Wilson. Steere, Campbell. Front-row: ■ Dennis. Strachan, Wing-forward: G. Ormond. The emergencies will be aimouneed later. The team is to leave Napier at 7.30 on Friday, returning home on Sunday.