Peeps into the Past

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 197, 9 August 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

Peeps into the Past

Exciting Games Recalled

.1 Ranfurly Shield Matches

(By

“Magpie”)

(Concluded.)

With the AH Blacks absent in England in 1924, Hawke s Bay were not called upon to meet either of the Big Three South Island Unions, although the Bay team had proved that even with six men away in England a fine side remained at home to carry on the good work.

Canterbury also had six men in the Invincibles, and with the advqnt of the 1925 season critics in Christchurch were bemoaning the fact that Canterbury would not be playing Hawke’s Bay that year. Canterbury were not due in Hawke’s Bay until 1927, but the H.B.R.U. offered to pay the transport and board expenses of the Canterbury team if their union would allow them to come along. Nothing Toth, Canterbupfy agreed, the game being played at Napier on August, sth, 1925, Prior to this the annual North v. South Island fixture took place in Invercargill, Hawke’s Bay supplying ■no less than eight of the players in the North fifteen. Returning from the South the Bay team assembled at Danuevirko for a full-dross rehearsal against Waikato in view of tho big game with Canterbury tho following week.

Weird Football. Against Waikato, Hawke’s Bay played weird and wonderful football, but. if is possible that the huge licking (64 to 8) handed out to Waikato did ■not have the desired effect on the Bay, for they approached their game with Canterbury full of confidence. The two teams wore: — l Canterbury': D. Nixon, W. Elvey, C. Oliver, A. Rqbilliard, W. A. Ford, D. Hay, N. McGregor, A. McCormick, r. Clark, R. Masters, D. Dennehy, A. Montgomery, D. Waghorn, J. Jeffries and G. Scrimshaw. Hawke’s Bay: G. Nepin, B. Gien'side, J. Blake, A. Falwasser, T. Corkill, L. Paewai, J. Mill, S. Gemmell, J. Ormond, M. Brownlie, C. Brownlie, W. Irvine, A. Kirkpatrick, and J. Walker.

The game opened in a sensational manner with Canterbury kicking off, the Bay forwards immediately started passing and, without the ball touching tho ground from the kick-off, M. Brownlie finished up scoring r. try alongside the posts. The move had been pre-arranged, and executed with clockwork precision. Visions of a big score floated before tho eyes of tho homo players. However, a shock was in store, and tho scoring alternated, the Southern men going great guns. Hawke’s Bay finally won a fine game by 24 points to 18. Southland Calls In.

Southland called in, and played Hawke’s Bay three days later, the Bay winning by .31 to 12, the homo team being identical With the one that defeated Canterbury, with the exception that Yates replaced Nepia ■(injured). . The Southland team included: Dai 6 Murray, Frank Kilby, Ray (Wainpy), Bell (this year’s Southland captain), Jock Richardson, Geoff Alley, and Bill Hazlett. , , ~ The curtain-raiser to the big game this day ■ was between Whangarei High' School and Te Auto College for the Moascar Cup. the latter then being the holders of the trophy. Included in the Te Alite fifteen was Wanoa. the present Hawke s Bay representative. The Maori boys won Otago were the last of the southern visitors this season, playing Hawke’s Bav at Hastings on September 9. The Otago team included D Stevenson, an old Napier High School boy and full-back in the Otago team that played the British team . recently, R. Webb. 0. Knox, Brian Dunn, this year’s Otago captain, and Walker Morete, an old Te Aute ‘ College boy, and Curly Peterson, who ■■played for Wellington against the Bay last winter. Hawke’s Bay were represented by G. Yates. B. GreUside, J. Blake. A. Falwassef. W. Barclay, T. Corkill. J. Mill. S. Gemmell, J. Ormond. M. Brownlie. M. Mahoney, C. Brownlie, W. Irvine, A. Kirkpatrick, and J. Walker. Otago Surprises,

Assisted by a strong breeze Otago astonished the public by claying all over the home team in the first half, at the end of which they led by 13 to 3. It was a badly rattled Bay team that retired for oranges: in fact some of the team wanted to dispense with the usual five minutes spell as they were afraid that the strong breeze would quickly drop. However, in a whirlwind second spell, Hawke's Bay rattled on a further 28 points to win by 31 to 13.

Reporting subsequently to his union one of the Otago managers had much to say concerning the Hawke’s Bay team and in describing the second half of the game he said it was “Hell let loose.” He finished his report with the fervent wish that the Ranfurly Shield should be deposited forthwith in the middle of Cook Strait.

Hawke's Bay toured South in 1926 somewhat late in the year, and tho game with Canterbury was arranged to be for the Ranfurly Shi- 1 ’ The full strength of the provir ■; not available, but the following il out in the presence of a rev. 'it tendance at Lancaster Park: 1.. I’aewai, T. Corkill. J. Blake, B. Grenside, A. E. Cooke, L. Johnson, J. Mill,

E. Craven, E. Single, M. Brownlie, C. Campbell, C. Brownlie, W. Irvine and J. Swain. The Canterbury team included H. Lilburne, S. Carleton, W Ford W. Dallev. G. Scrimshaw, A Robilliard. C. Oliver, D. Dickson aiid P. Ward. After leading at one time by 11 to: 3 the Bay were fully extended to win by 17 to 15. A remarkable feature of this exciting game was the fact that in the first spell Canterbury were awarded 10 penalty kicks, but the shield-holders were not awarded any. After this game the Brownlie brothers, Blake, Johnson. Cooke. Swain. Irvino, and Walker returned home, the tourists being reinforced by G. Yates, C. Chesley. T. Kuril. J. Rush A Swainson, I. MacDonald, Kauitnond, Durney and M. Grenside. After a hard game with South Canterbury, it was a badly battered lot that took the field against Otago, who fielded a very fine set of forwards. By winning by 29 to 0 Otago got a good deal of their own back and the doing of it delighted a great concourse of people at Carisbrook.

During the progress of the game the whole of the Otago three-quarter line were compelled to leave the field, but there were many spares avialable for such an eventuality, as their places were quickly filled. On to Southland the Bay men were fortunate in striking a soft ground and playing much better they did everything but win, the southerners doing the trick by 10 to 3. Each side scored a try, Kilby kicking a penaltv and potting a goal. Towards the finish of the game Bert Grenside crossed after a great passing rush. He ran round to the goal-posts, but when stooping to touch down the greasy ball slipped from his hands and the try was lost, although Bert vows he made contact on the ground. Canterbury were the only southern visitors in 1927 and' again the game was closely contested, Hawke’s Buy finally winning by 11 to 8. The Bay team was G. Yates, B. Grenside, J. Blake W. Huxtable, H. Priestley, T. Corkill. W. Edwards. C. Campbell, R. Tankard, M. Brownlie, C. Brownlie. G. Conrad, J. Swain. H. M. Strachan and W. Barclay. Canterbury, as will be seen hr the following, had a very strong side: J. Harris. A. Robilliard. S. Carleton, J. Steel. H. Lilburne. N. McGregor, W. Dailey J. Jackson, “Son” White, H. Godfrey. G. Alley, J Pickering, F. Clark, J. T. Burrows and G. : Scrimshaw.

A few days later this team met and defeated Manawhenua for the Ranfurly Shield. Last winter Otago and Southland both played in Napier against Hawke’s Bay, Otago winning by a solitary point and Southland going down heavily but. the games require no comment. being no doubt still fresh in the memories of football fans. Summary.

A summary of tho games played by Hawke’s Bay against the three South island unions is shown hereunder :—

Havjke’s Bay v. Canterbury.— Games placed 12. won 8. lost 4, points for 119. against 147. Hawke’s Bay v. Otago.—Games played 12. won 2. lost 9, drawn 1, points for 87. against 153. Hawke’s Bay v. Southland.— Games played 7, won 3, lost 4. points for 90, against 84.