FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2762, 14 August 1931, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

VALLEY V. BAY OF PLENTY. TIRED TEAM BADLY BEATEN. (By Telegraph, Staff Correspondent.) Opotiki, This Morning. The Thames Valley Rugby Union’s touring team was beaten by 23 points to five by the Bay of Plenty representatives at Opotoki yesterday. The game was a poor exhibition as the members of the Valley team were tired before they took the field, on account of so much travelling. Their tackling was weak, the combination of the backs was poor, and the forwards failed to pack so were • pushed off the ball. The Bay forwards packed well, consistently fed 1 'their backs, and tackled well, and the Bay backs were fast, elusive, and handled safely and quickly. The teams were as already published, except that Palmer replaced J. Walford, who had not recovered from his injury. Roach and Lawrence were the wings. Riddell, Thomas and Keaney were the best forwards, and Moore and Lysaght the pick of the backs. Jacob was safe with the ball,' but his kicking and tackling was very weak. Valley promised well for the first half, and had the best of a forward game, the backs being equal to those of the Bay team. However, the visitors. could not stand the pace, and when in the second half the Bay side set a faster pace the Valley men were run to a standstill. / Both teams had their share of the ball, and the game was not long in progress before Bay opened the score. Nuku sent to Conolly on the blind side and he cut around the scrum, made a fine run, evaded Lawrence and Jacob, and crossed near the posts. Dare converted.

Valley scored the next try, the forwards taking the ball up field in a close movement. Moore secured and sent his backs away, but Roache dropped his pass. The ball was kicked infield, where Palmer secured and shpwed ,good pace to score near the posts. Walford converted and the scores were even , at half time. From then on the. Bay forwards pushed their opponents about and the Valley backs were also tired. The second try by; Bay was due to weak tackling. Nuku got the ball from a scrum, sent to. Harawera, who cut in smartly, beat several men and scored between the posts. McKenzie converted. Bay maintained the pressure and Webber made a fine run to score wide out. The kick failed. Shortly after, Cameron ran through the whole team and scored. Howell converted. The last score came right on the call of time, the ball being sent out right along the backs to Webber, who dropped his pass, but Harawera came around, picked up and ran right through the backs and scored. Howell converted, making the final score: Bay of Plenty, 23; Thames Valley, 5.

TO-MORROW’S FIXTURES. GAMES AND PLAYERS. Three . representative matches, seniors, third ' grades, and primary schools, and an inter-club junior game are set down for play on the Paeroa Domain to-morrow afternoon. Details are as follows: — Seniors: Peace Cup elimination match, Paeroa v. Te Aroha, No. 1 ground, 3 p.m. Referee, Mr Walsh. Domain to-morroy afternoon. Paeroa: Full back, H. Wilkinson; threequarter, J. Verran, C. Lawrence, G. Vercoe; five-eighths, H. Moore, J. Fallon; half, J. Woodhall; rover, J. Thomas; front row, H. Neil, F. Clayton; lock, ’G. Laverick; supports. L. Carrick, G. Taylor; back row, J. Williams, Tukukino. Emergencies: Backs, J. Sinnett, Gibson; forwards, F. Fisher, G. Williams. Te Aroha team will be selected from the. following:— Backs: Jacob, S. Goldsbury, Roach, A. Pilkington, Johnson, Gemmell, Lipsey, Stewart and Arkle. Forwards: Burgess, Street, Keaney, Voysey, McLaren, Mulgrew, Payne, Palmer, Cleave and Caulton.' The final selection will be made .by Mr F. Lockyer on his return from the present tour. Juniors. West v. Old Boys, No. 1 ground, 1.45 p.m. Referee, Mr D. G. McMillan. ' West: E; -Verran, J. Pascoe, W. Parker, V. Harold, L. Johnson, J. Smith, R. Alp, R. Saunders/ B. McDonald, T. Laverick, W. Heappey, F., Williams, A. Power, P. Holes, B. Duncan. Emergencies: J. Prendaville, T. Campbell, L. Nealis, T. Pennell and Tasker. Old Boys team will be selected from the following:— A. Alp, C. Ward, C. Craig, A. Nisbett, T. Marshall, A. Pivott, M. Taylor, W. Fulton. C. Wight, J. Craig, S. Mclntyre, J. Ward, G. Edwards, L.

Marshall, R. Urry, J. Silcock, P. Barclay and W. Hennah. Suburbs v. Turua, at Turua. Referee, jMr A. V. Keighley. Third Grade. Paeroa Representatives v. Physical Training, Thames, No. 2 ground, 2.30 p.m. Referee, Mr H. Wilton. Paeroa: Nealis, R. Campbell, Maunders, N. Bourne, Nicholls, Fulton, Silcock, Kidd, Blyth, M. Chamberlain, W. Fisher, Charlesworth, Pennell, T. Campbell and Tasker. Emergencies: J. Chamberlain, M. Tressider and W. Tressidder. Schools. Hauraki Plains v. Te Aroha, No. 2 ground, 1.30 p.m. Referee, Mr J. Crosby.

HAURAKI PLAINS UNION.

REPRESENTATIVE GAMES. Hauraki Plains representatives will play Thames at Ngatea to-morrow, the juniors at 1.30 p.m., and the seniors at 2.30 p.m. The games were previously arranged to be played at Turua, but now the ground is not available.