GOOD RUGBY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 57, Issue 3995, 19 May 1948, Page 8

GOOD RUGBY

WIN FOR WHITIANGA MATCH WITH UNITED KEENLY CONTESTED GAME On Saturday, May 15, at Whitianga, the largest crowd of spectators seen at the football field, this season, •turned out to see Whitianga defeat United by 18 points to three. The ability to take advantage of their opponents’ mistakes stood Whitianga in good stead, but the score was certainly no indication of the game. With United dominating the forward play, and consistent hooking by G. Rivas (United), Whitianga saw very little of the ball, until the last quarter of an hour. Whitianga kicked off into the wind and United quickly showed their superiority in the pack. With both teams playing the forward game, Sewell secured from a line-out, dribbled to the line and scored. F. CJianley converted. Whitianga 5, United nil.

United forward pressure kept Whitianga hard pressed. A spectacular dummy by Davis eased the situation temporarily, but United forwards again brought play into the twenty-five, when a penalty gave Coe the opportunity to kick a goal. At half time the score remained unchanged at: Whitianga 5, United 3.

After the change-over, United forwards swept play into Whitianga’s twenty-five where a series of tight set scrums took place. Playing the touch at every chance, the Whitianga forwards put up a good performance against a determined attack and though most of the second half was played in Whitianga’s twenty-five, United failed to score.

Whitianga cleared when J. Simpson, supported by G. Dale, broke away with the ball at toe; Chaney secured and centred where Sewell snapped up the ball to race half the length of the field and score unopposed. Chaney converted. Whitianga 10, United 3. i From a scrum on the half-way line, Davis sent his backs away in a nice

back movement, in which P. Simpson handled twice, but Donovan forced Rohrlach out on the corner. Ragged forward play followed in United’s twenty-five where Chaney went over to score. The kick failed. Whitianga 13, United 3. Whitianga backs put on a nice movement when Chaney cut in nicely, drew the United full-back and passed to Fussey who scored. Chaney converted, making the final score: Whitianga 18, United 3. Mr F. Donaghy was the referee. The teams were:— United: L. Oliver, K. Camp, R. Williams, N. Holt, G. Donovan, F. Marshall, F. Harsant, K. Marshall, G. Rivas, R. Lynch, R. Marshall, L. Oliver and R. Hardy. Whitianga: T. Hare, R. Rohrloch, W. Fussey, G. Simpson, F. Chaney, R. Davis, I. Lowe, A. E. White, G. Dale, G. Ross, B. Troughear, J. Simpson, R. Sewell, O. Whiting, and C. Peachey. BRYCE CUP MATCH WIN FOR KUAOTUNU A great battle between two young teams was witnessed at Tairua on Saturday, when, in a Bryce Cup match, Kuaotunu defeated TairuaHikuai by 23 points to 17. Both teams employed bustling tactics and throughout the game the spectators were rewarded with an exhibition of fast light forwards struggling for possession. An outstanding feature of the game was the combination between the Tairua half-back, A. Beach, and his first five-eighths. Beach, who was quick to get the ball from the scrum, unloaded with a perfect exhibition of the dive pass, to his brother Pat, who rarely failed to ' take the ball cleanly, and hasten it along the line. J. Bradshaw, the Kuaotunu five-eighths who has shown marked improvement in his last few games, played an excellent game and R. Chaney was always safe as fullback. First honours went to Kuaotunu in the first few minutes of the game, when H. Simpson went over to score. Winiata converted. Tairua’s first points were scored a few minutes later, when S. Laycock kicked a penalty goal. Kuaotunu 5, Tairua-Hikuai 3. The play was fairly even as both pressed up and down the field, until Bradshaw made a good opening, to enable P. Tawhara to go over and score. Winiata converted. Kuaotunu 10, Tairua-Hikuai 3. Heavy forward play continued, until from a concentrated forward rush, E. Petersen scored, but was injured and forced to retire. The kick failed. Kuaotunu 10, Tairua-Hikuai 6. From one of Kuaotunu’s frequent infringements S. Laycock put over a penalty kick, making the score: Kuaotunu 10, Tairua-Hikuai 9. Play ranged up and down the field and from a nicely timed cross-kick by Winiata, Bradshaw, who had followed up well, went over to score. Winiata converted. Kuaotunu 15, Tairua-Hikuai 9. Tairua forwards continued to press and from a loose ruck the ball was taken over Kuaotunu’s line, and in the scramble R. Durant scored. R. Homan converted. Kuaotunu 15, Tairua-Hikuai 14. Bradshaw gave a fine exhibition of dribbling, when taking the ball at toe for 25 yards, he scooped it up and went over to score. The kick failed. Kuaotunu 18, Tairua-Hikuai 14. When leading a forward rush, H. Simpson obtained possession and went over to score for Kuaotunu. Winiata, who was kicking in fine style, converted. Kuaotunu 23, Tairua-Hikuai 14. Time was almost up when the Tairua forwards once more pressed the Kuaotunu pack, and S. Laycock, who dribbled through nicely, scored the last three points of the game. Kuaotunu 23, Tairua-Hikuai 17. Mr R. Quigg was the referee.