TE AROHA HOLD LOCKYER CUP

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 59, Issue 4288, 7 June 1950, Page 5

TE AROHA HOLD LOCKYER CUP

' PAEROA BEATEN

EIGHT POINTS TO FIVE FAST AND OPEN RUGBY MATCH PLAYED ON SATURDAY a fast and spectacular Rugby match at Te Aroha for the Lockyer (Memorial cup on Saturday last the Te Aroha senior representative team defeated the Paeroa senior representatives by eight points to five, the deciding points coming from a penalty Stick. Each team scored and converted one try. Although the weather was threatening it held fine during the game and the ground was in first class condition. The attendance was poor and at the conclusion of the game Dr W. R. Lawrence, president of the Te Aroha Rugby Union presented the Lockyer cup to Mr J. Connett, captain of the winning team. A feature of the game was the tight scrumming and • rucking, both teams packing exceptionally well.

In the first half Te Aroha was superior in both lineouts and scrums, winning 21 lineouts to Paeroa’s 12 and 11 scrums to Paeroa’s 8. In the second half Paeroa improved very much and the final totals were 23 scrums to Paeroa to Te Aroha’s 19, whilst Paeroa won 23 lineouts to Te Aroha’s 27.

W. Harrison, who played halfback for Paeroa last season, played an outstanding gama for Te Aroha until shortly after half-time when he retired owing to injuries. For Te ■Aroha F. 'King at fullback, J. Gillett, J. Connett and N. Cornes gave sound, displays in the backs. Osborne was prominent in the forwards. D. Martin excelled himself as Paeroa’s fullback. Both Dicksons tackled With much effect. Kurtovich gave his usual display of good football. N. McMillan at five-eighths had a day off and was not up to his usual standard. In the second half P. Gregson struck form' and got the bail out to his backs. Paeroa forwards all played particularly well, Martinovich being outstanding. He was well, supported by BOkey, Fathers, Hoare, Treanor and. Finlay. teams were as follows: — Te Aroha: F. King, R. Slattery, J. Connett, J. Gillett, E. Voysey, N. Comes, W. Harrison, D. Towes, K. Sievers, R. Osborne, G. Davey, R. McCabe, A. Btoderson, L. Gillon, V. Stuck. . . Paeroa: D. Martin, D. Soakai, R. Dickson, A. Dickson, I. Kurtovich, N. McMillan, P. Gregson, M. Oilington, F. Martinovich, R. Finlay, M. Morrison, P. Fathers, F. Treanor, L. Hoare, v ' •From a penalty on the halfway mark Martinovich kicked high and placed Te Aroha on the defensive, play hanging in front of Te Aroha .goal. Paeroa forwards carried play right to the goal line and a score looked likely but King with a splendid line kick sent the play to Paeroa twenty-five. The first sign of combination came when Harrison of Te Aroha from a scrum set his back line in action »and J, Gillett on the wing made a spectacular run to be well tackled by Kurtovich. D. Martin from fullback for Paeroa initiated a nice movement after a good run to' send in and set his fbrwards moving. Thrills came for the sfecctatora as the ball travelled from the Paeroa forwards to the A. Dickson on Paeroa’s wing -ÜBfijMiij'fOg iiy play with a dash down the- ' to send in to R. Dickson the movement finishing right on Te Aroha goal. With another gryat kick King gained 35 yards and took play to Paeroa’s twenty-five. Te Aroha backs were showing plenty of dash and commenced throwing the ball about with considerable effect, Paeroa having to fight desper-, ately to savd a Score. Harrison broke away in a dangerous run but Kurtovich with a deadly tackle grassed him. Paeroa forwards combined in a splendid rush, carrying the ball right over the goal line but a force ..saved. Martin at fullback for Paeroa made some good catches jnut received a well earned round of JppW.e and finished off with a pretty kick to the comer flag. ■Harrison again set Te Aroha backs in action but Soakai brought finis to the movement with a heavy tackle. Excitement ran high as Te Aroha backs launched another attack and took the. play near Paeroa’s goal. Both forward packs were rucking well and keeping tight scrums. Paeroa had some anxious moments but gradually the forwards brought play back to halfway. Harrisdn was playing a grt&t game and fed his backs in

great style so that time after time Te Aroha backs got under way and only sound tackling prevented scores. From a penalty D. Towes found the posts and opened the score for Te Aroha. Te Aroha 3, Paeroa 0. There was no further score in the first half.

The second half opened with a long kick-off which Martinovich fielded and after, a smart run he set the Paeroa backs in motion, Kurtovich kicking high to put Te Aroha on the defensive. From a penalty Martinovich failed with a kick at goal in a handy position. Te Aroha forwards held Paeroa on the Paeroa goal for some time till the pressure ’became too great and finally Harrison the Te Aroha half, snapped up the ball to go across the line for the first try of the match. Towes took the kick right in front of the goal and added the major points, making Te Aroha 8, Paeroa 0. Gillett put Paeroa on the defensive again but Martin saved with a nice catch and a left-footer to the touch line. Harrison retired injured, his place being taken by R. Cornes.

D. Martin once more sent Paeroa away and Te Aroha was defending, Soakai just failing to reach the goal line. Martinovich attempted a kick at goal from a penalty but just missed the posts. Martinovich broke away and from fast following-up P. Gregson scored, Martinovich converting and bringing the score to Te Aroha 8, Paeroa 5. Paeroa was shortly in trouble and Bilkey saved. From then onwards Paeroa forwards were winning nearly all the scrums and the 'backs got into action but just failed to finish the movements.

First Kurtovich cut in and made the best run of the day to be followed by Martinovich a few moments later. Fast and sparkling football followed with Bilkey playing like a champion, sending out passes first to his forwards then to his backs but Gillett saved with one of his long kicks.

Play raced from one end of the ground to the other and the tackling was good, both Dicksons taking their opposites in great style. Gregson fed his backs again and once more they were in action fighting desperately to even the score. Kurtovich kicked high and his forwards swept in a great rush to the Te Aroha goal line and over to lose the ball. A moment later Martinovich was off’ again on a smart run and sent out to the backs but the defence held. It was Gregson's turn next and he cut in and sent to Soakai to McMillan but it was not to 'be. The defence again held and King at fullback with a great kick found touch, the game ending Te Aroha 8, Paeroa 5. Mr H. Denton was referee.

JUNIOR REP.| MATCH PAEROA DEFEATED In a Rttgby match on the Paeroa domain on Saturday last the Thames High School first fifteen easily defeated the Paeroa junior representative team by 22 points to 3. ■ Mr A. T. Jones was referee. THIRD GRADE wXIHI H.S. 28, PAEROA 0.8. 0 In a third grade Rugby match in the Paeroa and Waihi Rugby Union’s combined competitions Waihi High School defeated Paeroa High School Old Boys by 28 points to 0. For Waihi H. -Grady, scored four tries, G. Nannie, M. O’Dwyer, J. Leath and J. Royal one each. H. Grady converted two tries. FOURTH GRADE WAIHI DEFEATS PAEROA Playing in a combined fourth grade competition of the Paeroa and Waihi Rugby unions’ Waihi High School defeated Paeroa High School by nine points to three. For Waihi tries were scored by C. Buchanan and J. Orchard and G. Wyatt kicked a penalty goal. G. Shears kicked a penalty goal for Paeroa High School. SCHOOL FOOTBALL MATCHES ON SATURDAY .In the school football competitions played on the Paeroa domain on Saturday last the following were the results of the various matches:— Senior games: Paeroa A, 0, High School, 3; Paeroa B, 3, Convent, 3. Junior game: Netherton, 3, Paeroa, 3.