RUGBY FOOTBALL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3401, 2 August 1932, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Results. —Seniors: Te Kuiti 9 v. Pio Pio 3; Hangatiki 12 v. Athletic 3. Juniors: Te Kuiti 12 v. Aratoro 3; Pio Pio 11 v. Waitete 3. TE KUITI v. PIO PIO. TILLEY'S FINE WORK. The Te Kuiti-Pio Pio game, which aroused so much interest owing to it being almost the deciding match in the banner competition, resulted in a win for Te Kuiti by 9 points to 3—three penalty goals to an unconverted try. Tilley was on his game, and his fine kicking gained the victory for Te Kuiti. He had several shots at the goal, but they were either almost on half-way or on the side line. Of these he was successful in three, and the others missed narrowly. The game was hard rather than spectacular. The forwards did most of the work, the backs seldom working as a unit, though towards the end Pio Pio were opening out and trying hard to get over. The passing was hesitating and the ball often dropped in both teams. Their defensive play, however, of some of the plavers, notably Tilley and Coffin, left little to be desired. The following were the teams: — Pio Pio (Red and Black).—Coffin, Griffin, Peterson, Casey; Taitoko, Hickey, Rauputu, Armstrong, Brown, Hewland, Faulke (capt.), Trust, Stone, McKenzie, J. Griffin. Te Kuiti (Black and White).—MeLeod, Yates, Gilbert, Tilley (capt.), Evans, Cato, Wilson, Eketone, Wolfe, Bremner, Flarity, Thomas, Andrews, Sharpe, Barlow. Mr. A. W. Joseph was referee. From the kick-off Tilley put the ball behind the deadball line. This advantage was lost when the Pio Pio forwards, from the drop-out, took the ball in the loose to past half-way. Te Kuiti retaliated, but Casey saved to put the ball out in the Te Kuiti area. They brought it back to midfield, and Pio Pio were penalised. Tilley took a long shot, but the ball went a few yards to the right. Pio Pio came upheld, but Evans stopped them by kicking. Then Te ( Kuiti began to press. MeLeod, however, failed with a drop-kick, and, in spite of Evans following up fast, Pio Pio gained grou'nd. Faulke took the ball down. Then it went out to the backs, but Tilley, in accounting for Peterson a'nd Griffin, stopped the movement, and his kick, a few seconds later, left play at half-way. Play remained there until Barlow gave out a wild pass, and Pio Pio, seizing on it, brought down field. However, Yates blocked and the ball returned to the centre. Tilley took another long penalty shot at the goal, but it fell short, and Hickey put in out towards half-way. MeLeod then tried at the goal, but missed. Hickey fumbled, but Griffin, supporting him, came round to put it out. Some spirited forward work followed, Pio Pio gradually forcing their opponents back. Coffin was unsuccessful with a kick. Then Griffin tried to come round, but was pulled down. Some strenuous packing near the line was broken by a penalty, and play reverted to midfield. Cato gave the ball out from a lineout, and it was passed hesitatingly across the field to Tilley. He started off down the line, but Hickey got him low. A penalty well out was take'n by Tilley, but a fine kick went to the right. Wolfe gained ground by coming through. MeLeod tried a shot at the goal, but missed, and Pio Pio took up the field. Gilbert caught a kick on the side of his boot, and a line-out near the line resulted. However, Thomas and Andrews brought through, and a duel of kicking left play about half-way. Cato gave the ball to Barlow, to Evans, but Gilbert dropped it, and in the ensuing melee Te Kuiti were penalised, and play went to half-way. Evans was collared without the ball, and Tilley tried again at the goal, but his shot struck a Pio Pio player and fell short. Eketone, following up, caught Hickey fumbling, and the ball, went out. A five-yard scrum was ordered, and then another line-out, but from it the Pio Pio forwards pressed up field. About half-way Te Kuiti were awarded a penalty, and Tilley, with a magnificent shot, just cleared the cross-bar. Te Kuiti 3; Pio Pio 0. The Pio Pio forwards forced Te Kuiti back to their 25, but a back movement brought Te Kuiti up. An intercept by Pio Pio sent out about midfield. After half-time a slight advantage gained by Rauputu was lost by a penalty. However, a penalty to Pio Pio brought play down, and it went to the Te Kuiti 25. The Pio Pio backs tried. Taitoko dropped, but picked up and put the ball across the field. Then the Pio Pio forwards came clown, and Brown crossed to score. Coffin's kick just missed. Te Kuiti 3; Pio Pio 3. After this Te Kuiti re-arranged the team, Cato going to fullback, Gilbert to halfback, and MeLeod on the wing. Te Kuiti brought play to the Pio Pio 25. Evans came round on the blind to give to Yates, but the latter was pulled down. Barlow got the ball at his toe, but was beaten to it by a Pio Pio man, who forced. However, Te Kuiti was awarded a penalty, Tilley putting it over from well out. Te Kuiti 6; Pio Pio 3. A penalty helped Pio Pio, but play came back. Gilbert gained ground for Te Kuiti by stifling Coffin's kick, and Evans put out near the corner. However, a penalty took Te Kuiti almost to the half-way flag. The Pio Pio forwards, in following up, looked dangerous, but Cato found the line. A forward movement started by Gilbert gained ground for Te Kuiti, but Pio Pio replied with a "up and under," Cato putting the ball out about midfield. The Pio Pio backs came round. Taitoko dropped, but Hickey gathered to pass to Griffin. However, MeLeod got a pass, and play went to midfield, where it stayed for some time. Griffin got the ball from the scrum and kicked down, and MeLeod put the ball out. From the line-out the Pio Pio backs tried, but the ball went 1 straight across the field and out.

Barlow put the ball upfield and out, but the Pio Pio backs came down again, and the pass to Griffin failed. Evans cleared, but Pio Pio still came. However, Yates got the ball and put it out. Another movement by Pio Pio was unsuccessful, and Te Kuiti shifted play out of their territory, and • down to the other end. Barlow got in a twisty run, but on in-passing to Wilson, the latter was pulled down. Te Kuiti were unlucky not to score in the next movement. Barlow got the ball to give it to MeLeod, who cross-kicked to Tilley. However, the latter's pass to Yates was ruled for- . ward. In the ensuing play Tilley put a penalty over from well out. Te Kuiti 9; Pio Pio 3. Te Kuiti is now one point in the lead in the banner competition, and their chances of winning seem good. However, they will meet Toko next week and this leave a doubt to the result, for Pio Pio should have no difficulty in defeating the two teams they are to meet. ATHLETIC v. HANGATIKI. Athletic failed to follow up the draw with Toko last week, and Hangatiki secured a victory by 12 points tio 3. In the first part of the game . it looked as if Athletic were going to do more than hold their own, but when the Hangatiki forwards began to pack they lost their advantage. The Hangatiki backs, too, have improved since they last played on the Domain, Hansen doing some good work for them. The following were the teams: — Hangatiki (Blue and Black, also a White and a Red). J. Nikora, B. Nikora, Hansen, G. Koroheke, E. Korobeke, Wiske, M. Koroheke, Holde'n, Gray, Riddell, Stokes, T. Koroheke, Tapara, Marangi. Athletic (Black). —Dowie, Reardon, Rees, Thomsen, Black, Begbie, Graham, Himeona, K. Thompson, Martin, ,A,. Smith:, Turner, McKenzie, Constant, K. Hetet. Mr. Ingpen was referee. From the kick-off Athletic slowly worked the ball down, and following a kick-up from behind the pack the ball was forced. Nikora returned play to midfield, but the Black forwards came down. Hansen got the ball and found the line, but from the lineout Athletic crossed. Hansen, however forced, and from the drop-out play went upfield, Nikora bringing round. An Athletic passing movement from the backs into the forwards was stifled, and a penalty centred play. An up and under kick by Dowie looked dangerous, but J. Nikora took cleanly to go up the line. Athletic still kept on attacking. A forward rush caught Hansen fumbling, but Athletic were penalised. Soon after Rees tried a penalty at the goal, but a good shot missed. Graham, started a back movement, but Black was pulled down. Another passing bout brought them down. Then the ball went out to Reardon, who crossed to score. Dowie's kick failed. Athletic 3; Hangatiki 0. Hangatiki began to wake up and sent the ball down to the 25. The~ Hangatiki forwards were doing good f work, but Graham came through. :. Rees came up to force Hansen to put - the ball out on the 25 line. Then the ball went towards the other end. Dowie came down the line, but his pass to Himeona failed. However, Athletic were in trouble when Dowie fumbled, but Begbie got his man, and a penalty relieved the situation, and until half-time the play stayed about midfield. ~ From the kick-off Hangatiki pressed down, and Athletic were compelled to force. Their backs tried, but were soon stopped, and in the ensuing melee Dowie forced again. However, Hangatiki tried for the third time, and were this time successful, Holden scoring. Nikora failed to convert. Athletic 3; Hangatiki" 3. Stokes came through to shift play clown for Hangatiki. Strenuous pack work resulted on the line. The ball was kicked through and back to Han- , sen, who picked up and drop kicked with the same action, and the ball sailed between the posts. Hangatiki 7; Athletic 3. Hangatiki were now playing up, and twice brought the ball down, Graham just forcing in time for the second attempt. Hangatiki caught Dowie fumbling, and after scrummaging on the line, Gray fell on the ball. C. Koroheke converted. Hangatiki 12; Athletic 3. After Hangatiki had held Athletic in their 25, Athletic tried to revive by passing, and held the advantage as to territory for a while. Dowie got the ball and dodged through to give a short kick, but the ball went out. In the resulting play Hansen forced. Riddell started a loose rush which crossed, but a scrum on the line was ordered. In the resulting melee it appeared as if T. Koroheke dived over, but the referee ruled a force. Until time Hangatiki were pressing. Hansen started a rush, but Rees intercepted.