RUGBY FOOTBALL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4814, 24 July 1939, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

PIO PIO v. WEST COAST. Pio Pio and West Coast staged a very interesting match on the Pio Pio Domain last Saturday, Pio Pio winning by 12 points to 8. Theie was very little to pick between the teams, though owing to defections Coast found difficulty in filling the fullback position, whilst Buckley played a very sound game as the Pio Pio fullback, thus swinging the advantage slightly in favour of his team. The best back on the ground was Kjestrup, the mainstay of the Coast line, while Matthews played well and was very consistent with his kicking. Vicary, D. Willison and Fletcher were missing from the Coast pack, but the vanguard hunted in very enterprising fashion, G. and R. Derecourt, and, before he went off at halftime, J. Munro, being noticed well to the fore.

Though not particularly fast, the Pio Pio back line handled well, Frerichs and Stanaway probably playing the best apart from the fullback, E. Buckley. In the forwards Coffin, Battley and Tarrant were probably the pick, though Blossom was a good worker.

Following through on a defending kick, Frerichs beat the opposition, and Edwards picked up to secure a try. Smyth’s kick failed. The next try resulted from Frerichs dodging his way over from a five-yards scrum, and Coffin’s kick failed, making the halftime score 6—5.

A dribbling rush led by G. Derecourt and R. King resulted in Coast’s first try, and Matthews, who had on several occasions narrowly missed with penalties, converted with a magnificent effort. 6 —5.

Pio Pio retaliated by putting a penalty kick over the goal—a Coast player too fond of tripping was costing his side dear. Matthews followed this up with placing another long kick over, 9—B. Penalties were alternating to each side, and another put between the posts by Smyth saw Pio Pio re-establish a four-point lead, which they held to the end of the match.

TE KUITI v. MANGAPEHI. 'Played at Mangapehi, the United v. Te Kuiti game resulted in a scoreless draw after a most interesting- game in which both teams fought hard to penetrate the other’s defence. Te Kuiti were attacking most of the game and on occasions back movements,' in which Barlow, Shaw and Richards figured, were stopped close to the line. The defence of the Mangapehi team was excellent and this evenly balanced team may yet cause an upset in the competition. Silcock and Russell were again the best back performers in the home team, the former defying many attempts of the Te Kuiti pack to dribble through. Dyet, as usual, was the leader of the pack, which although hard pressed at times, were adept at taking the ball downfield with sudden dribbling- offensives. Of the Te Kuiti side, Barlow was hard to subdue despite close attention, and Byrne, though hampered throughout the game by fast-breaking forwards, made some good saves and went down on the ball repeatedly. Shaw and McGregor were also prominent and the latter by his display must be considered the most promising player in the Te Kuiti Club. Hourigan, Wi and Wilton were the best of a solid pack.

SEVEN-A-SIDE. After some fast, exciting games Pio Pio proved the winners of the seven-a-side tournament played on Rugby Park on Saturday, defeating Mangaotaki B—3 in the final. Results of the games were as follows : Pio Pio A defeated Te Kuiti A 6—o; Te Kuiti B defeated Mangaotaki B 9—o; Mangaotaki A defeated Aria A 3—o; Aria B defeated Te Kuiti C 19—3. Semi-Finals: Mangaotaki A defeated Te Kuiti B 3—o; Pio Pio A defeated Aria B 9—o. Final: Pio Pio A defeated Mangaotaki A B—3. Extra time had to be played in the

Te Kuiti B v. Mangaotaki A semifinal. At the call of time there was no score but in the extra time played Mangaotaki scored a try. In the final the score was 3—3, but Pio Pio were successful in scoring and converting a try in the extension of time.

WAITETE TEAM TRAVEL. The Waitete Senior A team travelled to Rotorua for the week-end to play a friendly match with the Whaka Club. Owing to rain the match was cancelled, but sight-seeing trips were arranged, and the Blue Baths proved very popular, where swimming races were held between the players.