MANAWHENUA’S SURPRISE VICTORY

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 253, 20 September 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

MANAWHENUA’S SURPRISE VICTORY

< v . With Hawke’s Bay fielding a strong side, there was little expectation that Manawhenua would prove capable of holding them at their meeting to-day, but to the delight of home enthusiasts Manawhenua gained the day in a great forprard battle. It was a narrow enough victory, but in view of Saturday’s match with Wellington—the Bay team having drawn with the present Shield holders a week ago — Manawhenua will enter upon their engagement with increased confidence.

/REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY. B; MAWKE’S BAY v. MANAWHENUA. HHB. |§|' HOMESTERS’ GREAT VICTORY. ja-'N It has been Manawhenua’s ill for-. tune to experience a particularly lean Ipieason this year, and the penultimate engagement to-day, I'y'wfien. Hawke’s Bay furnished the ,y opposition, did not promise to bring iy.j}'irith it a more favourable outcome for sfrftoe homesters. The day, however, was / productive of a complete surprise for Manawhenua kept the visitors at bay the first spell when playKing against the wind and then retained & their hard won advantage in the closing stages to emerge the victors by a I®, bare point—a field goal to a penalty rafeoaL. It was a highly creditable effort view of the fact that while their (/'opponents were not at full strength, /•they nevertheless fielded a strong Spride. Conditions _ were excellent, /the ground being dry and fast, /although there was a downfield wind, /in the expectation of witnessing a dis- ; play in keeping with the favourable ’/conditions, there was a fair attendifsuice of enthusiasts at .the Show(f'grounds. By reason of the early cloa|Sg- of competition play in the Horoj/whenua end of the. district, en/jjfchtisiasin among the players has waned • /considerably, and the team fielded by Jfi:iMa%awhenua was practically a Mana-iffijwfl-tii Ride. The rival combinations jKirhich filed out were as under:— Bay (black and white)-: sfsgjßrans, Crooks, Grenside, Sheriffs, /■jlfetford, Botherway, Cook, McKay, Zgßureon, Brown, Wilson, Harvey, './jfenderson, Roach, Rolls. (blue): S. Bramwell, : Griffin, T. Amadio, Fletcher, SyßWbb, Fuller, Roddick, Fitzgerald, /■'/Henry, Satherley, Williams, K. Fitzffi/fgerald, Rae, Hight. Mm { A SCORELESS SPELL. jte:'. 1 \ jjMiy"'The visitors won the toss to defend pjfiithe southern goal with the wind at gPtheir hacks, and the bines immediaRteiy, went to the attack, bustling forHgpward tactics keeping the magpies 111 busy. From a kick through by Griffin, K,Amadio followed fast to collar Sheriffs |l|fin possession, but the ball went into |g| touch. The Bay backs came into the m picture when Greneide cut through to | ; i open up, but the advance was stayed ij and Manawhenua worked back, Robb I. dashing up to tackle Setford in posg eessiop. Harvey and Wilson gained a | short stretch of territory when they f went off with the ball at their toes, [ but a hand out to the backs went astray, Amadio intercepting to line out beyond the halfway line. Harvey and Henderson were again prominent when they broke away. Although repelled, Setford snapped up the leather in the open to dance his way downfield with his forwards in support, but a great opportunity was lost when a | pass went forward. Griffin cleared very opportunely, but failure to field a rolling ball by Bramwell, and failure to find the line got his side into,difficulties. Offside, which passed unpriced, let the Bay away m a loose rush, but when down to the line Amadio stepped in to save. Failure to get down on the ball by the home backs enabled the visitors to work into blue territory, but Fuller and Bramwell drove them back and Henry carried on further. BLUE FORWARDS’ DASH. 1/ A great dash by the blue forwards, 4 with K. Fitzgerald in the van, swept P over Evans, but Sheriffs stemmed the) W assault. In the succeeding melee Mcjf Kay got offside, but Amadio failed with an easy shot. Roddick had another shot immediately following, but the wind carried the ball wide and Crooks cleared well downfield. The Bav forwards were playing a good deal offside and their activities were being restricted thereby. From the poosition gained on one occasion, the blue forwards swept to the magpies’ goal, only for the ball to go iinto touch in goal. A free kick in turn to the visitors enabled Botherway to find touch well down field, but their stay was of brief duration, although they came away in a handling bout, Botherway handing on to Henderson to Crooks, who was brought to earth a foot short of the line. MANAWHENUA LINE STORMED. Right and left the Bay stormed, Grenside being narrowly held out, while Sheriffs short punted when down to the line, thereby allowing Bramwell to take Telicf in a force. Exchange kicks between Evans anti Bramwell saw the latter’s kick charged down but Page recopvered only to be tackled by Crooks, but he handed back to Bramwell for the fullback to clear very opportunely. A pretty handling bout by the Bay saw the leather go from Cook to Botherwav to Crooks, and back infield to the*forwards, a receiver being tackled in possession- Picking out of the scrum by Cook lost the Bay an excellent position and a further offside, breach carried the blues further. The visiting backs were now playing better football but when down on the home line the blue forwards came to the rescue

[anawhenua Beat Hawked Bay; Field Goal to Penalty Goal; Hard Forward Struggle; Backs in Action at Intervals; Homesters Improved Display; Scrummagers Make Good Showing; Backs Resolute on Defence; First Victory For Season.

to sweep clear, a lucky speculator by Amadio sending the ball upfield where Setford came in to save. Half time found the Bay hard on the attack, but the scoring account still a blank. MANAWHENUA SCORE. Bay went to the attack hard on the kick out, Harvey and Rolls being outstanding on the line-outs. Finally, a nice liner by Bramwell carried the blues to, safer territory. A cross kick by Fletcher went unaccepted by Sherriffs and Amadio compelled Grenside to hurriedly find touch. Play was becoming harder and the referee had to call a number of the scrummagers on either side to order. For the first occasion for some minutes the blues threatened danger when Amadio charged down a kick from Evans for the rebound to pass to K. Fitzgerald, but the forward kicked too hard and Setford forced. Page, Fletcher and Williams went off with the ball at their toes following an attempt by McKay to set his backs moving and the homesters had the Bay on the run for a period. Fuller made a bid to set his backs going, but a wild flung pass went unaccepted. However, in the ensuing melee, Griffin snapped up the leather to pot a goal. Manawhenua 4, Hawke’s Bay 0. * Playing with greater vim, Manawhenua forwards were showing greater confidence, but the Bay gradually worked free and their forwards made bold bids along both wings in turn. However, Manawhenua refused to give way and Fuller transferred to midfield where Grenside endeavoured to barge his way through without avail. Fuller, the local substitute half-back, was doing good service for the blues. A passing rush by tho Bay saw the ball go out to Sherriffs, but the defence rallied in time to stem the tide. However, from the position gained a free kick to the attackers gave Grenside a shot at goal and he found the uprights. Hawke’s Bay 3, Manawhenua 4. HARD AND FAST PLAY, Play, while hard and fast, was far from exciting, the Bay now making a big effort to save the day and a kick into the dead ball area by Page saved one score, while an interception by Roddick when McKay went off saved another ticklish position immediately following. Hawke’s Bay’s superior condition was now counting in their favour, and the blues were being kept on the defensive, but Fuller was lining out repeatedly to save. Setford was opening up at every opportunity and one handling bout saw the ball go to and fro until the final receiver was swung over the line for the leather to go astray which enabled the defenders to force. A burst by' Page carried the blues downfield, Grenside getting over to halt his dash. However, with the ball going into touch the final bell sounded with the victory resting with Manawhenua —their first for the seaMr F. S. Hewitt, who refereed, penalised the visitors heavily for their offside tactics.

“SUDDEN DEATH” COMPETITION. THE JUNIOR GRADE. KIA TOA B WIN. Each year finds a “sudden death” competition played as a subsidiary competition to the inter-club series, and to-day marked the final stages in the junior and third grade,divisions. Kia Toa B, who had emerged successfully from the junior grade competition, met Feilding in the curtainI raiser at the Showground when the double blues added yet another honour to their record by winning the Rogers Cup by a margin of 13 points to four. Kia Toa won the trophy in the 1919 and 1924 seasons, while Feilding’s one success in the series was away back in 1913. Kia Toa had the advantage of the cross breeze at tlie commencement and, within a few minutes of commencing, had opened their account. Simpson showed a good turn of speed to complete a handling bout. The kick failed. -—Kia Toa 3—o. . ' . Feilding fought their way to the opposite end where a free kick at goal failed, but they gained their reward when Durie snapped up the leather with the yellows hard on the attack to “pot” a goal.—Feilding 4—3. Stung by the /reverse, Kia ioa worked their, way into Feilding territory and a defender failed to clear, Riley charging the ball down to follow after it and score just short of the dead-ball area. O'Keefe added the extra points with, a good kick—Kia Toa B—4.8 —4. , The homesters continued to mamtain the aggressive and ' the yellows were somewhat lucky to escape from some ticklish positions on occasion, Simpson losing a certain try by holding on too long. However, ,the same Maver made amends later when from a short punt he followed through to beat two defenders to the touch-down. n’Kcefe extended the margin, with his pj-1, —Kia Toa 13 —4: ' *' - i Adsett was enterprising for Feildine When he essayed a shot at goal from between half-way and the home twenty-five, but while his direction £os good, the range proved to be too great. Faulty handling by the yellow

rearguard repeatedly lost them the advantage, whereas the blues invariably gained ground with their attempts although the interval found the scores unaltered.

The kick out on resumption by Feildim? went into touch direct, but from the resulting scrum the yellows invaded and when deep in the corner Adsett had a shot at goal from a penalty, but the ball passed outside the near post. The visitors continued to carry the attack to their opponents and Beazer made a bold bid to go over from a rucking movement. Tlie tide had now definitely turned in Feilding’s favour, but iack of thrust in the inner division prevented their assaults reaching fruition. A breakaway by the blues saw Simpson feed his supports and Wasley, on the right wing, danced his way through only to be tackled a foot short of his objective. From the advantage gained, O’Keefe accepted a clearance to dash across field. Simpson, however, turned back infield to hand on to Wasley. but the winger’s way was barred and the scene slowly changed, although O’Keefe was proving a formidable barrier in the path of the yellow advances. The yellows continued to carry the territorial advantage, but thev could not actually penetrate, although just on time Adsett again narrowly failed to find the uprights. The final scores were: Kia Toa 13, Feilding 4. Mr L. H. Briggs refereed.

THIRD GRADE. “SUDDEN DEATH” FINAL. Old Boys and St. Pat’s met in the final of the third grade “sudden, death” competition, t'he honours going to St. Pat’s by a margin of 26 points to nil. It was a closely contested game in the first spell, but the Old Boys then fell away. Half way through the first term E. Norris scored a good try after excellent work by Dawiok, and St. Pat’s several times again threatened danger. Old Boys found the green full-back a thorn in their sides, his line kicking being a good feature. In the second term, St. Pat’s overran the opposition to put on another 23 points. Spelman, Madgwick, Dawick, Ferguson and Rush each scored a try, Quigan and Davidson converting one each, and Madgwick also kicked a field goal. Madgwick’s try was the best of the day. MIDGET FINAL. HOKOWHITU BEAT WOODVILLE. Tlie final in the midgets’ competition was staged at the interval to the senior attraction at the Showgrounds when Hokowhitu and Woodville tried conclusions. The visiting eight played with t.he wind behind them in the first spell but they failed to turn it to profit. The defence proved equally sound for quite a period following the change over until Robbie secured possession in the open to outpace the defenders and score a good try. . Shailer. found the uprights and the town team, left the field the season’s champions. Hokowhitu 5, Woodville 0. THE LOWER GRADES. “SUDDEN-DEATH” FINALS. Junior, Kia Toa B 13 v. Feilding 4. Thirds. St. Patrick’s 26 v. Old Boys 0. Midgets. Hokowhitu 5 v._ Woodville 0. MANAWHENUA TEAM. MATCH AGAINST WELLINGTON. NINETEEN PLAYERS SELECTED. The following nineteen players have been selected to go into training for the Manawhenua —Wellington match at Palmerston North next Saturday:— Backs.—Bramwell, Page, Fletcher, Griffin, Robb, Mitchell, Fuller, Ormond, Amadio. Forwards.—Henry, Roddick, Fitzgerald, Miles, K. Fitzgerald, Williams, Hight, Satherley, Rae, Flowers. RESULTS IN OTHER CENTRES. Results of Rugby matches played today in other centres are as follow: Christchurch. —Canterbury B 23 v. Maoris 6. Nelson.—Wellington colts 21 v. Nelson 13. Dunedin.—Otago juniors 9 v. Canterbury 6. Auckland. —Ponsonby (runner-up to ’Varsity in 1929) 23 v. Grammar Old Boys 10. This was the final match for the championship.