RUGBY FOOTBALL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 232, 29 August 1935, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL

A DRAWN GAME

MANAAVATU’S LOST OPPORTUNITY. In a high wind, which made good football out of the question, the Munawatu Rugby representatives after making a valiant fight in the first spell against the gale, weakened somewhat in the closing stages and Wairarapa were able to share the honours in the return fixture at the Showgrounds yesterday. On the run of the play, which was restricted to the forwards, the home team should have registered their fourth successive win in representative engagements, but they let the opportunity slip through their fingers. Munawatu took quite a fair share of the exchanges in the opening spell and they opened their account after the interval, which indicated that they had the game within their grasp, but over-hard kicking ruined many bright chances. Wairarapa played superior football when the odds were against them and, in that respect at least, they were deserving of their reward. The teams were as under, the visitors having made four amendments in the side published earlier: Wairarapa (green). Henderson, Buick, Strmgfellow (capt.), Udy, Clark, Martelli, Habib, Grantham, Devine, Trass, Paulis, Rosyth, Hart, Reid, Ellworthy..

Manawatu (green and white). — Hutchinson, R. Findlay, Waugh, R. Gillespie, J. Finlay, Fletcher, Blytji, L. Findlay (capt.), It. Ward, Williams, Fleming, Beard, Ewart, Louisson, Sullivan. Manawatu kicked off into the teeth of the gale, but they immediately worked to the attack and from a kick through by Fletcher danger threatened the visitors, but the ball curled away from the onrushing supports. A moment later Fleming went off with the ball at his toe, but he kicked too hard, the leather passing over the line for Udy to kick it into the deadhall area. ~ Holding on in the set scrum cost Devine a penalty, and Ward had an enterprising shot at goal from the touch-line, but the wind swept the ball back when in line for the uprights. A heel from a scrum to Habib allowed the half-back to work the blind side. Clark short punting to enable the greens to invade for the first occasion, and Stnngteilow had a shot at goal, but the direction was faulty. Waugh snapped up the hall in the loose, hut when almost tree lie tripped and fell. Employing the wind at a free kick, Strmgfellow set the green backs, and a pass by W augh to Hutchinson got the whites into difficulties. M. Devine securing to whip the leather out to Udy, hut the pass was forward and the attack culnnnated in a force-down. The wind was playing queer tricks with the hall and over-anxiousness at the dorp-outs was costing the home team ground. Fleming, who had met with a knee injury earlier, finally retired, Knyvctt making his debut in representative football. . The whites were on the defensive for quite a period, hut J. Findlay was instrumental in lifting the siege, although it was oniy momentarily, fori Habib, the diminutive Wairarapa haltback, found touch deep down. There | was an entire absence of rearguard j work, the game being waged between j the forwards, and holding on in the ti<dit was costing the visitors repeated j penalties. Bl.vth was instrumental in setting the home team in foreign territory, and from a shot at goal by Ward the hall was carried hack to Beard, who made a hid to force his way through, when his supports were ] waiting for the pass. The whites main- 1 tained the advantage and the interval found them on the attack, hut with their account unopened. MANAWATU OPEN ACCOUNT.

Having kept their line intact when facing tno gale, Alunawutu’s prospects promised well after tlie interval. The blogging forward work was/ resumed until Waugh brightened th 6 proceedings wiili a solo dusli, but lio stepped into touch. A short kick through by Myth saw fetringfellow caught in possession and Ewart lell inches short in a dive for the line. Wairarapa cleared and although Fletcher and L. Findlay set the homesters hack Stnngfellow came to the rescue. A ground kick by lilytli saw Henderson beaten, hut the whites over-rail the hall and a golden opportunity was lost. Poor tackling by Manuwatu let Udy clear I nicely and the same player drove the whites back into their own territory with another touch-finder, ltosytli went off with the ball at his toe and a 1 scrummage right on the home line threatened danger, but Finlay cleared with a ground kick. Hack worked the whites, and the overdue try came when from a scrum Myth opened up to Finlay, to Fletcher, who ran angularly towards Gillespie and then sent on for the winger to cross wide out. Ward goaled with a beautifully judged kick. A few moments later Beard and his fellow forwards went through, and although the ball was knocked on when over the line for a white player to gain the touch-down, the referee disallowed the try. Williams led the whites to the line, but 11. Findlay failed to take the pass, and with the ball working out into the open Stringfellow secured to break clean away. In a long chase Gillespie wore the former All Black down and Myth got back to take the pass and clear. From a scrum Blyth worked the blind side to Finlay, who cut through, but his pass to It. Findlay was forward. Playin«r up too closely caught the homesters astray when Trass piled through and he went right to the goal line to gain the touch-down. Grantham goaled and the teams were on terms. A beautiful piece of work by Blyth sent Ward off for the line, but instead of attempting to work Ins way over, lie threw a wild pass and, strive as they would, the homesters could not recover the lost advantage, the final whistle finding the visitors safely holding the attackers: Wairarapa 5, Manawatu 5. Mr J. Fulton was the referee.

COMMENT ON THE PLAY

(By “Cross Bar.”)

Although scoring was extremely difficult by reason of the conditions, the points total might well have been higher. for both teams lost opportunities. As n spectacle the.game was lacking in interest in view of the fact that the rearguards seldom operated, but tlie referee did not assist matters by giving a little latitude in view of the difficulties the players were facing. Manawatu appeared to he much the better balanced side, but they showed a lack of knowledge of handling the conditions, the forwards losing close control, while the backs kicked far too much. While ho may not be the Stringfellow ol old, the former All Black is still a very useful member to Wairarapa, and he and Henderson, the fullback, got through a lot of useful defensive work in the second spell. Although Manawatu secured a good share of the ball in the set scrums, Wairarapa had slightly the better of the argument, having at their command that experienced centre man, K. Reid, who some years ago wore the Manawatu jersey while with the Old Boys Club. L. Findlay and Beard, the Manawatu breakaways, trot th'-cngli a lot

of useful work, but the latter was apt to have his head up in the ruck a little too much. In the closing stages Williams, the Kia Toa “war-horse,” was going as strongly as any. The visitors had a midgot lialf-back in Habib behind the scrum and in the first spell lie was very active, getting in quick touch-finders very opportunely- Blyth played like a rocic for Mamnvatu and some of his work was deserving of a better reward. M. Devine, who assisted Eeilding Old Boys and Manawatu last season, was a prominent figure in the Wairarapa pack, the number of times he was found in possession of the ball being remarkable, although holding on cost him penalties on occasion. He and Trass are two great forwards. While R. Ward’s kick from wide out which enabled hint to add tile major points to Gillespie’s try was a splendid effort, he might well have won the game for Manawatu by barging over Henderson instead of sending a pass out when the line lay ahead. There were not sufficient movements hy the home rearguard to comment upon the individual members, for the outer men had a very quiet time, both Finlay and Fletcher displaying a tendency to cut in too much. Gillespie, apart from completing the one movement, saved a certain try when Stringfellow broke away. Hutchinson, the home full-back, took some risks iri the second spell by playing close up, and he was caught out of position more than once. Actually, there was no excuse for both Stringfellow and Trass getting away as they did. His line-finding was not particularly impressive. While there appeared to be an absence of “devil” on the part of the home forwards, they can he forgiven much for their first spell effort, which no doubt told its tale. However, they repeatedly appeared to be too anxious and they lost some glorious opportunities hy over-running the ball.

THE CURTAIN-RAISER

KOYVHAI v. PIRATES.

Presented ns a curtain-raiser to the representative fixture, the meeting between Kowluii (the Winners of the local mid-week competition) and Pirates (runners-up) furnished another keen contest, their previous game having been productive of a draw, and the visitors won hv two converted tries to one unconverted try. Pirates played towards the northern goal in tlie opening spell with the angular wind at their hacks, hut while they carried the territorial advantage for the main part their assaults seldom threatened serious danger to the yellows. Two penalty shots at goal from wide out fell far short of their objective, and G. Brewer cleared twice in. close succession. The yellow forwards were packing well and, with Wells and Penney in tho van, they would work fo midfield to gain a respite, while one foray carried them to the opposing twenty-five, where Dunn had an ambitious shot at goal into the teeth of the wind, but the hall was carried back and a defender found touch, when the half-time bell sounded. - ... Having emerged from their uphill fio-ht of the first spell without having had anv points debited against them, the odds were favouring the yellows when they resumed the game after tho interval, but a surprise was in store when, following the kick-out bv ,Stulihs, tlie leather was fumbled and McNeile dashed up to snap the ball up and outpace the defenders to go over at the corner. The kick went wide, too much allowance being made for tl 10 wind. A great burst hy N. Brewer spelt danger for the blacks when his supports ranged up alongside, hut the defence rallied, while a mark hy Stubbs halted another advance by the visitors. However, the visitors brought the scores level when, from a free kick hy Dunn, which fell in front of the posts, Laurenson piled over only to lose tho hall. N. Brewer was liaiidy and ho pounced on the leather to he awarded the score. Taking the kick himself, lie goaled. Kowlini were quickly back and, with a rolling hall badly heating the defenders. Harford secured and “sold the dummy” prior to going over. N. Brower goaled. A few moments later Brewer, in going down to a rush, .sustained a kick on the hack and retired. Julian going on. The yellows continued to make the play till tlie close without further addition to their total: Ivowhai 10, Pirates 3.

Mr B. Holdswoi'th was tho referee

HOROWHENUA UNION. ; REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. Tlie weekly meeting of the Horo- ! whentia Rugbv Union was hold on 1 Tuesday, Mr J. W. Bishop occupying the chair in the absence of the president, Rev. Father Riordnn. The New Zealand Rugby Union wrote enclosing £8 13s Gd as the union’s share of the fees obtained, from the. broadcasting for the transmission of matches and results for the current year. —Received. On September 7 the Horowhenua senior representatives will play a return match with Manawatu at Palmerston North. In connection with the arrangements for the game, the Manawatu Rugby Union wrote advising that arrangements had been made for luncheon for the visiting players. The communication was received. Mr Casey stated that it had been decided to play the postponed junior North v. South trial game at Tuevin on September 4. Mr Devonshire asked if the game could not he played at Foxton as that town had not had a match other than the championship competition matches. He stated that the Foxton Rugby supporters would appreciate this action and moved that Foxton be the venue of the game. This was seconded by Mr Gillespie. As a notice of motion was necessary to alter the previous decision, a unanimous vote on the motion was required. On being asked to vote three members expressed themselves as being against the motion on tlie ground of the difficulty of getting the players from the southern end of the district to Foxton in time for the match. The chairman then ruled that the game be played at Levin. •

It is anticipated that the final of the Nash Cup competition will he played on September 14. The game in this competition on Saturday next will be played at Manakau, when Shannon will meet Hui Mai. Mr T. Pa rata was appointed referee. Mr Casey said that the manager of the Manawatu junior representative team on Saturday expressed appreciation of the hospitality that had been extended to his team, and said that the treatment they had received in Levin was the host yet. Mr Casey said that on that day lie had to go immediately after the visitors arrived to the ground and they had been left with Mr Rundle. That gentleman had looked after the team in fine style. The committee decided to express its appreciation to Mr Rundle. • PROLIFICSCORING.

Per Press Association. . TIMARU, Aug. 28. South Canterbury beat the touring Southland team to-day by 30 points to 17. The visitors led i 7—6 at the interval, but the home team scored 24 points in the second half, the backs staging brilliant, movements.

SCHOOL TOURNAMENTS. GREYTOAVN SERIES CONCLUDES. GREYTOAVN, Aug. 28. By defeating AVanganui in the final games of the AVellington district primary. schools’ quadrangular tourney, which concluded at Greytown to-day, Wairarapa took the banner for the first time for four 3 T ears. The win was very popular, the boys playing consistently good football throughout the tournament. To-day's games produced the best football of the touruev. although a liiijli wind again spoilt accurate handling and kicking. In tho early game AA'ellington outclassed Manawatu. Although they won only one out of three games, AA'ellington appeared to he the fastest and cleverest team in the competition. Manawatu, with the wind in their favour, held AA’ellington down to 6 —o in tho first spell, hut in the second half AVellington was the only team in the picture and ran out the winners by 20 points to nil. Tlie AA'a nga n u i-AA’a i rara pa match was an exciting encounter, the score standing at 3 all with about five minutes to go, when Paget, the Wairarapa skipper, scored a pretty try. AA’anganui wero the better team on the day, although full credit is due to the AA’airarapa lads who battled hard from the outset. AVairarapa now have one more wins to their credit than AVanganui since the inauguration of the tourney in 1916.

Following are tho positions of the teams us tlie result of this year’s games: —- Pst. Ch.

AVJN FOR TARANAKI. GAMES AT NEAV PLYMOUTH. Per Press Association. NEAV PLYMOUTH, Aug. 28. Taranaki again won the primary schools’ rectangular Rugby tournament. In the final matches, which were played to-day, Taranaki beat Hutt Valley l>y 8 points to 6, and Horowhenua beat Rangitikei by 16 points to 6. Taranaki won three games, Hutt A’alley two, Horowhenua one and Rangitikei none. Football of a high standard was provided. ’ SECONDARY SCHOOLS. Per Press Association. HA AVER A. Aug. 28. The second series of secondary school matches in connection with the Taranaki Rugby jubilee was played this afternoon. Auckland Grammar School beat Otago Boys’ High School, 3 points to nil; New Plymouth Boys’ High School heat Christchurch Boys’ High School, 9 points to 6.

W. L. D. for ngst. pts Wairarapa ... 2 0 1 14 9 5 Wanganui ... 1 1 1 17 12 3 Wellington ... 1 2 0 29 13 2 Manauatn ... 0 1 2 9 35 2