DISAPPOINTING GAME AGAINST TARANAKI

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7018, 18 September 1929, Page 10

DISAPPOINTING GAME AGAINST TARANAKI

Home Side Fails

WEAK TACKLING AND LOST OPPORTUNITIES

In its last home representative game of 1929 season, Manawhenua profoundly disappointed its supporters when it was trounced 15 —3 by a weak Taranaki touring team. The home team was weakened by tike absence of Johnson, Tatana, W. Partita and T. Parata, who were playing for the Western Maori team in Wellington, but Taranaki was also without three of its best men owing to the same reason. At no stage of the game did the representatives of the combined union look like the team whith defeated the Ranfurly shield holders the previous week and perhaps by reason of the contrast, the spectators wore the more disappointed. Early in the game Manawhenua received a severe set back when Strango had to go off, and thereafter the fifteen could do very little right. Further casualties on both sides caused more disorganisation and the game rapidly deteriorated into a wretched display. Weather conditions could not be blamed, for they were very similar to those which favoured the Southland game. Tarauaki .although it won, was net a strong team, and had the home side rallied, might have fared as did the shield holders.

But while Manawhenua failed to rise to the occasion and survive adversity, Taranaki made the best of a bad job and in the second spell, improved as the home-side deteriorated.

Although lighter than Manawhenua, tho Taranaki pack played vigorous rugby, and led by Walter, Murphy, Gargen and McLean, had tho bettor of the exchanges. Manawhenua hooked the leather in the scrums fairly well, but bad packing often bottled the ball up when it should have come out.

There was one very obvious weakness in the Manawhenua rearguard and that was the connecting link between

forwards and backs —the half back. In his previous game against Southland, Bull played quite a fair game but last Wednesday his passes were so bad that they broke up the home attack before it commenced. ‘ Then Akuira at first eighths went back to his old habit of holding on too long, with the result that he badly handicapped Riddell outside him. Riddell also was off his game and let quite a lot pass him. Fletcher was perhaps the only one of the home backs who did not go' to pieces, but even ho was patchy. WasIcy, however, at full back stood up to a lot ofi solid work and saved his side very often. His line kicking lacked the accuracy of Johnson’s work, but his tackling was sound and he went down well to a number of rushes. Walker, on his wing, was good on occasions, but on others,' far from impressive. Against a strong defence, Walker loses a lot of his dash. N. Bramwcll, who went to Strange’s wing after that player was listed as a casualty, did his best in an unaccustomed position, but was not an outstanding success.

One of the best ba?ks on the field was the Taranaki centre, Hunt, wEo also went in to the five-eighths line later in the game. Grant, who partnered Owen in the inside back Hue was placed as an experiment and proved a success, while Owen, who has been rather patchy during the season, played a .very sound game. Collins, the Taranaki full back was safe and gave a very sound exhibition. Neither Hammond nor Crawford, the wing threequarters, was impressive and left gio-st of the attacking work to the inside men. Hohaia at half was patchy; at times he kept things moving well, but on other occasions proved slovenly 1 . Summers, Galpin, and Conrad were the best of the Manawhenua forwards, with Waldin performing very capably ns rover.