Inter-High School Rugby at Feeding

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 183, 5 August 1938, Page 3

Inter-High School Rugby at Feeding

FBSLDING’S SUCCESS AGAINST HAWERA In bleak weather conditions at Johnston Park, Feilding, yesterday afternoon the Hawera District High School Rugby team, was defeated by the Feilding Agricultural High School team by 15 points to 3 in an entertaining exhibition of the code. The boys played good Rugby and despite the cold weather conditions were honoured by the presence of a large gallery of supporters. The teams were:— Feilding: Swinburn, Lupton, Smith, Couper, Mitchell, Hayw’ard, Te Punga, Shepherd, Johnson, D. G. Boys, Ropiha, Cuming, Craddock, J. H. Boys, Tootell. Hawera: Freeman, Marshall, Smart, Head, Goodwin, Hawe, Johnson, Kirkby, Armstron, Clark, McKay, Peacock, Booker, Duffill, Den by. Overcoming the aggressive opening onslaught of tho visitors, Feilding forwards pressed to the visitors near territory and from the rucking the leather passed through an opening to Mitchell, who registered a nice field goal. 4—o.

The visitors maintained an active offensive, but soon lost ground as the home backs came into action and a particularly bright assault was staged by Mitchell and Te Punga, the latter taking a beautiful pass on the visitors’ twenty-five yard line. His bid for a try, however, was arrested, and replying to this thrust, Goodwin broke through with Hawera in full cry. The pass out to Smart was forward, but despite this check tho visitors pressed on to Feilding’s territory. It was not long before the home pack won the advantage and a particularly clean back line movement, opened by To Punga, the worthy scrum half, ended in Smith scoring wide out. The leather went from Te Punga to Hayward, to Mitchell, to Smith, being handled to perfection. Ropiha’s kick missed. 7 —o. Twelve minutes of the play had hardly passed when Te Punga initiated another bright movement from the halfway line. Cutting in nicely, Te Punga sent on to Hayward, to Mitchell, who made a nice run to register close to the uprights. D. G. Boys converted. 12— -0.

Resuming, Johnson, the visitors’ halfback, accepted from Hayward and jinked his way through the opposition in good style, only to fall to Hayward, who found the tonchline in the visitors ’ twenty-five. The defending forwards held their ground and from the line-out Smart gathored possession and, cutting in, made a great run to Feilding’s tweuty-iivo before he was thrown out by Te Punga. Tho greasy leather and the slippery ground was now mailing it difficult for the players to handle at all well and while the backs had a share of the play, they were unable to assert themselves in face of the conditions. Feilding recovered to penetrate rather dangerously and Marshall carried the leather over. From the scrum Johnsop. sent out to Hawo cleanly and the five-eighth brought his supports to Feilding’s territory in a particularly fine effort. The home side was now facing a keen battle and soon infringed while endeavouring to break away. Peacock’s kick fell short. The enterprise of Hawe, coupled with the initiative of Goodwin, kept fhe visitors on the attack in Feilding’s territory and as the interval came the visitors infringed on Feilding’s goalline, enabling Ropiha to clear. The visitors attacked on resuming, Smart carrying play to Feilding’s territory, where their stubborn stand was broken by an infringement, Ropiha clearing. Freeman stayed a dribbling rush, but the leather came out to Johnson, who punted deep into Hawera’s near territory’. Staging a vigorous recovery, the visiting forwards sent the Feilding pack back and when Ropiha endeavoured to break this assault ho found a sturdy resistance in Hawera’s half-back. From tho serum Hawera gained territory, but Hayward intercepted and brought Feilding to a handy assault position. The home side battled hard to bring off a decisive thrust, but the defenders were equal to the attack and after a long struggle Armstrong led the breakaway to Feilding’s twentyfive. In the rucking here Hawo was given a beautiful opening for a field goal, but tho heavy and greasy leather proved too difficult to handle and the kick missed. Duffili shone out in the tight play inside Feilding’s twenty-five, but the promise of a try was lost when Ropiha intercepted to break through and carry play back to the visitors’ twenty-five. For some minutes Hawera had the upper hand and with play on Feilding’s goallino it appeared that the visitors would open their score account. Forced back, Feilding carried the leather over, and from the scrum Hayward kicked to the touch-line, bringing relief. From the line-out Head broke through and made a thrust which porduced the play responsible for Feilding’s neglect of the off-side rule. Hard pressed, the backs were caught out of position with play under their goal and Hawe had no difficulty in registering a penalty goal. 12—3. Shortly afterwards the home side took charge and a pretty back line movement ended in Smith scoring wide out. Tho kick missed. 15—3. At this stago Marshall was obliged to retire, Muir filling the gap. In the final few minutes Hawera attacked vigorously and thanks to the nimble work of Te Punga Feilding survived several dangerous thrusts. The game ended with the score 15—3 in favour of Feilding. Basketball Match. In the basketball match the Feilding High School team was successful against the Hawera team by 13 goals to 10. The match was played in showery weather. Visitors Entertained. The visiting teams were entertained

to a picture party on Wednesday evening and last evening were the guests at a school social and dance. They will return to Hawera this afternoon. FALSE ALARM. The district superintendent of a certain railway which shall remain nameless has always made a special point of insisting that stationmasters shall send in a full report at once of any accident, however small, that happens. Recently he received the following urgent message. “Man fell from platform in front of moving train. Will send further details later. ’ ’ j After waiting for what seemed an age, the superintendent at last received the second message. “Everything O.IC Nobody injured. Engino was going backwards.”