HARDING SHIELD RUGBY

Northern Advocate, 13 July 1936, Page 3

HARDING SHIELD RUGBY

MATCHES IN NORTHERN ZONE

WINS FOR MANGONUI AND SOUTH HOKIANGA

[Special to “Northern Advocate.”] KAITAIA, This Day.

Played at Kohukohu befoie a ie~ cord crowd of spectators, and with ideal conditions prevailing, Mangonui commenced their representative games for the Harding Shield with a convincing win against North Hokianga. Though Mangonui scored five tries to one, Hokianga, territorially had the same advantages, but. weak passing and poor backing up, along with the visitors’ splendid tackling, staved off several likely scoring movements. The teams were as follows: — North Hokianga: Ogle, M. Te Tai, Eruera, Dunn, Pearson, McFarlane, Anderson, Horran, Ling, Brown, Noa, Barber. Te Tai, Harrison, Cook.

Mangonui: Porter, H. Yates, Dysart, Bergan, Barlow, Jameson, Robb, Richards, Johnson, Wright, Yates, Napier, Roberts, McCracken and Allen. Mangonui kicked off, and immediately were on the attack. H. Yates took a neat mark, but his drop kick fell short. The home team then took charge, and a burst of short passing between. the forwards looked dangerous, but Porter was equal to the occasion.

Shortly afterwards. Hokianga had the misfortune to lose their full-back, Ogle, who was knocked out in repulsing a strong forward rush by the visitors. Kendall, replaced him.’ From a scrum, Barlow secured and short-punted through to follow up fast and score Mangonui’s first try. M. Yates converted.

The Hokianga forwards carried all before them in a great rush but were Tield up by an infringement in front of the posts. From the scrum, a penalty kick was awarded. Pearson goaled with the simplest of kicks making the score five points to three.

From the kick-off it was the visitors’ turn, all the forwards fanning out in 1 a perfect dribbling rush. Roberts was awarded the try. Hokianga had two penalty kicks from just outside the quarter way, but Pearson’s kicking was poor. However, the Mangonui forwards, with McCracken and Allen playing with exceptional dash, were soon to the fore. From a loose scrum near the line, Allen picked up and dived over, Yates made no mistake with a neat goal fairly wide out.

Allen was again prominent with a great solo effort from half-way, but his pass to McCracken, who went over by the posts, was . forward. Dunn, Hokianga’s flying winger, thrilled the crowd with a great effort, but Porter threw him out at the corner flag with a beautiful tackle. Half-time came with the score 13 —3. in Mangonui’s favour.

Hokianga tried hard to justify the crowd’s confidence in them, but could do nothing right. Eruera did not improve matters with two more penalty kicks at goal. The visitors came again, and, from a ruck, Jameson threw a long pass to Barlow, who cut out two or three opponents to send Dysart over between the posts. Once again M. Yates converted. The home team were unlucky when Bergan just beat Te Tai in a thrilling race to force down, but Mangonui were having a day out and were soon on the attack again. All the backs and a forward or two besides, handled for Bergan to score a spectacular try wide out. Yates’ kick was a poster. With time up Hokianga, at last, managed to cross the visitors’ line, all the backs handling for Te Tai to finish off the movement. McFarlane converted with a splendid kick, and time was then called,, with the score: Mangonui 2J, Hokianga 8.

For the winners, McCracken, Allen and Johnson were the pick of a fine set of forwards. R. Barlow and Porter were the best of the rearguard. Hokianga’s best forwards were undoubtedly Barber and Clark. Eruera, Dunn and McFarlane were the pick of the backs. Mr* G. Hyde was referee.