SECOND ROUND OF OTAMATEA SERIES

Northern Advocate, 31 May 1937, Page 9

SECOND ROUND OF OTAMATEA SERIES

northern rugby

The second round of the Otamatea Rugby Union’s series opened on Saturday under somewhat greasy conditions underfoot. At Paparoa, Maungaturoto avenged their first round defeat by the home Side and emerged ‘the winners of a hard tussle by six points to nil. Matakohe travelled to Kaiwaka b*it the best they could do was a draw, three all. It was a game of lost opportunities on both sides, with the visitors perhaps the greatest sufferers in this respect. Mr K. Montaine refereed. Results■ J Senior». ■')’ Maungaturoto 6, Paparoa 0. Kaiwaka 3, Matakohe 3.; Juniors. Kaiwaka defaulted to Matakohe. Waipu 17, Marohemo 3. United 12, Mangawai 3.

PAPAROA AND MAUNGATUROTO. As was only to be expected with such a greasy ball, these two old rivals found it impossible to turrt bn a first-class exhibition of Rugby, but what the game lacked in this respect it more than made up in speed and interest. r Placed at a rattling clip all the way, with no let up by either side, it was one of the brightest games seen this season. sarly in the first half it was apparent the visitors, Maungaturoto, were too heavy in the pack for their lighter opponents and that Paparoa were going to be starved for the ball.

Such proved to be the case as the heavier blue and blacks used their weight to advantage, and, once they obtained a six-point lead, they were never in serious danger. The Paparoa tackling—and there was a lot of it—was, on the whole, quick and deadly ; .and, Maurtgaturoto handled better, their repeated attacks were quickly broken , up. .< The handling by some of the home backs suffered by comparison with the visitors, although the greasy bail made this department of the game a very tricky affair. The opening stages were rather ragged with Maimgaturoto Clearly on top. Paparoa settled down, however, and, for a while, moire than held their own, showing better control of, the ball than in the early part of the game. ' : ” i . Play had been in progress for 35 minutes when the blues stormed the home line, where Bakalich secured from a scrimmage and with a dazzling cut-in was nearly over. From 'the resultant scramble Fergus secured and handed on to Ross Cullen, who went unopposed. It was Bakalich’s try. Les Snelling found the greasy ball hard to raise and Maungaturoto led at half-time, 3 —nil. The second half was characterised by sweeping forward rushes by both sides that kept the spectators on their toes and the full-backs of both teams working hard. The weight told, however, in the end and Paparoa were in a bad way when Rex Cullen finished off a blue forward rush by dribbling over to score in a handy position. B. Cullen could do nothing with the kick and Maungaturoto led 6—o.

From then on to the end, Paparoa battled away desperately to wipe out the deficit but the visiting defence held and time was called with no alteration in the score.—Maungaturoto 6, Paparoa 0. The teams were:— Paparoa; T. Homan, G. Parker, L. Gurney, B. Fenwick, Whitehead, Lysart, G. Sutherland, B. Wilson, J. J. Scandall, W. Rawson, Dodds, Jenkins, H. Hall, T. Humphries. Maungaturoto: J. Burke, Woods, T. Pasley, R. Cullen, B. Cullen, N. Barach, K. Fergus, L. Snelling, M. Ivy, N. Fergus, R. Cullen, J. Jones, Jones, L. Hudspith, Bakalich.