City Beat Hikurangi In Senior Rugby League Final

Northern Advocate, 1 August 1938, Page 3

City Beat Hikurangi In Senior Rugby League Final

pLAYING UNDER THE WORST GONDIIICNS SEEN AT JUBILEE PARK THiiS SEASON, CITY ANNEXED THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP HONOURS BY THREE POINTS TO TWO IN THE FINAL GAME OF THE SECOND ROUND. Heavy rain throughout the week had made the ground soft and slippery, while light but persistent rain fell throughout the game, rendering conditions unpleasant for the spectat ors and impossible for good league. However, with the support of their strongest back line -of the year. City forwards dominated play, : There was no score until after 35 minutes' play, when Hikurangi secured a penalty, while City’s try came midway through the second spell. Playing a united team of Kamo, Whakapara and Kensington players. Mt. Albert Senior Reserve, from Auckland, suffered defeat B—s in the cur-tain-raiser. In the junior knock-out competition One Tree Point defaulted to Portland.

Senior Championship Final

Boot Predominates, Both teams were evidently playing to instructions in the early part of the game, not attempting to handle, but trying to gain ground with medium length punts bounding into touch until within safe striking distance of the goal. City took the Initiative when H. Burch started the backs away, and the movement went to Hikurangi’s line, but the ball crossed the dead line. Hikurangi retaliated, but Murray and Payne exploited the tactics which ultimately brought the best results of the game, storming the visitors’ line in a dribbling attack, while a few minutes later Frank Lester shone in a similar movement. Raisbeck secured and reversed the run of the game, giving charge to Taylor and Rod Hamilton, second five-eighth, who ran across to make an extra back on the blind side, but F. Lester’s tackling was very safe. Claude Hamilton essayed a long free kick at goal but the ball failed to rise.

Conditions could hardly have been more difficult for the final of the senior championship, but it was City forwards who finally prevailed on a sloppy field and under dripping skies, taking the title from Hikurangi by three points to two. Hikurangi’s powerful back line and compact scrum were right at the top of their form, but for this decisive match City were also able to field their best line-out of backs this season, and their formidable pack gloried in the wetness, making the most of circumstances which were, if anything, in their favour. Hikurangi secured a penalty goal late in the first spell, but City held a big territorial advantage throughout the second half, mid-way through which they scored the only try of the game. The remaining time was occupied at ,a torrid pace, but neither side could add to their score.

Hikurangi’s Penalty Goal. Up and down play followed, both teams still trying to use the side-line, and in this department City's fullback, Phil Child, shone, his handling of a very greasy ball with slippery field underfoot being remarkable. After 35 minutes’ play Hikurangi again came within striking distance and C. Hamilton - goaled with a free kick.

The final stages of the spell again found Hikurangi near the home side's line, after Raisbeck had found touch hi a handy position, but the backs were not able to finish their thrusts off. Taylor gathered in from a clearing kick and got away in a dribbling movement from which he appeared to cross, but was ruled off-side.

City wasted no time about getting into it after the oranges, and hammered the visitors’ line with series of thrusts. After a quarter of an hour’s play, from a scrum in a handy position V. Payne took command and dribbled the ball over to score a spectacular try, which Murray could not convert. Terrific Tackling. Although Hikurangi had had the best of the game in this respect City now began to hook a greater share of the ball. Raisbeck, the northern team’s half, was penalised for putting the ball into the scrum at his own forwards’ feet. City held play deep in Hikurangi ground, and Vaughan came close to scoring, Hikurangi then reversed play and for a quarter of an hour had City guessing with a series of attacks with the whole team striving their hardest, and it was only City’s terrifie tackling that kept their line intact.

in the closing' ..times City forward;' j against worked back to the visitors' territory. S. Hollows, playing in Unpack. being particularly prominent. ’ but time sounded with no addition to the score, iVIr .1 ltd! .litpablj controlled the i no,