Mangonui Thirds

Northern Advocate, 12 August 1948, Page 2

Mangonui Thirds

Withholding Bay of Islands’ challenge for the Powell Shield to the tune of 12 points to three at Kaitaia on Saturday, the 1948 Mangonui thirdgrade representative Rugby team created a fine impression on its first appearance. Repeatedly driving through the heavier challengers’ pack, the forwards staged what has been described as the finest exhibition of any grade in the Far North this year, while the backs held an admittedly classy opposition to such good effect that the visiting rearguard scored only one try. With halfback and captain Hoddle the only player who was also a member of last season’s third-grade representatives, and without the benefit of anything but trial games together, the Mangonui boys put up an outstanding performance. In the absence through sickness of D. Yelavich (School), F. Moore was promoted leader of the pack. He justified this confidence in the first two minutes of the game with a brilliant forward try and continued to play a leader’s game throughout. Although his best support came from P. and D Jones and Nathan, the Mangonui eight, as a whole, played the game right from the book. Twice they carved clean through to carry the ball to the Bay goal. That the enterprising Bay backs could not make more headway was due largely to stout defence by Hoddle and his five-eighths, H. Kapa and Queenin. REPLACEMENTS MAKE GOOD Also absent through sickness was the selected centre, N. Berghan. The replacement was T. Brake. who moved in from the wins to give an unusually solid display. Both the emergency winger, M. Leafe, and his nartner, P. Kapa notched good tries H. Kapa also scored later in the game. Spectators would have been pleased to see the challengers in action on a dry day. Wingers Healy and L. Cherrington both impressed with speed and determination, and halfback N. Moore did his utmost with the major share of the ball fed out by P. Ngawhati from the second spell s set scrums. A tendency for the inside backs to hang on a shade too long was all that enabled the fast-roving Mangonui boys to stifle their attacks. Both teams performed wonders with the sod'den ball, the length of their clearing kicks being an eye-opener.