REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20941, 3 August 1931, Page 11

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY.

VICTORY FOR TARANAKI. AUCKLAND TEAM DEFEATED. ELEVEN POINTS TO NINE. SOLOMON SCORES TWO TRIES. [BY TELEGRAM. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] NEW PLYMOUTH, Saturday. The Taranaki Rugby representatives defeated Auckland to-day by 11 points to 9. Although the play was not brilliant, it was perhaps as bright as couldi be expected on a ground rendered very heavy by recent rains. There was no rain during the match, but the ball proved elusive. There was little difference in the strength of the teams. Solomon scored two tries for Auckland, the first being merely a race for the ball, but the second had much more merit. After half-time Guy scored for Taranaki and Collins converted. Satherley scored from a loose rush to increase Auckland's score to nine, none of the northern team's tries being converted. A penalty goal, kicked by Collins, brought Taranaki to within one point of Auckland, and play was very exciting in the last quarter of an hour. Taranaki became definitely superior for a time and a meritorious try was scored by Kinsella, giving Taranaki victory by two points. AUCKLAND UNLUCKY. BACKS LOSE OPPORTUNITIES. FORWARDS PLAY GREAT GAME. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NEW PLYMOUTH, Sunday. Auckland can be accounted rather unlucky in losing to Taranaki in yesterday's match and had there been an efficient goalkicker in the team the game should certainly have been drawn. In the first spell, with the Taranaki backs disorganised by the disablement of the centre threequarter, Watson, j.nd with the Auckland forwards winning nearly every scrum and most of the line-outs and also giving the defenders no peace, the visiting backs should have notched 20 points. That only two tries in this spell were scored by the übiquitous Solomon was a reflection of the failure of the Auckland backs as an attacking force. Conway gave his inside men every chance with swift, accurate pa:sses from the scrums and line-outs, but the fiveeighths, Vear and Smith, lacked ability to give the threequarter line the openings. During the whole of the first spell incessant Auckland attacks petered out in ineffectual kicking and smothered runs. The Auckland forwards, perhaps despairing of any help from the backs, seemed to lose their grip on the in the second spell and the Taranaki pack, playing with fresh vigour and sounder defence and aided by the magnificent line kicking of the fullback, Collins, retrieved the game for their side. The Auckland forwards gave a fine display in the tight and loose and their vigour in the first spel) proved too much for the home side. The hookers, Palmer and Souter, had a day out and with plenty of weight from the scrum got, the ball time after time. In the loose, too, Palmer was always on the ball. In the line-outs Satherley and Batty were always prominent. Solomon Satherley, Souter and Batty were splendid in the loose, giving the Taranaki half and five-eights little chance. Bunting spoilt his play by over-eagerness and was caught offside repeatedly. He gave Taranaki three points in the second spell, Collins kicking a fine goal. Solomon overshadowed Guy, the Taranaki rover. In scoring Auckland's first two tries he displayed fine anticipation and his speed and weight were used to full advantage. Altogether the Auckland pack gave a fine display, and had it received proper support from the backs would have paved the way for a comfortable win.

Among the Auckland backs Conway, behind the scrum, did all his work neatly and gamely. Vear, first five-eighths, lacked speed off the mark, but was otherwise sound. Smith was thus hampered and usually left Caughey in a hopeless position and the centre had few opportunities of displaying his speed and resource. The heaviness of the ground did not seem to suit him. Smith, however, tackled well. Of the two wings, Milliken was the most impressive. Both Taranaki's tries came from rushes down the wing and Stuart might have saved one had he found the line. Da vies, at fullback, was steady without being brilliant. His goal-kicking was weak and he missed one conversion in front of the goal. On defence the Taranaki backs were disorganised throughout the game. Watson, at centre, hurt his leg early and was a handicap to the side. Kinsella replaced W T atson just before half-time and although the former scored the final and most brilliaift try of the day, he did not fit in well in the chain of backs. Collins, at fullback, besides place-kicking well, found the line with great judgment. CANTERBURY WINS. DEFEAT OF WAIRARAPA. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. The speed and resourcefulness' of its backs gave Canterbury representatives a win over Wairarapa this afternoon by 28 points to 17. There were three penalty goals in Wairarapa's score and one in Canterbury's, but if Canterbury's goal kicking had been as good as that of Wairarapa, the margin would have been very much larger. The game was played in fine weather with a dry ball. The Wairarapa forwards were better in all-round play than Canterbury, but the visitors were not nearly so well served in the positions between the halfback and centre-threequarter. The Canterbury backs played with much more dash and versatility than the visitors. In the second half the Canterbury forwards livened up, but the backs were still the effective scoring combination. Mullan was the weak spot in the side. Many of his passes were slow and inaccurately given. Both Day and Oliver played splendid attacking games. Tries were scored for Canterbury by Williams (2), Hart, Day, Oliver (2) and Robinson. Oliver converted two tries and Innes kicked a penalty goal. For Wairarapa Stringfellow and McGregor scored tries. Fitzgerald converted one try and also kicked three penalty goals. MANAWATU BEATEN. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] PALMERSTON NORTH. Saturday. At Rugby to-day Horowhenua beat Manawatu by 9 points to 8 in a game that was Manawatu's to within five minutes of the final bell. The match was a forward scramble, played in a sea of mud. BULLER RETAINS SHIELD. [,BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WEST PORT, Saturday. The Buller Rugby representatives retained the Seddon Shield to-day against the second challenge of the season, defeating Golden Bay-Motueka by 11 points to 0. The match was played m wintry weather. Tries were scored by Gooaall and Holder, Graham converting one try and kicking a penalty goal.