REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20959, 24 August 1931, Page 11

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

VICTORY FOR AUCKLAND.

DEFEAT OF HAWKE'S BAY. FIVE POINTS BETWEEN TEAMS. The return Rugby match between A nekLand and Hawke's Bay, played at Eden Park on Saturday, was won by Auckland by J9 paints to 14, the home team thus avenging the defeat it suffered at Napier a few weeks ago, when the score in favour of Hawke's Bay was 19 points to 8. The weather was beautifully fine on Saturday, enticing over 10,000 spectators to the ground. The playing area was in splendid order. Although a great deal of the play was not oi; a high standard, the game was most interesting to follow, as first one side and then the other took the lead. With the score at 19 to 9 in Auckland's favour the game looked a foregone conclusion, but Hawke's Bay was not done with, a converted try reviving interest in the play. Up to the last ten minutes Cooke had not been particularly prominent, as he was too well marked. It was during this period, however, that hp became very dangerous. iHe got within a few yards of the line on one occasion and his fast following and backing up of players in possession made him appear liable to score more than once.

Hawke's Bay maintained its reputation of being able to produce oversize forwards, the visitors' pack on Saturday being much bigger and heavier than that of Auckland. The extra weight was of material advantage in the scrums, but the ball did not come out cleanly on many occasions. This hanging fire enabled the Aucklanders to check passing rushes in their early stages and also permitted the smothering of Cooke before he could muster tip speed. Weakness at Five-eighths. The Auckland forwards played well and it was their fine work in the second spell which won the game. Batty played a very fine game, while Finlayson, Palmer and Knight were very consistent. The backs gave an in-and-out exhibition, due to a weakness in the five-eighths line. Although he made one or two bad mistakes, Macindoe played a very lair game, but Jamieson once mere demonstrated that the policy of the selector in persisting with him is quite unwarranted. The Hawke's Bay backs were solid, but lacked brillaney. Yates. the fullback, did some fine kicking, while his tackle of Caaghey when the Auckland centre was going at full speed for the line was a brilliant effort. Although lacking a great deal of his former dash, Cooke is still a great opportunist and a cooa man to have on any side. Grensidc has slowed down a lot since the South African tour. Setford proved himself to be a very versatile halfback. Steere. Campbell. Anderson and FitzEribbon were most conspicuous in the forwards, the first-named doing great work on the line out. Campbell sustained a knock on a nerve at the back oi the knee and had to be carried off, but the injury was not a serious one. The teams were as follows: — Hawke's Bay.—Fullback, Yates: threequarters, Smith, Grensiide. M. Howell; five-eighths, Cooke, E. Howell: halfback, Setford; wing-forward, McKay; forwards, Tucker, J. Gemroell, Anderson, Steere, Campbell. Fitzgibbon,, Wilson. Auckland. —Fullback. Da vies; threequarters. Milliken. Caugbey, Hutchison; five-eighths. Jamieson, Macindoe: halfback, Corner; wing-forward, Solomon; forwards, Satherley, Bunting, b mlayson, Knight, Batty, Palmer, Hadley. Batty Opens Scoring. Hawke's Bay won the toss and played against the sun. Auckland secured the ball from the early scrums and play went down to the visitors' line. McKay was penalised for going round a scrum too quickly, but Davies made a poor attempt at goal. Satherley broke away, but passed wildly. Milliken received the ball at the end of a passing rush and centred, Seiford saving a dangerous situation by marking. Fast following up by the Auckland forwards took play to the Hawke s Bav twenty-five. Hadley secured the ball, and. after a short run, passed to Battv, who dived over beside the post. Corner converted. Auckland, 5; Hawne s Bay, 0. An offside penally against- an Auckland forward enabled Cooke to find touch inside the home team's twenty-five. Another similar penalty followed and Yates kicked a goal from ten yards beyond the twenty-fives line. Auckland, o; Hawke's Bay. 3. _ Cooke used the t-oocbline a good deal, to the advantage of his side. The Hawke's Buy backs got going and Cooke made a fast dash before passing to Grensi.de, v.bo was tackled with the ball. Knight was well ofnside and Yates had a shot fj'orrt well beyond the twenty-five, but the bail went wide. A minute or two later trie Hawke's Bay fullback was successful with a kirk from almost the same place, the pena.ltv this time being for the ball not going "fairly into the scrum. Hawke's Bav "6; Auckland. 5. A Brilliant Tackle.

A loose rush by the Hawke s Bay forwards reached Auckland's line, where a penaltv gave the home team much-needed relief." There followed a great thrill tor the crowd. Setford fielded a ground pass brilliantly but transferred widely to Cooke, enabling Caugbey to secure possession. Caughev ran past Yates, who, However. timed a dive to the fraction of a second and brought Caughey to earth. Hutchison was backing up and be picked up the ball and touched down wide out. Da.vies failed at goal, and the whistle sounded for half-time with the score:— Auckland, 8: Hawke's Bay, 6. The second spell had been in progress but five minutes when Milliken was penalised for lying on the ball, and iates placed the "visitors in the lead once more. Hawke's Bay, 9: Auckland, 3. Tlie crowd barracked the Auckland backs for giving a display of basketball passing. A good piece of work by Batty, Satberley and Finlayson gained 40 yards of ground for Auckland. Davies ra.n between Gren.side and M. Howell and >;et up a passing rush which developed into a dribbling iren. Yates saved just as Finlayson dived on him near the Hawke's Bav line. Auckland was awarded a penalty at the twenty-five and Davies k'cked a goal. Auckland, 11 j Hawke s Bav. 9. .. Auckland's score was increased immediately. Milliken received the ball at the P'ld r 'f a passing rush, and, evading Smith's tackle, be set. off for _ the line, which he crossed after side-stepping Yates. It was a fine trv. which Pa vies failed to convert. Auckland. 14: Hawke's Bay, 9Caught Unawares. Solomon kicked to an open space and th® ball was smartly followed up. There was quick passing at close quarters, Palmer, taking the ball finally from Batty and getting over near the posts before the Hawke's Bay players realised what had happened. " Corner converted. Auckland, 19: Hawke's Bay, 9. The Auckland for,cards were now playing great football, giving the backs mrmerOGS opportunities. Campbell was injured and'had to be earned off. Roils replacing b'm. Steere gained possessi on in tils loose snd p&sSBQ to Cooke, who was brought down in front of Auckland's goal Fitzgibbon was bandy and he dived over from the succeeding loose* scrum. Setford converted. Auckland. 19: Hawke's Bay, 14. Hawke's Bav made strenuous efforts in the last five minutes, sustaining the interest of the crowd, A penaltv gave Auckland relief, and then Solomon broke through to the opposing fullback, but bo bung on until tackled. The game ended:»— Auckland, 19; Hawke's Bay, 14. Mr, A. EL Austin -sras referee.