Still Unconquered

NZ Truth, Issue 1029, 15 August 1925, Page 13

Still Unconquered

Hawkes Bay Successfully Defend Shield Against Southland

At Napier on Saturday last the holders of the Ranfurly Shield defeated Southland by 31 points (nine tries, two converted) to 12 (two tries, * one converted, and a potted goal. This marked the seventeenth occasion on which Hawkes Bay have defended the Shield successfully. Nepia, who since the Waikato match has been nunsing a * "leg" was unable to take his place m the Bay team, Kivell. being substituted,, but he, too, suff 9 r.ed an injury fn the •arlypart of the, game, necessitating G. Yates going on m his stead. Otherwise f the team was the same that opposed Canterbury.

■ This was the first occasion since •winning the Shield that Hawkes Bay ■ were opposed by a good, solid Opack, consequently, after their pack's H*Jndifferent display against Canterbury H three days previously, misgivings were Hfelt as ,to what Southland^ vanguard Hjlwould accomplish on Saturday last. ■ After the first few minutes those Hi misgivings vanished, owing to B Brownlie and Co. demonstrating ; B that they were the redoubtable B_. pack of this"|last tw!o years, also Bf that their form against Canterbury was all wrong. . , -• . ■La] > strong, bitterly cold, wind / blew down the field, and, losing the the Bay had to play against this, it did not let up during the whole so as far as that advantage concerned the teams broke even. difference m the weight of the packs was but slight, if anything m the challengers' favor. the wind to assist, Southland the first few minutes rushed play the Bay's goal-line, and soon, per of Hazlett scored a converted the Bay's full-back, re- . much abuse on the bank ■■for fumbling the ball and giving E^Baway the try, but he did not deH^Eerve or earn such. HB, c ' ball that he tried to field was a > tricky one, and apt to beat far HBKtei- men than he. Hazlett, who was j^^Hlowing up fast, took it on his -toe, bB^BcI, with no opposition, scored. B^Bvith the score 8 all just before the HHmination of the- first spell, Kilby m and at a difficult angle drop■BH 1 a stunning goal. The try which the Bay 8 all was very lucky, HHB a. most glaring forward pass enBBHed them to score. The referee was BHa far behind at the time to see. the wind, and the position HH] out, it looked long, odds that Bill DBSine could not convert, but he did. BHH-s finishing up with a lucky contgßßßlsion to a no less lucky try. H^BVhen the kicker sent the ball on its SBBb)' jt appeared that he would miss HEMgf mark by a .dozen or more feet. HK the wind caught it, and it just HBJBBmmed over the bar. jttßfrio sooner had the second spell H^HSfcomrpenced when all considered it tBBBv ? only a matter of how many 398' Bay would win by. In this WSBk I Southland's- line was crossed SK&B9 :n .times, while they hardly ..iaged to cross the half-way, and never once did they appear. 9H dangerous. HHhe game against Canterbury 1888/arked wonders on the "holders," and Bwe could hardly believe they were ■Be same team. The forwards showed EE^B.^ most -improvement, 'their: team ■HBkrk and passing rushes being, right 888 to their best. form. In all depart-' JBH&nts' they were superior to the big Hj^Vd" men, with the .exception of ■HKoking— that being about fifty-lifty.

Cyril Brownlie, for the first time this season, was his real self. " Every year this big fellow takes until well ,on m the season before getting fit. On Saturday he was m everything going. Brother Maurice was, as usual a crack-, a-jack. > On the day's play the best all-round forward on the ground was undoubtedly Sam Gemmell. He played wonderfully, especially m the loose, while his two tries could not be surpassed by an international back. Considering that Hawkes Bay possesses two international hookers m Irvine and Kirkpatrick, it is strange how they do not get more of the ball: Canterbury had it well on them, and now* last week . they just managed? to share. honors. Against Auckland last j r ear,/Wylle and Kirkpatrick hooked the oval 80 per cent., while on June 3 Wylie and Irvine got the lion's share against Wairarapa. It is ''evident Kirkpatrick and Bill Irvine do not suit each other. The backs all played up to form, although the three three-quarters, as well as Corkill, had to be patched up. Although Jimmy Mill did not get. his usual try, he hardly made a mistako. No matter how the ball comes to Paewai he gathers it. m. at times his grourid f|elding,is nothing else but uncanny. Louie, Avhere did you lose that tricky butt m you had two years ago? Not once m rep. games this season have you attempted to beat your man. Southland's pack played a real good game, the pick being Richardson. Hazlett, Burt and Alley, but were up against better men. Their backs, with the exception of the half-back. Kilby, although safe were but mediocre, Murray, on the wing, played a nice game, never missing a pass or a ball. Bell on one or two occasions gave glimpses of old form, but, taken, all round, he is not the player of a few seasons back. As a half-back, Kilby is m the Dominion's first flight, but, like Mill, he has a fine pack m front of him. Mr. Bill Meredith's exhibition of refereeing was top hole, ■ while nothing better has been seen m Napier. He had a very clean game to control.