Where Otago Failed

NZ Truth, Issue 1035, 26 September 1925, Page 11

Where Otago Failed

WAIRARAPA ADDS TO ITS LAURELS

(From "Truth's" Wairarapa Rep.)

With one or two notable exceptions, Wairarapa's rep. record this season has been most creditable, and they added to their laurels m the last home representative fixture of the season by defeating Otago by 21to 12.

It sounds a healthy win, but there wasn't all that difference between the teams. An analysis of the score shows that Otago scored three tries to Wairarapa's four. Frank Booth's splendid goal-kicking was a great factor m assisting Wairarapa's score to reach such respectable dimensions. The Otago scores were all the result of splendidly executed passing movements among the backs. On the other hahd, Wairarapa's tries were m.ore the result of individual play. The Otago backs were better on attack than defence, and it was the result of profiting by their mistakes that Wairarapa scored as often as they did. They were frequently found out of position, and the fondness of Donnelly (full-back) for running up too far, and his failure to get back m time for the return kick, let Otago m for a lot of trouble. The blue three-quarter line was a good attacking combination. The wingers, Peterson and Webb, had the heels of their opponents, and but for the fact that they were mostly given little room to. work m would have done even better than a try apiece. At centre, Cnllander showed' great attacking qualities, taking his passes while going at top, and making for the goal line by the shortest route. -The two five-eighths, however, were not up to the standard of the three-

quarter line, and constituted the principal weakness of the blue backs. Frank Booth had a day out, scoring no less than fifteen of Wairarapa's 21 points. Two tries, a penalty goal, and three converted tries made up his tally. Hood has all the qualifications of a good full-back, except the speed to •cope with a , fast side-stepping winger. Viv. Flaws was behind the Wairarapa pack, and went well, despite the fact that an injured shoulder made him go a bit canny m the hard stuff towards the finish. In the last quarter of an hour they were a beaten pack, and let the Wairarapa forwards through and down on their backs. For Wairarapa Moncrieff fully jus-, tified his inclusion,, being always up with the play m the loose rushes. Reside, Fairbrother and Desmond also did well, and O'Dowd used his height to advantage on the line-out. Sewell, the Star hooker, played m the absence of Turei, and Wairarapa lost nothing by the change. He ; was into everything, and was one of the best tacklers on the green side. • Jim Donald did not show up as prominently as usual, finding it necessary to abandon to a great, extent his usual rover game find keep a watchful eye on Pierce, one of the best visiting wing-forwards seen locally this season.