MUDLARKS

Opunake Times, 30 June 1939, Page 2

MUDLARKS

OPEN PLAY IMPOSSIBLE OKAIAWA JUST ON TOP (By “Arm-Chair”) Any one of the thirty players who toft the Opunake ])omam at the conclusion of the senior by match on Saturday would have qualified for a place in a party of niprper minstrels. Faces

streaked with mud, they were liardly recognisable after a gruelling game of “catch-as-catch [•an” in blinding hailstorms and lashing rain. Their lot was most unenviable. It would have been futile to expect an open era mo after ten minutes of play had robbed the ball of all life and reduced it to a squelflyv. slippery sphere of leather. Things had come to a pretty pass when such, fine attacking backs as Meuli. Tat Toro and Mosley were required in resort to speculators, but that was the best which could have been done. The. strong- defence of the visitors was a factor which had the effect of rendering- the home attack of little avail. Practically the whole of the Okaiawa backs were capable of long-range kicking with a surprising degree of accuracy, and it was this type of play which, confounded the best efforts of the Opunake forwards. Tf the need of the home team in this respect had been filled just as adequately, it is certain that the position would have borne even closer relation to stalemate. Taranaki selector C. Brown must have been duly impressed with the hooking ability of L. Dobbin, as the Opunake forward coach secured a ticket on the first vacancy in the front row for the Wellington game, and as it happened, was called upon fill a gap when Joyce retired Seldom in the current season has Tamatea had such a wealthy service from the scrums, and it is only to be regretted that conditions were not such as to allow full use to l)e made of it. On a dry day, the new combination of Tamatea, King and Mosley, which, incidentally, seems destined to stay put, may have “brought home the bacon,” and indeed there were flashes of its possibilities, though mainly _ in individual efforts at penetration. His full-back experience qualified Mosley to adopt the role of staunch defender, and his worth was realized times without number. By anticipating movements, he was on hand whenever required, and performed a tremendous amount of work.

A vastly improved team wliicli may produce surprises in the second round, Waimate is tlio team against which Opunake will try conclusions tomorrow, playing, for the third successive time on the home ground. By holding Kaponga to a. narrow margin, and almost securing a draw, last week, Waimate demonstrated that the last word has not yet been said in the selection of the South Taranaki champion for 1939, although its chance of securing the award for itself is, like Opunake/s beyond recall. In the first round meeting, Opunake was fortunate to escape without a beating, a rally in the second spell producing the required total of points, so that the contest tomorrow will probably be a close one. Lessons from Wellington The visiting Wellington team assumed the role of tutor in the representative game at Hawera on Wednesday, and, as befitted the position, wielded the cane in no uncertain manner. Those who went expecting to see Taranaki triumph were doubtless disappointed, but they could hardlv grudge admitting that the price of admission was a just charge for an exhibition of sparkling Rugby. _ Amazing ball control, acceptance of passes from every ang'e and penetrative powers made the visiting back-line as forceful ar* attacking unit as any province has produced for many years. TindilVs genius was the basic capital investment, and the interest came from the wonderfully co-ordinated movements of the back line. There were no weak links in the chain, and, while each man individually was capable of making a substantial gain, the orthodox style of wing attacks > was > followed faithfully. By cutting in, however, and re-verse-passing, the wingers enabled the whole process to be repeated with results which spoke for themselves. Such a splendid attacking machine was not likely to he neglected by the Wellington forwards whose primary objective was to set it moving. By their loose play, the Taranaki forwards were able to counter to a degree the aggresiveness of the opposing backs, and success in the set scrums also limited 4 a-: opportunities of the visitors. At full-back, Dance provided an object lesson in positional play, being rarely out of lire picture when the Taranaki attar k endeavoured to find tin.; nap with a forcing kick, while his touchfinding was a valuable aid to the defence. Opposite him, Johns was equally sound, and he shamed the rest of the backs with bis effective tackling. It appears that the fivo-eiehth nrnblem has not yet been solved for the province, and it mar remain so until a pair of inside backs can be found with talent at least equal to that of Thomas and Thompson. Even t a kino- into consideration the fact that there has been no opportunity to de-

veiop combination, the handling and general understanding in tne home attack were atrociously weak, and, until this fault Js corrected little hope can be held' ior a successful" back-line. Referee Appointments Referee appointments for tomorrow’s fixtures in the Coastal division are; Juniors: Ukato v. Rahofu, at Jlahotu, 2.30 p. m . Mr. J. Moron. Raitake v. (Jpuuakc at Opunake, 2.30 p.m. Mr. 1L J). Spence. Third grade: Opunake v. Rahotn at Opunake, 1.15 p.m., Mr E. 0. Crossman. Warea v. Kapong i, at Rapohga, 1.16 p.m., to be appointed.