A GREAT GAME

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10891, 19 July 1928, Page 5

A GREAT GAME

SHIELD GOES TO WAIMIMPt i COOKE’S PLAY SUPERB Electric Telegraph—Trees A ssoeiation CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Canterbury lost the Ranfurly Shield by the narrow margin of one point to-day when they were beaten by Wairarapa by two tries, one converted, to a potted goal and a penalty goal. Canterbury lost many opportunities and to that extent tuck was against them. But the Wairarapa side was unquestionably superior. This superiority, however, was wholly owing to the presence among the Wairarapa backs of Cooke. He i ! o was who won the shield for his province. Without Cooke the Wairarapa backs would have been a very moderate side, possibly a mediocre one. The Wairarapa forwards, on the. other hand, played with tireless energy and determination, especially in the second spell. Cooke’s play was superb in all departments. His anticipation. was uncanny, and his line kicking accurate. COOKE TAKES THE CHANCE. Canterbury had Wairarapa beaten with a lead of seven points to three until Cooke’s great chance came. Cundy’s dash along the line looked like an opportunity for a short punt infield which Cooke anticipated and he was there to gather in the ball. He took it in his incomparably safe hands from his very toes when running at good speed, beat his opponents with one of his characteristic swerving runs, dodging some, outspeeding others, to touch down behind the goal. Trusting no one else he took the kick himself and sent a low kick over the centre of the bar. This was fifteen minutes before no side and Wairarapa held that one point advantage quite safely. The day was not an official holiday in the city, but it was certainly an unofficial one, for the crowd must have numbered 20,0(10, easily a record for a Wednesday match. EXCITING GAME. The game was not very spectacular, though highly exciting, a desperately hard struggle brightened by a fair number of passing rushes and the outstanding brilliance qf Cooke. Before the interval when Canterbury against the wind had only a three points’ deficit nothing liad happened to suggest Wairarapa as a champion side. The Canterbury forwards held decided superiority taking the hall in the scrums from the Wairarapa hookers, pushing the greens back in tight play, tearing through on the loose, and winning nearly every line out. The red and black backs stood close up guarding Cooke and the other A\ airarapa inside men, so that the green back attacks were all nipped in the bud. The red and black backs passing well made thrust after thrust only to fail at critical moments. The green backs with the exception of Cooke inspired no confidence in their supporters. After the interval the greens were a changed side. The hookens got more of the ball. Ciindy who had been disappointing at five-eighths, bfecame safer and more determined, and the handling of the three-quarter line, which had been indifferent was up to inter-provincial form. The greens were definitely superior now and it was plain to everybody that Canterbury’s lost chances in the first spell would never offer again. Oliver’s field goal was a smart piece of work. The goal was twenty yards away and he had but two yards in which to move. He kicked like a flash and the ball sailed oven- the centre of the goal. If the reds with a lead of four points at this stage had played for safety they might have kept the ball from Cooke and Co. When Cooke made his sensational score it was plain the match was over for Wairarapa were definitely superior and their superiority grew more marked until at the end the whole side lasting better than the Canterbury men were fighting feverishly to increase the sing.e point lead. It was a time of wild excitement for the spectators, some of whom jumped the fence and encroached on th© ground, necessitating cessation of play for a few minutes.

Th© teams played as announced with the exception that Doreen, the Canterbury wing-three-quarter, was replaced by Hart. Canterbury, playing against the wind field a decided ■territorial advantage in th© first spell. Features of the play wore the poor handling of the Wairarapa backs on defence, the frequency of penalties, chiefly against Canterbury for scrum infringements, and the failure of several easy kicks at goal by both sides. The only score of the spell was a try by Jury owing to the breakdown in handling by the Canterbury backs, f'o.lowing an ignominious attack. SECOND SPELL WATRARADA’S. Immediately on changing over Wairarapa invaded and held advantage territorially as they did for most of i the spell. Before the game had

been resumed very long, Chesley kicked a penalty goal from an easy position for Canterbury, making the score three all. Ten minutes lalter Oliver potted his remarkably fine goal and Canterbury led, 7 —3. Play after this was very even. Wairarapa won a succession of scrums pnd after one on the Canterbury twenty-five Cundy cu't out towards the wing and short punted, and Cook© scored the try which proved to b© the turning point of the match. After the score, except for a few flashes by Canterbury, the visitors had decidedly the

better of the game. MINOR UNTONS v. NORTH ISLAND. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. The following team has been selected to represent the South Island minor unions against the North Island at Palmerston North: Full-hack: F. Mansfield (North Otago). Three-quarters; F. Snodgrass (Nelson), W. Reed (Nelson), D. Wise (North Otago). Five-eighths; G. Day (Ashburton), H. Kent- (North Otago). Half: J. McCleary (West Coast). Forwards: R. Tunnicliffe (Buffer), W. Cameron (North Otago), G. Stewart (Buffer), R. Cameron (North Otago). F. Freitas (West. Coast), J. Mulhern (Ashburton), O. Roberts (Golden Bay), G. Dalton (Ashburton) . Emergencies: Back, A. Lash (Golden Bay) ; forward, A. Clark (North Otago).