THE RUGBY GAME

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10918, 20 August 1928, Page 5

THE RUGBY GAME

SENIOR COWAN CUP RESULTS AT A GLANCE. Ken ini 11, v. Pahiatua, 9. Mangatainoka 14 v. Hukanui 9. JUNIOR CH AMP. RESULTS. Makuri 19 v. Mangatainoka 3. Rongomai defaulted to Hukanui. On Saturday, in perfect, sunny ■weather, the preliminary round .of ■the senior Cowan Cup competition was played. Mangatainoka brought off a surprise by accounting lor Hukanui, while Paliiatua had to strike tneir colours to Konini.

KONINI SCRAPE HOME. The game on the Recreation Ground between Konini and Pahiatua was desperately close, and the issue was in doubt till the end. It was a case of the Pahiatua backs against the Konini forwards and Len Humphrey, wh 0 scored two good tries by bursts round the scrum. For the most part play was ragged and tempers very often frayed, but the standard improved as tlie game wore on and Pahiatua were within an ace of snatching victory on the post. The teams were:—

Konini (red and blue) : E. Hir st ; R. mist, Groves, cooper; Moore (2), *E. Humphrey (1) ; L. Humphrey; McKay, O’Brien; Fea•sey ; Burgess, Martin ; D. Mabey, TVebb, and Mahoney. Pahiatua (blue; : Oxley; Lawry, Gray, Wright; Hume (If, McSherry (2) ; E. Herbert; S. Aanensen, Priiest; Piper; Morison, Groves; Nelson, C. Aanensen, and Ware.

For the first quarter, play hung .about midfield. Konini bustled the Paliiatua backs and their forwards worked within striking distance. Tea sc y missed a handy penalty, and soon after toe blu.es conceded IT force-down. Gilbert Gray and Ware put the town team oil the attack by ■dribbling through. A fumble by Oxlat full-baelv let the reds down t4\ v stemming the attack. The Koui’ni forwards heeled to Len Humphrey. who dodged through the packs, and forced his way over for a good try, the tackling being too high To lie effective. Feasey missed from close in: Konini 3 —o.

Lawry gained ground with a run along the line. The Pahiatua backs got going, but Hume hung on too long, and spoilt the move. Just before the interval Len Humphrey was penalised for not getting off the ball, and Gray kicked a splendid goal for Pahiatua to equalise the scores. The Pahiatua backs infused a bit of clash into their passing, having re-arranged them for the second spell. Oxlev came up to five-eiglitlis, and E. tierbert went to full-back, Hume moving out to the wing. Eric Herbert, at full-back, ran up to set bis backs going but Dave Mabey intercepted and dashed downfield 'with McKay racing up in attendance. Gray downed Mabey and just missed McKay as be rounded off a spectacular move. Len Humphrey went close with the kick: Konini .6 —3. This spurred the blues, and Wars led the forwards in a sortie to the line, where S. Aanensen picked up and dived over. Gray missed the kick: 6 —6. Pahiatua came again, and Oxley sent Lawry racing away. Th® winger sent a reverse pass to 'Oxley, who, with three of the opposition coming for him at different angles, dashed resolutely for the coiner and grounded the ball just inside the flag. Gray narrowly failed to rqld the major points : Pahiatua 9 —6. Mahoney led a Konini forward onslaught, and Feasey had a long shot at goal from a penalty. The red vanguard rushed the line and Len Humphrey seized an opening and dived ■through under the posts for his second try. Humphrey converted, and Konini led 11 —9. The town forwards swept play to -the other end, where Pahiatua were awarded a penalty close in. Gray’s, kick missed by inches. Paliiatua kept up the pressure till Eric Humphrey dared to half-way with a good run. Back cam© tlie blues, and Oxley raced through at top, well supported. He failed to get his pass out and was blocked a yard from the line by Eric Hirst, where the ball was knocked forward. It was a narrow shave for Konini, time being called immediately after with the scores still: Konini H Pahiatua 9 Mr TV. Rvan refereed. “TOKI” GOME TO LIGHT. It is indeed remarkable how the -Toki” seniors seem to rise to- the occasion when they play for the Cowan Cup. A fortnight ago Hukanui romped over them on the showgrounds, but it was Mangatainoka s turn on Saturday, and they upset all calculations by winning decisively to the tune of 14 points to Admittedly the championship winners were not quite at their usual strength with the Galvins and Biddle a wav but the - Toki” players showed a remarkable reversal of form and played blight, attractive football to register their fourteen points Ihe passing was brisk and clean and the pace fast, and two tries, one by Geange and the other by Harris, were exceptionally fine solo efforts.

Hukanui were first to open an account wlien Horace Woolland dropkieked a goal from a mark. Udy followed this with a penalty from in front of the goal. Then a great passing bout among the “Toki” players ended with Skilton scoring in the corner. His kick failed. A brilliant run by Geange ended wth his scoring a try and Tait converted, giving Mangatainoka th© lead at half-time, B—6. In the last spel 1 Skilton put “Toki” further ahead with a second try, unconverted, and Udy added another penalty for Hukanui. Harris clinched matters for the home team bv putting in a great run to score and the game ended: Mangatainoka 14 Hukanui 9 Mr A. Henry refereed. The final between “Toki” and Konini, at Mangatainoka next Saturday, should provide a great contest. NORTH BEATEN BY SOUTH.

Electri <■ Telegraph —Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. South Island beat North Island in tlie annual match yesterday by 15 points to 14. Th,® weather was perfect and the ground in good order though a trifle heavy. Before the game North were favoured, the general opinion being that their forwards would prove too good for the southerners. However, as was the case last year, the South Island forwards held their own. Neither set of backs combined well on the attack, the North Islanders in particular being disappointing. The North Island saw more of the hall from the scrums and line-outs than South did but they generally failed, to make good use of their opportunities. Bramwell, the North Island half, and Langlands, the first five-eighth, were both weak on th,e attack with the result that Cooke’s play suffered. Nevertheless the Wairarapa crack was responsible for many pieces of brilliant play. The North Island three-quarter line was not impressive though of course owing to the failure of their inside backs they did nor a great deal of the ball. Carlson Ruled to live up to his reputation. His handling was weak. Roach played a fair game at full-back but it was not equal to the display be gave for Wairarapa asainsT, Canterbury. Of the North Island forwards the three Aucklanders, Finlayson, Knight and Batty, were always to the fore Knight was one of the best forwards on the ground. Porter played a dashing game as wing-forward but was frequently off-side. Holden went quite well behind the South Island scrum but Branclono-vitc-h was erratic on the attack and be frequently held on to the ball too long. He defended soundly as also did. Hay, who played a good allround game. Oliver was very uncertain and he spoilt several promising movements by dropping passes. The best wing 0 n the field was Snodgrass and it was unfortunate that he had to retire injured. He scored a great try in the first spell. MeClymont on the other wing made some good runs, but he did not seem to know when to in-pass the ball and he was often collared in possession. Stevenson was disappointing at full-back. He was not up to inter-island standard. Freitas and Marslin were the two outstanding forwards for the Siputh Island. Clark. Jackson and Bird were also good. Robinson at wing-forward played with splandid dash.