RUGBY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17059, 14 June 1926, Page 3

RUGBY.

POVERTY BAY'S VICTOR!'

BARRY CUR CAPTURED

GIiULVENOKRS' iMACINIFIC?ENT. GAME.

Sc-Jiior representatives at Wairoa. Poverty Bay 22, Wairoa 8.

The Wairoa sub-Union representatives were roundly defeated by Poverly Bay in the Barry Cup maicli played on Saturday al. Wairoa. The match was Lbu fourth of the series, ami the victory was Die first Played to the credit of the Bay. The game was in many, ways u brilliant exposition of Rugby, and indeed lias seldom been surpassed, for excitement arid spectacular' value, by any in which Poverty Bay representatives have participated. Tin' iiuii'L.in of points in favor of the challengers" (22 to 8), would have been less noticeable had the Wairoa team been a little more, fortunate. .Many times they pressed their opponents right back to the goal-line, ami hammered, 111 tiro for what seemed the: space of minutes, oulv to bo thrown back by tire excellent line.-kieking of the Poverty Bay backs. Two tries were scored for the home lean), and they were both (he result of the work ainojig the 'Wairoa backs, To Nguio scoring wide out on both occasions. The forwards opened up many chances, but the Cup defenders lost the advantage regularly. The challengers played magnificently, after the hist 20 minutes, and towards the end it was obvious that, they Had completely demoralised the "Wairoa backs, with the exception■• of Corkill and Napia, while the Wairoa forwards seemed to be run off their legs. WATROA'S CONFIDENCE. i The home side carried the: utmost confidence of the Wairoa public, the inclusion, of C Brownfie, T. Corkill, and G. Nepia, famous members of All-Black teams, giving apparent justification for the optimism displayed. Contrasted, with Poverty Bay,' in the inaugural' lineup, they looked a much bigger team, and the early stages of the game were all hi their favor. The Poverty Bay men. Were evidently a little nervous of tlio AUrlxack players, and if was only about half-way, through the first half tbat-Unr-; found the measure of both. Nepia, am 1 . Brown lie. though Corkill was' always a dangerous man. Brownlie was principally effective in tiki line-out, and with Lqw/is, erstwhile of Gisbbrnc, ho enjoyed a' big advantage in reach', which enabled him to get the ball on any number of occasions. His wing-forward'play was not notable, nor did. be stand out. from the rust of the forwards in other departments of tlio game; He got siuall chance, to shine, of. course, for the challengers made a speciality of bringing him. dowiii. Nepia was sluggish in the iii-fit half, and many comments were macjci oi) his failure to show his oldtima fornr; yet it must be admitted that his "play, 'in any one but flje, 1924 AllBlack, Would have earned great 'credit*' THE TRUE NEPiA.

When, later on, if became apparent that the Wairoa inside backs could do. nothing right, owing to the speed and, hard tackling of the visiting forwards, Nepia was* moved up to Hi* five-eighths, position, and there, Jje gave the crowd, one of the finest'of football ; .thrills. He. intercepted a. clearing' kick from the Bay full-back, and with all the speed and determination which distinguished, him on the British tour, dashed for the. lino..' One red forward flew at his feet, hut missed, .'and Nepia had a clear, run for fifteen yawls. Thou three Poverty Bay. men" came at him '"together. Caulton touched "his feel, and the Wairoa man' hurtled headlong towards the line, a yard or two off. Woodward and another red player crashed into him in time to save tha line, and Nepal's brilliant rush had failed. Woodward took a bad knock, and much anxiety was felt for his safety, but it transpired later that no bones were broken. A PARALLEL.

Await- from their pride in the game played/ln- the Bay representatives, spectators'.from the fiishoriie end of the electorate, "were pleased to note, that Burst, an ex-Gisborhe player, was prominent among llid green forwards, and that Lewis, also well-known heye, showed the'form on winch he was selected to represent the -Bay .last year. The Wairoa puck as a whole put up' a great game, but they made the'' mistake of heeling constantly to their hacks, instead of making it a forward game as far as possible. In this, they .made the. same mistake as llie. Waiiganui team did in their match at Gisbornc, and circumstances of the:, two engagements affording a striking parallel, for in .both the backs opposed to Poverty Bay 'failed their respective packs; Comment.on the play of the Bay men, and oil various interesting, features of the game, is; reserved t'oiva later - opportunity. FLNE POKWAL'D PLAY. I'overty Bay won the loss, anil begun with the siih at their backs. They threw Ijaek,their opponents in the first tuinufe, 'and in willing forward tussles kept theiii. at bay/until Cofkill gathered in Ihe loose, and slipped through, opining up flic game at midJiekl. The Wairoa' forwards indulged in short passing, but the reds held them in miillield, until Bennett received front Pceli, aiid in a good run agitiu brought piny lo the green -~). liingsion got ihe ball and initiated a green rush, the forwards joining, in the effort. The passing of the home side was good, the backs being aide lo take, a pass from any angle, it seemed. The reds rallied when the greens had carried. them back -past. ,(he centre-line, and It. Whaitiri got away, on a. pass .from Bennett, but was tackled by Pceli, and Xepia. kicked a. long, way upheld. The rushing green forwards, led by Brownlie and Borsi,.proved very hard to hold, and in the succeeding minutes badly., bustled ~., Lauglands picked up, in front of one rush, and passed back to Bennett, but ilic latter could not hold it,, and the greens eventually .forced the, red full-back, Hcrewliii. to kick shbr.t to l,i,ne'. Maintaining' tlui pressure," they compelled Poverty Bay ,to .foi;ee. / AN OPPOIiTL'XITV MlfcjSßD, The Bay seemed to have a great chance when Caulton, following up a kick, pulled down Smith, "thy Wairoa right winger, and Benubtt aiid Mack'ay. dribbled the ball'on. Mackay .tried to pick up*,, but missed, and Corkili retrieved Wairoa \s position. The, greens came back to llie attack, and i'overty Bay was defending again with, vigor inside its own thT, when offside play by a Wairoa. man gave iheiu. a

respite. Nepia was only called on half a dozen limes in as many minutes, and was generally to be .counted on to gain plenty of ground by his line kicking, but lie was evidently not inclined to waste his talents. UNDER THE POSTS. The first score of the match resulted from a green forward rush which carried the Poverty Bay backs to their 2"). where a ruck gave the Wairoa hall' possession. He sent if out to Te Ngaip, who dashed in under the posls. Napia converted the try, and the score stood: Wairoa o. Poverty Bay 0. The challengers were finding the opposition hard to hold, and though they made a fine sortie right to the green line, after P.iki Smith had , dodged through, the green forwards, and Harrison had carried on the attack, they were robbed of: Hit; chance by a, force. 'Monro led a green forward rush, from the drop : oul, anil' Here win i made, a better impression than'in Hie earlier stages by gelling away a kick to the line, though ''sonified " by a green forward. PHALLLNOLKS TA KB LEAP. Tin- Poverty Bay hooker, Thomas, was injured and Berry Took his. place. Within a minute or two the reds were pressing on. tlio green 2,3, when a penally was awarded .them for offside, and Bonnet! dropped a tine goal. Wairoa 5, Poverty Bay .". The challengers looked like adding to their scon; when Lauglunds got away from inid field on the left wing, and'gave Bennett the ball, near the lino. "" The ceijtro kicked across, and Caulton and Berry followed up fast. The bounce., of the ball, beat Caulton, who would certainly- have scored otherwise. The Wairoa centre forced shortly afterwards, and-there was a period during which the Wairoa forwards dominated play. Then-came an electrifying dash started by Oarringtoii. the big Bay forward, who swung the bait back to his centre ihroo-quar-fer, and the latter, dummying his way through the green, forwards, gav* Caulton a. pass. "The winger flashed oyer the Wairoa line, near flu- corner, and. with u splendid kick later converted the, try,"putting poverty Bay ahead. Poverty Bay . y . Wairoa 5.

The challengers .were doing remarkably Av oil, considering that they we're not' getting the ball in the scrums. Once 1 hey, got accustomed to Corkill, tliev closely marked Hio brilliant Wui-.roa'hali'-baek, while their forwards did good'work in. the open, and gave the backs plenty of chances. Bennett was .seen to great advantage whim he dummied his way to'the green 2,">, and seemed !,o have an excellent'opening, but he hung just, too long to the ball, mid whoa Whaifiri got a pass, he. was .jammed on. the line. Halj'-fime found, the scores, unaltered. STRENUOtTS AND ENCITING. The resumption was followed by some exchanges of long kicks, Langlands and Nepia duelling to the advantage of the Bay man. 'the hitter's side resumed, the attack w'fiou Wood; yvard broke awmy from, the fcrun), and gave Harrison a pass. The heavy'tack-' jfing of the green, backs stopped the rush, but shortly after Harrison, Lauglaijds anil Bennett were seen iu. •i .'dash/ that finished, under I he' green posts,' 1 i\ frmiUi ami Dennis gefting offside. Harrison was playing a .great gft'mo at, this period,'find when, witli a fine kick, diagonally down the- field, Nepia found, the boundary ten yards from the red line, it was he who got; nyay Hie clearing kick from near the red'goal. A good attempt to pot a (fold goal, by Nepia, failed narrqwly in the period that followed. The greens were attacking strongly, and Brownlie and Lewis were splendid in the Hue-out, while Corkill kept; three men busy watching him. The rod ' fullback took the leather well against the sun, and saved to the line frequently, until a red forward rally sent play down into the green territory. \Horc, from a. scrum, Corkill was given Hie ball, but the red forwards smothered him, and. the, ball found its way'out of the ruck on the red side. Morr/tson gave a long pass to'Langhinds, and the Bay star beat all the green backs, by, a. beautiful swerve, and fending Nepia. off, ,went over in'the corner. The kick failed, and-Poverty Bay led by .11 points to .">. WINNING EORM. Poverty Bay were now playing like a victorious team, while Corkill was easily the most 'reliable man on the Wairoa side. l,t was "Corkill, Corkill," in every movement of the greens, but the half-back got little chance to operate/for tin; red tackling waswery strong. Prayed, tempers wen; beginning to show in some of the personal encounters, but the referee- saw' no cause, apparently, to caution, anybody. Corkill was not concerned in any" of the incidents, if .must. be. explained. ~ '.•''.' ,'"-.- The Bay score'was'added to in the course of a. few' minutes, by a, line rush in which backs and forwards cooperated. Harrison, Bennett, 'M. Whaifiri, and P. Smith carried, oil .the attack to finality, Smith scoring iu the struggle on the green, line.

.Poverty Buy 14, Wairoa 5. A BELATED, BALLY

A strong "Wairoa rally raised the spirits of the'home, team's supporters, when. Brownlie picked, up in the ruck, nnd Imllockcd through Hit). Bay forwards, kicking across for his backs to, get possession. To ANgaio eventually received a pass, and dashed over in the corner. Nepia failed in the endeavor to convert, and tli'ft %s.k>ain-,was still six points ahead, • Poverty Bay ■;•!; AVuiryii S, .

The holders of the trophy continued tho pressure, and there was some desperate scrumming on, the red line a. minute afterwards. ... Harrison got awav a kick, and Xepia' gathered the leather and/ran straight for .the line. Th.rc.e reds piled up i" front, of him, Woodward taking the brunt of his impact, and sustaining what, "appeared to be serious injuries. Little went on in his place, and from the di;o,p-ou,t. Poverty. Bay attacked stronglv. Both teams were tired, but Poverty Bay retained the superior degree of dash. . Demi is got oyer from a line-out near the green line, after Bennett and Whaitiri had just' missed near the "comer, and hit, or E. Whaitiri added, another try, winch

was converted by Morrison, There was some doubt about the conversion, but after consultation with the lineunvpires, the referee awarded the goal. Poverty Bay 22, Wairoa 8. The game ended shortly after, in green territory. ' Mr. Osborn was the referee, and controlled the game iu an impartial manner. MEDIOUBE, RUGBY. UNSCILM'IEJC PLAY. JUNIORS PLAT WAIROA. there was no outstanding feature in' the play of oil lie) 1 the Poverty Pay or tiie Wairoa junior representative teams on Saturday, and the game, although keenly fought, was not a scientific demonstration'. Play was confined mainly toj the lunvard divisions .and the little passing there was appeared to be rather weak, the players on both sides being inclined to hold on to the ball too long. Both packs, however, were solid pushing crowds, and did their work well. Wairoa had a slight advantage fir "weight, bill the; home forwards held their oW'n,_ and the ball came out. on their side of the scrum as often as on the other. It was lo the superiority of their back division that Poverty Bay owed their victory, for the "players iu this line gave a better display than the visitors, and Mere able lo keep up a stronger defence. They were not quick enough in the handling, however, ami-lost many opportunities through holding on Lo (he ball. The final scores, as published iu the Herald on .Saturday, were 14 points to 8 in favor of Poverty Bay.

Not long before time was called. Pryde (Wairoa) received a severe blow on flu head, and bad lo leave the- field. Ilif place was taken by W. Dinnan.

BAY AGGRESSIVE-. Alter Poverty Bay's third score, Wairoa commenced'to attack, but a welltaken mark relieved the pressure for the home side. A. period of, forward play •followed, in which solid tackling and some fairly good dribbling were seen, inal.ly Proudfoot broke away from near midfield, and, on Hearing the line, passed in to Smith. The Wairoa backs pressed in around Smith, and he was deprived of the ball, which was well cleared. Wairoa then became aggressive, and a well-combined rush saw the ball go out near the Bay line. .Prom the ensuing fine-out Dinnan took possession, and was tackled 100 late, scoring a try near the corner. He was unsuccessful with the kick.

Poverly Bay 11, Wairoa 8. This reverse had the effect of making tho reds put their backs into- the fray \vjtil more vigor, and they gave their opponents a merry live, minutes. Bay w.ere awarded a penalty near the green fine, and Jim Smith put in an excellent kick, the hall, going well over the bar. Poverty Bay 14, Wairoa 8.

During the remaining stages of the • game Wairoa showed to much better advantage, although they,' did not succeed in adding to • their tally. The visitors, occasionally got away, but their attacks were, brief, and they seldom approached the home goal. The referee, .Mr. Corbett, gave general satisfaction in his rulings. THIRL) < IHADE. 11.t5.0.13. OAItUIAYIiEUILB. Tile third-grade match between Old Hoys and High School Old Roys resulted in a win for the former team bv 49 .points to nil. As thq scores indicate, the game was distinctly one-sided, and Old. Hoys had little diilieully in scoring, MAORI TRIALS. TAIRAWHITI AS TEAM FOR SATURDAY. TO .MEET NORTH. ISLAND. The district selection commit toe, comprising Messrs AV.' T. Pitt, J. Hall, and Cl. R. Dansey, has an noniiced its choice of the players from UnTaira u nili district lo meet the rest of the North Island, in the trial -match, on Saturday. .Pour Poverty Bay Maoris have been named by the committee, these being the Wli.nitiri brothers. Dennis, mid Leslie. Al. Wliait.iri and Dennis are forwards of sterling ability, Leslie is a live-eighth, e.eut;j;e-three-quarter, or full-baek as occasion demands. and lb Wlputiri has specialised in the right whig three-quarter position. The personnel of flic Ta.iruwhiU leant is as follows: R. Wliait.iri, AL AVlia.it in, J. Leslie, and. T. Dennis (Poverty Bay). J. Runt, liurrisony AV. Lockwood,""J. Lockwood, Kooti, A. Crawford, J. Leach, and AlcLean (Last: Coast). G. Nopia, .T. Smith, AL Edwards, AV. Te Ng'tiio, AV. Wilson, H. AVlmaiiga. (Wn iron). The team will be assembled tit Alanutuke by Wednesday, and on Saturday (hey will meet, on the Oval, the til teen selected to represent, the whole of Hie rest oJ' the North. Island. There will bo present al the watch the 'members of the Alaori Advisory Board, and the form shown by the respective players will go far 'towards determining their claims to inclusion in the Alaori team lo tour Europe,

A FAST GAME. NORTH .ISLAND DEFEATS .SOUTH ISLAND-41 TO 9. NORTH'S SUPERIOR COMBINATION. „ NIC'HOLLS KICKS EIGHT GOALS. (Per Press Association.J WELLINGTON, 'last night. Twenty thousand persons witnessed tin- inter-Island Rugby match un day, when the North Island defeated Su'utli Island by 41 points to 9. The Governor-General and party were present. Tlie ground was. in good icondition. It was a fast game. Though North undoubtedly had tho best, team, it may be sard in fairness to the soutir ernors that the scores scarcely indicated the winners' nuiamire of superiority. Nicholls won the loss and North played with the wind and their backs to tho still—a distin :l advantage in the first spell. Nk'hulfs started off by kicking two penally goals, and Mills scored for- South. Then Nicholls kicked hi« third penalty goal. Porter later scored and Nicho'lls goaled. North, 14; South, 3. ' Svenson next scored and Nicholls converted. Shortly bei'ore the end of the first spell NijholLs kicked another pen ally goal. North, 22; South 3. ATTRACTIVE FOOTBALL. The second half showed no relaxation of the Northerners' offensive. The backs were now working in complete unison. North were getting the ball ill the serum, South showing proficiency in line-out play. Lucas started olf the! second half "by scoring a brilliant try. Nicholls failed with the kick. The South forwards rallied with a splendid rush, and Oliver scored, but Stevenson failed to convert. Lucas and Cooke then came away with a pretty bout of passing and Cooke galloped over. Nicholls failed with the kick. North, 28; South, 6. North were penalised and Kilby was successful with the kick- _ North, 28; South, 9. This was South's last store. North were now playing attractive football. Mills and Kivell went over, the try being given to the latter.' Nicholls goaled. North, 33; South, 9. Porter broke away, with Swain supporting, and just failed to get the ball. Thomas rushed up and dived over. Nicholls failed with the kick. North, 36; South, 9. Nicholls and Svenson then dashed off and amused themselves with the ball, until the burly Finlayson came on the scene, took the pass, and scored under tiie posts. Nicholls goaled. North. 41; South, 9. The South forwards played a hard, game* and battled well, but the Northerners slipped into their places rapidly and presented a niu'ch more effective combination than their southern comrades. Their backs were far superior, their display at times being little short of brilliant. Mark Nicholls kicked penalty goals and four trios converted. Mr R. Pa ton (Wellington) was referee. AUSTRALIAN TOUR. THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. WELLINGTON, last night. The following team has been chosen to represent New Zealand on tho Australian tour: —■ Full-back: Stevenson (Otago). Three-quarters: Svenson (Wellington), Wake (Hawke's Ray), Elvey (Canterbury), Lucas (Auckland), Robilliard (Canterbury). Five-eighths: M. Nicholls (Wellington), Cooke (Hawke's Bay), and Sheen (Auckland). Half-backs: • Mill (Hawke's Bay), Dalley (Canterbury). Wing forward: Porter (Wellington). Forwards: Lomas (Auckland), Irvine (Hawke's Bay), Kirkpafrkk (Hawke's Ray). Harvey (Wairarapa), Alley (Southland), M. Brownlio (Hawke's May). Fm lavsoil (North Auckland), R. Stewart (South Canterbury), C. Brownlio (Hawke's Dav), Knight (Auckland), and Hazlolt (Southland).