RANFURLY SHIELD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17028, 13 August 1929, Page 3

RANFURLY SHIELD

A DISAPPOINTING GAME HOLDERS' NARROW VICTORY Wairarapa still hold the limifurb Shield, lut il was touch and eo whetluv the coveted trophy would accompany the Auckland representatives northward. The. Shield holders won an exciting game by 17 points to 14 (four penalty goals and a converted try) to four tries (three unconverted and one converted). The game, was a disappointing one 011 the whole, and certainly was nowhere near the standard of the lirsl Shield match tins year. Wairarapa v. Hawke's Buy. A crowd of sonic 10.CC0 spectators assembled on the Carterton Showgrounds to see the game, including a large sprinkling of enthusiasts from Wellington and northern districts. Tin hero of the match was F. Fuller, playing wing-threequnrter for Wairarapa, for of the 17 points scored bo was responsible for 14. Altogether he bad six shots at goal from penalties, none of them easy kicks, and four of them went sailing clean and true over tho cross-bar. while he also converted Wairarapa's solo trv. Had Auckland possessed a kicker of such ability there would have been a different result to the game. With the exception of Reside, who is still on the injured list, the Wairarapa team was the strongest tho district can field—it included eight All Blacks—but tho Aucklanders proved themselves a faster lot. Three parts of the game was composed of scrummaging, and it was seldom that the scrum got down properly, with the result that neither Corner nor J. Mill bad many chances to set tho back lines in motion. Both sid<\s lost opportunities through bad passing. and the Aucklanders surprised many by adopting stab-kicking methods on frequent occasions, an art, in which they met their master in Cooke, whose kicking was a feature of the game. On (lie day's play there, was little difference between the. teams, and Wairarapa were lucky to win. The match was marred, also by an extensive use of the whistle, though probaMy that w;is more the fault of the players than the referee. THE TEAMS. The teams lined out as follow : Wairarapa (green).—L. Roach ; Randall Booth, O. Stringfellow, F. Fuller.: A. E. Cooke (captain, R. Cundy; J. Mill; J. Donald; W. Irvine, K. Reid, J. Harvey, S. Willoughby, X. Willoughby, N. McGregor, S. Oliver. Auckland (line and white). —Butler; Lucas, Bush. Minns; Cammick, Jamieson; Corner; L. Hook: Hadley, Finlayson, Anderson, Batty, A. Knight. Cathcart, L. Knight. Wairarapa won the toss, and played against, the suii, the game stinting with an exchange of kicks that ended in Butler finding touch at half-way. Scrummaging on the half-way line followed, when Wairarapa were awarded a penalty, and Cooke found the line near the corner with a great kick. The Auckland forwards broke through from the line-out, however, only to be pulled up at halfway for off-side play. Twice (he bull was sent out to Cundy and Cooke. but the opposing five-eighths were round like a flash and spoilt any attempts to get tho Wairarapa line »iii action. Cooke's kicking gained a, lot of ground for the. home. team. The first scoring chance came when Fuller attempted a penalty from near halfway, but his kick was not straight,, and in the return rush the Auckland backs were seen in the first good movement of the day, when Corner, .laiuieson. Bush and Lucas handled, but the latter bad three men on him when he received the ball. From a penalty Rush had a shot at goal, but bis kick went wide. So far no really good football had been seen ; for the most part play was among the forwards, but the scrummaging was of poor class, and frequently the game developed into an unscientific scramble for possession. Auckland, perhaps, had slightly the 'better of the scrums, but J. Donald and the Willoughby brothers were round the scrum quickly, and nipped many a movement in the bud. J. Mill started two good attacks for Wairarapa. which Cooke turned to advantage with accurate line-kicking, and from the Auckland twenty-five Stringfellow made a bold hid to cross, but was pulled down near the line, and Butler cleared a dangerous sitiAtion. Soon after, (however, Wairarapa were awarded a penalty in a good position, and Fuller opened the scoring with a nice kick. Wairarapa 3 Auckland 0 Soon after the kick-off Hush had another shot at goal from near half-way, but narrowly missed. J. Mill then sold the "dummy." put in a good run and handed on to Cooke, who, for once, missed the pass. The shield-holders wore throwing the ball about well, though little ground was gained, and thpir forwards were doing a lot. of hard, work in the scrums, Harvey, Inine, and McGregor being prominent. Fuller had another chauco to goal, this lime from near halfway, but bis kick fell just short, and L. Knight. Innlayson and Batty were prominent in a movement by the Auckland forwards that swept all before it and'ended in Roach icing .compelled to force. AUCKLAND SCORE Cundy roused the crowd to enthusiasm when lie made a good break through, with M. Willoughby and Reid in support, but a faulty pass lot; Minns get away down the line, tn be grassed at halfway, aml in the following scrummaging Auckland were given a penalty. Bush had a shot at goal, but .missed badly, and again Cundy broke through, but this lime 110 onewas in sppport, and Lucas cleared to halfway. Cammick put in a similar break through for Auckland, Fuller being called upon to clear a dangerous situation. Auckland threw the ball about in two successive attacks, the second of which took play to the Wairarapa 25, where from a line-out a bevy of Blue and White forwards indulged in .short passing, Anderson finishing off the movement by bulloeking his way across. Bush converted the try. Auckland •"> Wairarapa '■' From the kick-off the forwards bad a spell Of tight scrummaging, with Auckland gaining ground all the time, till Cooke altered things by transferring play from 2ii to 25 with a wonderful kick. Batty and Finlayson, supported by Lucas, broke away from the linc-OUt, but Fuller and HI ringfellow successfully stopped Ihe rush, and J. Mill started a promising movement, dodging three opponents, btil Cundy took' his pass offside. Soon after Mill, Cundy, Cooke and h\ Booth handled in the first combined Wairarapa back movement of the day, hid Booth fumbled and a good scoring chance was missed. Lying on the ball cost Auckland a penalty in dan gcrous territory, and Fuller made no mistake with the kick, making the score: Wairarapa " Auckland ~> The half-time whistle went soon after.

THE SECOND SPELL From the start of the spell Auckland were seen in a good passing movement, started by Hook, when the ball t ravi l!« il along" the line per Corner, ( aininii k. .lamicson, Bush, to Lucas, who handed hack infield to Bush. The la tier was pulled down near Iho line, and the Wairi'rapa forwards by dint ol iiiird pushing, brought play back to the :.!."). Here Corner started his backs in ice, bul good lacklillg on the • pari of .1. Donald and Mill kept the ball with the forwards. However, Auckland secured from most of the scrums at this stage, mid their backs gave Wairarapa a lot of trouble. Minns be ing especially elusive, Kventually i 'ooko again came to light wit li one of his heartbreaking kicks, mid (he (Ireen forwards took a turn at attack, I,'eid breaking away with Cundy and Stringfellow in support. The rush was well stopped by Butler, and the forwards settled down to further si-rummaging, neither side being supei ior. The style of play was different to thill of' the first spell, bill the passing on both sides was often faulty, and both sides also adopted bustling tactics when necessary with ,ucci ss. The Auckland men tried a good deal of slab kicking; which, however, brought little result. Infringements were frequent, and some of the scrums became decidedly drab from the spectator.,' point of view. WAIRARAPA DRAWS AHEAD Fifteen minutes from the start Cooke found touch well past Auckland 's twenty-Jive, and from the linemil the ball went from Harvey to M. Willoughby, to Donald, to Irvine, who completed "a piece of good passing by scoring under the posts. Fuller converted. Wairarapa II Auckland ~> The Auckland forwards came downfield in ;i rush that took play to Wairarapa's twenty-five, and from a scrum the backs went away in it pretty rush. Corner. Jamieson, Cammick, Bush, and Minns handling, the latter being compelled to kick, and Roach saved the situation by taking a mark. From ragged play in Wairarapa's twenty-five, J. Donald and M. Willoughby led it break-away, the movement ending well in Auckland territory. Auckland were penalised in a scrum, and Fuller put on another three points with a good kick. Wairarapa H Auckland •"> Bush had an opportunity to goal from a penalty soon after, but his kick was well out, and the forwards settled down to it again. Much of the enjoyment of the game was spoilt by frequent infringements, and the referee had a busy time. A spectacular piece of play was seen from one of the serums, when Jamieson kicked through the ruck, and Roach fumbled. Fuller and Hook had a race for the ball, the Aucklander diving when near the line and scoring a beautiful try. Bush failed to convert. Wairarapa 14 Auckland 8 .). Donald and Harvey led a Wairarapa rush downfield, but Auckland were soon back again, when Corner sent his backs away from a line-out. Jamieson stab kicked, and, following up fast, caught R. Booth in possession. In thi! following' melee Wairarapa. were penalised, and Butler had a shot at goal, but also missed. Auckland's next try came when Lucas took advantage of a faulty pass by J. Mill, on the blind side, snapped up quickly, dodging Roach, and racing over near the posts. Corner took the kick, but the ball hit the posts. Wairarapa 14 Auckland 11 The Wairarapa forwards 'replied, with a great rush, and three minutes from the kick-off were given a penalty in Auckland territory, and again Fuller put tlte kick over, to make the score: • Wairarapa 17 Auckland 11 With ten minutes to, go, the Auckland men made the. pace a hot one, and play went up and down the field at a rare pace. For obstruction Auckland were, given a penalty kick, but Bush's kick fell short. Fast following up by Anderson, however, caught lfoneli in possession on the line, but the Wairarapa full-back just got his kick in in time. Tho Auckland backs were seen in a spectacular movement when the whole line from Corner to Lucas handled, the latter putting in a good dodging run, and sending tho ball back infield to Jamieson, Bush, and Minns, tho latter finishing a fine piece of play by scoring in the corner. Bush missed with the kick, and Auckland's chance of winning the shield vanished when the bell went two minutes afterwards. The final score was: Wairarapa 17 Auckland 11 Mr. if. Wittington (Taranaki) was the referee.