RUGBY AT TOKOMARU BAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17234, 14 April 1930, Page 8

RUGBY AT TOKOMARU BAY

FRIENDLY MATCHES GOOD PLAY ON SATURDAY (llio-iild UurrustioiMloiii.) On Saturday the senior and junior teams of the City and Waima cluus met on the Toko ma i'u Bay football ground in friendly matches. Wanna club is sending senior arid junior teams to play Rovers in Poverty JJay during blaster, so the games were valuable practice for their teams. Waima fielded full teams in both games, while City played Jo men only in the. junior game and 14 in the .senior. Notwithstanding this, both teams gave a good exhibition against good Waima teams. Waima scored four tries in the junior game, and City a penalty goal and a try. The latter, scored by Eric Hale, was a particularly bright score. Hale securing the ball behind half-way and beating everything in his solo run. Short spells were played, but the men on both sides seemed in very fair fettle, and could have gone longer. The game, refereed by Mr. M. Forrester, ended Waima 12,' City 8. The senior game was. in the opinion of many, a far brighter exhibition, notwithstanding (lie rawness of the player, than the best club game of last season. Two 30-minute spells were placed, and the game was fast, bright and keen. Waihia fielded a very even team, the forwards being superior to City's pack and carrying the majority of the scrums. City had a marked superiority ni the back division, two or three of the men being brilliant. Probably the outstanding man in the Waima team was young Takaroa, who comes here with a good reputation, which his play quite justified. City were fortunate this season in securing Wallis, Currio and Barlow. Wallis is an Otago University man, and Unrrie and Barlow are well' known on tho Coast. Barlow was very safe, Currie was always in the game, and Wallis was responsible for the six points scored for City. Play.ran up and down the field for some time, without a score, Waima excelling in the scrums, and City in the back work. The first score 'went to City. Wallis secured and ran about three-quarters of the field dodging and ducking in "fine style, and then beating all opposition by superior speed. The kick was resullless. P. JJautapu evened b\- a good try. City's turn came again when. Wallis took a very neat mark, and put the ball over from well out in the Held, Both teams were now well in their stride, and the play was well worth witnessing. A very pretty piece of reverse, passing by the City was a treat, but Waima's defence was 100 solid. Tho final score, was a goal from a penalty by Takaroa, the game thus ending six all. Mr. J. Corbett had the. whistle, and controlled the game well lie had to j caution one player for his "exuberance." With this except ion, and it was not very serious, both games were play cd in the proper sporting spirit. It is some time since a. fool hall crowd here has left the field in such a good humor, one hearing everywhere expressions of pleasure with the exhibition given. If club games for the rest of the season aro oven up to Saturday's practice standard the reproach of poor attendances of the public should be. removed. If the play justifies it the attendance can be depended upon. With the players now available, Tokomaru Bay, notoriously weak for the past two or three seasons, should he able to put a fine sub-union team in the field. A season or two ago the junior representative team made a name for itself, and now prospects look well for the seniors.