NEARLY TOO LATE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19625, 9 May 1938, Page 12

NEARLY TOO LATE

OLD BOYS BEAT Y.M.P. MAORIS’ PROMISING TEAM Old Boys .. 13pis. Y.M.P. llpts. After having a leading position for three-quarters of the game, Y.M.P. defence broke down before the repeated charges of the Old Boys’ senior team on the Oval on Saturday afternoon, and Old Boys went into the lead to win by two converted tries and one unconverted try to a converted try, an unconverted try, and a penalty goal.

The Maoris Gelded a young team that will be a thorn in the sides of the leading teams before the season is through. It was their first match together, and with one or two adjustments and better understanding among the backs they will be difficult to beat. From the start they had the Old Boys’ backs well bottled up and bustled, and it was just as well, because the Old Boys dominated the set scrums. However, the Y.M.P. players would do well to practise 1 hard, low tackling and get away from the usual high collaring and headlocks. Changes in Y.M.P. Team The only seasoned player in the Maori pack was M. Whaitiri, who was assisted by M. Pomana in keeping the forwards on the move. In the back division S. IVloeau played a sound game, as did also W. Smiler, T. Smiler and M. Smiler. W. Smiler is still at High School, but this season has elected to rise to the senior grade ana will play for the school only in the inter-collegiate matches.

The best of the backs on the Maori side were S. Moeau, W. Smiler, and J. Edwards, and in the forwards M. Whaitiri, S. Nepia, M. Pomana, and W. Bright. The Old Boys deserved their win only by reason of their determined efforts and the opening up of the game in the last 15 minutes of play. Until then the open play was all carried out by their opposition. The repeated attacks of the Old Boys’ tea«<t. had the Maori backs bustled, and the fast following-up of the forwards finished off the movements. The back play was dull until towards the end, when handling was improved 75 per cent, and the ball was tossed about almost with abandon, but always with someone on the outside to receive it. They were putting more devil into their play. Tackling and handling were the weakest points in the backline.

The most consistent of the Old Boys’ backs were M. Sharp and Hale, and B. omellie, Cave, Milne, R. Spence, and iwigg showed out in the forwards.

Series of Kicks Exchanged The game opened with a series of kicks among the backs of each side, and the ball found the line only on rare occasions during those exchanges. A penalty was awarded the Maoris Id yards out from the 25yd. line, and at a fairly difficult angle, but the first points of the season were scored by W. Smiler with an accurate kick.— Y.M.P. 3, Old Boys nil.

The ball went back to T. Smiler in the full-back position, and when he fumbled before getting it away to the line Smellie broke through in the lead of the loose forwards and carried one to touch down before Smiler had an opportunity to lorce. a. Campbell converted the try.—Ola Boys 5, Y.M.P. 3.

Play ranged up /and down the field, and chances at penalty goals were missed by W. Smiler and Campbell. A movement, which started from the base of a set scrum, was carried on by Apatari, and Moeau made a dashing run for the line to recover the lor Y.M.P. S. Nepia converted. — Y.M.P. 8, Old Boys 5.

Neither of the back division seemed to be able to get going before the change-over, and in the Y.M.P. side W. Smiler changed places with S. Moeau, Smiler going in to the first five-eighths position and Moeau to centre.

Old Boys Even Score Some time after the start of the second spell the Old Boys opened up the game, and a charge was made upfield, in which all the backs and some of the forwards took part, each handling in turn. The Y.M.P. backs cleared. This was the first of several attempts to make up the leeway in points, and several opportunities were spoiled by handling. Spence and Campbell made a break for the line, but the Maoris’ defence still held and Bright cleared. A. Read took up the loose ball and sold a dummy to H. Whaitiri before making a good run and handing the ball on to R. Short, who went on to even the points. Campbell failed to convert. —Y.M.P. 8, Old Boys 8. Play was taken into the Old Boys’ territory after Y.M.P. had been on the defensive again for some time, and then Hale sent across a nice centring kick. The ball was fumbled by two of the Maori backs, and Cave, following up fast, carried on to score the deciding Old Boys’ try. Campbell added the extra points.—Old Boys 13, Y.M.P, 8.

It appeared then as though the game was over, but the Maoris rallied and made a spirited bid to equalise. Moeau started a movement and the ball passed from him to Apatari, to T. Smiler, to Bright, to Moeau, and then to J. Edwards, who dived over in the corner. Nepia failed with the kick and the game ended soon after with no alteration in the score— Old Boys 13, Y.M.P. 11.

Mr. A. E. Ingram was the referee