RANFURLY SHIELD

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 82, 12 August 1929, Page 5

RANFURLY SHIELD

AUCKLAND U WAIRARAPA. NORTHERN CHALLENGE FAyTLS. CARTERTON, August 10. The weather was bright and sunny for the Ranfurly Shield challenge match, Auckland v. Wairarapa. The attendance was seven thousand. The teams were:— WAIRARAPA. L. Roach Randall Booth' C( Stringfellow F. Fuller A. E. Cooke (capt.) R. Cundy J. Mill J, Donald W. Irvine K. Reid M. Willoughby L Harvey S. Willoughby N. M'Gregor S. Olliver. AUCKLAND. 4 Butler Minns Bush Lucas Cammick Jamieson Corner L. Hook Hadley Finlayson L. Knight A. Knight Anderson Batty Cathcart The Auckland team included eight international players and the Wairarapa nine. The referee ws Mr Whittington, of Hawera. Auckland kicked off against a very slight, wind, the forwards setting up a fast pace. Wairarapa held them nicely and Cooke from free infield play, lined near the corner. The Auckland forwards returned play infield where Roach, the fullback, was tackled heavily after, getting rid of the ball and was knocked out. He recovered and stayed on. A good rush by Auckland was checked, Stringfellow marking. Play stayed outside the Auckland twentyfive. For tricky work in a scrum, Wairarapa were awarded a free kick and Fuller just missed. Ten minutes later in the Wairarapa twentyfive there wa s a similar infringement, and Rush missed. Play began to liven up, both packs putting great vigour into their play, but neither reaping any benefit. Mill and Cooke were asssociated in pretty play, but Butler came through nicely and relieved. Wairarapa made a further attack, led by Stringfellow, but Bush stopped it and- Minns picked up, and ran round behind the goal and lined at the twenty-five yards flag. With Wairarapa still attacking offside play in the Auckland pack gave Fuller another chance and he goaled from outside the twenty-five. Wairarapa 3 Auckland 0 A minute later, outside ihe Wiyrarapa twenty-five, Olliver was offside and Bush had an excellent* opportunity to even the scores, but missed narrowly. Wairarapa set up a period of hot attack, but Auckland defended their goal line stubbornly, till a lucky speculator by L. Hook relieved. Shocking mishandling by the Wairarapa backs let the visiting forwards through to inside the twentyfive, but a too hard kick allowed Roach to force. Fine play by Minns carried play to the Wairarapa twenty-five, where Olliver was again

offside and Bush again missed. From a scrum inside the Auckland half, C'undy received from Mill and sent on to Cooke, but Corner picked up and sent to Cammick, who ran well and pased infield to Bush, hut the attack was stayed hy Roach and Fuller. From the ensuing ruck Anderson picked up and forced his way across. Bush goaled. Auckland 5 Wairarapa • 3 Auckland kept up the pressure, hut Wairarapa defended solidly, Mill sent Donald and Cundy away, hut the latter sent a wild pass to Bootn, who missed. Batty was caught playing the hall on the ground, and . Fuller goaled with a splendid kick. Wairarapa Auckland

During the first spell the attendance had increased to approximately 9000, and the wind had dropped to a perfect calm. Auckland started off after the interval with a very fine passing rush. The hall travelled from hand to hand among both forwards and hacks, only to be held up on the line. Donald relieved from a scrum, hut the pressure was returned by Butler and Jamieson. . A series of scrums occurred in the Wairarapa twenty-five, the advantage varying. Cooke sent out a long kick from the ruck. Minns received and put in a lightning run down the line, hut put his foot into touch. Wairarapa rallied and drove Auckland to their twenty-five where, after a hot period, a free kick for offside gave Batty an opportunity for a fine line kick. R. Booth broke away in midfield, hut Jamieson floored him quickly. Cundy also broke away, hut the tackling was too solid. Give and take kicking followed, the final advantage lying with Auckland. Hard, tight play followed and Cooke lined beautifully, well in the Auckland twenty-five. A prompt throw-in saw Reid receive and send on to Harvey, to Irvine, who scored between the posts. Puller goaled. Wairarapa H Auckland 5 Auckland vigorously returned to the attack and a smart movement found play right on the Wairarapa line. Lucas, within yards of the line, punted and Roach marked and relieved. Cammick was slightly hurt. Midfield play followed, Auckland making every effort to pierce the defence. Cundy skied a high one and Butler made his first mistake. M. Willoughhhy carried on from a scrum and a hot melee in the Auckland tweilliy-live found on the ground.- - Fuller failed. ■ Wairarapa 14 Auckland 5 In line-out work Auckland were proving superior and thrust followed thrust in the Wairarapa twenty-live, only to meet a stubborn and effective defence. Both sets of forwards were tiring and Corner set his hacks going time and time again, sometimes gaining ground, hut more often running across the field. In a ruck outside the Wairarapa twenty-live the hall was kicked to Roach, who missed, and L. Hook kicked hard past him and raced Fuller to the touch down. Bush failed with an easy kick. I Wairarapa 14 Auckland S Wairarapa immediately carried play to the. Auckland twenty-five,

but a sturdy ruck by the Auckland forwards carried play inside the Wairarapa half, where offside play gave Butler a fine chance, but he missed the post by a yard from the Auckland twenty-five. Fi antic dribbiug deceived Roach and Lucas picked up and raced away. Fuller overtook him a yard from the line, and brought him down, but Lucas rolled over and touched 'down (a yard from the post. Corner took the kick and the ball hit a post and rebounded infield. Wairarapa 14 Auckland H Wairarapa rushed the ball to the Auckland twenty-five where an infringement gave Fuller a «chance at a difficult angle. He goaled splendidly. Wairarapa 1 '( Auckland 11 From midfield Auckland set up a passing attack, the ball passing through many hands till it arrived at Minns, who scored a brilliant try at the corner. Bush essayed to goal, but missed badly, Wairarapa 17 Auckland 14 Wairarapa were on the attack when the whistle sounded.