SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 82, 12 August 1929, Page 3

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP.

Star Kept on Defence.

There was a large attendance at Taumataf Park, Eltham, on Saturday when Opunake and Star played . off for the Senior ‘championship of Taranaki. There was some rain early'in. the afternoon, but the weather clea’fed before 'play stairted and % game was finished without mat- - fere being complicated by rain. As ■ it was the ground WUs heavy arid inclined to be ‘greasy, but Editions underfoot Were fair and did not materially interfere with play. l Oom■f ,-plete arran|geinents had beeni made by the local Football Club committee and everything pased off well. Play was riofioeablo for the absence oh roughness, though each side made it. willing. The pushing in the .set"and loose serums was of the heartiest, and the tackling' left lit.■tl4 to chance! Opunake were without the services of W. Hohaia, always a host in himself. Tire ganlo Was 'one ‘ ‘to suit him down to 'tlio ..ground, and he could have improv/'jed- the many fin© operiings ’made. . .However, Opunake were good cn- / ©ugh without his help, though many ' were sorry -h© wag not in evidence to give a display of three-quarter ; work. 1 ‘ p - WtfEE chief Actors. ' Opunake* s game was . chiefly playrid Tty C. Hohaia and T. Robinson . (five-eiglits) and R. Holmiai (half). ®e‘half'got the ball from the scnira land started a movement, which the r ‘hye4>ighths irirproved, a good . deal ■'of grtyfid being gained by direct rnmiirig. They repeated ian. almost ’Jddhtical 'movement time arid again, End in practically every instance Efiey ’ihqk their side forward. This aggression without a don-, ‘ ht, had a great deal''to do with the ' ultimate win, and tlie side being kept* in t&e best of heart by spiendid breaks which were carried out in faiiiltless style. The three players, named seemed to be • in- ■ Capable of 'dropping a pass, and ' 'numberless balls which, with 'ju&b a little bid luck, could easily 'have gone amiss. They did their : 'jiart 'in the‘best style, but the way whs Splendidly prepared for them by tHriir ‘forwards,’ who hooked the ball, ■dni hearly ©very occasion, enabling Hi; 'Hohaia ‘to secure cleanly a.nd set ■/this fribiids off. In the loose the*' ,{ ferrien' forwards 'Ueie qiiio l - rind busy, pfitag ’tho men little nine 4i>f T thrnk things out. The crisp work *fef The ‘'green forwards and the nippy of the half amd five-eighths ’ Bi&de up a great attacking force, ‘Hhd'the win was richly deserved, The ' lin© were hot given 5 ''ffiubh to dp. When they got the 4Kyti„ %Hey,. sheaved that they . were 1 ' r 'C£lphble of g6od work. They show-.-’ed *t[h Well in, the work on defence., 'Til at' -fine oven lot of forwards the trifo Lusks arid Conroy were most briing most at home ? when the fight was thickest. l i. j , • v i f 'BTA r R BACKS FAIL. THb Star 'backs did not make hi ’Brilliant showing, as was orily to be expected when they got the ball “Tfoxn 'the icrhm oh rare occasions. In the first spell they hardly ever ''got ’the ! l>all;'ahd whenever they did "failed as regards hipphiess. They liave prbfved that, on th© attack,, they gah-get the ball away from the hcrum ; amd! out to the wings in -reef'd time, but Saturday’s play ■fallowed ‘that they lack the gift of lictihg in "the thin end of a second when the gdlng is hard. On shine ' p&hsiohs they had the opportunity ‘''if iriitiatirijg .an attack is tlie passing h,ad been nippier or the hi an with tfie ball could have acted quicker ’iff, ’ihakihg the ’best ‘of a bad job. However, they most often had the ’itery ’miniriihm of time in which to do Anything at all, the 'grebn ‘fort,gmrig them very little 'prime. H. Wolfe Was most prominent, playing h ’sound game. Hurit, at frill‘hack, Was the baclthohe of the side. ‘Oh riiaihy occasions his well-judged 'line kicks sawed the situation.' In the’ first spell bo got into a lot of trouble, ’though ’h© always extricated himself’by getting a kick in. In the Second spell be made a riirich better • Showing, ‘fielding well hnd kicking dccurathly. The black forwards all forked) hard, buffi thrift- failure in the scrum handicapped them. However, ‘every how arid again, getting

HondUr to Opunake After Splendid Game.

the ball in the loose, they set up rushes of a. high order, which were deserving of better success than they had. "On the day the better team Avon, and nobody who saw the ganle could grudge the 'greens their win, which takes the shield to the south for tlie first time since it has been played for. THE TEAMS Opunake (green): G. Harrison, W. Rutherford, McCullum, Sinclair, C. Hohaia., Robinson, R.. Hohaia, O’Rorke, Cruden, Sutton, Bishop, J. Lusk Clark Conroy, 11. Lusk. Star'(black); Hunt, H. Wolfe, Mbovlieoid, Kingsella, Billing, Clegg, ’(Pepperell, MoDriimhl/, Shaw, Berik, F. Wolfe, Clark, McLean, Harvey, Ford., FIRST SPELL. Opunake kicked off against the sun and at one© took play to the Stan- 25. Sinclair, R. Hohaia and Robinson were associated in a passing rush, but the latter was brought down, and a tun by ORorke was of short duration. By hard pushing and a line-kick Star worked to the Opunake 25. Here the ball came to Clegg, but he was smothered. In a serum a Star man got off-side and the free kick brought relief to Opunake. . Moorhead secured, but the green forwards were quick and busy and he could do nothing. R. Hohaia, Robinson and C. “Hohaia looked dangerous with some fine passing. 0. Hohaia kicked and MoCqllum followed , fast a,ud tackled the Star man who took th© ball. Play was in Star’s 25 and theii hardest efforts were necessary to clear. Star worked up the field and, Billing and McDonald made an opening which ova's stopped by a good tackle by R. Hbliaia in the Opunake 25. Play came to half-way and Opunake, by continued ’pressure, got to the Star 25, where Harrison, se--curing In a good, .position,■ (landed a field goad, after play had been in . progress for , a ’ quarter .of an hour. —Opunake 4, Star 0. ~ . Robinson opened up arid C. Hohaia carried bn, tut the deferico was solid.- Shajrp iOlpi ; (aaico ' if|Sta,cdts) con/f tinned, and play was oh the Star side of the ■half-way for a spell. Star mate an excursion over half way? tut donrqy neutralised with a good run, play settling down at the Star 25 for an exchange of ‘high kicks. Further high kicks at halfway rinded in'a scrum, from which Opuiiake secured and attacked strongly. Hard tussling ensued, Star relieving, but a, break ’by Ebnroyand Bishop, who followed fast, took play back to Stdr (juaHers.. ’Here Rutherford secured after all the Opunake backs bad handled, and put in a fin© run, but he was pushed out near the 25. H. Wolfe intercepted a pass arid put Star on the attack. Star took ai mark at halfway and the .kick Was marked. McCullum, Rutherford and Conroy set up V great attack, but Star were equal to the occasion, F. Wolfe ‘putting his side on tlio attack with a good run. There was now about five minutes t o'go to ’half--tririio, 'End Star pressed harcl at the Opuriake 25; but 'the greens were full of r go, a line" kick 'took ‘play to the Star 25. Harrison was slow fielding) and his -‘ return labile ’bnly reached lutlrivay. Another line kick took Opuiiake to the Star 25. ( Sta : r ‘took; play to ’halfway, '’where a 1 forward pass stopped a ’nice Optihake passing 'rush. Robinson and 0. Hohaia opened up, the letters kick being marked. Lusk was c’augbt with tlie ball, which went but dangerously hear to the goal-line, but the position was relieved, End Stan were on tlie ’attack 'near 'half way when the bell went for half-time. SECOND SPELL. On resrimpton Star attacked, ami an opening by Kinsella, improved by H. Wolfe, took place inside the 25. A break by Rdbmson and a line kick took play to halfway. From, a scrum her© the greens secured and Cruden Inade a great rush for the line, beilig brought down inside the 25. McCullum secured and pased to (Rutherford who sent hack to MoCullum, whoso run ended in a mush, without much ground being gained. Star got the ball from a scrum, but were not quick enough to get gogoing. Play went to halfway. Star carried on, but matters were equalised by useful runs by Rutherford and Conroy. By short spurts Star worked up to halfway, but runs by R., ajnd J. Lusk took play to the Star 25 momentarily, but the blacks 'were almost at once at the opposite 25. The ’blacks were now getting

more of the ball from the * scrum, but the passing was slow for the day. Fast following by Pcpperell pub Star in a scoring position, but a force resulted. An opening by Robinson, improved by Rutherford, saw 1 thri briy-k 25 invaded. A handy lino kick by (Hunt (brought relief, but tlio greens continued the pressure. A long pass from McDonald to TvTcLenn, to Kinsella started an, attack ' which resulted in McLean scoring after half an hour’s play. The kick failed. —Opunake A, Star a. From a scrum at halfway Robinson opened up with a fine run, Sinclair improving, the movement being stopped well within the 25, Hunt relieving with a good line kick. Almost at once the black forwards set Up a great rush, which wa s stopped -hear the green 23. ■ The green forwards- were riot playing ’with quite so riiuch dash now, lint they still held their own and worked play to the Star side of halfway. With about five minutes to go Conroy made a great bollocking break, and J. Lusk carried on to score. The kick failed.—Opunake 7, Star 3. The greens attacked strongly, but the black forwards played up and kept the greens round about their 25, Khiiselila. opened up wel,l with a nice rim, hut held on too long. R. Lusk put the greens dn the attack with a -useful run, arid play was within a few yards of the black line when the final bell went with the score unaltered: Opunake 7 Star 3 Mr. F. J. E'ggletou refereed. , THE GATE TAKFNGS. The gate takings totalled £2d7, c f which sum. £75 was taken at the extra stand accommodation, which was erected on the western side of tlie ground. AN ACCIDENT. Those who were on "the temporary stand were greatly ’inconvenience 1 by the crowding in of people along 'tlie side-line, the efforts of the police and officials of the Eltham Football Club being unavailing to keep the line clear. In consequence, those on tlie stand.had to stand up in order to see the game, and those on the top row sat on the leaning rail. Shortly after the second spell commenced a portion of the vail collapsed arid two men and two women iriorc precipitated to the' gfbiihd, a distance of arorit ten friet. One Woman was rendered unconscious, and Tiucl to receive 'medical htfdhtion before she could retire to ’her ritotor car, arid the hirers icceived 'a Severe .shaking. PLAYERS ENTERTAINED. After ’the match the 'member's- of the teams were th© guests of the Rugby Union at a dinner at, trie Central Hotel, Mr R. Masters, jiresideut 'of th© Union, beilig in the chair. The toast of tiie wuliiTrig team was responded to by the captains of the teams, Messrs o’Rorke (Opunake) and Hunt (Star). The toast of the Union was" proposed by the Mayor of Eltham (Mr I. J. Bridger), M r Masters ingTlie Health the referee, Hr F. J. Eggleton, was also dnink. TARANAKI FIXTURES. MATCHES PLAYED. June 3: v Wanganui; won by 22 to 17. ( _ July 3; v. 'Wellington; won by 6to 3. MATCHES TO BE PLAYED. Aug. 24: v. Wanganui, at iNew Plymouth. Sept. 5: v. Canterbury, at Stratford. Sept. 7: v., Auckland, at New' Plymouth. Sept. 11: v. Manawhenua, at Palmerston North. Sept. 14: v., Hawke’s Bay. at Napier Sept. 18; v.. Bast Coast, at Ruatori. Sept. 21: v. Poverty Bay, at Gisborne. , B. TEAM ENGAGEMENTS. MATCHES PLAYED. June 3: v. Wanganui; won by 18 to 11. TO BE PLATED. Aug. 15: v. Rangitikei, at Eltham. Aug., 24: v, Wanganui, at Wanganui. Sept. 21.: v.. Wellington, at Wellington.

OTHER RESULTS. WELLINTG ON. Senior A. Oriental 15 v. Wellington 0. Ponoke 32 v. Petone 23. Athletic 21 v.. Ole! Boys, 6. University 19' v. Marist 6. University have. now won the championship for the second year in succession. / Senior B. Jolihsonvillo 11 v. Hutt 6. University lit v.. Old Boy s 3. CHRI STOII UR OH. Old Boys 26 v. Merivalo 12. Linwood 13 v.. Albion S. Varsity 40 v. Technical 12. PALMERSTON NORTH. Old Boys 13 v. Athletic 3. Fielding 3 v. Kai Ton 0. Fielding Old Boys 33 v. Woodville 7. WANGANUI. Technical 0.8. 11 v. Rantana 5. Pirates 11 v. Wanganui 0.8. 9. DANNEVIRKE. Tipapakukn F~v. Rangers 6. Pirates II v. Old Boys 6. 0 AMARU. North Otago beat Ashbnrtoh'Mn a fast ‘gain© in windy weather by 27 to 14,. before a fair crowd. Playing against the wind and sun in the first half, the home side led by 14 to 8 at half time. The game was far from one-sided}. AUCKLAND. Auckland B 19 v. Thames 6. TIMARU. Waitaki H.S. 9 v. Timaru H.S. 8. South Canterbury 19 v. M'Keuzio 18., DUNEDIN. ’Varsity A 13 v.. KaTkorai 0. ’Varsity are premiers.