EXCITING SHIELD GAME

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1929, Page 4

EXCITING SHIELD GAME

DAZZLING TRY ANTI-CLIMAX CHALLENGERS BEAT RUANUIS. FALWASSER'S SPEED DECIDES. # A flash of opportune brilliance dazzled the Ngatiruanui defence, brought the spectators, Maoris and pakehas, to their feet, produced a try under the posts for the Ngati Atiawas, and decided the fate of the Parihaka Shield three minutes from the .end of a zigzag exciting game played on the Hawera showgrounds yesterday. Atiawa’s jumped and shouted, threw up hats and waved their arms with a clamour which rose to a common shriek as the effort was crowned with a conversion. The scores were: Atiawa (challengers) 11, Ruanui (holders) 9, after the vanquished had held the balance of the game in hand for ninetenths of the play. Promise of great things hovered before the spectators’ fancies for all the 90 minutes. The desire was father to the thought. The challengers’ backs included Albert Falwasser, the Auckland Rugby representative, who at the last moment decided not to go to England under engagement to the Wigan League Club. The spectators received a big surprise when it was seen Falwasser was in the ranks of the Atiawas. He had.no chances all day, yet it was his flying heels which paved the way to victory and provided the anti-climax of a memorable game. TOO MUCH PUNTING. Much of the game was ragged. The Atiawa inside backs persisted in punting instead of passing to the speedy Watson and wingers. The Ruanui forwards reaped the benefit and continually harassed the challengers, assisted by fast backs. The holders scored first, 3 —o; the challengers equalised, 3 —3; the holders kicked a penalty goal, 6—3; Atiawa scored again, 6 —6; Ruanui scored their second try, 9 —6. It hung there for a long time and represented the real merits °of the sides. Then came the . anticlimax —too late for the Ruanuis to retrieve the issue.

Ngaia scored for the holders as the result of good following up when the challengers’ passing broke down and McLeod hesitated at' full-back. Ike’s kick missed.

P. Luke received from McDonald at a half-way line-out and ran up the line to outpace the defence and score near the corner. Watson’s kick missed.

Ngaia scored his second try from an exciting rush by Ngati Ruanui. Tuki s kick failed.

Ike missed an easy kick when M. White was off-side. Skipper made a wreat opening for his backs from a scrum, but Rakei dropped the last pass. Fifteen minutes’ desultory midfield play passed before R. Broughton headed the challengers’ pack to the Ngatiruanui line. From a scrum on the line the ball was whipped out to his backs. White, Falwasser and Watson handled for the latter to streak across and score by the posts. McDonald’s kick missed and the scores were equal, 6 —0.. Excitement was now tense. Tito offside, Tuki had a penalty kick but the ball fell under the bar. Malcolm led a holders’ breakaway, but the challengers forced. The holders’ backs handled crisply, Bishaw on the wing centring high for his pack to press hotly. A serum on the line followed and Rangi Ruru forced his way to score. Skipper’s kick missed and the. scores were 9—6. Watson streaked up the line instead of lining from his twenty-five. He was grassed hard by Bishaw at half-way. IKE’S HEADLONG PLUNGE. Skipper short punted and followed up, M. White’s clearance rebounding. An infringement on the line prevented a sure try. The next moment Ike secured at the twenty-five and ran hard and straight’, ending with a head long plunge in the corner. He fell just short amidst great excitement. Time was nearly up. McLeod lined at the holders’ twenty-five and Atiawa were in a good attacking position. Interest was high. Would the ball come out to Falwasser at second five-eighth and Watson at centre? It came out, but Falwasser slipped with a try under the goal ten yards off. A free kick followed; an easy one. Watson’s kick went outside and the holders cleared. The ball came out at last! S. White cut in and cut out the holders’ inside backs and ran on straight. Tuki grassed White but the last pass came to Falwasser’s hands. He sprang into speed and scored under the posts. McDonald converted amidst the greatest enthusiasm. The challengers had a two-point lead, time sounded, and the shield had changed hands. The scores were: Challengers 11, Hold-, erg 9. Mr. F. Julian refereed. HAWERA WEDNESDAY GAME. PROBABLES 'BEAT POSSIBLES. Probables (13) defeated Possibles (3) in a dull curtain-raiser, at Hawera. Morrissey broke away on his own from half-way, punting over the fullback’s head and scoring at the corner flag for Possibles. The Possibles’ backs and forwards handled in a great movement that failed only because the last pass was forward on the line. J. Hinga broke away and Cairncross carried on to the Possibles’ line, where Rayner cleared. J. Lee kicked a penalty for Probables. Mcßeth secured for Probables at the twenty-five, and after a very determined run, scored. Landerconverted, making the score B—3 in Probables’ favour. Haigh spoiled a Probables’ back essay and carried on to Possibles’ line, where Possibles cleared. French battled down the side-line to score at the corner. J. Lee converted, cd. Hinga almost scored in the corner Tor Probables after the change-over. Morrissey struck the uprights with a free kick and the ball bounced into play to be cleared by Lee. The game ended with the score: Probables Possibles ’’ Mr. W. Canning refereed. WAIKATO DRAWS AT HASTINGS. HAWKE’S BAY STARTLED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Hastings, Last Night, The Waikato Rugby team drew with Hawke’s Bay after a fast, open game

under excellent conditions before 3000 people to-day. The first spell was decidedly in LaV&Qr of Bay, but the second saiv Waikato stage a recovery that dazzled the home team.

The first score came early when Waikato backs moved into action. Vosper scored a good try, which was converted 'Dy Mitchell. The home team pressed hard to equalise, but it was not until after two futile kicks at goal that a combined effort by Setford and South pierced the defence, the latter scoring a pretty try near the posts. An easy kick was missed. Bay continued to exert pressure and had Waikato on a .prolonged defensive struggle. Several thrusts nearly got home. ’ The Bay closed the game up among the forwards and immediately the tactics were fruitful. Sam Gemmell broke away from the ruck and passed to Campbell, who scored. Yates converted. Keeping up the pressure Bay increased the tally towards the close of the spell, when the backs made a great attack. The whole line handled before an infield pass allowed Botherway to cross. The kick failed. Half-time came shortly afterwards with the score: Bay 11, Waikato 5. The tourists lost no time in attacking after the change-over. Making the game open they gave Bay a trying time on the defence. Quinn started a Waikato back movement that ended, in Mills dashing across near the posts. An easy goal was missed. Spurred ’by this success Waikato returned to launch a succession of hot attacks. Repeatedly they were within an ace of scoring. Finally the Waikato full-back set his 'backs on the move and after half a dozen handlings Endcrson raced across the line for a wonderful try. The kick failed. The game ended with the score 11 all. BUSH DEFEAT OROUA. LOCAL BACKS IN GOOD FORM. Pahiatua, Last Night. Bush defeated Oroua by 18 points to nil on a heavy ground to-day. The Bush backs were in splendid form and scored all the points in the first half, when the breeze was in their favour. Tries were scored by Harris (2), Tait, and Udy. A field goal was potted by H. Woolland and Udy converted one try. HOROWHENUA BEAT MANAWATU. Palmerston N., Last Night. In a representative Rugby match, Horowhenua (18) beat Manawatu (14). In a B representative game Horowhenua (6) drew with Manawatu (0)»