TARANAKI B TEAM ROMPS HOME

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1929, Page 4

TARANAKI B TEAM ROMPS HOME

RANGITIKEI DEFEATED AT RUGBY TWENTY-EIGHT POINTS TO EIGHT *' FAST AND OPEN GAME AT ELTHAM Fine weather and a dry ground provided the setting for a fast - and open exhibition of the Rugby code at Eltham yesterday, when ' the Taranaki B team defeated Rangitikei by 28 points to 8. Many mistakes were made on both sides, but owing to the enterprising manner in which the ball was thrown about, the game was interesting from beginning to end. Taranaki were definitely in the. ascendant for the greater part of the match, and soon established a formidable lead which Rangitikei fought with grim determination but in vain to overcome. Several players must have sailed strongly into the ken of the Taranaki selector, for there were not wanting many flashes of brilliance, and on yesterday’s form he is a fortunate man who can be counted as a sure member of the first fifteen of the province.

SPEED IN RANGITIKEI TEAM NEGATIVED BY LACK OF FINISH. NEW TARANAKI TALENT APPEARS. Though beaten, Rangitikei were by no means disgraced. Speed of a dangerous calibre was apparent in several places, and had it been available to cap the orthodox thrusts of a team that was holding its own, the visitors’ tally would have been a bigger one. An important factor in Rangitikei's defeat was the 1 lack of finish that broke up many a promising movement. Frequently they burst away in twos and threes, both from forward rushes or back movements, • and when success seemed nigh a knock ©n, forward pass, or momentary indecision spelt failure.instead. In the visitors’ backs Johnston was a Very capable half and made two spectacular solo runs, to say nothing of .feeding Shanley well, and Shanley showed evidence of football brains. Both D. Cameron and Ledingham exhibited a rare turn of speed on occasions as they flashed across the turf in pursuit or pursued, and except for one or two lapses, for which he could hardly be blamed in face of the torrent of opposition that often poured upon him, McKenzie did his work faithfully and well. In the forwards the pack worked hard to a man, ably piloted by O’Sten. It was simply the old, old story of efforts on the Rugby field that failed for want of better 1 combination and greater finesse. TARANAKI FINDING SEA LEGS. Like a healthy colt feeling its strength the Taranaki team raced and gambolled all over the field in a more or less unscientific exuberance of ardour. Much of the galaxy of talent suffered a little from want of experience, but one left the field with a lingering memory of a second five-eighths who periodically flashed meteor-like through the firma- ' merit, combining a pretty turn of speed with real football brains and judgment. N. Hunter, of Hawera, was one of the discoveries of the match, and promotion to bigger football cannot be far away, if his improvement is consistent with yesterday’s form. Of the other ‘’new blood” both Evans and Crawford on the wings caught the public eye, Evans particularly showing a rare burst of speed of which a lightning acceleration at short notice was an impressive characteristic. All in all, with the exception of the many mistakes which have already been referred to, especially mistakes in handling, there was no tangible weakness in the Taranaki backs. NO APPARENT WEAKNESS. Hunt added further to the laurels gained last Saturday, and both Hohaia and Robinson played a splendid game, working well in unison when they were not feeding their outside men. Nothing delighted them so much as a duet together. Grant, cool find cunning, stole through the opposition or dropped back to the reserve according as the mood of the moment dictated, scored occasionally, and now and again tempered his erstwhile brilliance with some execrable handling and a little lassitude. The nature of the game and the early —superiority in points inclined the forwards to a type of individual open play that would be disastrous against a more .formidable pack, but under the circumstances it served its purpose. Wills, Wolfe, Smith and Young showed out in the loose, but in the solider scrummaging the others were there. As a rover Fookes, the captain of the team, was here, there and everywhere. Hardly a back movement but he was somewhere In it. A performance that might have been brilliant fell short of it because of his inability to handle with surety. Two otherwise certain tries were lost owing to this, and he was inclined to be offside in taking his pass. Nevertheless he led the team admirably. The game was played in the best of spirit, the entire absence of any suggestion of strained feeding at any stage of the game being a subject of favourable comment. Only one injury marred the day’s play. O’Sten. the Rangitikei captain, was compelled to retire owing to a hurt shoulder and was replaced by Adams. The latter went into the scrum, U’ohu coming out to wing forward. Thn teams were: — RANGITIKEI. Full-back: D. McKenzie. Three-quarters:’ Ledingham, Hartley, p. Cameron. . .Five-eighths: Gardiner, C. Shanley. Half-back: B. Johnston. Wing-forward: O’Sten (captain). Forwards: Gronn, 11. Dowlin, A. Cameron, S. Gibbs, Tohu, L. Holmes, D. Ross. TARANAKI B. Full-back: C Hunt. Three-quarters: 0. Evans, D. Grant, J. Crawford. Five-eighths: N. Hunter, T. Robinson. Half-back: R. Hohaia. Wing-forward: 8. Fookes (captain). Forwards: C. Wills,. F. Wolfe, Clegg, ffewll, R. Clarke. R, Smith, J, Young.

Taranaki lost the toss and kicked off against the sun and a light breeze. Rangitikei pressed at once but when Lediifgham centred from the touch line Hohaia took the ball on the full in front of the goal and sprang off his toes around the other side of the field, sending Grant and Crawford away in- a spirited duet down the touch line. Hohaia came up to make the duet a trio, and a pretty movement was almost crowned with a try when an in-pass went astray. Across to the other touch line the field deployed at once, and from a line out the ball was shot to Evans, who dived clean through the opposition to score, the simplest try imaginable. The spectators hardly realised what had happened until Hunt took the kick at goal, which missed. Taranaki 8 Rangitikei 0 TARANAKI’S DUET REPEATED. Taranaki’s spectacular duet of a few moments before was repeated when Grant and Robinson broke away together, and the movement spent itself few yards from the Rangitikei line. Rangitikei retaliated with sweet simplicity when Shanley emerged like a rocket from a hustling ruck and raced clean away. When about to be tackled he passed to Gibbs, who was well on his way to the goal line when Hunter overhauled him and felled him with a flying tackle, giving Hunt the chance to effect a quick clearance. Taranaki were showing a distinct liking for offensives' on the left flank, and the ball was shot out to Crawford, who made a brilliant run, only to be overhauled by Ledingham as he was nearing the posts. He sent a rather delayed pass to Fookes, who could not take it, and a golden opportunity was lost. Rangitikei’s respite was a brief one, the Taranaki forwards catapulting away from a merry midfield scramble to bounce along with their opponents over the line, Fookes in the van. Fookes and an opponent both overran the ball, but Young dived to register a try which Hunt had little difficulty in converting. Taranaki 8 Rangitikei 0 RANGITIKEI’S SPEED ON WINGS. Rangitikei soon found that the open sesame to the door of success was the exploitation of their speedy wing threequarters, and it was a sharp stab down the left flank that led the way to the first blood-letting of Taranaki. Following the penetrating thrust, Hohaia received the ball from the scrum and made the mistake of passing near his own goal mouth instead of finding touch. Grant fumbled the pass, and the Rangitikei avalanche was on him in a moment, the forwards streaming over him for A. Cameron to score in a medley of flying arms and legs;- D. Cameron converted, reducing Taranaki’s lead to three points. Taranaki 8 Rangitikei 5 The triumph was short-lived. Throwing the ball about with vigour and abandon, the Taranaki backs swept to the other end, Hunter, Grant and Crawford bottling up another three points with a final burst. Crawford clapped on the pace and dodged infield past a would-be tackler to cone up the bottle in a handy position. Hunt could not goal. Taranaki 11 Rangitikei 5 TARANAKI BACKS IN ACTION. The Rangitikei forwards combined in a vigorous assault, and rattling their sabre loudly they swept past Hunt, qiily to see Hohaia pounce on the ball and force down in the nick of time. An orthodox but stimulating back movement unravelling itself from ( the half-back position opened the door to Taranaki’s next try. Evans received on the wing to take a flying header infield and pass out when tackled. Hunter was handy, and he gathered up the rolling ball to spring over for a try. Hum could not convert. Taranaki 1.4 Rangitikei 0 The inevitable counter-attack flowed and ebbed to a point in Taranaki’s territory where McKenzie took a good mark. Over-anxiety amongst the Taranaki forwards led to “no charge” being awarded, but McKenzie was unable to turn the chance into points. An addition to Rangitikei’s score was not long in coming. Offside play gave them a chance a long way out in front of the goal, and D. Cameron made no mistake with a magnificent kick. Taranaki 14 Rangitikei 8

Rangitikei stocks rose when Johnston whipped the ball from a scrum to Shanley on the blind side and D. Cameron received in turn to make an electric burst down the touch line. Hunt, grim and determined, was his only hurdle, and also his Waterloo. Cameron did the best thing possible and short punted, but the ball bounced off Hunt’s chest into touch. For the remainder of the spell Taranaki continued to attack with their backs,

but the Rangitikei rearguard was standing shallow, and gave them little chance, tackling solidly and breaking up every movement. The whistle sounded with the score:— Taranaki 14 Rangitikei . 8 GAME FAST AND OPEN. The second spell opened with a desultory Rangitikei attack, but Hohaia found touch in the corner with a. splendid kick. From the line out the same player shot out the ball like lightning and away went the backs in graceful flight, but a late pass went to the rear, aiul Rangitikei were saved. The next quarter of an hour was replete with incident, the game developing a League football propensity, with practically no tight, forward play and a succession of rearguard attacks in which Rangitikei played a prominent part. To vary the popular quotation from Horatius, those in the backs played, forward, and those in the forwards played back. In this battledore and shuttlecock the ball travelled willy-nilly all over the field until Wolfe put the spoke in his own team’s wheel by running badly offside in Rangitikei's territory. From a scrum Hohaia cut out Robinson, Sending the ball practically straight behind him to Hunter, who shot clean through the opposition in the twinkling of an eye, and scored near the posts. Hohaia cont cited. Taranaki 19 Rangitikei 8 GRANT’S COUP D’ETAT. Shanley led Rangitikei in a stern reprisal which was repulsed by Hohaia, and Fookes was just getting dangerous when McKenzie tipped him up. Taranaki’s next three points were not long in coming, the ball travelling fast from the ruck to Grant, who crossed with Evans still outside him, and effected a dummy touch down with charming eclat, but without grounding the ball. He subsequently moved on to the keen amusement of the spectators, and touched down under the bar. Hohaia's kick failed. Taranaki 22 Rangitikei S Playing the game of his life, Hunter raced through and away from the field at a great rate, but Fookes dropped the pass. Robinson received from Hohaia to transfer at the right time to Evans, and the fast winger scored with a dashing burst. Hohaia could not goal. Taranaki 25 Rangitikei ,8 A good mark by Shanley gave Rangitikei temporary relief, but down came the home team again. Hunter, Evans, Robinson and Smith were all prominent in an impromptu concertina passing rush which terminated in a melee under the bar, and Rangitikei forced. POTTED GOAL—TOO LATE. Within a moment Taranaki were at it again, and in a scramble alongside the posts R. Hohaia neatly potted a goal. The whistle had gone a moment before, however, for offside play. Starting from loose play in midfield, Taranaki breached the defence with Young fast in the lead. In a fine solo effort the Stratford forward bustled the opposition into the corner. McKenzie forced but a five yards scrum was ordered, and after a stirring passing rush Hohaia scored a try which he was unable to convert. Rangitikei sparked well during the remainder of the game, but always their attacks collapsed just short of the line, and the game ended with the score: Taranaki 28 Rangitikei 8 Mr. F. J. Eggleton refereed. THIRD GRADE SEMI-FINAL STRATFORD H.S. BEAT WAIMATE. WINNING TEAM COMBINES WELL. In the third grade semi-final Stratford Technical High School had a comfortable win over Waimate by 24 points (five tries, three converted, and a penalty goal) to 3 (a penalty goal). The game throughout was fast and interesting. Waimate forwards were the heavier and w’orried their opponents for a while, but Stratford were superior in the backs, showing better combination and ability to finish off opportunities. Townsend set the ball in .motion for Stratford, who opened facing the sun. Waimate forwards at once attacked, Payne kicking through to the twentyfive. Keeping the ball at their fe£t, Waimate pressed and Ruakere nearly forced his way over. After further defence a penalty let Stratford clear, whilst another penalty let them reach half-way. Morgan, with a hefty line kick well followed up, brought Waimate back again, but Nuku failing to make a high kick let the central team attack. Waimate backs gave a taste of their quality, Toroa sending the ball sweetly through the backs to Heneri, who streaked down the side line and, when tackled by Crossman, sent the ball in to Kiri, who was well collared by Townsend. Hill also broke through at the head of a forward rush but was well checked. Stratford were now holding their own, and as both teams were making the game as open as possible, play was very niteresting. Gradually Waimate worked into School- territory, where from a penalty Hill’s kick went wide and was forced. When Waimate’s backs handled nicely, a pass was intercepted by Whiting, who kicked down the field, the School pack following up fast, but Enyon lined. From a penalty near halfway Whiting’s shot went under the bar. Stratford backs were being dumped as quickly as they got the ball and the forwards from the south, led by Wilburn, attacked. The south backs, too, opened out sweetly, Toroa making a fine opening ffor Kitt to kick through to neat- the line, where Harkness saved by lining. Short, nippy passing by the Waimate backs kept Stratford busy, but their defence held and finally C. Crossman lined at half-way. Waimate were pressing when Stratford forwards carried through. Townsend snapped up the ball and flashed it via Harkness to Whiting, who spurted down the field and kicked across to Fastier, who gathered up and sprinted across to score as he was tackled. Whiting failed to goal.

This roused Waimate, who at once pressed. Toroa in the van, the backs swept on and Nuku dived at the ball over the line, but missed and Lacy forced. Waimate kept moving in great style, Heneri making a great burst, but Townsend brought him down. Securing from the scrum C. Crossman had School backs going for McCready to kick through, but the Waimate men cleared. School backs executed a spectacular movement, the ball coming neatly to N.

Crossman, who sent it back via Whiting and McCready for the forwards to handle, but a dropped pass let Enyon, Ruakere, Gulliver and Hill break through to Stratford’s twenty-five, where Ruakere had another resultless shot. Waiinate were not disheartened, but at once pressed till the clever Stratford half, Crossman, gained about forty yardfl with a line kick. Like one man Waimate forwards car e back, but Hill got off-side. Another promising Stratford back movement was spoilt by a man getting in front. Stratford, both backs and forwards, were attacking hotly, Smith making a dash and being collared on the line by Nuku just on half-time, when the score was: — Stratford High School .... 8 Waiinate 0 Stratford became aggressive on resuming, but Hill, though facing a glaring sun, fielded beautifully and lined at half-way. Back came Stratford and, securing from the gcrum, Crossman cut through cleverly and sent the ball via Whiting to Weston, who burst over with an opponent hanging on his back and scored. Whiting’s kick went wide. Stratford backs were away again, Townsend breaking through, but Hughes brought him down. Waimate did not give in, both forwards and backs keeping Stratford out for a while, but suddenly Harkness shot the ball to Townsend, who was downed by Kitt. However, the ball flashed through half a dozen pair of hands for N. Crossman to cap a great effort with a try which Pastier converted. Stratford again assumed the upper hand, and from the scrum Crossman sent his backs away for Harkness to join inland as a result Whiting scored with a man to spare. Pastier goaled. Stratford backs were back again when Kitt smartly collared Whiting, who. delayed his pass a fraction. Waimate were compelled to run behind to save, but from the resultant scrum School were penalised. A re-bound from Weston had Stratford again attacking, and from a penalty Pastier landed another fine goal. With twenty-five pointe in arrears Waimate did not let up. Their forwards pressed hotly for a while. School checked i them and very soon Whiting, McCready and company were throwing the leather about in dangerous proximity to the line till Enyon (full-back), neatly cleared. Lacy smothered Kitt and kept play in Waimate territory and Whiting, using the dummy, gained a lot of ground, but was ultimately smothered. Crossman at once flashed the ball along the other wing, but joining in again took the leather off-side. Waimate, following up the kick, charged right on to Stratford’s line, where Townsend and Crossman saved. Waimate pressed hotly and their persistency was rewarded. Prom a free kick Hodges landed a splendid goal amidst applause. Fast play in neutral territory followed for a while and then the Stratford backs assumed the ascendancy. From a penalty Pastier failed to goal. School were attacking as time sounded with the score: — Stratford High School .... 24 Waimate 3 Mr. G. Collins refereed.