JUNIOR SEMI-FINAL

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1929, Page 10

JUNIOR SEMI-FINAL

STAR DEFEAT OKAIAWA.

GOOD MATCH AT STRATFORD. As the outcome of their second meeting with Okaiawa, Star have emerged the semi-final winners of the Taranaki junior Rugby competition and will play the final with Inglewood, the winners of the central division. Star well deserved their victory by 14 points to 6 in the match at Victoria Park, Stratford, but Okaiawa were by no means disgraced. Victory was spelt in terms of confident back play, the big Star rearguard forcing gaps in the solid defence of the southern team on frequent occasions. The forwards were well matched, and Okaiawa gained much ground by the persistance of splendhl loose rushes. A fine game was marred by the one fault of too much kicking. The teams were:' —

Star. —Burless, J. O’Byrne, Harvey, Lealand, Ennis, Sampson, Hoskin, Smith, Morgan, Taylor, McLeod, S. O’Byrne, Knight, Ford and Kendall.

Okaiawa.—Blair, Guy, Clarke, Hooper, Ngaia, James, Skipper, Tito, Watson, Poole, Barclay, Rakei, Wilkinson, Bailey and Nuku.

Play opened quietly but livened up considerably when Nuku and Bailey led an inspiring forward rush into Star’s territory. Thereafter the forwards of both teams were called upon to sustain some solid work. None of the back movements in the early part of the game was convincing, but tackling everywhere was very deadly. Good dribbling by Tito converted a steady Star attack into a brief spell of defensive play. At this stage Ford and Kendall were hooking well from the scrum, and the Star backs were frequently ■ seen in operation, Samson being particularly aggressive at five-eighth. Star were obviously relying on their backs, -while Okaiawa concentrated on loose and very effective forward rushes. First blood came to Star when Hoskin whipped the ball out to Sampson, all the backs handling to O’Byrne, who was almost clear when well tackled by Skipper. As he fell O’Byrne managed to transfer to Harvey, who gained a few yards and passed to Smith. The latter dived over to score, a fine try. The kick failed. The next few minutes were marked by energetic Okaiawa loose rushes, Tito, Poole and Rakei being prominent. Star slowly drove them back and suddenly th< ball was hooked from a scrummage. Hoskin snapped it up and passed to Sampson, who cut in splendidly, leaving the opposition standing and scoring as he liked. Hoskin’s easy kick was charged down. After a period of quiet play the game came to vivid life when O’Byrne received from Harvey and dodged his way clean through the Okaiawa rearguard, but he had not the pace to stave off a flying tackle by Blair. From the ensuing scramble Bailey had to retire with an injured rib, his place being taken by Jerry. The last ten minutes of this spell were noteworthy for the rapid nature of the play. Up and down ranged the game with McLeod and Knight leading driving rushes for Star and the Okaiawa backs indulging in long kicks to send them back. Just ar the spell closed Lealand initiated a clever back movement with a lightning dash up the line to score comfortably, though well out. At half time the score stood: ■ Star ...................... 9 Okaiawa 0 Tim second spell had scarcely commenced when Ngaia, coming with a great burst of speed, took a beautiful pass from Guy and raced over half the field, cleverly warding off ali attempts to tackle, and scoring near the corner. Skipper’s kick ut goal rolled along the ground. By changing their team and placing Guy at half, Okaiawa made their attacking force decidedly more efficient and Star experienced a lengthy spell of hard defensive play which ended when Clarke tried to pot and Star forced. A period of mid-field play followed. Then Hooper sent a kick lobbing far up the field. Ngaia was with Hooper when they followed up and Okaiawa lacked only a few yards to cross the line.

Star infringed and Blair kicked a clean goal from a fairly acutes angle. Star were now maintaining a short lead of three points and were playing greatly inferior football to that of the first spell. Play was in mid-field when Hoskin sent the ball via Sampson and Ennis to Lealand, who, using his great speed, outdistanced Hooper and Blair and scored easily. Harvey added the major points with s clean kick, thus giving Star 14 points to Okaiawa’s G. Both Star and Okinawa had chances to add to their totals in the next ten minutes, when a solid Star offensive was swept away in face of a splendid dribbling rush in which all the Okaiawa pack took part, Star having to force hurriedly There was no slackening in the speed of the game over the concluding stages, both teams making co-ordinated efforts to score and some good football being witnessed. The game ended with the scores: Star 14 Okaiawa 6 Mr. A. O'Sullivan refereed. KING’S THEATRE—STRATFORD. ‘ WILD WEST ROMANCE.” One of the most novel and appealing Fox Films productions opens at the King’s Theatre to-night. The picture is “Wild West Romance,” with Rex Bell, youthful cowboy star, making a decided hit. Bell, a product of the open ranges, enacts the role of a cowboy who evinces a disregard for life and limb when he rescues a tiny urchin thrown from a speeding freight train. The youngster, played by Billy Butts, adds to his laurels as a screen player and is responsible for a number of pathetic scenes. The two fight their battles < together and bring about the downfall of a vicious gang of cut-throats who I long have menaced the community. • Caryl Lincoln has the feminine lead | opposite Bell. Others are Neill Neely, " Jack Walters, George Pearce and Ellen Woodsten. The picture was directed by R, Lee Hough. . 1 ■ ■- .