TARANAKI BEATEN

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1929, Page 5

TARANAKI BEATEN

< DEFEATED BY ONE POINT

GAME AGAINST CANTERBURY HOME FORWARDS IN FORM STANDARD NOT BRILLIANT Taranaki were defeated at Rugby football by Canterbury by- tea points to nine at Victoria Park, Stratford. : yesterday. The day was fine' and the ground springy. The game was fast, moving but, as good representative football, never exactly arrived. The victory yesterday gave Canterbury their second win in the North Island in five years. After the game was over few grudged the visitors their out. point margin. The Taranaki forwards • in this match showed a pleasing return to form, but the* backs showed a rooted inclination to remain the same. There are many? things that might be and have been said about the backs. To put it at its rosiest, they wore scarcely a chining success. At the half-back position Tui Robinson was hopelessly at sea, splashing vaguely about at the back of the scrum or diving irretrievably among the forwards. It was pitiable to see a neat little player so grievously lost. Owen, at first five-eighths, was no pacer. Take away .his., ga/neness and sure handling and there, was little left. The swift variety of attack, the alert eye for a tiny opening and particularly the spring off the mark were simply not there. On the other hand to condemn him completely on his play yesterday would be unfair. He made several good swerving runs and stood up to. everything. In fact, yesterday he probably played his best. But his best is not good enough. •. Whether Johnston will ever play a, better game than he did yesterday is doubtful, too.. He played a handy game, but then he cannot be expected to improve. And there are other men who could play as well now and will naturally improve as they grow older.

THREE-QUARTER LINE.

. y.n tho three-quarter line Brown, a ’•willing horse, was worked hard. His tackling was low and sure. At times he showed flashes of speed that made dull patches of play brilliantly sparkle. On the wing, J. Crawford was unsafe. Too often he was caught out of position and too often he fumbled. Once he treated the onlookers to ’an extraordinary spectacle. The ball was kicked towards his line and, imagining it was going out,’he trotted comfortably down the line, ignoring it. Meanwhile Scrimshaw was racing up on it at a furious pace a few yards behind him. It was just a mistake, but a mistake that could be.very costly.

On the other wing Fookes was too (quiet and subdued. There was no energy in his play yesterday, and he made some poor attempts at tackling. ' Collins, at full-back, was very valuable for his kicking and, except for the opening stages, safe in his handling. At wing-forward Guy played a very useful game, working well with the inaide backs. Though it is open to question whether he has the brilliance of his younger rivals, he showed himself reliable and enterprising.

The Taranaki forwards, with coaching, would stand up to any provincial pack. Yesterday they strewed mistakes on every part of the ground, and in spite of them managed to.keep Can’ter(bury busy. Awkward packing in the scrums/ kicking just too hard in drib bling rushes and foolish offside risks were the worst. Nevertheless the fine old dribbling rushes were paraded again yesterday and no-one shirked in the (tight. Walter led the rushes and close behind him came McLean. Robinson was untiring in the loose and Ike always was battling in the thickest scrums. The Canterbury forwards were heavy .tend in good condition. Toby Robinson, Kirkland and Burrows worked all the time. The inside backs were straightrunning and the three-quarters dangerously fast. Mullan played a very sound game behind the scrum and Scrimshaw, .at wing-forward, was always on the ball.

Mr. J. 'S. King kept the game in good control, though it seemed, at times, that the whistle was sounding more frequently than necessary.

The teams lined out as follows: —

TARANAKI. A. Colling J. Crawford H. W. Brown K. Fookes D. Johnston (capt.) E. Owens Tui Robinson A. Guy B. Espin J. Walter McLean Ike R. Williams 0. Murphy W. Robinson CANTERBURY. J. Steele W. Merritt R. Hastie G. Hart J. Harris D. Hay T. Mullan G. Scrimshaw T. Manning W. Thompson C. Anderson T. Robinson J. Manchester J. Kirkland J. Burrows Mr, J. S. King refereed. • Canterbury kicked off and the ball dribbled into touch at half-way. Toby Robinson sprang through the line-out and Canterbury went flush up the field. Ike picked up and stood firm while the tide of men swept over him, then passed to Owen, who swerved through among the Canterbury backs. Walter kicked the ball over the line and Canterbury ■forced. A low kick by Hay went deep to Collins. He fumbled, recovered and lined well to half-way. The Taranaki backs spread themigelves in a run but the Canterbury forwards broke in and smashed the pattern ! 0f the attack. The home forwards ■backed up and swept play to midfield. Here, just inside half-way, Canterbury were off-side. Collins, kicking on his own ground, placed a fine goal fairly between the posts. Taranaki 3 Canterbury .0 Taranaki, with an early three points, kept up a lively if ragged attack. Tui Robinson, Guy- and Crawford came round the blind side in a smart run. Crawford in-passed to Guy, who was upset near the line and Canterbury forced. There was rather a good deal or Whistle. r Ike bustled through -a scrum *nd Walter and Williams went off to-

gether in a fast dribbling rush. Mullan swung a Canterbury attack round the blind side, Hay slipped away very neatly, and Merritt kicked through close to the line. Hot work followed in the corner, the heavy Canterbury pack pressing hard, but Espin worked out with the ball at toe. The whole Canterbury line went off in a fast sprint and Brown threw Hastie with a fine tackle. Harris picked up and drop-kicked. The ball skimmed the ground all the way and Collins forced.

GIVING NO QUARTER.

• Canterbury were giving no quarter in the forwards and fhe backs gained ground with calculated kicks. The lineouts were fairly even and the loose scrums evenly matched,. Guy whipped round a scrum, feat on Mullan and then dribbled through. Harris found a • gap and ran through. Scrimshaw and Toby Robinson dirried. on almost to the line, where Robinson, with an open space before him,_ paused to pick the ball up. It stuck round his ankles, the Taranaki forwards came back, and McLean booted it hard to the line.

The home forwards were playing with fine dash. but. there was little smartness in the backs and they never did the unexpected thing. Taking a dropout on the full. Merritt slid, past the Taranaki forwards and kicked. Fookes fielded the ball and made _a short run back. Then in a fine even run the Canterbury backs raced downfield without error. Hastie cut in past Brown and Hart, coming up alongside, showed a fast pair of heels, to round off the rush witlb a try near the posts. Mullan converted. Canterbury 1 5 ■ Taranaki . 3 Tui Robinson, who was not happy behind the scrum. Owen* and Crawford made a brief effort on- the blind, but Hart stole the ball from Crawford’s arms and kicked. Collins lined a bouncing ball cleverly. Johnston punted high and Brown was up fast on top of Merritt. McLean bolted away from the scrum and all the Taranaki forwards joined in the rush. Hart, hard pressed, passed back to Steele, but Steele waved the ball away with a cai'eless gesture and the forwards were nearly through. •Merritt kicked and Brown took the ball almost from" his foot. Johnston cut through,, and passed in to the pack, which crowded down on the line, but Tui Robinson threw away a golden chance by diving instead of passing to hig backs. Then the Taranaki forwards were off-side and Canterbury cleared.

WEARISOME OFF-SIDE,

Merritt lined Very neatly but Guy,

Walter and McLean worked back in a good dribble. Mullan was getting a pummelling from Guy. Guy fed" the backs and Brown passed to Crawford. The ball came back to Brown; he kicked over Steele’s head and if Hay had not come across fast Taranaki would have scored. As it was the ball hung near the line until a Taranaki forward got off-side. Off-sides by Taranaki near the

goal line were becoming wearisome. Mullan fed his backs but , Brown dropped Hastie hard this time. Mullan slipped by three men and passed to Harris, who made a good straight run. Under a high kick Fookes and Johnston raced down on Merritt. He just managed to send a lucky pass to Steele, w’ho cleared. Scrimshaw’s fierce dashes round the scrum were too much for Tui Robinson. The Canterbury backs opened out and Harris punted close to the touch line with Hart in hot pursuit. Crawford turned his back and trotted easily down the line, apparently under the impression that the ball was out of play. Meanwhile Scrimshaw picked up and flew for the line till Johnston threw him with a beautiful tackle Again Crawford missed the ball badly and Brown came back and saved.

The home forwards were playing good, hard football, coming away in smashing dribbling rushes, Walter 'always near

the front. But time and again they kicked just too hard. High punts floated in the air, but Taranaki let them bounce while Canterbury took them on the full. There was tight scrumming and Mullan, Hay and Harris got away until Brown caught Harris and Johnston made a swift run back. Owen marked and kicked over his head. Scrimshaw was after the ball, hut Fookes kicked neatly into touch. Half-time sounded with the score: — Canterbury 5 . Taranaki ‘ 3

The second spell began very ’briskly and eight points were rattled up in five minutes. Taranaki won its share first. In the Canterbury team Steele went off. Harris replaced him at fullback and Innis went to second fiveeighth. Johnston, kicked well down and Harris gathered in to save. Into the picture came Walter, following up at fulj speed. Harris’ kick struck Walter’s head and the ball rebounded towards the line, rolling out by the corner flag. In the scrimmage that followed the lineout Canterbury were off-side and Collina had a shot from the side line. The ball curled just inside the post. Taranaki fi Canterbury 5 A few minutes later Canterbury turned the tables. Mullan shrewdly kicked past his man and after a fast dribbling rush along the touch line by Scrimshaw and Hart, Scrimshaw dived over and touched down. Merritt, right from the side line, sent a perfect kick across the bar. Canterbury .... i 10 Taranaki 6 The Taranaki forwards, led by Walter, McLean and W. Robinson', flung themselves into the game with a will and Canterbury had to defend in the corner. Owen swerved in and McLean chased closely after the ball. Tui Robinson was lying stretched on the ground further up the field, so Guy twice sent the ball from the scrum. Once he almost crossed and passed to McLean, who forced, but the touch judge had raised his flag. Canterbury were finding it hard work against the wind. Scrum followed scrum but the ball never seemed to come out cleanly. Robinson, back in his place, twice made plucky runs and the. forwards were close to the line. Then Walter, the best forward on the ground, paved the way with a dash through for Guy to score near the corner. Collins’ kick from the side line failed and Canterbury led by one point. Canterbury 10 Taranaki 9 Taranaki attacked spasmodically from the kick off and then the Canterbury forwards made a strong rush, passing almost from hand to hand, forcing their way through by sheer strength. Mullan flung the ball out and Hastie dummied and cut through. A knockon by Merritt stopped a likely score. : Walter, Ike and Williams dribbled through, but Hay snapped the ball from | their feet and the Canterbury pack '

wedged Taranaki again in the corner, pressing hard.

THRUST BY TARANAKI.

But as the strain increased, suddenly the pressure snapped and broke, and the home forwards charged away clear. From midfield Taranaki made a really fine thrust. Owen and Johnston began it and passed to Fookes, who ran hard, drawing the , defence to the corner. Blocked, ho threw a great, long pass right infield. Guy took it and passed at the vital moment to Brown, who came up at a furious pace and hurled himself over the line in a tangle of arms and legs. The five yards scrum was the only solution. Canterbury kicked to clear, but Collins punted and, following up fast, tackled his man right on the line. A free kick for off-side by a Taranaki forward let Canterbury clear once ( more.

Hart put his side on. the attack with a fast run up the touch line. McLean came back dribbling rapidly and Harris,' the only man in. the way, made a fine save. Mullan worked the blind side with Hay and the Canterbury forwards got off-side. In a good Canterbury passing rush Hastie sped through an opening and Merritt was with him at the corner. He dropped the ball and Brown and Fookes together booted it into touch. There was some unnecessarily fierce work among the forwards and Mullan was knocked badly on the head in going down gamely to a rush. Both pairs of hookers seemed unr’ le to agree where to put their heads. Brown and Fookes did some lightning following up and Harris made several brilliant saves. Canterbury were holding Taranaki in check at this stage of the game. The home side screwed the scrum well, but Ike could not break clear from the solid visiting forwards. All at once Walter and W. Robinson broke the /spell in an open dribble. Taranaki tried to work their backs, but Scrimshaw was up quickly on Owen and Collins had to line. The visiting pack took a turn and rushed clean through the defence. Scrimshaw, Toby Robinson and Kirkland chased the ball over the line, but when Kirkland dived to touch down only the post was between him and the ball and Crawford forced. From a scrum in midfield Tui Robinson sent a hopeless pass to Owen. Merritt made a fast dash until he was tackled by Fookes. When a man fell on the ball there was a tendency to kick indiscriminately at cither. Espin went off injured and' was replaced by Wills. In a scrim age just, outside the twenty-five Canterbury were off-side and Collins had a long shot at goal from t’.e side line. The ball fell short. Shortly afterwards Fookes picked up and drop-kick-I. but his shot missed. With time drawing near it was worth trying. Taranaki made a brave attempt to rally. but Canterbury could hold them now. A long kick went over the line, Merritt fcreed and the game ended:— Canterbury 10 Taranaki 9

TO-MORROW’S. BIG MATCH. TARANAKI v. AUCKLAND. / Probably the most popular fixture in the Taranaki Rugby world, the annual match between Taranaki and Auckland, which takes place at Pukekura Park tomorrow, is being eagerly looked forward to throughout the province. Particular interest attaches to the match, as it marks the second and last represents tive match to be held in New Plymouth this season.

The Taranaki team did not impress greatly on its previous appearance in New Plymouth a fortnight ago, but as the result of the three matches played since and the alterations that have been effected in the personnel, it will be a much fitter and stronger team that steps out against the northerners to-morrow. It will need to be, as the Auckland fifteen is a very strong one, containing a number of young players who arc keen to make good. They play the open, ■spectacular .game and so frequently depart from the orthodox with such successful results as to electrify spectators and opponents alike. The Auckland team, which arrived yesterday afternoon by motor bus from Te Kuiti, is in great form, having opened the tour with a win against King Country, They are quartered at the Terminus Hotel and this morning will indulge in practice, afterwards being shown points of interest about the town. The team returns to Auckland on Sunday morning. Mr. J. F. Potter is the manager. The teams are:—

AUCKLAND. Goodacre , Stoupe Bush Falwasser (capt.) Cammick Jamieson. Corner Fletcher Satherley Peacock Anderson Knight McGuire Palmer (hookers) Heywood Emergencies: Backs, Weir, .Bell; forwards, Kahu and Schnauer. TARANAKI. Hunt Watson Brown D. Crawford Johnston T. Robinson R. Hohaia A. Guy J.' Walter C. Wills A. Baldwin Ike McLean Robinson (hookers) Gargan Emergencies: Backs, J. Crawford and Owen; forwards, F. Wolfe and G. Baldwin. TARANAKI TOURING TEAM.

The Taranaki team to go on tour will be chosen on Saturday night from the one chosen to play Auckland, and Collins, Grant, Hunter, Williams, and Espin. Any player unable to go on tom should advise the secretary before Saturday. RATANA CUP FOOTBALL. CHALLENGE .HATCH AT MANATA. The Waimate Maoris have received a challenge for the Ratana Junior Cup from the Ratana Maoris and the contest will be held at the Manaia Domain next Wednesday. This match, which is to be the final game of the season, is of particular interest as the donor of the cup, Mr. W. T. Ratana, will be present as a spectator and the team from his village will endeavour to carry back the trophy. So far the Waimate team has been unbeaten since they won the trophy from Waitotara last year. Among the teams which have gone down before them are Porirua, Awahuri, Tainui, Wellington and Taihape.

That the challengers will have a hard task before them goes without saying. The Waimate team is said to be in good form and a good exhibition of the code is certain. The kick-off is timed for 1.30. In the evening a dance will be held in the Manaia Town Hall, where the visiting team will be entertained.