RUGBY IN TARANAKI

Taranaki Daily News, 6 June 1930, Page 5

RUGBY IN TARANAKI

' SOUTHERN COMPETITIONS. WAIMATE’S DEFINITE LEAD. Waimate established a definite lead in /he southern division on Saturday by defeating Patea, and is now two points ahead of Opunake, the nearest opponent pn the championship ladder. Patea and Hawera, solid teams likely to prove a {horn in the sides of the leaders, both lost their matches on Saturday, and are funning level with 7 points each, three points . behind Waimate. Okaiawa defeated Athletic by a good margin, and may still provide an upset in the competition. The draw between Kaponga and Eltham saw both teams mount the bottom rung of the ladder, while Athletic has still to register a victory, Despite their failures this season the Wearers of the red and white Athletic jersey are not downhearted, and it will not do for any southern division team to underestimate the capabilities of Ath- . letic. Greatest interest was displayed in the game at Patea between Patea and Waimate, the latter being one point in the lead of the local team when the game - Commenced. At the conclusion, however, jWaimate had compiled II points to Patea’s six, and still remained unbeaten in the southern division. Without the services of Don Grant Patea was unable to set its backs going, while W. Baldwin, too, was absent £wing to an injury. The hero of the day fyas Waimate’s second five-eighth, Wineera, who scored probably the most brilliant try recorded in Taranaki Rugby fhis season. While he docs not appear |o travel very fast Wineera covers the ’ground at great speed, his trickiness and Swerving, dodging and fending tactics presenting a difficult problem to the Sould-be tackler. Patea’s half-back, J. urley, threw himself at the Native’s ankles,’ but Wimera’s logs swayed and Hurley passed behind. Crawford dived for the waist and Wineera fended him pff, as he did Petersen wfio tackled high. While C. Wills was' the outstanding . forward bn the ground his team-mate A. Richards ran him close and, ’ With j : jnore experience, Richards should add

further lustre to the names of great forwards reared in Patea. He is of the big, burly type, fast and an exceptionally hard worker with a penchant for tight play. A little more polish and Richards should represent the province. In J. Petersen Patea has a good fullback and a goaldcicker beyond the average. The match attracted one of the largest crowds to witness a football game at Patea and the excitement was at fever pitch at times. The referee, Air. i M. Bailey, had occasion to call a halt , in the play while the ground was clear- ; ed of spectators. He was applauded for ■ | his action, l OPUNAKE SHOWS IMPROVEMENT. . Perhaps the surprise of the southern i division was the defeat of Hawera by Opunake at Optuiake, for the loser had shown good form this season, especially m its meeting with Patea two weeks previously, while last year’s champion team had not given promise of developing into a really strong side. It showed ( considerable improvement on Saturday and, slightly the better of the two teams, won by 6 points to nil. Both fifteens threw the ball about in good style, the game being played at a fast clip. There was, however, an abie I’ttle extra polish which is the difference between a good back movement and a try, Only one rearguard tiy was scored, R. Hohaia setting the backs going for Sinclair to score’ It was a pretty movement. The full-backs, Cheevers and Ale Donald, again gave good exhibitions. Their line-kicking, long and accurate, was especially good. The Hawera pack seemed to miss W. Robinson, especially when near Opunake s line. Ihe Hawera forwards were slightly excelled by their opponents. Hunter, Ekdahl and Hammond, the Hawera insjde backs, made some good combined movements, but on the whole Opunake’s co-ordination was slightly superior. IMPROVEMENT OF CELTIC. Those pessimists who foretold the meeting of Celtic and Old Boys with gloomy forebodings as to the standard of the game were forced to concede that I their estimate was woefully astray. Cer- | tainly the game was not of the highest order, but the rapidly improving Celtic (

pack and the fleet Old Boys’ rearguard

made it quite “good enough." The Old Boys have built up an enviable, record this season, and after their doughty showing the previous. Saturday many expected a run-away victory over the Union’s youngest baby. In fact, by leaving a couple- of the recognised forwards on the bank and giving a game to the emergencies, the visitors tacitly expressed the same opinion. Well, they won, and according to the score, won fairly easily, but the severest critic will admit that Celtic more than held its own and, territorially, actually maintained an advantage. There was just that lack of finish, that inability to penetrate one yard further, that lost the green and whites a nymber of points, which, with a more experienced team, would have added a substantial amount to the tally. Whatever the Taranaki Rugby Union may think about the mystic influence of No. 13 there is one man in the Celtic team who will subscribe to the popular belief. Aynsley usually plays a reasonably safe game on the wing, but last Saturday he substituted for Dodd at ' full-back and donned a jersey displaying the fatal number. From start to finish ill fortune dogged his progress about the field. All the wrong bounces came his way, and all bumps as well. Ho sprang into prominence during the first two minutes when he potted a beautiful field goal, but from that time he became the focus of all eyes simply because he could do nothing exactly right, yet he was a trier throughout. At one stage, the two opposing 13’s came into violent collision all by themselves in the middle of the field. It was Perry, the grinning Old Boy, who scrambled to his feet and made off with the ball, but it was “hoodooed’’ Aynsley who remained inert upon the ground. Patrons of Rugby in Stratford are getting thoroughly “fed up” at the consistent delay in starting the senior matches at Victoria Park. Last Saturday, again, Celtic and Old Boys took the field nearly half an hour late, just in , time to prevent a goodly number of the • public from leaving the field in disgust. Now-a-days, when the progress of an exciting match can be followed from the ease of a cosy chair in a warmed and lighted sitting-room it is not a good policy to impose upon the good nature of enthusiasts. Stratford has been singularly unfortunate in .the matter of delayed starts this season, and if gate receipts slump those in control will have only themselves to blame.

I If Beardmore grows any more he will surely be the biggest forward in Taranaki* next season,. Last Saturday, he ranged head and shoulders above the forwards engaged in the Celtic —Old Bpys’ struggle, and very excellent use he made of this decided advantage when line-outs were the order. In the loose, too, his display was impressive. He will be jotted ‘down for reference by the selector. TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW’S GAMES The teams to play in the Taranaki Rugby Union competition matches tomorrow include the following: — Tukapa seniors v. Okato, at Okato. —Petty (2), Evans, Wyatt, Dickson, Boswell, Brown, Sullivan, Guy, O’Dowda (2), Hill, Bithell, McNeill, Collins, Spedding, Gay ton, Tukapa first juniors v. Star A, at Pukekura Park. —Knott, Lobb, Meredith, Hanley, Ninkie, AlcLean, Papps, Ale Donald, Thomson, Lewer, Dickie, Stewart, Haskell, Gilbert, Pope, Morris, Reed, Aroa, Boyle. Sleep. Tukapa thirds v. Old Boys, at Racecourse No. 1 at 3 p.m. —-Carter, Knott, Sorenson, Sanger, Pickett, Main, AlcGivori, Lock, Wallace, Lewis, Lobb, Morris, Bayley, Haines, Williams, Gardiner, Wright, Hall, Neilson. Tukapa fourth grade v. High School B at Racecourse at Ll 5 p.m.—Bradford, Gardiner, Lobb, Kai, Martin, Koti. Gayton, Florence, Neville, Alurdoch, Fox, Hall, Gunson, Greenlees, Johnson, Ballot.

Tukapa fifth grade v. High School B at Racecourse at 3 p.m. —-McCoy, Gruszning, Newell, Innes, Lobb, AlcKinney, Roebuck, Walker, Cattley, Lobb, Rea, Powell, George, Hutton, Barlow, Tomms, Brien, Edgecombe, Burgess. Urenui first juniors to play Clifton at Waitara.—A. .Chard, Loveridge, Kivell, Fraser, McLellan, Jonas, Herbett, Wylie (2), Rogers (2), -Smith, Tiwai, Conway, Ilalcombe, Bicheno, Clarke, Sheard. Waimate seniors to play Opunake at Afanaia. —Shaw, Ale Donald, Rei,, Wineera, Whalen, Paterson, Griffin, Hikaka, Edwards, Hcneri, Hughes, Sutton, Lavcry, Murphy, Cunningham, C. Bourke, Long, Wood, Hooper, Alercer, Eliason, Waimate juniors to play Opunake, at Opunake. —Fergus, King, Parata, Luke, Edwards, Rei (2), Hill, Hughes, Putt, Russell, "Taplin, Tamil, Guise, Heneri, Burke, Gray, Richardson; Waimate*‘thirds play High School at Manaia.—A. Enyon. J. King, W. Toroa, Bennett, A.iHughes, R. Morgan, Walker, Evans,,: Vincent}, puakere, P. King, Har-

ris, Hodge, B. En/on, Gulliver; reserves, Ross, Fi'tzsimhioiis, Nuku, Cowling. Waimate fourths play High School at Hawera—Putt,Budd, McKay, Hunia, Dick, King, AlcCracken, Walker, Lawry, Johnnie, Tutu Robinson, Gamlin (2), Duggan, Duncan, Hansen, Borrie, Jones, Atkinson.

Old Boys at Inglewood.—Priar, Webster, Brown, Medley, Fookes, Mace, Mason, Fookes, Crawford, Clarke, Drader, Luxton, Slyfield, Beck, Frethey, H. Olson, Rutherford, Plumtree and S. Olson. Old Boys’ juniors—Harris, Hutchen, Aubrey, Rodgers, Sheehy,. Billing, McLean, Robertson, Joe Thomas, J. Knapman, Pankhurst, Jim Thomas, Moverley, Hetherington, Evans, Brown, Slyfield, Hoby, Goodwin, T. Knapman. Old Boys’ thirds. —A. Newall, Vesty, Rutherford, Scoble, Smith, Mace, Allen, Thomson, Budd, White, Hetherington, Morton, Chisholm, McLean, Veale, Rea. Star seniors v. Stratford, at New Plymouth.—Godfrey, Lealand, Billing, Kinsella, Clegg, Sampson, Rothery, Jenkins, Harvey, Ford, Brewster, Clarke, Shaw, O’Byrne, McLeod, Taylor. ■Star junior A.—Smith, Beer, Forbes, Faulkner, McLeod (2), Utiger, O’Sullivan, Way, Payne, Hoskin, Harvey, Crapper, Fitzpatrick, Wilkins, Sherston, Bell, Puhi. Star junior B. —’Rothery, Crawford, Utiger, Harris, McDonald, Bland, Julian, Brooks, McMillan, Ennis, Kerr, O’Byrne, Jones, Baker, Skipper, Tippens, Ferry. Star third grade v„ High School.— Neale, Page, Early, Webber, Sampson, Hagerty, McLean, Robinson, Kinsella, Simpson, Webber, Kerr, Plumtree, Burr, Nicol, Gooday. Star fourths to play High School A at 1.15 p.m.—Batten, Bowan, Gore (2), South, Suhr, Parkin, McCauley, McFarlane, O’Donnell, Hardgraves, White, Lynch, Cursons, Cook, Craw, Rutherford, Baker, Stroud, Nuttall, Cropp. Star fifths v. High School, at Racecourse at 3 p.m — Bruce, Black, Hookham, Suhr, Rennie, Clegg, Avery, Mc.Lean, Glengarry. Utiger, Erb, Mackay, Elder, Sisson, Millman, Stevens, Coleman, Morris, Robb, Millham, Richards. On account of A. Collins’ breaking three ribs .at Wanganui the full-back position in the Stratford senior Rugby team has been filled by P, Collins. The team to play Star at New Plymouth is. —P. Cpllins, Taylor, E. Walter, Bonner, Grace, Owen, Bublitz, Fryday, J. Young, Smith, Huckstep, Were, Kivell,. Bond; Lehmann; emergencies, Blackmore and ■R. Young. . ’ ' • : j ■ ' ’ . > nf. vj.jo Al, A