TARANAKI RUGBY MATCHES

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1930, Page 4

TARANAKI RUGBY MATCHES

COMPETITION NEARING CLOSE. SENIOR FIXTURES FOR TO-DAY. Okato v. Tukapa, at 1.30 p.m. Old Boys v. Inglewood, at 3 p.m. Clifton v. Celtic, at Waitara. Star v. Stratford, at Stratford. Kaponga v. Hawera, at Kaponga. Patea v. Okaiawa, at Patea. Waimate v. Opunake, at Opunake. Eltham v. Athletic, at Hawera. To-day -will see the last series of matches but one in the second round of the Taranaki Rugby Union’s senior competition, and' with the'issue in both divisions still in doubt enthusiasts will find much to interest them. , In the northern division the chici at- ' traction will be the meeting of Old Boys and Inglewood at Pukekura Park at 3 p.m.,. and it promises to provide a fine spectacle. Inglewood so far is the only team to lower Old Boys’ colours, and this the inland team did effectively in tlie first round, scoring two tries to its opponent’s penalty goal. . It was a wet day, which did not suit the Old Boys’ backs,, and the Inglewood, forwards swept them .off their feet; The Inglewood forwards, however, have done well also on fiiie.’days, and the, backs combine nicely f and are. fepeody, while Hunt is a tower "of 'strength in defence. With a one-point margin over Stratford Old Boys cannot afford a loss, and the team has been training very solidly. The forwards have shown improved form of late, and if they reproduce that form this afternoon, the speed of the backs may give Old Boys the winning margin in an open game. . ' As a curtain-raiser Tukapa and 'Okato will meet. In the first round when an ' unfortunate incident brought a sudden termination to the game Okato was- ■ leading. It will have a strong fifteen this afternoon and should keep Tukapa ■ moving, -though . provided ... the Tukapa rearguard can get a fair..share of the h a U.-. its !l ..pacp bll sl|oul.d,.,.be the, deciding ii factor?. ■ . i Stratford,,.,tlie -W'be PP" posed.liy Star. pie .first, ?sund; at New 'Plymouth §tyatfordi, ..gained the ■ yietdrf by 11 points to eix after, a splendid game, and. on its,, o.wn- groiind should be able to .repeat that perform- ? ance. A defeat would greatly prejudice Stratford’s championship prospects, even if the present leading team should sustain a check. . The Clifton-Celtic match will be played at Waitara and an interesting game should-' result.'' When''the'; pair met at Stratford in the first round there, was little -between them, the Visitors w * n " ning- by 8 points th 6. ■ In the'Southern Division the' -position is very interesting, and though' Hawera s defeat of Opunake and Waiiha'te’e defeat of Patea gave Hawera'a lead of three points, the other three teams may yet be in the picture; indeed, there in 3 just a bare possibility that the close • of the second round may see «the. four teams equal. However, should Hawera win to-day it will put the issue beyond ••doubt. The facts that Kaponga is ali ways a hard team on its own ground, where to-day’s match will, be played, and that it has the additional advantage of having defeated Hawera in the first round by the margin of a penalty goal indicate that the result will be awaited with interest. The Hawera

rearguard has been strengthened as an j attacking force, and on a dry ground ■ . the honours of the day should go to • the leading team. ' Opunake and Wainiate, the two run- ’ ners-up, will meet-at .Opunake, and this- > should provide another fine struggle.' In • the first round Opunake was the first I team to defeat Waimate, which therej after sustained three successive defeats. During the past three weeks, however, ' Waimate has shown a revival of form, ; and last Saturday against Patea the team was seen at its best. The Patea-Okaiawa match is set

’ down for Patea, where spectators may ’ expect a thrilling encounter. Patea ■ secured the victory by a potted goal in ; the first round and this afternoon will be very keen to maintain its supre- ' macy. Though its prospects of gaining ‘ the premiership are reinqte, it still has 4 a possible chance. ! Athletic and Eltham will meet at t Eltham, and though tile match has no bearing on the bhamponship it should prove interesting. : TAINUI v.\WHAGAMOMONA. ' There will be ho seniorcompetitions - next week because the representative team will be in Auckland. Advantage j! will be taken of the vacant date to >* play the annual mateh between the .'Tainui and Whangambmona ‘ Sub- : Unions. During the past couple of years this match has been played at Strat- • ford, both matches having been won i by Tainui. This year the match has-’ ■.* been set down lor New Plymouth. Live . » Interest ie being taken in the mateh by the supporters of the teams and it ie understood that a special train has ‘ been arranged to run from Tangarakau to New Plymouth. u TARANAKI REPRESENTATIVES; / The Taranaki; representative . team; ; leaves for the north next week, playing ; Waikato on Wednesday and Auckland ?. on Saturday. It, is r twib year 4 , since 4 4 Taranaki sent a team north and bh •; that occasion it had a very sucfeseful j ; tour, winning all th^ec/matches—against J. Waikato, Thames- Valley and Auckland. In view of the fact that Taranaki has five more representative matches to play this season —against North Auck- ; land the following week at Stratford, ; Manawhenua and Hawke’s Bay at New ’ Plymouth, and Wairarapa and Wellingi. ton late in the season, considerable interest will be taken in the way in which the team shapes next week. • Selector W. A. Guy has chosen a strong nineteen to make the trip. All have worn the representative jersey before. H. 'W. Brown was not available • for the tour but he may be able to visit Auckland. In his absence either N. Hunter or B. Watson may , fill the centre position. Medley has been play- : ing well this season. With Gudgeon at half and either Owen or Robinson at first five-eighth, the-backs should get plenty of opportunities to show their . pace. Forward the team is a verj 4 strong one and should hold, its own even against the Auckland pack. ' TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW. Eltham seniors against Athletic, at Hawera.—M. Patterson, M. Prince, J. Grovca, D. Knuckcy, E. Hughes, ’ E. Townsend, L, Cfysey,, .R, AfeWiJliam, H. Elliott, V. - Hi z P f atfs, R. Bo-

cock, R. Trolove, F. Bocock and R. Campbell. Waimate seniors to play Opunake, at Opunake. —'Paterson (2), Wineera, Rei, Eliason, Mercer, Shaw, Whalen, Lavery, Sutton, Long, Hughes, Wood, Heneri, Hikaka, Edwards, Bourke (2), Griffin. . ~

Waimate juniors to. play. Opunake, at Manaia. —King, Parata, Luke, Edwards, Hill, Hughes, .Putt, Burke, Tamu, Katene, Hooper (2), Hausen, Surgenor, Christianson, Rei (2), McDonald. Waimate thirds to play High School at Hawera. —Eiiyon (2), King, Toroa, Bennett, Hughes. Morgan, Walker, Hodge, Vincent, Wilburn, Harris, Evans, Gulliver, Payne, Ruakere, Cowling. Waimate fourths to play High School, at Manaia. —The. team is the same as last week.

Inglewood against Old Boys, at New Plymouth.—C. Hunt, N. Ross, Maingay, L. Ross, Faulkner, j. Alleman, J. Ross, Crossman, Devereux, Major, Gudgeon, Lawrence, Scanlon, H. Hunt, Larmer, Brown, Mackinder, O'Byrne. Hawera seniors to play Kaponga, at Kaponga. —W. Robinson, Gibson, E. Murphy, R. Williams. B. Murphy, L. Robinson, Malcolm, K. Riley, S. F. Riley, Bishop, Hammond, Crotty,. Hunter, Ekdalil, Chcevers; reserves, Cairncross, Goodger 4iid Pokau.