PRIMARY SCHOOL RUGBY

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1931, Page 6

PRIMARY SCHOOL RUGBY

QUADRANGULAR TOURNAMENT GOOD DISPLAY IN OPENING GAMES TARANAKI TEAM WINS MATCH. The quadrangular primary schools Rugby tournament between teams representing the Hutt Valley, Horowhenua, Rangitikei and Taranaki districts opened at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, on Saturday, when Taranaki defeated Rangitikei and Hutt Valley beat Horowhenua. The quality of the play was good and keen public interest was displayed. ELEVENTH HOUR VICTORY TARANAKI BEAT RANGITIKEI. BRIGHT DISPLAY OF RUGBY. Superiority in the backs, particularly .on attack and in line kicking, gavo ; Taranaki the verdict against Rangitikei, ■last year’s champions, by six points to ; three. Taranaki secured a penalty goal and an unconverted try, and Rangitikei an unconverted try. The match was a bright exhibition of the Rugby code, and gave evidence of conscientious coaching in the fundamentals of the game. Taranaki were a little lucky to ' win, as the Rangitikei forwards were a bigger and more powerful combination and excelled in the loose. The Rangi- , tikei backs, most of whom are drawn 'from the Taihape district, seetned to be good individualists, but lacked effectiveness in combined play though in this respect they improved towards the end of the game. An excellent exhibition of kicking was given by Maher, the Taranaki “centre three-quarter, whose line kicking and goal kicking compared favourably with some of the best Taranaki senior grade players. Both fullbacks gave splendid displays. 'The teams -were:—

Rangitikei (green): P. Bending; L. Coleman, J. Esler, E. Palmer; J. Gilchrist, E. Rihia; T. Moore; P. Rayner; D. Bailey, D. Shepherd, J. Gregory, T. Robertson, R. Ormond, C. Whale, W. McMahon.

Taranaki (amber and black): E. Anstis; E. Price, B. Maher, W. Mills; L. Cole, L. Sullivan; J. Cunningham; L. Stevens; G. Terrill, R. Harrison, P. C. Morgan, G. Baker, E. Todd; A. Lilley, D. Lampshire. Taranaki opened up a display of fireworks from the kick off with a splendid passing rush from the half-back, the ball travelling smartly to Price, who was tackled after a strong run. A free kick by Mahar found Rangitikei tackled in possession, and Taranaki surged along the goal line until Rangitikei were efiven a free kick, Bending finding touch with a good kick. From a free kick by Mahar the Taranaki forwards followed up fast arid Caught Rangitikei in possession. The defenders were in difficulty at onee, but found relief in ,touch. Esler. neatly intercepted in , a Taranaki passing rush, but Price secured and returned with a powerful run. Ormond broke through a Taranaki passing rush spectacularly and burst away, but Sullivan hauled him down. Rangitikei forwards embarked on a vigorous dribbling rush that severely tested the Taranaki defence, but the ball was kicked too hard, and Anstis was able to find touch. In a Taranaki passing rush. Cole kicked neatly through and Mahar, Mills and_Cole, following up fast, secured possession. ■ Rangitikei were penalised in the ensuing melee, but Mahar’s drop-kick, a good one, was not successful. Mahar found touch with a powerful kick, excellently directed, and half-time came with no score and honburs even. On resumption Rangitikei made a strong attack and Taranaki for a while were °in dire straits on their goal line. The forwards, backed up ably by Anstis, extricated the team, but Esler returned with a powerful cut-in and Anstis just saved in time. Palmer made a lot qf ground for Rangitikei with a magnificent left foot kick to touch, but Sullivan put Taranaki oh the attack with a high kick, and Lilley drove a wedge towards the corner with a solo dribbling rush. Whale was penalised for standing off-side at a scrum in front of the posts, and Mahar had no difficulty in drawing first blood for Taranaki. Taranaki •• 3 Rangitikei 0 Sullivan, Morgan and Mills made a devastating, assault with a pretty combination of high kicking and fast following up, and in the ensuing passing rush Cole attempted a pot at goal with two players outside him and an almost clear field. The ball dribbled along the ground. From a free kick Esler found touch in Taranaki’s corner and the Rangitikei forwards bustled Taranaki clean aside, opening the way for a flank passing attack that was crowned by a try by* Rihia. Bending could not goal. Taranaki 3 Rangitikei 3 Price made an effective run at the conclusion of a Taranaki passing movement cleverly opened by Sullivan, but the in-pass to Cunningham was knocked on. With only a few minutes to go the ball was whipped out to Mills on the wing, who crossed near the corner amidst a tumult of applause from the Taranaki supporters. Mahar, who had been kicking spectacularly all day, made a splendid “attempt to goal, the ball falling just under' the bar. T- Moore, the Rangitikei half-back, was injured and had to retire. He was replaced by Wilkie. The Taranaki backs were attacking strongly when the bell sounded with the score; — Taranaki ® Rangitikei 3 Mr. T. Crone refereed. HUTT VALLEY BEAT HOROWHENUA GOOD FORM DISPLAYED AT TIMES Hutt Valley defeated Horowhenua _by six points (two tries) to nil. For primary schoolboys the form displayed and the tactics used at times were good. Hutt’s first try was the result of back play as cure and as penetrating as any ever seen amongst aenior players. Several of the Hutt players had had <pffieulty in keeping - within th© weight limit and eueh may also have been the difficulty of; Horowhenua team, for both eides stemed to pUy lethargically j y ... ft » - > # A ■>’ f •

and in several instances there was lacking the sting that would have resulted in scores. Hatt obtained greater" possession of the ball through the services of their hookers, Scorgie and Bentley, who played a good all-round game, and Hewson, Cummick and Webster showed ability among the backs. Roach, the half, and Tamihana, who played both at centre and wing three-quarter, were the cleverest of the Horowhenua players, and Slack was a prominent wingforward. Vertonger was called upon for a lot of defensive work. The teams were: —

Hutt Valley: Heald; Gibbons, Cummick, Webster; Knowles, Hewson; Coulton, Foley, Phillips, Dodd, Scott, Scorgie, Bentley; Goodman. Horowhenua: Vertonger; Hair, Tamihana, Whiley; Alexander, Wallace; Roach; Williams, Astwood, Allen, Royal, Woollett,. Hayes, Meddings; Slack.

Hutt Valley, playing against the sun, asserted themselves early in the game. They were driven back for a brief interval but their first score came soon afterwards from nearly half-way. Hewson received the ball from the feet of the opposing forwards, handed off two tacklers and sent on to Cummick, cutting out Knowles. Cummick ran straight and let the ball out at the right minute to Webster, who showed surprising speed in a 25-yard dash and crossed the line at the corner. Gibbons failed to convert. Territorially Horowhenua had the better of the next stages of the game, but their play lacked decision r. ■ the tackling of Hutt was too sound. Tamihana and Slack broke through but were unsupported and Hah was grounded after a good run. Whiley retired injured and Harris took his place. Roach caught Gibbons and Goodman napping when he slipped around the blind side of the scrum at the Hutt twenty-five line, made good ground and passed to Allen. The Horowhenua players seemed to L_ trifling with the ball. Had 'here been the slightest sting in Allen’s run- he .would have been over, but a slight bump, not even a tackle, was sufficient to remove the danger to the Hutt line. Horowhenua had all the better of the game until half-time and were hard on the Hutt goal line, but they missed a good chance when the ball was kicked across to Tamihana, who had only one man in front of him and three supporters. His pass was wild and the Hutt forwards relieved the position with a desperate rush. Cummick led a dribbling rush at the start of the secofid spell but -was beaten for the touch down. Hutt Valley pressed for the main part until Vertonger sent play out of his own half for the first time with a good line kiek. Hair was away once but Tamihana flew through the air and tapped his heel. Hutt Valley indulged in their first passing rush, all the backs handling until Tamihana intercepted and went away in a bright solo run, but he could not pass Heald. After Webster*had swung across to the other side of the field iu a smart dash Scott went off and was . ©placed by Knowles. In midfield Tami-. hana attempted to find a hole in : the Hutt defence but put the ball straight into the arms of Gibbons, who was grassed by Harris after making good ground. Hutt’s second try was the result of loose play near half-way, the opening being made by Cummick. He passed°to Webster and to Knowles, who lost the ball. Phillips, who had followed up, appeared to play the ball off-side when he kicked it over the line, but a try was awarded to Webster, who touched down with several players on top of him. He failed to convert his own try. Horowhenua had the advantage of the following play until Cummick cleared with a good kick and Vertonger was caught in possession by Knowles. Time sounded with Hutt. Valley pressing on the Horowhenua line. Hutt Valley 0 Horowhenua ............. 0 Mr. L. Better refereed.