OKAIAWA BEAT OPUNAKE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1932, Page 3

OKAIAWA BEAT OPUNAKE

1 SCORE OF TWENTY-TWO TO SIX.

POINTS MQUNT IN SECOND HALF.

'By 22 to 6 Okaiawa, the winners of the Southern Division last year, beat Opunake, the runners-up, on Saturday. The game was fairly bright for so early in the season, but it was apparent that neither team was in form. The play in the first spell consisted of sporadic outbursts of play which were conspicuous for faulty handling by both sides. It was just on half-time before the first score came which developed from a sudden attack by Opunake, Hohaia securing and transferring to Lusk, who touched dpwn. Clarke failed to goal. The teams were:—

Okaiawa: Murdoch; Blair, Hooper, McCallum; Robinson, Johnston; James; G. Scott, Awahou, R. Guy, R. Clarke, Greenhough, M. Clarke, Skipper, Tippett. Opunake: Clarke; Murphy, Hohaia, Malcolm; McCullum, Woolford; Casey;. B. E. Dudley, Ross, Mitchell, Mabey, M. Dudley, Nielson, Grech, R. Lusk. Among the prominent workers were D. Johnston, McCullum, R. Guy, Robinson, Hooper, Blair, R. Clarke, Murdoch and Tippetts for Okaiawa, and Hohaia, Clarke, Grech, Neilson, Mit--ehell, Murphy, .McCullum, M. Dudley and Lusk for Opunake. Okaiawa gave a bright display when Robinson picked up in his own twentyfive, dummied past three opponents and made a good run to pass to McCallum, who passed to R.- Clarke. The latter was successfully collared. Another fine passbig rush occurred between Robinson, .Johnston, Hooper and Blair, the last-named finishing with a kick, borne bewilderment followed and Opunake were a<ble to send the ball back. From a scrum Tippetts broke away with ball at foot but Opunake’s full-back saved. One or two good attacks were set up 'by Opunake, resulting in one score before half-time.

In the first spell Okaiawa played a scrum formation of 3—4 —1, and were 'fairly successful in pushing through their opponents. In the second half they changed back to the 3 —2 —3. Lusk 'looked dangerous when he made a clean 'run through, but he was throu . near the line. Hohaia and Malcolm also ■promised something, the latter making ‘a bold run to the corner but just failing to score. Hohaia once more initiated 'a run and passed neatly to Malcolm, •who scored behind the posts. Hohaia 'failed to goal. With six points against them Okaiawa set their teeth for a hot •attack, Malcolm saving by a line kick. 'From a scramble Robinson made a Clever run and scored behind the posts, •but Murdoch missed with the kick. After Robinson had opened up play and fed Johnston at half-way, Johnston ran the rest of the distance and scored at the corner. R. Clarke failed to goal. •With scores even Opunake made a desperate push to the corner, only a freekick resulting. Several onslaughts were ■made but each time Okaiawa came out ■without their line being penetrated. Hohaia had an opportunity to pot but failed to find the posts. Good combined action was seen in the Okaiawa team ■Robinson, Johnston and McCallum combining well. McCallum broke through and scored behind the. posts. Tippetts broke through in a loote rush ■but he kick’d to the dead ball line. •Murphy missed a “pot” at goal. Okaiawa forced after a wild race for the 'ball. Woolford kicked across to McCallum, who picked up and carried the ‘ball right through to score, his speed 'making it impossible to catch him. R. Clark© converted. McCallum again •scored, this time in the corner, and 'Clarke missed with the kick. Okaiawa 'obtained the final score after a good ■passing bout from Robinson to John- i ston, McCallum and Blair, and back to 'McCallum, who scored at the corner. ‘Skipper missed the goal. Mr. R. Bowman refereed. ELTHAM BEGINS WELL SCORE OF 19 POINTS TO 8. SECOND HALF RAISES TALLY. (By 19 points to 9 Eltham beat Celtic in* a game r at Taumata Park. The teams were: — Eltham: H. McDonald; Prince, D. Gower, Knuckey; Barker, Burke; Groves; Elliott, Martin, F. Bocock, Campbell, R. Bocock, Potts, Anderson, 'Leatham. Celtic: Old; Jones, Young, Boniface; Harrison, Cooke; Lawrence; Penniall, 'Walker, Mulholland, Walsh, Koefoed, Coffey, Grover, M. Sullivan. Play moved up and down for a few minutes; then McDonald missed a kick 'at goal. Leatham shot the ball to the

opposing full-back, who was caught 'with the ball in his hands. Barker cut in and ran to within a couple of yards 'of the line before -being some mixed play splendid back* work was shown by Eltham following a lineout. The defence of the Celtics, howlever, was able to break up the attack •and they retaliated with a passing rush in which the ball was transferred from •Lawrence to Cooke, Harrison and Jones, the last-named scoring in the corner. •Young was unsuccessful with the kick. •Edwards and McDonald replaced Groves •and Burke in the Eltham team and •Donnelly was given a game in place •of Gower. A fine forward rush was •started by R. Bocock, the ball going into touch five yards from goal. Young by a free-kick was able to clear. Another forward rush by ’Eltham ended in Elliott scoring at the corner. McDonald’s kick missed. For an infringement in Celtic’s twenty-five a free kick *was given against Martin, and the ball •found touch at half-way. A passing (rush headed by Young made rapid progress down the field and Celtic were ton Eltham’s line. Celtic were unlucky •and Prince intercepted and cleared. For •a scrum infringement Celtic were given •a free kick, a goal resulting. Leatham led a forward rush from which' he Scored near the posts and McDonald •converted. Morgan took up position as Eltham’s half, Hughes going to five•eighths and W. Gower to centre three•quarter. The beginning of the second half was •characterised by ragged play until Celtic secured from a scrum and forced •Eltham to touch down. They again •won a scrum on the line and Jones •scored, the kick falling short. A smart back movement saw Hughes, Prince and Gower handle well, Gower scoring. McDonald converted. After midfield play •Celtic figured in a fine back movement, •Prince being injured when taking his man and having to leave the field. 1). Gower went to . centre and.W. Gower replaced Prince. The next score came to Eltham when Morgan dummied and •cut in to cross the line. McDonald was •unable to goal. Hughes made an unsuccessful attempt to ‘‘pot” a goal. McDonald also missed a penalty shot •at goal. D. Gower scored the final try ■after a passing rush, R. Bocock being •unable to convert from the side-line. Mr. J. Carlson was referee. WAIMATE BEAT HAWERA x SCRUM FORMATIONS TESTED GOOD TRIAL FOR PLAYERS. After a game that showed patches of 'bright football but was otherwise- somewhat ragged, Waimate beat Hawera at the Hawera showgrounds on Saturday by I'B points to 11. Waimate fielded a strong team of forwards and adopted the 3-2-3 serum from the kick-off, while Hawera played a similar formation for half the game and the usual New Zealand scrum and wing-forward in the second spell. The ball did not appear to come out of the Waimate scrum as cleanly as in the case of the 2-3-2, and it was not until the second spell that the Waimate half became accustomed to the manner in which it was hooked. The Hawera backs showed promise but nullified many movements through lob passing and fumbling. The Waimate team’s back-line proved a fast combination and it would seem that Waimate will this year field its best team

Following are the teams as they took the field, but many changes were made, especially in the Waimate team, as the match was considered a good opportunity to try different players: — Waimate: Williams; Hill, Whalen, Mercer; Hickey, Shaw; Walker; Tamil, Payne, Young; Hikaka, Ruakiri; Murfitt, Gulliver, Hughes. Hawera: Rawcliffe; Anderson, Hunter, Carncross; Hammond, Ekdahl; ■Moloney; Baldwin, L. .Robinson, Hollo'way; Brown, Beauchamp; O’Neill, Riley, Clement. , , . Rawcliffe was caught in possession after a session of ragged play, and Waimate set up a hot attack. Lob passing ruined Moloney’s effort to open up the game with the result that Anderson was hemmed in when the ball reached the wing. Hikaka came out of a looge scrum and rushed down on Rawcliffe.

L. Hughes, led a bunch of forwards and dived over to score. William’s kick hit ■'the bar. Young sent Hickey' and Whalen away for the latter to kick to the line. Hawera infringeu and Williams landed a good goal from well out.

Waimate changed some of their men at quarter-time, Bourke and Wood going into the fprwajds and Taylor into the backs, Hikaka, Ruakiri and Walker standing down. Beauchamp, now at wing-forward for Hawera, broke away but a good run by Hill topk Waimate to the Hawera line, where Rawcliffe arrived just in time. Baldwin and Robinson came out of a Scrum in good style and Moloney endeavoured to set his backs going. Fumbling ruined the chances of the wing. Murfitt regained the ground but Moloney snapped up and sent Hammond, Ekdahl and Hunter off in a good run which was stemmed by Whalen. Moloney booted through from a loose scrum and chased the ball to pick up and score. ' Anderson goaled with a good kick. Beauchamp had carried play into Waimate territory when half-time sounded with the scores, Waimate 6, Hawera 5. Scrums and line-outs marked play in the early stages of the second spell. Then Moloney and Ekdahl manoeuvred Anderson into a good position and the wing kicked high to match Williams in posession. Hunter ran round the other ■wing and Beauchamp ranged up in time to take the pass before Williams lowered Hunter. Waimate then staged their best movement of the day, Mercer starting a passing rush in which all the backs and many of the forwards had a hand, the ball finally finding touch at Hawera’s goal-line. Bourke broke away but a knock-on held him up. Then Young .was almost over from a lineout. Hawera infringed and Whalen

goaled. Whalen cut through and raced for the line, not being quite fast enough. His pass was collected on the bounce by Hill, who scored, the kick missing. Hammond broke away , after receiving from Moloney and Ruakiri, the Waimate man who had replaced Baldwin in the Hawera forwards, and dashed over, Anderson missing with the kick.

The last quarter saw Bourke score immediately after resumption, coming out of a scrum and diving over. The kick failed. Hawera attacked and from a penalty Anderson goaled. Gulliver and Young staged an attack and Hawera were penalised for Williams to goal. Up and down play marked the latter stages and Anderson missed with a difficult penalty just as time sounded. The final scores were: Waimate •18, Hawera 11. Mr. J. F. Kiley was the referee.