JUNIOR RUGBY COMPETITION

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1932, Page 8

JUNIOR RUGBY COMPETITION

TOKO AHEAD IN FIRST ROUND. BIG WIN TO PUKENGAHU. Celtic made a valiant attempt yesterday to lower the colours of Toko, the leading first junior teani in the central division Rugby competition, but they could not stay the pace so that the completion of the first round finds Toko an unbeaten team and the leaders of the division with 12 points. Pukengahu are next with 8. Yesterday’s results are:— First Junior. Toko 11 v. Celtic 10. Midhirst 5 v. Stratford 3. Pukengahu 20 v. Cardiff 3. Third Grade. Inglewood 29 v. Celtic 0. Eltham 3 v. School 3.

TOKO FORWARDS SUPREME.

CELTIC BEATEN BY ONE POINT.

With a really remarkable recovery Toko defeated Celtic at Stratford by 11 (three tries, one converted) to 10 (two converted tries). If ever a game could be divided into two definite parts with one team exclusively on top in each, it was this. In the first half Celtic had it all their own way and playing a slashing game scored twice while Toko looked, weak and ineffectual. In the second half Toko’s ascendancy was even more marked. Their forwards ran round, over and through Celtic with a consistency, that became monotonous. And when they had Celtic penned on the line they hooked cleanly and Jones at half and Wilmshurst at five-eighths snapped at every opportunity. that offered. They scored the tries, all three of which were heady pieces of work. The whole game was packed with incident from start to finish.

Celtic opened the scoring when Jones, with a most timely kick, placed them within a few yards of the Toko line and Kofoed went over with the two packs on top of him. McGrath converted. Jones’ kick at goal from a mark failed, but was the introduction to another converted try. S. Sullivan grabbed the ball as it was heeled from the scrum and. threw out the blind side to T. Sullivan, who sprinted and punted. Pettigrew came across and scored. Jones added the two points. The second spell opened to a different tune with Toko selecting the music. Celtic found the desperate efforts of the opposing pack forcing them into their twenty-five, from which they had difficulty to extricate themselves. It was during this period that a scrum enabled Jones to send the ball to Wilmshurst, who dashed over near the posts. The kick at goal failed. Five minutes later a succession of scrums near the Celtic line culminated in one that heeled swiftly to Jones, who was over in a flash. The kick at goal again failed. Then another. scrum gave Wilmshurst his chance. He came round the hlind side, Celtic failed to go low and they lost the £ame, for J. gangster converted the try. Mr. W. Davis refereed.

LAUNCHING SMALL FARM PLAN,

MR. COCKAYNE VISITS STRATFORD

Mr. A. H. Cockayne, Assistant-Direc-tor-General of Agriculture* visited Stratford yesterday to discuss with the central committee, representatives of the unemployed and others interested various aspects of the small farm plan now being launched throughout New Zealand. The proceedings, which were more in the nature of a round-table discussion, were not available to the Press, but it is understood Mr. Cockayne was able to clear a number of points and to furnish the committee with valuable information concerning the working of the scheme. Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., and Mr. W. Harris, officer in charge of the scheme in the district, were present. Mr. Cockayne spent last night in Eltham and will go to New Plymouth today. AMATEUR BOXING CONTESTS. ARRANGEMENTS AT STRATFORD. An amateur boxing tournament will be held at Stratford on June 25. The tournament will be organised by the Stratford Boxing Association and the proceeds will be divided equally between the Women’s Relief Committee and the association. These decisions were made at a meeting of the association’s executive on Wednesday. Mr. P. Skoglund presided, and there were present Messrs. J. Petrie, W. Mills, J. W. B. Jones and G. A. Carter. Mr. N. B. Fletcher attended the meeting and explained a proposal to hold an amateur tournament. He had boys from Huiroa, Purangi and probably Tariki agreeable to compete without a trophy. The proposal was adopted, and Mr. Fletcher was added to the committee.

Messrs. Skoglund, Mills, Aitken and. Fletcher were appointed a match committee. It was decided to ask Mr. W. A. Good to referee, and failing him Mr. F. Foley. It was decided to give a trophy for the most scientific novice boxer.