REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1933, Page 4

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

TARANAKI TO FLAT WAIKATO. TO-DAY'S MATCH AT ELTHAM. The Taranaki Rugby representative team will play Waikato at Eltham this afternoon. A keen, game is anticipated. The Taranaki team is largely an experimental one and considerable interest is attached to the possibilities of its performance. The forwards are young and dashing and the backs show promise of combination. The whole team represents a drastic change , from the one that experienced such a heavy defeat at the hands of Wellington in the last match at Hawera. With a game against Wanganui on Saturday, another against Auckland the following week and the southern tour in the next week the young team can be expected to give of its best today. As the selectors have stated their intention of choosing a somewhat different side to meet Wanganui on Saturday, to-day’s match will be the only chance for a number of the team to prove that their claims for inclusion in the province’s best side must merit serious consideration.

With one win to its credit already—that against King Country at Taumarunui on Saturday—the Waikato team will be out for another, and the combination its members has gained on the present tour should prove an important factor in the. game. The forwards are stated to be especially good, and Taranaki’s young pack will have to go “all-out” if it is to get enough of the ball to give its backs reasonable opportunities. The teams are:— TARANAKI. Full-back: A. Collins (Clifton). Three-quarters: Edwards (Patea), W. Rutherford (Old Boys), G. Sullivan (Tukapa). Five-eighths: B. Mace (Old Boys) Ist, K. Fookes (Old Boys) 2nd. Half: W. Dymond (Empire Old Boys). Front row: . Murfitt (Waimate), Davison (Tukapa), Hinton (Stratford). Middle row: . S. Fookes (Old Boys), R. Clarke (Okaiawa), R. Young (Stratford). , Back row: C. Wills (Patea), R. McLeod (Star). , Reserves: Backs: Ross (Star), G. Sangster. (Stratford)... Forwards: Preston '(Okaiawa), M. Burke (Waimate). WAIKATO. Full-back: W. Cameron. Three-quarters: R. Jackson, A. J. Aitken, Jim Wilson. Five-eighths:, Jack Wilson, W. Carroll. Half: L, Denz. Front row: D. Bpurke, H. Ensor, J. Lesson. Middle row: Story, J. . Hedley, T. Thomson, A. Cameron. Back row; J. Lewer. Reserves: A. H. Griffiths, J. M. Taylor.

MANIAPOTO-TAINUI DRAW.

NEITHER LINE CROSSED IN TRY.

A draw, three points all, was the result of the Maniapoto versus Tainui representative Rugby game, and the score was a good indication of the play of both sides on the day. Neither line was crossed for a try, "a. good penalty kick for each side putting the points up. Splendid passing was witnessed on the part .of .the Maniapoto three-quarters, line, and the line-kicking of each side Was first-class, in particular the efforts of White (Tainui). Webb (Tainui) played a brilliant forward game. There was no score at Half-time. The fixture was played at Awakino on Saturday. The game opened with fast forward play by both teams until a splendid line kick by a Tainui forward took play to the Maniapoto twenty-five. From the throw-in Maniapoto’s half secured to set his backs in action and a very pretty movement by the three-quarter line took play to Tainui’s twenty-five, where the winger was brought to earth in possession. The Tainui full-back with a fine kick found touch at half-way.. A dropkick by Hepburn went under the bar. White sprinted for the Maniapoto line but was pushed out. The Maniapoto centre kicked hard and following up fast caught Tainui unawares; the effort was nullified by offside play. Tainui secured several times by excellent hooking from set scrums and play was transferred to Maniapoto territory, but the defending full-back was playing a good safe game and found touch at half-way. A passing rush by the Tainui backs made things dangerous for Maniapoto but tension was relieved by a forcedown. The Tainui forwards secured and Welsh and Rattenbury battled their way through till Welsh was pulled down and a scrum was ordered for holding. The Maniapoto hookers secured for the half to set his backs in action once more. The defence was sound and White found the line by a well-directed kick. A further Maniapoto rear movement was stopped by a knock-on. The Tainui hookers, working splendidly, heeled, and the backs took play to opposition territory, where touch was found. Half-time sounded without score.

Maniapoto secured but although the passing rush was an excellent piece of work it lacked the necessary finish, a knock-on spoiling the chance of a try. Tainui was having much the better of the set scrums. Welsh, playing a fast following-up game, caught a Maniapoto three-quarter in possession and by a fine piece of dribbling took play to the Maniapoto line, 'where the full-back ■beat two men and made a splendid line kick before being tackled. The Tainui full-back was grassed and a free-kick was ordered for deliberate throwing-out. From a difficult angle the magnificent kick at goal succeeded, and opened th? Maniapoto’s scoring account. The Tainui pack was playing a solid game. By a dribbling rush it took play to the Maniapoto twenty-five. A force-down saved 'Maniapoto. The Tainui backs secured from the kick-off arid essayed a passing bout which spelled danger. A knock-on spoiled the effort. Tainui, securing from the scrum, was almost over when overanxiety on the part of a forward enabled Maniapoto to clear. From the lineout Maniapoto secured but offside play gave Tainui a chance to equalise, and Hepburn with a magnificent kick sent the ball over from the half-way mark. It was a fortunate moment for Tainui as time was called immediately afterwards.