BACKS COME TO RESCUE

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 12

BACKS COME TO RESCUE

STRATFORD PACK MATCHED

KAPONGA MAKES GREAT FIGHT.

BEATEN EIGHT POINTS TO THREE.

Finding their forwards matched against a pack that fully held its own and would not permit Stratford to use its favourite wet day methods, Stratford backs came to light in the match with Kaponga at Stratford, outplayed the Kaponga line and scored eight points to Kaponga’s three. The game see-sawed with almost clocklike regularity as far as the packs were concerned and the spectators were left guessing until the final whistle. Stratford forwards, led in the loose by Fastier, Porter and Clarke, jumped into supremacy in the first few minutes and gave the ball to the backs. Their work under the conditions was remarkably improved compared with their often doubtful attacking efficiency on a dry day. Collins and Sangster exploited the cut-in and dummy pass in a way that left Kaponga’s five-eighths standing, while Ross was in great form. Five or six times the backs went within an ace of scoring and then, their supply of ball cut off by the better Kaponga hooking, they were hardly exercised for the rest of the spell, which was pointless. Kaponga forwards held more ' command over the ball in the set scrums and Gargan, Espin, Murphy and Gardiner often had the better of Stratford in the loose.

The second spell showed Stratford starting with all the usual dash and bustling tactics that have so often stood the pack in good stead. Again the backs were given the ball and this time scored. The forwards, in the ascendancy definitely, were responsible for the second and last try, which was completed by Ross. After that fortunes oscillated, with Kaponga having no more than a penalty goal as reward for holding the Stratford pack at its own game. The inside backs were responsible for Kaponga’s failure and the changing of Arnold and Walker at half-time did not help any. The three-quarters often found themselve called on to defend, but the times when they received from the fiveeighths and carried on could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Cuff and Walker in the first spell and Arnold and Cuff in the second kicked monotonously, while Sangster and Collins showed them what five-eighths play was for. Of the full-backs Dodd showed up more, but he was more often called on than Williams, who did all that was asked of him. For once Stratford’s backs were given a responsibility that they discharged with honours. The teams were:—

Stratford: Dodd; Lehmann, Ross, R. Taylor; Collins, G. Sangster; H. Taylor; Fastier, ' Hinton, Porter. R. Young, Clarke, See, Smith, Butcher. Kaponga: F. Williams; Wetton, Webby, Paterson; Cuff, Arnold; Walker; Gargan, P Murphy, Espin, Benton, D. Murphy, Gardiner, Thoumine, Voullaire. The ground cut up as soon as the game began, handling became difficult, knockons were frequent and a series of lineouts or scrums ensued,Stratford having a little the better of the exchange. Stratford backs swung into line w-th dry day precision for all to handle and Lehmann to return to Ross, who was lowered at the corner. Twice again' they repeated the manoeuvre, a third time and a fourth with only feet separating Lehmann, Ross, R. Taylor and Ross in turn from success. Webby picked up a Stratford knock-on and was away with only Dodd to beat when the whistle stopped him for the knock-on. Cuff and Walker, kicking for the line, put Kaponga into Stratford’s twenty-five for the first time and Williams kicked out near the corner. Over-eagerness and a free kick gave Stratford release, but Dodd was caught before he .could kick and Kaponga was up on the line again. Paterson failed with a penalty kick from well back. A speculative kick from the ruck ran out at the Kaponga corner, but Arnold found touch in mid-field. Paterson missed again with an easier kick, leaving the spell scoreless, but in Kaponga’s favour.

Fastier dribbled the ball almost to Kaponga’a line and from the line-out H. Taylor gave to the backs, Ross retrieved Collins’ low pass and R. Taylor knocked Williams’ hands down to score in the corner. Ross just failed with the kick. Fastier kicked through from the twenty-five and Young let out a lob pass which Ross took at the sprint and carried over the line. He converted from an awkward position well out. The Stratford forwards gave way under several Kaponga onslaughts that should have been stemmed. Williams’ kick at goal gave Kaponga its first entry. With the margin reduced to five points there was a notable improvement in the Stratford forwards, who showed something of their usual form as a change from the seeming inertia that characterised their operations once they were eight points up. But as they woke up so did Kaponga’s pack, in which Gargan, D. Murphy, Espin and Gardner were the leaders, well backed by the other four. Yet their progress was nullified by a series of Stratford back movements. Stratford forwards surged through from a line-out at mid-field and Fastier headed a rush to the line. The Kaponga forwards smashed their way out off the corner to the comparative safety of the twenty-five. Fighting relentlessly a losing 1 ' battle, Kaponga drove Stratford back. The see-saw found Stratford on top again and a merry exchange in mid-field with backs and forwards of both teams passing the ball put Kaponga on the defensive as dusk began to make the ball hard to see. Gargan led a last rush to Stratford’s end. Stratford 8 Kaponga 3 Mr. A. Spratt refereed. TWO PLAYERS ORDERED OFF. REFEREE’S ACTION AT OPUNAKE. Two forwards, Murfitt (Opunake) and J. Heath (Stratford Old Boys), were ordered off the field by Mr. R. Bowman in the Opunake-Old Boys match at Opunake on Saturday. The referee had occasion to caution a different forward ,in each team early in the first spell for trouble arising from obstructionist tactics after a player had got rid of the ball. Early in the second spell Heath emerged from a scrum with the ball and it was after he lost it that the referee saw his action and ordered the two off immediately. The game had been clean for a long period but the ruling remained unchanged in spite of requests by the captains to let the players remain. Play developed roughly immediately afterwards but both teams carried on with seven forwards.