FAST OPEN RUGBY GAME

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1934, Page 10

FAST OPEN RUGBY GAME

MANAKAU DEFEATED 20 TO 9 TUKAPA BACKS’ SUPERIORITY. MANY EXCITING MOVEMENTS. A fast, open game in which the Tukapa hacks were definitely superior was seen at Pukekura Park on Saturday, when Tukapa beat a touring Manukau Rovers team by 20 points to 9. Tukapa dominated play for most of the game, and it was only during the later stages of the game that Manukau appeared Tukapa’s equal. Tukapa was definitely superior in the back division and more than held its own in the forwards. Receiving the ball from the majority of the scrums during the first half, Boswell gave his backs every opportunity. Brown played a solid game and was prominent on occasions with bright solo work. Wallace was not at his best, but at times was responsible for some good efforts. J. Sullivan was the outstanding Tukapa back. He was sound on both attack and defence. His cutting-in and side-step-ping delighted the crowd. Gardner acquitted himself well in his unusual position at full-back.

Hatfield and Brimble were the best of the Manukau backs. It was not until the last quarter that the Manukau backs gave any semblance of combination. Hatfield was in everything and was particularly sound on defence. Brimble was smart off the mark and at times caught the opposition napping. Elliott played a good game at full-back. Both sets of forwards were hard working. The Tukapa breakaways were very fast and this to a great extent accounted for the Manukau backs not getting going. Constable, Johnson and Kereopa were a hard working trio, while Thomson, O’Dowda and Kenny were the best of the Tukapa pack. The teams were:—

Tukapa: Gardner; G. Sullivan, J. Sullivan, N. Webster; L. Wallace, C. Brown; H. Boswell; W. S. Thomson, C. Sorensen; C. O’Dowda, R. Bithell, C. Allen; L. Dickey, B. Carter, G. Kenny. Manukau: G. Elliott; S.« Heigh way, B. Wells, J. Flett; M. Boulton, W. Brimble; W. Hatfield; G. Langton, H. Johnson, G. Skipper; B. Constable, S. Kereopa, B. Sutherland, T. Trott; K. Biggs.

Play had been in progress about three minutes when Trott attempted to goal from a penalty. Manukau was having the better of things until Boswell sent his backs into action. The ball flashed out to J. Sullivan, who cut in and sent a difficult pass for G. Sullivan to be caught in possession. Tukapa was gaining the advantage from the line-outs and was utilising its backs whenever possible. Allen, Kenny and Thomson carried play into Manukau territory, but infringements enabled Manukau to clear. Receiving on the twenty-five yards line, Hatfield sent out to Brimble on the blind side. Brimble cut through and transferred to Heighway, who in-passed for Brimble to gain ground before being stopped. Hatfield kicked well downfield and G. Sullivan was forced out in the comer. Tukapa rallied and the backs started a likely back movement that broke down at the centre. Wallace snapped up and put in a useful run. Tukapa held Manukau on the defensive, Elliott clearing on several occasions with well placed kicks. Constable excited the crowd with a brilliant dash down the line. He crosskicked for Brimble and Langton to handle. Gardner snapped up the ball and found the line with a great kick. A moment later Gardner electrified the crowd with a run that terminated at half-way. Kenny and O’Dowda dribbled up to Manukau’s twenty-five, and from a subsequent scrum Boswell passed out. Wallace dropped the ball. Brown snapped up, cut through and sent on to Thomson, who was checked just short of the line.

Tukapa opened -its account when Boswell initiated a bright back movement. Brown worked his man out of position and the ball flashed along the line for Webster to dash over in the comer. Boswell failed to convert.

The Tukapa backs were combining well. A moment later the ball came out to J. Sullivan, who dummied his way over in a handy position. The kick was disallowed. Receiving from the kick off Webster ran across and put the backs into action. Tukapa attacked and Hatfield robbed O’Dowda when he ■ broke away. Play returned to the middle of the field. Boswell sent out, Wallace dropped his pass and Poulton snapped up and put in a useful rim before sending out to Wells, who looked like scoring but passed forward to Heighway. Manukau kept Tukapa hemmed down, and from the loose Constable secured and passed for Trott to bullock over in the comer. Trott failed to convert.

The backs were again responsible for Tukapa’s next try. J. Sullivan put the finishing touches to a pretty movement when he beat his man to score in the corner. Boswell failed to convert. Picking up after a back movement had broken down, J. Sullivan side-stepped two men, ran round behind the goal, crossed over the line and gave the ball to O’Dowda to score with an amusing gesture. O’Dowda converted. Manukau attacked and play had returned to neutral territory when half-time sounded with the scores: Tukapa 14, Manukau 3. When the teams returned Wells (Manukau) had been replaced by Carrington at centre, the former retiring with a leg injury. Manukau attacked, Boswell kicked downfield and Brimble snapped- up and brushed off several would-be tacklers and passed to Sutherland, who dropped the ball. Johnson, following up fast, regained possession and crossed the line to score as he was tackled. Hatfield did not convert. A moment later Hatfield missed with a fine penalty kick from a long way out. The Manukau forwards were playing with more vim and were getting the ball back. Tukapa was hard pressed until G. Sullivan dashed down the side. Elliott made no mistake with his tackle. From the line-out Manukau attacked and Hatfield worked the blind side,, but to no avail. An exciting piece of play followed when Brown broke through and with five forwards in support set off for the line. Challenged, he passed to O’Dowda who, cutting out several teammates, sent a long lob pass to G. Sullivan, who, after zig-zagging through the forwards, was collared within striking distance. A moment later a dead ball relieved the pressure. From the kick Sutherland and Skipper dribbled down the field and Brown was called upon to save.

Manukau continued to worry the opposition. Intercepting smartly, Brown broke away and sent out a wild pass to Carter, who was collared within two yards of the line. Heighway, Brimble, Sutherland and Poulton combined in a movement that terminated at quarterway. A fine solo dash by Heighway produced Manukau’s next points. Gardner secured his man as he crossed the line. The kick failed.

Fluctuating play ensued. Brown picked up from the loose, side-stepped an opponent and after a twenty yards dash dummied through and sent on for O’Dowda to put the finishing touches to a surprise attack. The kick failed. Allen put Tukapaon the attack. The ball came out to Wallace, who transferred to Webster and ran round on the outside. Webster sent out a low pass and Wallace, speculating, beat the opposition to touch down for a try. Boswell again failed to convert. Manukau was hard pressed to keep

out the vicious Tukapa thrusts. Hatfield started a back movement in his own twenty-five and Brimble, cutting in beautifully, made considerable ground with the aid of Flett and Boulton. Elliott attempted to goal from a penalty. A minute later Dicke;- infringed and Elliott failed to goal. Brown and Webster combined to reach half-way. Biggs and Trott dribbled well up the fie’d and Boulton was unable to gain points from a penalty in a handy position. Scrambling play followed in which Manukau held the advantage. Elliott again failed to place a goal from a penalty, and play had returned to half-way when the spell ended. Tukapa 20 Manukau 9 Mr. C. Gernhoefer refereed. OHURA BEATS MANIAPOTO. ANNUAL SUB-UNION MATCH. Ohura beat Maniapoto in the annual sub-union Rugby match at Ohura on Saturday by 16 points to 11. For Ohura Kemp scored three tries and Howie one, Weinberd converting two. Maniapoto’s only try was scored by Griffin, Coffin converting it, while R. Barlow kicked two penalty goals. The Maniapoto team and a large number of supporters travelled by special train.