TARANAKI COLTS RETURN

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 4

TARANAKI COLTS RETURN

SUCCESSFUL RUGBY TOUR LINE CROSSED ON ONE OCCASION. VALUABLE EXPERIENCE GAINED. Fifteen of the eighteen members _of the Taranaki colts’ Rugby team, which has .been touring the north during the past ten days, returned to Taranaki yesterday morning. Three other members, Dowdle, first five-eighths and vice-cap-tain, Hunt, wing three-quarter, and Burke, forward and captain, remained at Hamilton, where they will join the’ Taranaki representative team which left last night to play Waikato to-morrow and Auckland next Saturday. The Taranaki colts’ team had a very successful tour. It defeated all three minor unions that were met, King Country, Bay of Plenty and Thames Valley, scoring a total of 47 points to the 20 that were scored against it. It is a' remarkable tribute to the defence that only once was its line crossed. The try was scored by Bay of Plenty. The other 17 points consisted of five penalty goals and two points for the conversion of the try. The team’s total was made up of twelve tries, four conversions and a penalty goal, Baldwin with 4 tries was the most prolific scorer. Then came Burke (one try, two conversions and a penalty), R. Cuff (a try and two conversions), J. Malcolm (two tries), O’Byrne, Garvey, Bocock and Hunt (one try each). The forwards scored two-thirds of the tries, their tally being eight, against four by the backs. The principal lesson taught by the tour was perhaps that Taranaki possesses young forwards of the rugged, fast type with plenty of weight and devil, who can open up the game in the style that Wellington and Auckland forwards adopt. Handling like backs, they took a lot of stopping, and when'their heavier opponents secured the ball, as King Country and Bay of Plenty did, the Taranaki forwards broke so quickly and were on to their men so fast that the opposition was given no chance to profit by scrum superiority. DOMINATED THE SCRUM., At Paeroa bn Saturday, when the Taranaki colts met forwards about their own weight, they dominated the scrum, Burke’s appearance in the front row also making a difference. The refereeing, however, made a difference, the referee frequently awarding free kicks against them for lifting in the scrum. Taranaki was also penalised in the short passing rushes which the forwards have developed during the tour, for passing forward, when to many on the stand there appeared to be nothing wrong. This robbed the colts of two or three tries, notably when Heath, Baldwin and Burke had broken clear with two or three men in support. Taranaki forwards showed their pace in those rushes, O’Byrne was perhaps the fastest, but Burke, Baldwin, Bocock and Heath were there all the time. Young and Gardner were not far behind. Bay of Plenty supporters considered the Taranaki pack was the fastest breaking pack that had visited the east coast, while the Taranaki men considered the Bay of Plenty team, backs and forwards, the hardest they had met on the tour. They were also greatly impressed with Sinclair, the Bay of Plenty wing three-quarter. Four of the Bay forwards weighed 15 stone. Among the backs, the surprise was the manner in which Dowdle played throughout the tour. He was only picked as emergency at Te Kuiti in the opening match, but Sangster was injured early and that gave Dowdle his chance, of which he certainly made the most, at first five-eighths. He played brilliantly, drawing his man attack, sending out perfect passes, varying his play by heady kicks either to a blind spot where the fast Taranaki forwards could get oh to the 'ball, or by finding the line. On defence he went right up to his men. So impressive was his play at Paeroa that the referee commented on it, remarking that he had only to continue to be in the running for All Black honours next year. Dowdle certainly played an ideal five-eighths game on Saturday, and on that ■ form should be worth a trial to-morrow against Waikato, which' northern critics state will be harder to beat than Auckland. • SOUND FULL-BACK. Papps at full-back played very soundly, overshadowing the full-backs that he met. He anticipated well, tackled well and kicked with. either foot with considerable length. Once or twice he appeared to be too deliberate before ridding himself of the ball, and he very near caused a rebound. His play caused Bay of Plenty enthusiasts to realise why Taranaki’s .first full-back had been selected as an All Black. Arnold, the young half, was a little slow in sending the ball away, but he defended like a Trojan. No matter how huge the opponent was who secured the ball in the line-out, Arnold had him by the feet and on the ground before he could send on the ball. Then the Taranaki pack would swarm round and do the rest. His passes generally were well directed. He improved as the tour advanced, working the blind side well. Marter, the Hawera half, who played his only game on the tour as second five-eighths on Saturday, was too slow. Cuff proved very useful at centre, beating his vis-a-vis cleverly at times and feeding his wings. He could do with a little more pace, as with the slowness of the second five-eighths the wings, Malcolm and Hunt, who were always ready for any opportunity, were generally well attended by their opponents before they received the ball. A fraction of a second would have made all the difference. Malcolm did better as he had had more experience, but Hunt should benefit by the trip. Sangster injured his shoulder in the opening match of the tour and was unable to play again, while Gardner, who had an injured leg, did not play until the last match.

Mr. J. S. Hickey, manager of the team, expressed himself as delighted with the way the team had played. The forwards could not be too highly praised for the manner in which they used their weight and pace, he said, the forwards more than offsetting any advantage that heavier opponents might have in the loose. All played great games, and he considered that five or six of them would go much farther. Dowdle’s play at fiveeighths was a revelation. Off the field their behaviour was all that could be desired.

The team was hospitably entertained everywhere. At Te Kuiti it was taken to the Waitomo Caves. At Whakatane the members were impressed with the quality of the country, particularly of the Rangataika Plains, and with the number of ex-Taranaki residents who are settled there. On their way back to Paeroa they were met at Waihi by members of the Waihi Rugby Union and Were taken through the Waihi fnine, while on Friday members of the Paeroa Rugby Union took them for a run to Waikino, where they inspected the Waihi Company’s battery. While at Paeroa they visited the New Zealand Co-op. Dairy Company’s up-to-date 2000 tons butter factory.