MARGIN THIRTEEN POINTS

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1934, Page 10

MARGIN THIRTEEN POINTS

FAST AMD EXCITING GAME 15 POINTS IN FINAL QUARTER-HOUR STIRRING MATCH DESCRIBED. When the Auckland and Taranaki teams took the field conditions were more in keeping with summer sport. A showery night was followed by a sweltering hot afternoon with bright sunshine. There was a slight breeze but it was not sufficient to temper the summer heat. Despite the showers and the watering it had received the ground was very hard. There was an attendance of about 7000, including a representative gathering from Taranaki, which arrived by special tram. As usual Taranaki was given a warm reception.

The teams were:— Auckland: Heazlewood; Hammon, Caughey, Kedgley; Murdoch, Hedge; Corner; Finlayson, Bush, Ross, Knight (capt.), McLean, Pepper, Hadley, Collins; Kinsella, Townsend, Sullivan; Songster,’ Brown; Gudgeon; Fastier, Clarke (capt.), Murphy, Blakeney, Young, Preston, Fowler, Armstrong. . m Auckland winning the toss sent Taranaki out to face the sun in the first spell. The ball was' kicked off by . Miss Jean Batten amidst applause and in front of a battery of cameras. Bush marked. The game opened seriously with a scrum on the half-way line from which Auckland smartly hooked, the ball. Corner's pass on the blind side ,to Kedgley went wide. The Taranaki forwards swept on and when Heazlewood cleared Collins drove Auckland back with a long line kick. The Taranaki pack pressed hotly. Brown made a straight dash for the line but was held up. Infringements by Taranaki let Auckland clear twice in quick succession, Bush lining with great length* Back came the Taranaki pack. Gudgeon at the base of the scrum smartly sent Brown away. Brown cut through and handed on to Murphy, who sent a great pass to Sullivan. The Tukapa man clapped on full speed but Heazlewood collared him. The Taranaki backs tried to send tire ball to Kinsella, but were blocked-. Auckland then took a turn, but Townsend intercepted Hedge’s pass, only to be penalised. Kedgley broke away and when collared by Kinsella passed infield, but when he. looked dangerous Sangster lined. Auckland was now going better and Collins cleverly saved in the face of five charging northerners. Heazlewood also had a penalty shot from near halfway which fell, short and wide. TARANAKI OPENS SCORE. Taranaki came again with a rattle. From a Scrum Gudgeon secured, dodged his way past the opposition and sent out a pass to Fastier, who burst through but lost the ball. Young was handy and shot out a wide pass to Kinsella, who ran with determination, drew his man and sent a well-timed pass to Townsend, who had come up on the outside. The Eltliam centre dashed over near the corner, finishing off a fine movement. Collins kicked well but the ball struck the post and rebounded over. After thirteen minutes the score was Taranaki 5, Auckland 0. Auckland' forwards led by Hadley, Ross Knight and McLean charged down. Corner tried to set his backs moving but Taranaki was quickly on top of them. Then Clarke led the Taranaki men in a determined sortie in which the backs joined. Kinsella attempted a “pot” but the ball did not rise. Backing up well, Taranaki swept to the goal line, where another penalty let Auckland through. A centring kick by Hammon had Auckland attacking again, Bush having a pot which just went wide. A minute later from a penalty in a good position Heazlewood just failed to goal. Fowler came through very fast but Hedge snapped the ball from his feet and dashed down the sideline, where Sullivan collared- him, Gudgeon used the blind side and sent Sullivan away. The forwards backed up and Taranaki was again attacking. Auckland forwards counter-attacked and the backs also got moving. Hammon when crowded threw the ball infield to Caughey, who found touch close to the corner, From a scrum Comer sent the ball smartly to Hedge, who dashed across to score. Heazlewood converted. After 25 minutes the score was 5-all. Collins, who had ’been fielding well with the sun in his eyes, knocked on, a scrum ensuing just outside Taranaki’s twenty-five, but Townsend accounted for Caughey. Fast play followed, back movements on each side breaking down until Hedge snapped up smartly and found touch near the corner flag. Auckland then got moving in great style. Just outside Taranaki’s twenty-five the ball came out to Murdoch. / AUCKLAND GOES AHEAD. The Auckland five-eighth ran right across the field, fending off several Taranaki high tackles, and sent the ball on to Kedgley, who reversed to Caughey, who ran round tp score behind the goal. Heazlewood easily goaled and Auckland led by 10 to 5. Taranaki both forwards and backs charged to the attack, but Caughey smartly cleared with a long kick. Collins was beaten by the sun but recovered in time to kick through before the fast following Auckland pack got through, Gudgeon had Taranaki attacking again, anU though Corner momentarily cheeked the onslaught the Taranaki pack swept on in a loose rush to within a few yards of the Auckland goal fine, where Clarke gathered up and forced his way across to score. Collins failed to goal. McLean, Bush and Pearce led the Auckland pack in a great rush to Taranaki’s twenty-five, and the Auckland backs started throwing the ball about in front of the Taranaki goal. They met stern defence, Collins and Sullivan lining well, while Kinsella pushed Ham* mon out when the Auckland winger was speeding for the line. Auckland kept Taranaki on the defensive, Murdoch looking particularly dangerous when he broke through with three men in support, but he delayed his pass and was collared. Half-time sounded with the score:-— ' Auckland 10 Taranaki 8

Auckland again secured the ball on resuming, but the fast-breaking Taranaki forwards did not give Corner much chance to get his backs moving. ..Fiom about the fifth scrum Corner sent Kedgley away on the blind side, but Sullivan accounted for him. Taranaki was then awarded a free kick. Collins failed to find the line, but Heazlewood made no mistake and drove Taranaki back to its own twenty-five. BALL THROWN ABOUT. Auckland backs were throwing the ball about in fine style, but Taranaki held them well and the visiting forwards drove them to neutral territory. Brilliant play followed. The Auckland backs were attacking when Kinsella snapped up the ball, broke through and initiated a movement that after some fine handling just failed to produce results. Kinsella passed infield and several backs and forwards handled beautifully to advance at a great pace. Finally the ball came to Clarke, who had Preston and Sullivan in support, with Caughey overhauling him fast. Clarke elected to kick over the goal line and Caughey just beat him to force. , Auckland at once attacked. Hedge broke through and passed to Caughey, but the movement broke down. Comer picked up and passed to Hedge, who dummied and dashed over to score. Heazlewood converted and Auckland led by 15 to 8. . , Almost on the resumption Collins had a penalty shot from near half-way which just fell short. From the kick off Taranaki forwards, led by Armstrong and Fowler, and with the whole pack in chase, swept to • Auckland’s twenty-five. Brown picked up and set his backs moving. They carried the ball over the line but lost it and Corner forced. Auckland attacked hotly. Comer sent Kedgley away on the blind, but Young brought him down heavily when a try was in Taranaki invaded, Collins again just missing from a penalty. Taranaki was going great guns and hooked the ball, which Gudgeon shot out to Brown, wjio ran hard and straight, getting his backs into line, but Murdoch collared Sangster. Taranaki was having the better of the game and after a back had essayed a pot the ball swung out to Sullivan, who centred, but the Taranaki forwards were ruled off-side. A high kick by Collins was brilliantly fielded by Hedge in the face of the charging Taranaki pack, enabling him to turn defence into attack, but it was not long before Clarke, who was showing great dash, had Taranaki in Auckland territory again. SCORE QUICKLY MOUNTS. With the ball at toe the visiting forwards had Auckland defending until Murdoch picked up and with Finlayson in support transferred play to the Taranaki twenty-five. An infringement let Taranaki clear again and all the forwards worked like Trojans. Taranaki was soon back in the Auckland area. Sullivan secured but did not gain much ground. Then from a scrum Gudgeon made a great opening to Brown, who beat his man and sent a well-timed pass to Sullivan. The Tukapa man shook off Kedgley, side-stepped Murdoch arid Heazlewood and streaked over to score a bi'illiant try which Collins converted. Auckland Taranaki .... 13

Only two points in arrears, Taranaki came at it again. The forwards, with Clarke again in the van, swept in a solid phalanx to Auckland’s corner flag, where following a line-out Gudgeon secured from a scrum and sent the ball via Brown to Sangster, who dashed over, with an opponent hanging on, to score, Collins goaled, putting Taranaki in front. Taranaki • • Auckland ■

Auckland charged down but Taranaki was definitely on top and playing as though inspired, Taranaki charged back and, aided by a well-judged line kick by Collins, was again hammering at the Auckland line. ■ Young dived a yard short of his objective, but from a scrum’ Gudgeon sent the ball to Brown, who dived over on the blind side. The line umpires signalled no goal but the referee held that Collins had converted. A great change had come over the position in the last few minutes. Auckland, however, did not let up, but Taranaki proved superior to them. The Auckland forwards attacked and Corner sent Kedgley away, but Sullivan gave the Aucklander no latitude. The Auckland backs shot the ball across to Hammon, but he could not pass Kinsella. Auckland kept trying hard but met a determined defence which did not flinch but turned the tables most decisively to clinch a great victory with a brilliant try, The visiting pack crashed through, driving the Aucklanders to midfield, where Townsend picked up the ball and sent'But a wide pass to Kinsella, who passed infield to Sangster.. Keeping possession and speeding straight and hard, Armstrong, Fowler and Fastier handled long passes perfectly for the latter to complete a great movement by scoring alongside the posts. Collins goaled. . Taranaki 28 Auckland 15 Mi’, J. A. Malcolm was the referee. TARANAKI TEAMS’ RECORD. Taranaki has played Auckland 53 times, Auckland winning 35 matches and Taranaki 14 and four being drawn. The points are: Auckland 645, Taranaki 372. Results of matches since the war are, Auckland being mentioned first:— 1919, won 42—9 and won 23—16; 1920, won 9—3 and wqn 17—11; 1921, won 19—9 and lost 10—21; 1922, won 13—8; 1923, won 30—9; 1924, won 17—12; 1925, won 18—12 and 43—6;-1926, lost 8—22 and won 19—13; 1927, won 23—0; 1928, lost 3—6; 1929, lost 11—14; 1930, drawn, 6—6; 1931, lost 9—11; 1932, won 12—6; 1933 (at New Plymouth), won 22—17.