RUGBY MATCH TODAY

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1937, Page 4

RUGBY MATCH TODAY

AUCKLAND AND TARANAKI. - REVIEW OF PAST CONTESTS. The meeting between Taranaki and Auckland Rugby teams at New Plymouth to-day will be tiie . 55th encounter. Of tlie previous 54 matches Auckland has won 35 and Taranaki 15, four havingbeen drawn. Since the Great War the two unions have met on 23 occasions Auckland having won 15 of the matches and Taranaki seven but since an almost uninterrupted run of Auckland successes was broken iu 1928 Taranaki has won four and drawn one of the eight matches played. Last year Taranaki was beaten by 21 points to 17 at Auckland but the last time Auckland played at New Plymouth Taranaki won by 31 points to 29 in a memorable xhatch. Auckland led by 11 to eight at half -time and by 14 to 11 shortly after resumption but tlien Taranaki struck a patch, ratting on four trles in quarter of an hour, Collins converting all of them. • Half way through the second spell Auckland staged a comeback, scoring and converting three tries to bring the score to . 31-29. For the final 10 minutes Auckland battled desperately with Killeen playing a brilliant game, while Bush attempted to kick field goals. Taranaki managed to stave off the attack and itself take the offensive. The team against Auckland that year was: A. Colliris; L. EdWards, J. Sullivan, A. Pepperell; J. Galbraith, C. Brown; C. Gudgeon; O. Brown; H. Gardner, W. Young, W. Petersen, C. O'Dowda; J. Armstrong, F. E. Gargan (captain), P. Fastier. C. Sangster replaced Gudgeon at half-time. Taranaki scored six tries, Brown (2), Pepperell, Galbraith, Young and Edwards being successful, while Collins kicked a penalty goal and converted five of tiie six tries. The Auckland team comprised R. G. Bush, H. T. Pearson, R. Curry, E. Grant, B. A. Killeen, E. J. Hedge, W. Frankham, F. Solomon, T. G. Fitzgibbon, A. Knight, A. Brown, T. Lockington, H. Bond, R. Jury and J. H. Butler, R. Weber taking Knight's place when ihe captairi's ankle was injured. Tries were scored by A. Brown (3), Killeen (2), Frankham and Solomon, Bush converting four. .Last year at Auckland Taranaki scored three tries, Collins converting one and kicking two. penalty goals, while Auckland scored . four tries, Beyer converting three and kicking a penalty goal. In the 54 previous matches Taranaki has scored 430 points and Auckland 683. Taranaki's biggest margin in any matcli has been 14 points, in 1894 (14—0) and in 1926 (22—8), while in 1934, when Auckland held tiie Ranfurly shield the Taranaki team that lost to Hawke3 Bay 23—8 beat Auckland by 28 to 15. On the other side of the ledger, however, there have been. some heavy defeats. Auckland beat Taranaki at Auckland by 42 to nine in the first match after tlie war arid again by 43 to six at Auckland in 1925. Anotlier well-remembered match was played at New Plymouth in 1933, when Taranaki led by 17 to none at halftime. In tlie second half Auckland brought R. G. Bush up to centre , and added 22 points to win by 22 to 17. The Auckland team, which travelled to New Plymouth by road and arrived yesterday afternoon, is staying at the Criterion Hotel. Mr. N. C. Jenkin is manager. The team will return north to-morrow. The teams to play at Rugby Park today are:— Taranaki. Full-back: A. Collins (Clifton). Three-quarters: A. Pepperell (Patea), Clapham (Hawera), N. Hunter (Hawera). . Five-eighths: E. Smith (Athletic, second), C. Brown (Tukapa). Half-baclc: L. Arnold (Inglewood). Back row: J. McClenaghan (Hawera). Middle row: A. Richards (Patea), R. Clarke (Stratfoi-d), J. Coull (Kaponga), C. O'Dowda (Tukapa). Front row: P. Murpliy (Inglewood), Benton (Kaponga), P. Fastier (Stratford). Reserves: Backs, Wetton (Clifton), J. Ford (N.P. Old Boys), C. Sangster (Stratford); forwards, E. Smith (Stratford), W. Ruakere (Opunake). Auckland. Full-back: R. G. Bush (University). Threequarters: G. Hewifct (South Aucklaiid), H. Pearson (Otahuhu), K. Byerley (Technical). Five-eightlis: L. Curtayne (Marist), A. A. Prentice (Grafton). Half -back: W. Frankham (Ponsonby). Back row: F. Solomon, captain (Ponsonby).. Middle row: L. S. Drake (University), W. Laiige (University), C. J. Sidford (Ponsonby), M. McHugh (Marist),. . - Front row: A. Browh (Grammar), H. Bond (Ponsonby), A. " Moffitt (South Auckland). Reserves: Backs, D.. Arkle (Grafton), C. McKinley (North Shore); forwards, W. Roddick (College Rifles), D. Bailey (Marist).