TARANAKI CHAMPIONSHIP.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13728, 18 August 1908, Page 7

TARANAKI CHAMPIONSHIP.

WON BY WAIMATE.

Waimate defeated Okato in the final for the Taranaki championship by 14 points to- nil. The Okato team was minus the services? of P. Julian, O Sullivan, and Larkin. Rothery and Raynor, of Rahotu team, filled two vacan-

cies. 1 , Waimate had a slight advantage in the begining of the game, as theyhad a little breeze behind them. When the playjgommenced Waimate set to work wttptpsssins rushes, and for a time it lobbed as if -they were going to outclass their opponents, but tho tackling and defence of the latter were very good. After keeping Okato in their own- territory for_ about twentyfive minutes, Bourke made a jump for the ball after a scrum, and getting hold of it, scored a very easy try,which Franklin converted.. The best, piece of work was the second try. A parsing rush was initiated from half-way, and after passing, through five hands the ball got to Meuli, who raced/ like a greyhound and scored near the corher ag. The kick at goal was a failure. Soon after Okato invaded Waimate territory and forced them. Half-time was called with Waimate leading, by 8 to nil. Soon after resuming Moffitt got a pass from Davies, whom most of the players thought was off-side, and the full-back being out of his place, all he had to do was to walk in and touch-down near the posts;. The kick was a failure. Okato changed the aspect by putting Waimate on the defensive* for some time. Okato had a few shots at goal, hut all attempts were fruitless. Waimate got into Okato's quarters, and, the full-back missing an easy hall; Prince scored a soft try, from which no goal resulted. Okato again invaded their opponents' •territory, and for some time looked as if they would score, as scrums and line outs were frequent. Just before call of time an Okato man got away, and only had one man to pass and had one of his own men to pass to. Mistaking the distance, he tried to beat his man instead of passing, and lost an inevitable chance of scoring. The whistle sounded with the score — Waimate 14 Okato 0