RUGBY FOOTBALL

Te Puke Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 56, 25 July 1939, Page 1

RUGBY FOOTBALL

TAURANGA RETAINS SHIELD KEEN MATCH WITH TE PUKE (Bay of Plenty Timee) Glorious weather prevailed for the Te Hurinui Apanui Shield match on Saturday afternoon between the Tauranga and Te Puke football representatives. There was little between the two teams. The visiting backfe were better than Tauranga, but the home forwards were superior and Tauranga owes victory to their splendid showing. The first score Ucame fifteen minutes after the start, Donovan finishing off a fine back movement. A quarter of an hour later Kayj ment landed a penalty goal and at halftime the score was o—3 in Te Puke s favour. Shortly after the opening of tin second half McNeile sent Voice across to score and this Was followed by a try by MeNeile. The game was fast and opeu in the final stages, when Donovan added to his reputation by dropping.a fine goal from the field while Tangitu scored as the result of a fine run. The crowd numbered about twelve hundred, a record for this season, and the game , w;-s much above the usual standard of the code in these parts. Mr McNamara, of Rotorua, ably controlled the game.

Te Puke won the toss and defended the northern goal. Shortly after the opening Rayment was given an opportunity at goal from forty yards and missed narrowly. Donovan , fielded and sent to Tangitu, Who made a strong run and was thrown out at . the corner flag. Tauranga infringed and Hughes cleared to half-way. From the line-out Donovan and jGrahata and ; Oxenham combined, advantageously and the last-mentioned; was tackled in the home tweniy-five... * The Te Puke backs got going and J. Graham was checked by Rayment near the line. Te Puke was awarded a free kick and Satherly missed the goal by a few feet. From close play at mid* ' field McNeile broke away but Bail r checked. Valder received a knock but was able to resume in a few minutes. The Te Puke forwards pushed down the x eastern aide. From a line-out J* Bidoia broke through but Oxenham countered' well. Satherly made a good run and passed to Valder to Donovan to McCon-i neU and the last-mentioned sent back to Donovan who scored in a handy position. Satherly converted. Te Puke 5, Tauranga 0. After resuming, a. ’ visiting forward Was caught off-side and Rayment had an unsuccessful attempt at goal from forty yards. From a line-out Kuku sent his backs going but one of them held on too long and a good chance was spoiled. Hard play ensued in the visitors’ quarter. Then Satherly made a grand opening and sent to Graham to Donovan, who crossed in the south-east-ern corner, but was called back. Te Puke pressed and a free-kick to them gave Satherly an unsuccessful shot at ' goal. From a scrum Murray and Bell broke away but Ball checked with a y punt to the side-line. Te Puke infringed and Rayment landed a goal from quarter way. , . Te Puke b, Tauranga 3. Pirom a line-out the Tauranga backs swung into action and Tangitu, the last man in the 'chain »vaa stopped by Vaider. A minute later Graham ran clear but Rayment came across and brought.him down. The home forwards rucked back and sent up a strong attack but Satherly cleared off a penalty. Te Puke followed up and Oxenham broke through with only Rayment in front, . the latter saving well. The local forwards tightened the play and reached the Te Puke quarter. Hard line play ensued for same minutes and Kuku dived over, but was held up. The early Stages of the second half were fairly even, and were confined to the forwards. Effective lineTkicking i by Rayment clearecf Tauranga, but the Te Puke backs countered and a sharp movement was stopped by Rayment on his own line. Murray, Bell, Kakau, Clay and. McNeile came back rapidly and jCakau kicked clear; but Oxenham, the last back in position stopped progress. ■ Clay and Murray broke clear with the ball at their feet, but Ball picked up * OtiL, sent to touch. Oxenham received a bad knock and had to come off, Tapsell going on in his place. The home forwards rucked \through . McNeile then

picked up and after beating several opponents passed to Voice, who sprinted and touched down. Rayment added the extra points. Tauranga a, Te Puke 5. After resuming Tauranga were penalised and Satherly's kick fell short by a couple of feet. Strenuous forward play ensued between the twenty-five flags. McNeile made an excellent opening and ’Kakau supported but was stopped near Vhe line. When the ball came through <jihe home backs showed out in an attractive movement, but Donovan countered and kicked through to Rayment, who found touch in th%, visitors’ quarter. Te Puke infringed and a kick by Rayment missed. Satherly and Barker were associated in a dribbling movement, and gained sixty yards, which enabled Te Puke to set up a strong attack. From a scrum the Te Puke forwards hooked and Donovan found touch. Ahonuro then had an unsuccessful shot at goal and Tauranga failed to clear. Several scrums were packed near the Tauranga goal and from one of tfiese Donovan secured and cut in smartly but could not touch- down. Valder was hurt and retired, Sherman going on in his stead. Te Puke pressed and Graham just missed crossing in the north-western comer. Te Pnke held on in the twenty-five until Bell, Clay, Murray, and Kakau cleared. McNeile came up fast and followed the ball over to score. Ray ment’a kick went outside the post. Tauranga 11, Te Puke 5.

Upon resuming, Voice had his hip injured and Castaing went on. A good forward movement was checked by Bell marking. Te Puke replied with a smart handling movement by the backs in which half a dozen' participated Te Puke, attacked until Castaing cleared with a fine kick to half-way. The Te Puke - forwards racked hack rapidly and from the loose Donovan picked up and dropped * fina g°fd friwn the field. Tauranga IT, Te Puke 9.

The Tauranga forwards, led by Bell, Murray, Ririnui and Rolloston, tightened the play and the ball was sent to Ta>ngitu, who outpaced the {opposing backs to score. The kick failed and the whistle sounded shortly afterwards with the scores: •

Tauranga 14, Te Puke 9.

JUNIOR GAME The curtain-raiser between the Tauranga and' Te Puke juniors was well contested and. resulted in a win for the latter team. - , . The early advantage was with Te Puke, the forwards sweeping through for T. Faulkner to check. Play then worked : to centre. Britcon made an opening and the backs came through rapidly. Riddell then picked up and sent Ranapai over to score. Maxwell converted. j Te Puke 5, Tauranga 0.

Upon resuming the home team forwards pushed through. , Dickson centred and T. Faulkner fielded neatly and ran over to score. Te kick failed. Te Puke t>, Tauranga 3. Smart play by Booth enabled lauranga to set up a strong attack but McClure cleared with a strong kick. Paul broke thijbugh ' and Riddell improved with a great kick which rolled across, Tauranga forcing. Early in the second half the Te Puke vanguard rucked, and Maxwell followed up and scored and converted. ’ Te Puke 10, Tauranga 3. The advantage remained with Te Puke but Tauranga rallied and from a high kick the ball rolled across, Te Puke forcing. Fast forward play continued without further score and the game ended: ; " Te Puke 10, Tauranga 3, RANGITAIKI BEAT WHAKATANE In the first game for the Tom Dunderdale Cup, presented for annual competition between the Whakatane and Rangitaiki Unions, the latter avenged their defeat by Whakatane, by winning 6-0 at Te Teko on Saturday. Renata, the wing-threequarter, scored the two tries for Rangitaiki. The game was a keen, even contest, mostly confined to the . forwards. Old Boys v. Papamoa The Old Boys’ team to meet Papamoa on Saturday \s as followsC. Blows, P. Innes, J. McKenzie, J. Sharp, J. Saunders, B. Mansell, M. Goodwin, J. Gorcon (2), Gemming (2), E. Makesy, A. Harrison, N. Valder, P. Family, F. Smith.- ■