REP. GAME.

Wairarapa Age, 4 July 1929, Page 5

REP. GAME.

TARANAKI BEAT WELLINGTON. AN EVEN CONTEST. HAWERA, July 3. A crowd estimated at between five and six thousand witnessed the animal Bugby game between Taranaki and Wellington provincial fifteens this afternoon, when Taranaki took the decision by six points (a try and a penalty goal) to three (a penalty goal). As indicated by the low scores, the game was a hard-fought battle, with the sides fairly evenly matched, though a slight margin of territorial honours had to be credited to Taranaki. The play throughout was characterised by sure tackling, which prevented exploitation of the open order.* Taranaki's forwards ruled the line-outs and tight scrummaging, having a decided superiority in weight. Despite this, the Wellington hookers took the greater share of the scrum balls, while the Wellington pack, as a whole, held the advantage in loose play. Almost faultless exhibitions of full-back play were given by the respective last-linera, A. Collins (Taranaki) and F. Cormack (Wellington). The visitors opened the score within four minutes. Cormack, from wide out at the 25, succeeded with the second of two penalty kicks. The spell was well advanced when Collins converted a penalty for Taranaki. The second spell was contested at a lively pace. No score resulted till a minute before time. For several moments Taranaki had been penned in their own 25, a successful counter-attack developing when the forwards surged to midfield, where the rover, A. Guy, made a sensational run. Stopped near the line by Denniss, Guy retrieved the ball and sent the wing, Fookes, over for an unconverted try.—(PA.)