RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, 7 August 1930, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

STRENUOUS GAME. NORTH AUCKLAND BEATEN ’ BY HAWKE’S BAY. SOME RABID-FIRE SCORING. HASTINGS, August 6. Before 2000 people on the Nelson Park, Hawke's Bay defeated North Auckland by 27 points to 17 in a game full of thrills and spectacular breaks, the second spell being one long series of sensations. Bay won the toss and opened with a favouring wind. The Bay forwards attacked, and from a penalty, Grenside, with a splendid kick, goaled. Bay, 3/0. Soon afterwards, Grenside kicked another penalty goal. Bay, 6/0. The Bay team again attacked, but the North Auckland backs broke away and gained the corner flag. Bay were penalised, but the kick failed. After this fright, Bay attacked in passing rushes and pressed hard. North Auckland put up a stout defence. So far play was mainly among the forwards, who were toiling hard. After kicking the ball into the scoring area, Grenside followed up and scored behind the posts. He converted his own try. Bay, 11/0. Give and take play followed until the interval. Upon resumption, the Northerners attacked hotly. A good passing rush enabled them to reach the 25, where forwards carried on to the goal posts. A strenuous struggle ensued, the visiting backs just failing to get over. From a line-out, Gillespie made the sensational run of the game to reach the 25 before sending Grenside over behind the posts. Setford converted. Bay, 16/0. The North Auckland forwards and then the backs tried to beat down the defence. Slowly they reached the goal line, where from a line-out, W. Rika bullocked his -way across. He converted with a great kick. Bay, 16/5. The visitors pressed hard to the goal line. Twice they almost crossed, but the home forwards prevailed. In another hard forward struggle the visitors were compelled to retreat. Heffernan (Bay) and Barrich (North Auckland) were injured and were replaced by Pearson and Sellars respectively. Even play ensued for a time at midway, until Gillespie, Wilson and C. Brownlie broke away to the visitors' 25, when Gillespie regained possession to dash over near the posts. Setford's kick was a poster. Bay, 19/5. North Auckland rallied and attacked, but soon fell back under determined tackling and bustling. A good passing rush Ry the visitors took play to the front of the posts, where Nichols landed a great pot. Bay, 19/9. Within a minute, Robinson intercepted a Bay pass to set a chain of backs in action, Sellars crowning the effort with a great try. Bay, 19/14. After this reverse, Bay attacked. A speculator went to Evans, who stumbled, but passed to Grenside on the home 25. The All Black ran to half-way and kicked, for Gillespie, 8. Gemmell and Wilson to bustle Kerr, and Wilson raced over near the posts. Evans failed to convert. Two minutes later, Gillespie and Grenside did a little in and out passing for the former to score- between the posts. Setford converted. A forward rush by the visitors saw Wells cross at the corner just on the call of time, making the final count, 27/17 in favour of Hawke's Bay.—(P.A.) AN EXCITING ENCOUNTER. TARANAKI DEFEAT WAIKATO. HAMILTON, August 6. In an exciting encounter, which, despite the slippery nature of the ball and greasy conditions was fast and open, Taranaki defeated Waikato by 17 points to 11. There was no score up to right on the call of half-time, when Hunt (Taranaki) landed a beautiful kick from the field to hoist the first points of an interesting match. It was a hard and fast game in which both sets of backs gave a good account of themselves and on occasions delighted the crowd. The first spell was in the visitors' favour. . With Taranaki to the fore in the first quarter of the second spell, the final session saw the visitors defending strongly, with the local rear and vanguard striving strenuously for a weakness in the defence.—(P.A.)