THE FINLAY CUP

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1782, 13 July 1926, Page 5

THE FINLAY CUP

MORRINSVILLE’S SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE.

WAIPA DEFEATED BY SMALL MARGIN.

In anticipation of seeing the Waipa Rugby Union’s representative team successfully defend the Finlay Oup a large crowd assembled at Albert Park last Saturday afternoon, despite the blu/stery weather conditions, for a very fierce wind, accompanied by slight showers, swept across the ground from the north-west practically the whole afternoon. Naturally, this deterred many intending patrons, while it also adversely affected patronage of the new grandstand,, for the seats there faced the storm. Many spectators elected to have the wind behind them, and thus they took up positions between Nos. 1 and 12 grounds. The respective teams were:—

Waipa (red andl black). —P. Quin, L. Shepherd, M. Winter, F. Beet, E. Bell, H. Dare, T. Reichenbach, E. Storey, H. Urquhart, L. Crowley, G. Hill, G. Walker, D. Smith, E. Holmes and R. Smith. Morrinsville (blue and black). —S. Thomas, K. Campbell, Robson, Letton, Anderson. Marshall, Roach, Howard, Russell, Hewitt, T. Goble, O. Muleahy, Raynell, Pretty, F. Thomas. Mr Brydone, of Hamilton, was the referee.

Prompt, to time the teams filed out and the Waipas kicked, off towards the Park road end. iPftfey qssayed to set up an attack, but whether it was a consciousness' of the difficult task set them or not they failed to act as a concerted body and! soon the visitors were attacking. The game had only been in progress four minutes when an infringement by a. Waipa man gave Goble a shot at goal; and he opened the score with a nice kick. The next incident of moment was a fine run by Campbell, Morrinsville’s speedy wing three-quarter. He beat everybody until Quin safely grassed him. The visitors persisted in their attacks, from one of which Campbell came again, but this time Dare got him. Momentarily the pendulum swung hack, and the Waipa looked like taking the .leather right over the line, but Raynell marked. Then the red backs took a turn, but a forward pass from Bell 'to Dare broke down a.promising attack. Letton took play into Waipa territory, and there it remained! until the first bell went, despite a clever piece of work by Shepherd and Dare in an attempt to, open up the game. On changing endis the Waipa pack kept the hall in and gained ground, but clever footwork by Howard and a straight run by Marshall turned the tables. Waipa defended until Robson, getting offside, afforded relief. Then the ball came free from a ruck, Howard leaving 'Storey cleverly, beating a couple of others and looked like scoring but when confronted by Quin he punted over his head. Anderson was right on the spot and he secured before Quin could recover and touched, down right at the goal posts. Marshall added the minor points, thus making Morrinsville’s score 8 to nil. Nothing daunted the Waipa team pushed the attack again, and were assisted owing to several blues being penalised. But all assaults on the citadel were beaten off, and the attack was turned into defence by Robson and Letton. A penalty kick taken by Quin, relieved the situation,’ for the hall went out well upheld. Then the Morrinsville hacks, who were working well together, cooperated, in a fine passing rush, 'the ball going right across to Campbell, who, however, was pushed out near the corner. Agaih the same tactics were, pursued, but a knock-on broke it down. Then Storey flashed out with a run up the line. IHe did not get far, but Shepherd carried on, only to he grassed hard. Several scrums were the chief feature of the next few minuses. Dare had a shot at goal from a penalty kick, but it wals a long shot, and failed/, the blues forcing. Then the Waipa forwards kept the ball in, and from one rally D. Smith shot away. Robson collaring him to avert what seemed certain to he a try. Halftime sounded with Morrinsville having well the best of the spell and the scores standing S to nil in their fav-

Soon after resuming the second half Winter was injured, but was able to resume* in a couple of minutes. The red forwards then commenced to dominate the play both in the scrums and in line play. From a line out D. Smith broke through and actually got to the line before Robson grabbed him. Raynell cleared, but the Waipas returned again andi again to attack. Morrinsville'forced three times in almost as many minutes. From attack Winter got over, but was held up. The invasion of Morrinsville territory was now almost constaf.t, and some hard work was put in. A penalty gave blues a breather, but Storey spoiled the kLk. Next minute E. (Holmes wa's ■hurt and for the remainder of the game was limping badly. The red attack was diesperate. From one scrum they pushed their opponents right over the line, but Reichenbach was too slow to take advantage* of the glorious opportunity presented. Then Urquhart appeared to force his way over the line but a five yards scrum was ordered. ’.Shortly after Dare went right up against the next scrum, and the ball being hooked] cleanly he secured and with an irresistible dive he scored. Quin kicked a beautiful goal, making Waipa’s score 5 to Morrinsville’s ». This considerably heartened the locals and they attacked hotly, but the Morrinsville backs were doing their best to keep the game open, for they were appreciably better than the opposing back combination, and thus they often nullified the effect of the Waipa forwards’ close work. From one Movrinsville attack Letton found the line near the corner, and some desperate play followed, Quin eventually forcing. Raynell was next prominent in a solo effort, this being succeeded by a similar one by Anderson. Anderson repeated this effort, but was grassed. Then the ball went to Campbell, who sent, on to Marshall, to Anderson, to 'Howard, who went over right at the corner. Marshall failed with the kick. This score put a different complexion on the game altogether, but Waipa kept hard at it, and if anything they were having the better of the play; cer-

tainly this was so in the They penned the Morrinsville team in their own 25, and all sorts of efforts were required to keep them from scoring. Beet put in an unothordox effort that nearly resulted successfully. He secured near the side line with his pack only about 10 yards off the goal line. Streaking obliquely across field, •he sent on to Bell, to Dare, but a pass forward broke dov n the effort. With only a few minutes to go it looked like a forlorn hope, but Waipa kept up the pressure splendidly, without sign of flagging. From one attack Winter and Beet bustled their way over, the honours going to Winter, who touched •down. Quin’s shot >at goal failed. There was not time to score again, though that seemed, the only thing preventing Waipa making a drawn game of it. The whistle sounded with the scores: Morrinsville 11 Waipa 8

Thus the challengers secured possession of the Finlay Cup, and they will probably hold it throughout this season, for they showed themselves to be a particularly hard team to beat. They have resource and initiative, and though the Waipa forwards were on the day superior, there are some very capable forwards in Morrinsville’s pack. Of the hacks the most effective wa/s Andlerson, at five-eighths. Time after time he flashed up-field with a very useful flash. He balanced his team well, and was very effective both in attack and. defence. Campbell’s chief is his pace, but he is a clever player, much after the same style as Winter in his methods, hut with more pace. Marshall was also a very effective back. ThomaSs, at fullback, did everything well that was asked of him, but few would compare him favourably with Quin, notwithstanding the fact that Quin played nothing like .so effectively last Saturday as he did in the Cambridge match a fortnight ago. Of the others in Waipa’s reargujardi only Dare can be commi97ided. The others were by no means up to the standard they showed a fortnight ago, and played much below their usual game. Perhaps the compulsory re-arrangement of play, consequent 071 A. Johnson’s defection, waJs a contributing factor, for his straight running was sorely missed. Storey at rover was clearly outpointed by the redoubtable Howard, and probably the young fellow would ~have done better to concentrate on spoiling Howard’s play rather than trying to play the bali all the time. He was noticed getting in the way of the halfback several times, due to a keen de!sire to be with the ball, huit in doing so he left the way open for some good work by Howard, and that skilled tactician wals not slow to take advantage of it. The Waipa forwards, as can be gathered from, the description of the play, all did remarkably well. But for the fact that in the first spell they failed to support their hacks in breaking down passing movements initiated by tbeir opponents, their display was up to their usual Standard. TEAMS ENTERTAINED. In the evening both teams and officials were entertained at dinner at the Te Awamutu Hotel. After the loyal toast, Mr F. Quin (president of Waipa Union) proposed the toast of th'e N.Z. Rugby Union, stating it was a pleasure to see the president of that body (Mr McDevitt) present. In replying to "the toast, Mr 'McDevitt gave an interesting account of the doings of the parent Union. He emphasised the importance of the- country Unions sticking together and thus receiving the recognition they deserved. The delegates representing country Unions on the N.Z. Rugby Union had combined and broken up the influence possessed by Wlellington, Auckland, Canterbury and Otago with the result that country Unions were now getting a fair deal anc? 'they had every chance of getting players in the All Blacks. It was only by full co-opera-tion of country Unions that this state of affairs could be maintained. The -toast of “The Winning Team” was proposed by 'Mr M. Winter, who said Waipa had been fairly beaten .and, although they Were disappointed in losing possession of the Cup it was a pleasure- to lose it to -such a team of •sportsmen as the Morrinsville fifteen had proved. In presenting the Cup to Mr Hogg, president of Morrinsville Union, Mr Quin said it was indeed with mixed feelings he handed the. Cup over. After endeavouring to gain the Cup for four veiarte they had) been successful in taking it away from Cambridge, but could only hold it a fortnight. Nevertheless, it was a pleasure to know it was passing into the- hands of good, sportsmen and he trusted they would hold it longer than Waipa had. Waipa would again be in the field next season and he hoped they would have to meet Morrinsville in the first match. Mr Hogg is aid it was a very- great pleasure to accept the Cup on behalf of his Union, more so when it was remembered that all the Sub-Unions had held it with the exception of MorrinsvilLe and) Pu-taruru The trophy would do mutch to improve the standard of Rugby in their Union while if they were successful in retaining it the. finances of the Union would- also receive a much-needed lift along. He complimented Waipa on the manner in which they had accepted their defeat and also on the manner in which they had -entertained the Morrinsville team. It was such functions as these which helped towards a better comradeship between the various Unions. i “The Waipa Team” was entrusted to Mr R. Howard (Morrinsville captain) who expressed the opinion that Waipa were perhaps unlucky in that their in sidle backs could not get moving. They had fought, the game out to the finish and it was a relief to all his men when the final bell sounded. Some very interesting reminiscences were also given during the evening by Messrs McDevitt and 'Chapman dealing with the- history of the coming into being of the Finlay Cup, and a very convivial evening was brought to a close by drinking -the health of the winners from the Cup. Prior to the dinner the Waipa team was -entertained by Mr Quin at a little function in celebration of their win against Cambridge a fortnight previously. Those present also included Messrs McDevitt (president N.Z.R.U.), Cooper (Waikato selector) ,< 'Clarkm (-ex-president Waikato Union), Mitchell (secretary Waikato Union), Bry-

done (referee), Chapman (referee in the Cambridge match) and, Fraser ('selector of western section of Waikato Union).

JUNIOR MATCHES

Earlier in the afternoon three games in the junior championship were played.

iPuahue v. Pirongia (the latter with only 12 players) met and drew, there being no score. Mr J. B. Ryan referred. United met Ohaupo and an interesting contest resulted in favour of United by 13 points (tries by Raine and McGhie (2) and a pottedl goal by Batty) to 7 (a try by Tai and a potted goal by Meredith). Mr Melrose had, charge of this game. On No. 3 ground Te Kawa and Parawera met, the former winning by 11 to 3. For the winners Cruiickshank and Bingham scored tries; C. Pollard converted one' and kicked a penalty goal. For Parawera Armstrong kicked a penalty goal. Mr Kelly refereed.