RUGBY FOOTBALL

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1787, 27 July 1926, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

IN TE AWAMUTU. JUNIOR GAMES AT ALBERT PARK. With the senior., representative team competing at Te Kuiti, no senior championship matches were played locally, but Albert Park was occupied with two junior contests, United playing Te Kawa, and Puahue playing Parawera. The weather conditions were far from ideal and the fact that all teams were minus several of their best. players through influenza lowered the standard of play. On No. 1 ground Puahue and Para, wera tried conclusions, and the team were fairly evenly matched, the game being well advanced before any score was registered. Juahue registered points first. Sykes goig over from a loose forward rush, the ball coming out to him. Running straight, Sykes bustled through to touch down nicely. The kick at goal failed. Parawera livened up appreciably as a result of this reverse, but several promising attacks broke down, until Kurth outpaced an opponent in a scramble for the ball afte r it had been kicked over the line; His try was not converted. Parawera continued to {attack, but Puahue backs were, equal to the occasion, and kept play out—sometimes more by good luck than anything else. However no further scores resulted, and the game thus ended in a draw, three points all. Mr S. A. McNamara had charge of the whistle. The United v. Te Kawa game took place on No. 2 -ground, each side commencing short-handed. Te Kawa opened play with a spirited attack, and hod the locals doing their very best to stave off scores. Play gradually worked back upfield, Connelly doing good work, but the greens were soon back again and for an infringement Pollard had a successful shot at goal. Stung by the reverse, United rushed play to the other end andi within four minutes . both Connelly and Brougii had scored tries. Soon ; after the change over Lawry bustled over to make United third try, while ten minutes later Wenham put on a fourth. Hal Mime sounded with 'tihie scores 12 —3. The locals continued to dominate the play, though they certainly did not have things all their own way. for the country boys were grafting hard. Two mores tries, by Raine and Balme, brought Uniteds' tally up to 18, while Te Kawa could not improve their quota. All. kicks at goal were taken by Connelly, but all were unsuccessful, though several were really good attempt.,.Mr J n ß. Ryan had charge of the game. MANIAPdTO (.10) v. WAIPA (8). The Waipa senior/ representative team journeyed to Te Kuiti on Saturday and were defeated- by Maniapoto by 10 points (potted goal and two tries) to 8 (two tries, one converted). Owing- to the prevalence of influenza three forwards and! one back of the original selection: had! to. be repladed. Nevertheless the team gave a good account of itself and was perhaps unlucky in being defeated:' Following were the teams•:'-*-"'J* • ' ; Waipa: Quin, Winter Shepherd, Williams, Bell, Dare, Swartzfager, C. Campbell, R. Head,jEt. Smith, H. Urquhart.'E. Storey; G."HillrC Crowley; G. Thomson. /Maniapoto:! Peebles, Belcher, Maafa, Reade, Hobson, Tutaki, Nicholson, McGerty, McCleod, Rutter, Tane, Kamana Walker, Gordon and Bremner. Maniapoto opened play by attacking and after a term of forward play in Paipas 25 Maniapoto (green) forced the ball over the line. From the resultant scrum the ball, went back to McGenty who "potted" a good goal.

There was, no further score in the first quarter althongh Storey broke away with the ball with a clear field but was hauled down a yard off the line. The second quarter was keenly contested, Waipa having slightly better ofiplay, but they could not cross the line. . From: a green forward scramble in Waipas 25 Putaki secured and scored making Maniapoto 7 up. Just before half time Smith followed up a long kick. The Maniapoto fullback went down on the ball a .yard from the line, bst Smith cleared the ball and scored.

The second half opened with give and take play with flashes of back play. The Waipa forwards were holding their own and were responsible for some hot attacks, but Maniapoto defended well. From a hot Maniapoto forward! attack McGerty secured and dived across but the kick at goal was disallowed. The last quarter saw Warpa make desperate efforts to wipe off the deficiency but all itheir efforts were unavailing until almost five minutes from time. Securing near half-way Dare beat all the opposition and when confronted by the full-back transferred to Bell who scored rnopposed. Quin's kick just missed and the game ended shortly after with the scores Maniapoto 10, Waipa 8. NOTES. During the Te Kawa-United match on Saturday two United payers, Raine and Wenham, collided, and each received cuts on the head, Wenham's being just above the eye. He was attended by Dr. Blundell, who found it necessary to insert two stitches. Raine's injury was on the top of the head, and was not serious.

Coyne took the field for Puahue as fullback, but he did not impress as anything but ordinary- He is out of practice with his kicking, while he did not go down to rushes as fullbacks should if they cannot clear the ball.

Claude Pollard was the mainstay of the Te Kawa team, but he appears to have a very promising understudy in his little brother Sandy. This dimunitive. specimen won the applause of the spectators by the way he went about his job. If he continues in the way he is shaping Bandy should be very useful next season. Uniteds won their game against Te Kawa almost entirely through their better combination. It is a big advan. tagereven for a lighter team, to be able to throw the ball about with precision. One of the Parawera forwards, a native, was doing particularly good work against [Puahue, and had he been backed up by the other scrummers he would have scored several times.However, solo work was ineffective. Of the backs, Jackson and the fullback were the best, though Armstrong did well at times.