WANGANUI RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 106, 8 May 1933, Page 5

WANGANUI RUGBY

KAIERAU S LINE UNCROSSED PIRATES LUCKY TO DEFEAT MARIST HARD MATCH FOR OLD BOYS AT RATANA [BY "CROSSBAR."] Kakrau made a very definite showing against Technical Old Boys on Saturday by scoring five clean tries, all of which were converted, against a penalty goal. On the day the maroons certainly deserved to win by the margin indicated—2s to 3. Pirates were lucky to scrape home against Marist by 8 to 6, and Old Boys faced a fairly serious proposition in Ratana, finally winning by 9 to 3, a margin that was not as convincing as some of the city team’s supporters had hoped for. Saturday’s play increased the conviction that Kaierau have solidly entrenched themselves for the battle for the Cup behind a team that is fit enough to make the pace in the attack and to put up a meritorious defence. The maroon line has not been crossed this season. Technical Old Boys opened well against this formidable opposition, and by quickly turning the Kaierau attacks into defence, raised great hopes of victory. But the superb quality of the maroon defence proved the challengers’ undoing. Try as they might, the Technical Old Boys* force could not circumvent the rallying in the Kaierau ranks, and very rarely looked like crossing the maroon line. Notwithstanding this, the blue and whites were presented with opportunities of making a better showing in the scores than they actually did. Brown had six chances to goal from penalties, but got the ball over once only. What a contrast to his effort against Marist a fortnight before! And the irony of it was that Morgan, for Kaierau, could not go wrong. He converted five tries in succession.

Pirates’ showing against Marist left the belief that the blacks will be no match for Kaierau next Saturday. In many respects the greens should have won, but Pirates’ very clean try in the second spell was the best effort of the match. On the run of play a draw would have been the fairer ending to such a game. Old Boys faced conditions that did not favour their type of play. The Ratana ground was slippery and the ball inclined to greasiness. Ratana fielded a very much better team than that which tackled Pirates, however, and if the form they displayed is maintained there will be an unsettling of some teams’ chances. Next Saturday week Wanganui will defend the Pownall Trophy at Taihape, and the team that is to assume that responsibility has been chosen. The personnel is published this morning.