POWNALL TROPHY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 133, 7 June 1937, Page 5

POWNALL TROPHY

MATCH AT TAIHAPE WIN FOR WANGANUI TEAM SCORE OF SIXTEEN TO THREE RUGBY IN MUDDY CONDITIONS (Own Correspondent.) TAIHaPE, Saturday. The annual match between xailiapo and Wanganui was piaycd at xaihape to-day in wet weatner and resulted in a decisive win for Wanganui by 16 points to 3. liic Pownali Trophy, held by Wanganui, was a H stake. Rain was falling steadily when the teams took the Held, but eased oil after about 15 minutes' play, only to return with increased intensity towards the close of the game, whicn was also marked by a fall oi snow. Bright Rugby w*s out of the question on sucn a day, but tne iaci remains that Wanganui handled tne greasy ball with a much greater degree of accuracy than i’amape and gave the impression that they would nave been extremely dangerous on a dry ground. The visitors played wiin better comoination tnan tne maroons, and possessed more pace, xainapc appeared sluggish compared Wanganui ana meir hanunng sulleieu in comparison with that ol tne visitors. Had the maroons kept tne ball al their ieet more, they inignt have fared better, but tney made tne mistake ot thinking tnat tney could handle w<th the same accuracy as the Wanganui backs. The home team was to be leared most when it indulged in dribbling rushes, and these taeles should have been exploited to a much greater extent than was actually the case. One could not help believing that the wet weather prevented Wanganui from piling up a much bigger 'score. Their bacKS went remarkably well considering the state ot the ground, which resembled a quagmire before the termination of play. Barton, Welsh and Burgess were an impressive trio who would have been hard to keep in check on a tine day. RJohnston, the Taihape half-bacK, and T. Chase were the pick of the maroon rearguard. Dickson and Wally Thompson played particularly well in tne forwaras. Davidson, Hutchinson and Lockett put in some good work in the Wanganui vanguard. Big Crowd Present.

A big crowd attended the match, and it was a pity that a game or sucn importance hau to be piayea under sucn atrocious conditions. What would have happened hau the elements been kinu, will always be a matter of conjecture. The teams lined out as follows: Taihape (maroon). — V. North; J. Marshall, T. Chase, P. HeKenui; K. Chase, R. Kotua; R. Jonnstone; W. Thompson (captain); C. uicKson, a. Clinton, H. Henery, J. Gabolinscy; B. Jackson, G. bpooner, C. Tasker. Wanganui <blue and black). —A. McCormick; L. Burgess, D. G. Barton, D. Berryman; K. \velsn, B. Thomas; E. Chamberlain; G. Lockett (captain?; W. Glenn, W. Firmin, Daviason, C. Hutchinson; E. Daliison, B. Jones, B. Goldsbury. Taihape drew first blood, thanks to Hekenui, wlio caused a stir when he put in a great run aown the side-line and then Kicked over the head ot McCormick, the Wanganui custodian, to regain possession and score a well deserved try. T. Chase failed to goal. —Taihape 3, Wanganui U. The visitors lost no time in retaliation and a forward rush headed by Davidson, Hutchinson, and Lockett carried play well into the home team s territory, where a scrum was held. Chamberlain gained possession and kicked to 'J . Chase, wno found touch near hallway. The blues secured irom the lineout, Chamberlain, T nomas, Welsh and Barton handling in turn, but the Wanganui centres pass to Berryman went astray and the movement broke down.

The Wanganui rearguard was seen in action again a tew minutes later and Burgess kicked over the line and made a dive lor the ball, but hit corner Hag and a try was missed by the proverbial whisker. Thomas, Welsh and Barton iigurea prominently in another passing rush and were handling the greasy ball with a degree of accuracy that would probably nave spelt disaster for Taihape on a fine day. The movement came to an end when Burgess tailed to accept a difficult pass irom Barton. R. Johnston, the Taihape half-back, brought the crowd to their feet when he broke away and exploited the short punt to perfection, but was unsupported and though he regained possession the advantage thus gained was nullified by a long pass infield to a Wanganui player. Taihape Pack Attacks. The Taihape forwards, led by Dickson, Thompson and Jackson, swept down the Held in a dribbling rusn which McCormick stopped in masterly fashion. The maroon forwards returned to the attack and things looked black for Wanganui when McCormick fumbled ana the maroon pack dribbled over the line but were unable to touch down before Thomas kicked into the dead-ball area. The blues attacked and Burgess put in a good kick that carried play to the maroon line. Wanganui pressed hard and a scrum was held on the line near the goal posts. The ball came out of the side of the scrum and Hutchinson dived on it and scored the visitors’ first try. Barton converted. —Wanganui 5, Taihape 3. Half-time sounded soon afterwards with the scores unchanged. Gabolinscy was in the limelight when play was resumed and led a torward rush that tested the visitors’ defence to the utmost. Dickson, Tasker, and Henery also took part in the movement that was subsequently carried on by W. Thompson, Clinton and G. Spooner. A minute or two later Tasker, Thompson, Jackson and Dickson dribbled to the blue twenty-five where Glenn and Firmin stopped the rush. Taihape came again and Wanganui infringed in their desire to keep the home team out, but T. Chase failed with the kick at goal from an acute angle. Daliison, Jones and Goldsbury carried play to Taihapc’s twenty-five where the home team was penalised and Barton made a good but unsuccessful attempt to goal. The ’ visitors returned to the attack and Marshal! failed to pick up a greasy

ball and Davidson kicked over the line and made a great attempt to score but Marshall beat the Wanganui man in the race for the ball, and forced down. Chamberlain set the visiting rearguard m motion, Thomas, Welsh, Barton and Burgess handling in that order, but the Wanganui winger was well tackled by Marshall. Taihape adopted aggressive tactics and carried play to the visitors’ twent-live where a line-out took place. Hekenui threw the ball to Wally Thompson, who passed back again to Hekenui, who beat Berryman and McCormick and raced over the line, but the whistle had already sounded, presumably because the ball was not thrown in according to the rules. It was bad luck for Taihape, especially as Hekenui had beaten the opposition by means of a neat sidestep. Burgess paved the way for Wanganui’s next try when he followed up fast to reach the ball before Marshall, and give it a kick along the ground. Barton rushed up in support and applied the finishing touches by booting over Taihape’s goal-line and scoring a great try which he converted himself.—Wanganui 10, Taihape 3,

Encouraged by their success, Wanganui cam: again ana Barton narrowly missed a "potted” goal. R. Johnston caused a sensation when he broke away and put in a great run but was unsupported and gave a pass infield that was snapped up by Thomas, who found touch. Tommy Chase was responsible for a good run that gained a lot of ground. Rangi Chase also put in some excellent work. Once again the Wanganui backs showed that they could handle a greasy ball. Chamberlain, Thomas, Welsh, Barton and Berryman di took part in a bright movement that culminated in Berryman scoring a spectacular try. Welsh failed with the kick.—Wanganui 13, Taihape 3.

The visitors added another three points when Welsh cut in brilliantly before transferring to Barton, to Burgess, who scored the final try of the match. Barton failed to convert. —Wanganui 16, Taihape 3. Mr. J. A. Graham was referee.