RANGITIKEI SENIOR REPS DEFEATED BY OROUA

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 July 1947, Page 6

RANGITIKEI SENIOR REPS DEFEATED BY OROUA

BUT JUNIORS AND THIRDS WIN EASILY. (0.C.) Marton, July 5. Rangitikei won the junior and third grade representative Rugby matches played against Oroua this afternoon, but lost the senior game at Kimbolton. Perfect weather prevailed lor the games. On Marton Park, the Rangitikei juniors outclassed the Oroua players, the home team playing brilliant lootbail in the opening and closing stages of the game, the Kingi brothers being outstanding. The forwards were evenly matched, but the winners dominated the scrums, giving the backs plenty of opportunities, many of which were capitalised. The Rangitikei backs were a class above their opponents.

Rangitikei seniors should have won their match at Kimbolton, but there was a definite lack of cohesion in the rearguard, which made too many mistakes and from which Oroua profited. As a spectacle the game fell below expectations, but the Forwards played ruggedly. Giving the ball plenty of "air,” Rangitikei thirds outclassed the Oroua junior B team, at Kimbolton, the pace of the visiting back-line being the deciding factor. Rangitikei began in whirlwind fashion registering 17 points in the first 15 minutes of play. The Rangitikei backs sim|<* cut the defence to ribbons, with some slashing runs. Results were:

Oroua seniors 14 v. Rangitikei seniors 8. Rangitikei juniors 23 v Oroua junior 3. Rangitikei thirds 28 v. Oroua junior B 3. Penalty Kicks Deckle Issue. In a game in which there was very little constructive football, Oroua defeated Rangitikei in the senior match played at Kimbolton this afternoon, by 14 points to eight. Both teams scored a converted and an unconverted try, but the deciding factor was Oroua's two penalty goals. On the run ol play Rangitikei should have won E. Nicholson was astray with his goal-kicking missing two easy shots and outers from reasonable angles. The Rangitikei hooker, W. Tocker gained a feast of the ball from the scrums especially in the second spell, but there was no coordination in the rearguard. Mishandling and ill-directed passing, in which sometimes players missed their pass altogether were factors which denied Rangitikei possible points. The visitors failed to make the most of their opportunities and made too many errors. It was from two mistakes which Oroua scored their tries. While E. Nicholson's line-kicking was accurate, he was not a sale custodian. His goal-kicking lacked direction and weax tackling presented Oroua with tries. It was soon apparent that D. Hammond (wing) was not strong on defence and his vis-a-vis, B. Crnre beat him badly twice. Early in the game Hammond and I’. Bielski, tiie urcua centre, collided, and both retired with cuts over the eye. 1. Barton, who replaced Hammond is a beiter defensive player than he is on attack, and watched the pacy Clare well. J. Potaka had limited opportunities. Near the end ot the game he made a great run down the llank and appeared to score in the corner but the referee awarded a drop-out. D. Kane (half> received a buffeting from the hard-working Oroua forwards and did not get nis passes away as cleanly as in former days. He and A. Rensnaw had practically no understanding at all, some of Kane's passing going behind Renshaw and it was from one oi these stray passes that Meads picked up and scored Oroua’s first try. Some oi Renshaw's transfers went knee high and I. McDonald had difficulty in taxing them. L. Gibbs, too, was uncertain in his handling

Pick of the Oroua backs was the full-back, It. Daniels, who played brilliantly. With amazing dexterity he scooped the rolling ban from the feet of the Rangitikei forwards and cleverly found touch. Once from Ins own half, he zig-zagged his way right through the Rangitikei team to kick, over Nicholson’s nead, regain the oall to be hauled down inches short o, the line. It was a spectacular piece of work. The long, well-directed divepasses of half-back N. Thompson gave the Oroua inside backs plenty ot time to move, but they did not see enough of the ball in the second spell. Second five-eighths, A. McPhail, a brother to the former Wanganui representative, was a tower oi strength on defence, possessing a remarkaole boot. On attack, the Oroua rearguard did not have the same opportunities as Rangitikei, but tftey defended well. There was little between the two packs, Oroua holding a slight advantage in the loose, but in lhe rucks and tight, Rangitikei were in the ascendancy. P. Shannon, playing his first rep. game, used his height to advantage in the lineouts ana C. Kereama also jumped well. Tocker was invaluable as the rake and played a good all-round game. The outstanding forward on the ground was C. Cross, the Rangitikei side-row man, who was in everything, and led practically all loose rushes. Fittler toiled well in the tight. Like his opposite number, the Oroua forward, B. Meads side-row man, played a heady game and had pace to burn. J. Cumings was brilliant in line-out play, and other forwards to impress were G. Cumings, and J. Shannon.

There was one change in the Rangitikei team, P. Adams, who could not get in from the country, was replaced by R. Edwards (Rangatahi). The leans were:—

Rangitikei E. Nicholson; J. Potaka, L. Gibbs, D. Hammond; I. McDonald, A. Renshaw (captain); 1) Kane; R. Stevens; C. Kereama, R. Fittler, P. Shannon, C. Cross; R. Edward, W. Tocker, H. McLean.

Oroua: R. Daniells; B, Clare, T. Bielski, J. Short; A. McPhail, B. Dornbush; N. Thompson; J. Siian-

non; W. Foreman, J. Cumings, G. Cumings (captain), R. Meads; T. Nesdale, C. Shoemack, N. Caird. The game had been in progress 15 minutes when Hammond and Bielski retired injured and were replaced by I. Barton and A. Hancock respectively. The Scoring Moves.

After 23 minutes' play, Clare opened ths scoring with a penalty goal from an easy position, but it was not long afterwards Rangitikei went into the lead. A lineout was won by Rangitikei Kereama running round the back of the lineout and cut through a gap. He was tackled just short of the line but Cross was there, snapped up and crossed by the posts for Nicholson to add the extra points. This was the score at hall-time: Rangitikei 5, Oroua 3. Soon after resuming Rangitikei were penalised in front of their posts and Clare kicked his second goal, but the visitors soon regained the lead. From a ruck, Kane sent McDonald away on the blind side to run 15 yards to score an easy try, which Nicholson, from an easy angle failed to improve. A succession of penalties against Rangitikei were given but both Clare and Dornbush found the goal-posts too elusive. Rangitikei were now gaining the ball with monotonous regularity from scrums, but the backs lacked the finish to bring reward. From one of these successfully won scrums, Kane shot the ball to Renshaw, but it went behind him and Meads gathered in to swerve past Nicholson, to score lor Clare to convert. Oroua went further ahead, when from a lineout the ball came back to J. Shannon., who had gone out to mark Potaka on the wing. The winger brushed off Nicholson’s weak tackle to score in the corner. The kick missed and although Rangitikei tried hard to reduce the leeway, Oroua's defence held, and the game ended. Oroua 14, Rangitikei 8. Mr. W. G. Foote refereed.