FOOTBALL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15863, 7 July 1919, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

REP PRESENT ATTV E RUGBY GAME. TARANAKI (11) Y. WANGANUI (3-). The Wanganui Rugby representative team iourneyed to Hawera on Saturday. U) meet the pick of Taranaki. The weather was showery,, but the ground was not so bad as was expected, though very slipperv. There were a couple of slKi'.viji'e during the game, but for tho most pan. it was fine. 'The Taranaki team was much heavier than Y anganui, and to this principally they owed their success, as the extra weight in the serums enabled them to push the Wanganui bo vs a ace over the ball when ihev did hook it. Added to that the red forwards played a good deal offside, often without being penalised, and tin's helped to prevent the Wanganui backs from making the game open. The plav for the greater part was of a scrambling order, and a long way below rep. form of pre-war days, but the Taranaki backs got on some line passing niches in the second half. The Y an0. backs also got going in the last iwor.iv minutes of the game, and indulged in some passing rushes which were vrrv pretty and effective. If their foi wards had been able to hold the .-cranis better the result would have Iseen very different. As it Taranaki won hv 11. points to 3, after a fairly interesting game. Wanganui won the toss, and played with the sun and a strong wind behind them. From the kicu-off Taranaki made the piav lively, Cameron securing from a line out at half, and clashing off, but Green grassed him. A red passing rush was stopped hv Lynskey being offside when a score 'looked likely. A fine kick bv Philiipson was veil followed up by 1. and the blues got near Taranaki lino. The rods wore penalised, and Ilea.d had a shot. He made a fine attempt, rite bail going over the ]>ost. A red forward rush headed by Lynskey, Fuller, Masters, and Johnson was well stopped by Philiipson. Securing from a scrum, Atkins set his backs in motion, but good defensive work by Baddoley and kept Hie blue line intact, A big hi 1c bv Baddoley sent the reds back lo inside their own 25, where a passing rush by the bines was stopped bv Svensou being collared near the line. The red forwards swept play back into Wanganui territory, where Taranaki got a mark, but Hie kick failed. The rods attacked strongly, Y'ynyard being prominent. A 1 this stage a Taranaki player (J. Bourke) hurt his shoulder and had to re lire, Murphy taking his place. Clever plav and a. good kick by Philiipson sent the reds back to inside their own half, but their backs, led bv Atkins, got on another passing rush. A gooff mark and kick by Head saved the situation, and in quick succession Baddoley and Hoad again were called upon to stop, dangerous rushes, but Ihev proved equal to the occasion. .Svenson then got away, and raced right to the full-back, who made a good save. The teds returned to the attack, but, offside plav checked them twice, and then a mark by Stracban stopped what looked like a certain score. Connop intercepted nicelv and ran and kicked lo Taranaki 25. ' Tho blues kept Taranaki penned down for some time, but tb• ■ir backs could not. get going properly. The serum work was faulty, as though tho blue hookers more than held their own, trie ball was hold up, and the red vanguard with their extra weight would crumple up the scrum and get or. to Baddoley before he could get possession. In addition the rods played offside a good deal, Lynskey especially. Once the blue backs did get away, but Palmer hung on just too long and sent on to Sveuson when the latter was smothered. Gibson stopped another Wanganui rush bv a good mark. Atkins then broke away, and took play to Wanganui 25, where the red backs got going, but Philiipson marked cleverly stopping a dangerous attack. Again Taranaki swept down on the blue line, but an infringement pulled them up once, and Treason twice in quick succession bv fine tackling saved his side. A blue 'rush headed by Hogan took play to the other end of tho field, where it was when half-time sounded.

On changing ends Taranaki quickly took play into Wanganui territory, but Phillipson, Head, Baddcley and Svensou defenoed well. However, the reds kept np the pressure, and Atkins getting possession sent out to Cameron, who I'eat two or three, opponents Badly, and sent on to Eogers, who raced np the lino, and got over at the corner, where Phillipson dived at him, bringing him down, but be grounded the bail. Phillipson struck his head against the corner post, and was knocked out for a few minutes. Lynskoy failed to convert. Taranaki 3 Wanganui 0 Resuming. the reds made another onslaught on the Wanganui line, but Phillipson saved with a fine run and kick. Another red passing rush was stopped by good tackling by Palmer and Svenson. The rods kept np the attack, but

good defensive work by the blues kept them out. However, a red rush carried the ball over, but an infringement prevented them scoring. Shortly after, Taranaki got a free and Lynakey landed a fine goal. Taranaki 6 Wanganui 0 So far this spell Wanganui had been penned down all the time, and it was only fine tackling which kept the reds from piling up a big score. Resuming the reds again assumed the aggressive, aud from a scrum the ball went from Atkins out through all the' red backs to Hickey, who surprised Strachan by hia pace aud dashed over and scored right behind the posts, Lynskey converted. Taranaki 11 Wanganui 0

Evidently the reds" supporters thought that a rot would set in now amongst, the Wanganui boys, and they urged their men to pile up the score. They tried hard, and charged the blue line several times, but the Wanganui boys defended grimly, and then Phillipson and Oonnop by good play took the ball out to near mid-field, where Alabaster broke away with the hall at his toe and dribbled to Taranaki 25. Here Svenson secured cleverly from a line out, and passed to Palmer who kicked tr. Dnines, who took well and passed infield to Strachan, who raced over. Alabaster made a good effort, but failed at goal. Taranaki 11 Wanganui 3 Resuming, Wanganui attacked strongly, but Gibson saved well, aud the reds carried play to' the other end of the field, where a timely mark by Phillipson saved well. 'The reds returned to the attack, but Baddeley got away with a nice run, and Daines kicked down field and followed up fast taking play to Taranaki 25. A fine dash by Philiipson was followed by a good run by Dames, but the reds averted danger, aud with a great forward rush put the Wanganui line in danger again. It was hot work, but the blues kept them out, and the whistle sounded with the scores unaltered: Taranaki 11 Wanganui - 3 Just before the game ended S. Cameron, one of the best of the Taranaki backs, had his shoulder dislocated and had to go off. After the game was over, Connop, the Wanganui wing-forward, discovered that he had dislocated his shoulder.

THE A.I.E. TEAM. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. SYDNEY, July 6. The Rugby Union A.I.F. team arrived on Thursday, and defeated New South Wales by 42 to 14. It is suggested that it would be a splendid draw if a representative New Zealand team could be sent across to test the soldiers’ combination before the team is disbanded. LOCAL GAMES. With the representatives at Hawera on Saturday, only the lower grade competitions were gone on with. Notwithstanding this, there was a fair number of spectators on the Rec. The games in the various grades resulted as follows :

JUNIOR CUP. Technical College 18 beat Old Boys 11. Aramoho heat Collqge. THIRDS. Old Boys 9 beat Aramoho nil. FOURTHS. Queen’s Park Old Boys beat Technical College.