RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Waipukurau Press, 5 June 1922, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

WAIPAWA INFS. DEFEATED.

FAST AND EXCITING GAME. Although tho Waipawa. Sub-union representative team was defeated by a fifteen selected from tko Napier and Hastings Clubs, in a match played on Russell Park on Saturday afternoon, the score was only six points to three, and the tussle throughout wae evenly contested, with very little difference between tho opposing combinations. It was a particularly lively and iaterostlng display, strenuous and vigorous from start to finish, full of exerting inoiilents and with flashes e-f brilliant, football. The visitors scored a try and converted a penalty, both in the second spoil, while the home team gained a try in the opening half and were reka-Uy unlucky in not registering further points. In fact. it may be conceded that ou the afternoon's game the honours were with tiro local "reps.” The forwards held a slight advantage, especially in the loose play and their eoaceried efforts were most noteworthy; while tho back division was sound in defence and attack, and put up an excellent exhibition. The teams were «s follows:—

Napier-Hastings—Rosenberg, J. Smith. Yates, E. Mitchell, Htaintoa, W. Blake, M. Blake, Parker, Higgins, McCallum, Jury, Clachan Tairoa, Bowker, and Hobbarley.

Waipawa—Geenty, Faskott, Russell McDonald, Collins, Lowes, Donovan, Johastoa. Hahlano, Mane, Bloor, Tui Nicol, McFarlane and Easther.

The visitors (black and white), who defended the southern goal, were the .first to suffer an invasion of their tortorq. The Waipawa forwards (red and blaek) rushed in teniptesluously and set up a hot attack riglit on the lino. It was an anxious period but the defenders resisted stubbornly and an exchange of kicks transferred piny to neutral ground. A few minutes later Collins following up quickly tackled Yates with the ball, and the red and back forwards rallied round, and again stormed the visitore’ line. A penalty brought relief, play went quiekly across the field, and the black and white forwards brokf through to Geenty. who was bowled over, but McDonald saved the situation with a serviceable kick to half-way. Waipawa set up another attack andJohnstoa went close to sending the ball over the bar from a wide angle from a penalty. The visitors engaged in a great forward rush, which was temper arily stemmed by Russell getting in a beautiful kick, but the former resumed the offensive and hard kicking enabled the locals to force. From a scramble near midfield Lowes .sent the ball to Collins, who dodged and centred and put the blaek and whites ngain on the defensive. Close, general play followed, every inch of the ground being closely contested, and gradiraly the home team were boaton back. Loose rushes and good kicking gave the visitors an adv/intagc but was nullified by a rush by llaldane, Tui Nicols and John’ston tarrying play to centre. Following up a penalty kick the bind: and white forwards bustled Geenty an Waipawa’s line, but ho cleverly get. in a kick. The local forwards swept d’ewn the field. but tin! opposing full-back (Rosenberg) got in a "speculator,” and a few minutes Intel- tho visitors rushed play into Waipawn’s twenty-five and Smith forced his nay over the line, but was held up by Geenty. It was a close will and an cxciiing tussle ensued on the line. Tho visitors threw the ball about freely, but the defence was solid and Collins and Al- Donald wore responsible for sending I lav into the visitors’ quarters. The lattir lifted the attack but it was soon repeated, McDonald dribbling through the opposition and the backs Indulging in a passing run. A stinging boat o« the line ended in the visitors fore- ; irt". Soon aftrewards the homo team were pressing when Donovan tossed tho < ba 1 out to Collins who made tin excellent opening and sent ou to McDonald, ’ who raced over at the corner. Johnston’s kick was a littlo wide.

Waipawa 3—Napier 0. Donovan took a mark in a general melee near the 25 line but failed with the kick from a good position. From general play in Napier’s 25 Collins dribbled the ball through and over the line, but just out of his reach, narrowly losing a good try. The visitors made things lively for a while, and Gcenty marked unflinchlingy in front of a heavy charge in Wnipawa’s 25. By good kicking and passing the visitors kept the red and blacks briskly defending. aad there was a spell of strenuous tackling, in which Collins, Donovan, Russell and McDonald were conspicuous. Then McDonald got away, and a little alter Donovan, Collins and McDonald figured in a passing bout, the latter being collared right on the lino at the corner. Immediate danger was removed by means of a penalty and after Haldane broke through Napier rallied and fumbling by Waipawa backs gave the visitors a chnnee, but Collins dived in and saved the situation. Play was about midfield when the spell ended.

The early stages of the second half were conspicuous for exchanges of kicks and strenuous loose rushes. The Napier backs indulged in a passing attack and Blake dived through a tight scrimmage. An easy kick from a penalty was missed by Yates. Gecnty stopped a dangerous rush and following up his kick taekled Yates with the ball, and tho position was improved by a penalty awarded for hanging on to the leather. Both sides took a turn at attacking in rapid succession, and during a Napier invasion Geonty followed up his own kick and

snapping up the ball got away but was unsupported. A spell of dashing play followed with tho advantage to the local team and subsided in Napier’s territory. A pastring bout enabled Donevan to get. within an ace of scoring hut was hold frp on tho line. Battling strenuously to piorco the defence the Waipawa forwards and backs maintained the pressure and McDonald sprinted ahmg tho toneh fine and passed to Collins, wkn was ptrshed but n»ar the eom«r. A n’gojtotts seritniMg'e on ths Ifna Wns followed by Donovan getting the ball away, but Lowes wissOd tho pass from Collins and Napier removed the throaton cd dangt&r. Play gradwlly drifted to Waipnwa’s quarters, b»t was brought baek by Haldane loading a rtmk a-nd again the black and white’s defetfee was subjected to a searching tost. The effort was sustained and Johnston had a. shot from a penalty, bat failed. The visitors worked play down tho field, and general play followed near halfway, Rosenborg seat the ball into Waipawa ’ g quarters and Mona saved with an excellent kiek. Nnpier set up a passing ran across tho field and pushing hinrfc tho advantaga Yntos dashed over from a short passing boat on tho lino. The tty was not converted.

Waipawa 3 —Napier 3.

Piny was held, up several minutes ob account of Parker boing knocked out ami on resuming Nftpior broke away frsnn a line-out Meat half-way. Geenty failed to hold the ball, there was a short tussle and a penalty was awarded the visitbte riglit iH front of the goal and Mitchell made no mistake with the easy kick.

Napier 6—Waipawa 3.

Au exchange of kicks and Isustling forward play saw Waipawa attacking, and Donovan, Collins and McDonald w< re associated iu a passing run, the Enter being held up on the line. A close tussle ensued and Napier got away with a good kick. But the home team gave the opposition no respite and there was some nippy ploy along the line in which McDonald did good work. A high kick into Waipawa’s quarters and tho visitors swept down on Geeaty and mothered a return. The invasion was of brief duration and Collins got through, but Mitchell saved. Tho visitors made .the play open with passing runs, and play was in neutral territory when time was sounded.

Mr. Carr, of Onga, made an efficient referee. All the local forwards played a great game and it would bo hard to individualise, but. Mane, Nicol, Johnston, Haldane and Gus Nicholls were always in the thick of it. Collins was the most outstanding of the backs and was indefatigable. Dcmovap and McDonald were ■also brilliant. Bussell gave a good display in tho first spell but his tuekling was not so good in the second haf. Lowes was weak but Tom Geonty did good work at full-back. SCHOOL MATCHES. The Waipukurau.Hig£ School played tho Hastings Technical School «s a cur-tain-raiser to the big match. The visitors outclassed tho local team and won by 19 points to 6. Four tries were scored, two being converted and a penalty goal was kicked. Waipuknrau se-ured a try (Reidy got over the line) and Butler kicked a penalty. Mr. F. Sharp* ll refereed. Tho Wjaipukurau primary school met Onga in the morning and won by 0

points to 3. 11. Haloney, M. Maloney and G. Watt scored for Waipukurau •and Mclvor for Onga, Mr. G. W. Chatwin was referee.