HIGH SCHOOL AT PLAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17467, 30 July 1928, Page 4

HIGH SCHOOL AT PLAY.

NEW PLYMOUTH'S WIN. HAMILTON SOUNDLY BEATEN. VISITORS' BRILLIANT MOVEMENTS VICTORS BY 21 POINT MARGIN. Before a record crowd for college football—over 5000 —the New Plymouth High School first XV accounted for the Hamilton High School team by 26 points to 5 at Rugby Park on Saturday. Remembering the local hoys' victories over Mount Albert and Auckland Grammar fifteens, many thought they would more than hold their own. However, their form was below stan-

dard, the visiting team being too 1 superior. Each frontage of the ground was closely packed when the game \ started. Conditions were ideal, the J ground being very firm. In the first half Hamilton responded well to the frequent attacks but they were beaten in the scrum and for the most part, on the line-out. Several gl'impses of their usual play were shown when tho backs combined but the wings, Skelton and Westwater, could not evade the Taranaki tacklers. Splendid movements in the rear division as well as strong forward play continually battered the home defences, the visitors breaking through time and again. When the teams lined up, the disparity in the size and weight of the opposing players was evident, the visitors being superior in this connection. The teams lined up as follows: — New Plymouth (blue and white).— Hayward, Anderson, Watson, Ekdahi, Fooks, Gibbons, Brown, McDonald, Andrews, McNeil, Shaw, Wyryard, Dickie, Thomas and Me Galium (rover). Hamilton (red and black). —Davies, Westwater, Mills, Skelton, Tassell, Collins, Miller, Bowling, Tombs, Hubbard, Perry, Duxfield, Troutbeck, Tay. lor and Innes (rover). Score in Flr-st Minute. New Plymouth kicked off, and within the first minute the visitors followed the initial kick downfleld and, after some smart exchanges between Fooks and Brown, Watson dashed over easily. Gibbons' kick hit the post. New Plymouth 3 Hamilton 0 After some brisk play in .midfleld, an infringement gave the visitors a free kick but t:%a advantage was not sustained. 'Mills secured the ball from a scrummage and kicked substantially, but the ball was returned. The visitors made repeated efforts to dash up the Une on the grandstand side and several line-outs- delayed progress for a while. Mills opened up the play with a trans-field movement which resulted in Westwater securing and going 10 yards before being grassed. Westwater was again in possession but Miller threw the ball out. The visiting backs handled in superior style, Ekdahi gathering up and advancing speedily. Duxfield, for Hamilton, staved off the attack with a fine kick. Play Fluctuates. The Taranaki players continued to press and Fooks attempted a pot at goal, which narrowly missed. The next minute Gibbons, the visiting fiveeighths, had a kick at goal but the shot was abortive. Honours were even when a free kick carried Hamilton into opposing territory. Collins "dummied" effectively and a Hamilton onslaught saw Tassell track for the touch with a line burst of speed, lie was brought down en the line and the referee shortly awarded the visitors a fr»e kick. Once again the local forwards 'battled their way gbalwcrds. Hamilton's Only Score. A free kick relieved the pressure, but only for a time. Tassell made a splendid opening which Collins took advantage of, transferring to Innes, who -fell on the ball at the northern corner. He converted his own try magnificently just as the bell went for the end of the quarter. Hamilton 5 New Plymouth 3 The early stages of the second quarter saw the Hamilton backs in motion but Skelton chopped on the wing and play drifted to midfleld. Davies, Hamilton's full-back, was slew on the'pick-up during a New Plymouth rush, but he kicked out in time. The visiting backs threw the ball about well but an illegitimate move gave Hamilton a free kick. At this stage Collins, the red-and-black five-eighths, was injured but he resumed. Visitors Over Again. Gibbons and Watson were prominent in a clever passing rush before the opposing uprights and Ekdahi, on the wing, received, to fall on Hie ball over the- line. Gibbons' kick failed. , New Plymouth 6 , Hamilton o Hamilton were penalised twice before a" New Plymouth axlvance was stemmed after a fine-out. The local lads' defence was sorely tried but a punt cleared for the time being. Hamilton replied with a spirited attack, Mills cutting in and passing to Collins who made progress. A free kick to tiie visitors was nullified by an infringement and a scrum followed. Watson, with the visiting pack in pursuit, made good progress but lost the ball near Hamilton's goal. A scrum five yards out followed. The vlriling side again got possession but Tassell Intercepted brilliantly. High kicking followed, the local backs," with Tassell in the lead, showing up well. Visitors' Third Try. 'Fooks put in some excellent dodging, his supporting backs keeping the pace going hotly. In the next minute Fooks was' given the ball on the sideline. Setting sail determinedly he went over at the corner just before half-time, the kick going wide. New Plymouth 9 Hamilton 5 Pressing Movements. New Plymouth kicked oiT against the breeze. Westwater was replaced on the wing by Brown, the former taking the place of Collins, who went oiT. Solid forward play dominated the first -ten minutes on resumption. Brown secured from a scrum and Watson received from the backs. With no defenders before him he had set ■ sail for a sure try hut was unlucky to slip about two yards out. A free kick was -taken by Innes from halfway and the ball gravitated only a few inches from between the uprights Hamilton tried desperately to work the blind side but the opposing forwards were too solid. Davies, the home full-back, was instrumental in changing the venue of play with a useful line-kick. Thrilling Race for Try. New Plymouth was still having the best of the ball, and several efforts at breaking through culminated when Anderson made for the goal-line at the eastern corner but he was out. of touch. The assault was not yet over, however McCallum making a bold dash across field. Tassell strove hard to down him but the opposing rover beat him and touched down. Once more New Plymouth was unable to convert. New Plymouth 12 Hamilton 5 Brown and Tassell passed weakly in mid-field and the visitors gained the advantage from a line-out. An illegality brought the rcd-and-blacks a free kick-a little later but the oval was returned. / A couple of scrums followed. >n

which New Plymouth received the ball. Gibbons had a' shot at goal and missed just before the last speli started. Hamilton Rally Fruitless. Miller had the ball from the lineout and a strong Hamilton offensive began but it was nipped in the bud when Anderson kicked well, the play recommencing near the local team's goal. A serum and a line-out saw the visitors watching the openings like eagles. Tombs relieved temporarily but the attackers carried the onslaught to the other side, Ekdahi scoring his second try. Anderson converted with a fine lack. New Plymouth 17 Hamilton 5 Fooks' Great Drop-kick. Watson shone out in a magnificent dash all the way upheld but Tassell brought him down just in time. Fooks put a brilliant drop-kick between the posts in the next minute. New Plymouth 21 Hamilton 5 Visitors Maintain Pace. Watson, McCallum and Brown were featured in another passing rush before the Hamilton goal, the latter evading the pack on the side-line and dashing over. Anderson again converted. New Plymouth 26 •Hamilton ' 5 Home Side Pressed to End. Hamilton had weakened visibly in the preceding spell, the opposing play, both back and forward, completely outclassing that of the red-and-blacks. Tassell kicked the ball into the black-and-whites' ground and followed up well but the full-back saved. Anderson led another New Plymouth rush, fending cleverly before he was finally grassed. Innes caused the onlookers to catch their breath when he attempted a pot at goal but the shot went several yards off. The whistle went with New Plymouth still attacking, the final tallies being— New Plymouth 20 •Hamilton 5 Mr S. A. Mannering ably controlled the game. NOTES AND COMMENTS. Barracking was far more evident on Saturday than at any other -college game played here this season. Colours were flaunted lavishly and the winning side, after half time, had quite a host of vocal supporters on the side-line. Watson, a Maori hoy, was the shining light of the New Plymouth team. He was the backbone of the backs, all of whom played in a finished style. A tit-bit of the match was Fook's "skyrocket" drop-kick in the last quarter. Tassell, as usual, was the speediest and most competent of/the Hamilton team, but his supporters, Brown, Westwater and Skelton were unable to combine. Mills, the centre, kicked well and was useful in the first half. The forwards' display was unconvincing, limes was one of the stalwarts. JUNIOR CURTAIN-RAISER. OLD BOYS DEFEAT CITY. The Junior curtain-raiser to the main fixture was City v. Old Boys A. City gained an unconverted try in the first spell, and after the interval Old Boys went over for a try. Bonham touched dqpwn again for Old Boys shortly after. The kick failed. Before the game ended Bonham had secured another try, but City retaliated with a converted 'try. Old Boys got over again just before the whistle went, leaving the final scores: Old Boys 12 City 8 JUNIOR GAMES AT HAMILTON. Old Boys' Colts 19 beat Rukura 6. Marlst G beat Ncwstead 0. Technical Old Boys defaulted to Te Kowhai. Thirds. High School 11 beat Ilorotiu S. Fourths. Technical Old Boys 27 beat Frankton 0. Fifths. Marist 19 beat Technical Old Boys 0. BOYCE CUP. CAMBRIDGE v. WAIPA. LAST MINUTE WIN FOR WAIPA. Ont of the best matches seen on tho Cambridge 'ground tins played on Saturday, when the Waipa Juniors (challengers) met and defeated Cambridge (holders) for the Boyce Cup by 5 points to 3. There was a large crowd of spectators, and with a dry ball it was a day out for the backs. The learns were evenly matched, and both sides gave the spectators a good exhibition of combined play. The Cambridge team were in the lead with their solitary three points right up to within -one minute of the oall of lime, and they looked like retaining the trophy, when A. Jackson scored a try and converted it, putting the visitors two points in the lead. The teams were as follows: Waipa (white;. —Batty, Lee, Pollard, ft. Jackson, Brill, Sinclair, A. Jackson, Parish, Grace, Turney, Pollard, Agnew, Hagen, Murray, Cruickshank. Cambridge (blue and white). — Thomas, Baker, Byrne, Garland, Scott, Walsh, Chubb, Mellow, Kyte, Moore, Miller, Higgins, Hollier, Bones. Waipa kicked off with the sun in their faces. Baker returned and Cambridge were immediately attacking strongly near the visitors' line. A free kick against the locals for holding the. ball relieved the position for Waipa. Play was taken to the west corner of the visitors' 25, where Waipa were penalised. Thomas made a good attempt to kick a goal, but the ball went just outside the posts, and Waipa forcecL On resuming, Waipa were aggressive. Pollard got away with a nice run and transferred to Lee, but Thomas stopped him safely. Shortly afterwards Batty took a pot at goal, which failed, and Cambridge forced. From a scrum at half-way Walsh secured, and made a nice run, and after beating several opponents with a dummy, sent on to Garland, who just missed getting over, and was thrown out'a few feet from tho Waipa line. From a line-out Waipa broke away and cleared a dangerous situation. The spell then ended without a score-

The second spell was a fairly evenly contested one; both sides had their chances, but either failed to finish off their efforts or were penalised at the critical moment, and this spell ended with no score.

'On resuming after the half-time spell play was confined for quite a considerable time in the Cambridge 25, and several attempts were made on their line, hut the tackling of the local boys was splendid. Waipa were awarded a free kick in a handy position, but Jackson failed with the Icicle and Cambridge forced. From same tight play at midfleld •Hollier kicked through, and Bones, following up fast, beat the Waipa fuUback and scored for Cambridge. Walsh made a feeble attempt with the kick. The game was very fast at this stage, the visitors making desperate efforts to equalise the score. A very fine passing movement by the Waipa backs put Cambridge an the defence. The ball went through the hands of Jackson, Sinclair, Brill, Pollard, and Lee. The last-named short kicked on being tackled by the Cambridge fullback, and a brilliant movement broke down, and Cambridge forced. Time was nearly up, and -play was centred in the home 25. From a scrum R. Jackson whipped round, and in quick succession tho ball went through the hands of Sinclair, Hagen, Brill, and A. Jackson, the latter scoring a splendid try alongside the goal post. A. Jackson made no mistake with the kick, and the game ended with an uproar of cheering from the spectators. Waipa had won the game at the last minute, the scores being: Waipa 5, Cambridge 3. Mr A. H. Thomas refcrced.