RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1928, Page 14

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

TARANAKI TRIUMPHS. GAME IN THE WET. LAST-MINUTE VICTORY. A greasy surface, created by persistent rain, following a hard westerly, was conducive neither to spectacular football nor to a big gate at Eden Park on Saturday, when the Auckland fifteen, in which Fell replaced A. Knight, opposed Taranaki. The stands were fairly full, and about a score of spectators braved the elements.

Against a slight breeze Berridge opened the game for the blues. Knight broke away with a good move from a line-out and passing followed, but Watson broke away and toed the ball the length of the field, till Butler etopped the rush. Play swung across, Auckland were penalised and a minute from the start Taranaki had opened their account through a good kick by Ike. Taranaki 3, Auckland 0. Hook’s efforts were responsible for taking the game to the visiting twentylive, where Linton got off-side. Butler, from another penalty, put his team back again, where the first case of “mud in the eye” was attended to. Batty and Knight showed what footwork could accomplish by sweeping irresistibly right to the line, when infringing spoiled. Brown gained 50 yards from the kick and off-side by Minns sent Taranaki further upfield. Beridge, taking brilliantly a low transfer from Butler, turned defence to assault, but Johnston and Kivell retaliated. For a space the forwards had the game on their own, with the visitors in the ascendant. Ike had another shot at a too-long range, and a drop by Brown was forced. Taranaki essayed passing, were penalised and sent back to midfield, where Hook wriggled to the twenty-five. Here Jenkin hung on too long, the yellows punted upfield and Butler saved the situation. Gradually the blue footwork prevailed, till Butler fumbled a long kick. Wide in the twenty-five Taranaki were given a free, but Ike missed a chance, easier than his first. Hook’s initiative relieved Auckland, but Crawford broke away and the bounce of the ball beating Butler, Minns raced round to eave. Brown dropped his pass in a promising Taranaki bout and Auckland, who had been having the worse of the last 20 minutes, flashed down to follow a long kick by Minna —and were penalised on the line. An ineffective attempt to use their backs saw the blues carried to midfield, as half-time sounded with honours in favour of the visitors. Taranaki 8 Auckland 0 Weather conditions had improved overhead at the opening of the second spell, which Taranaki marked with a sudden onslaught. From quick handling Robinson went very close till downed solidly by Minns. The forwards pressed right to the line, where they infringed. Taranaki were awarded a penalty, Collins’ kick striking the bar. Watson raised excitement by almost dummying through and the attack ended in Minns forcing. Then Auckland forwards awoke, and on the slippery field swept the length of the ground. Minns finished brief passing with a desperate gallop, but was thrown into touch. Again he threw himself at it, following a pass from McManus, and went over in a smother of players to be brought back for a five-yard scrum. Jenkin spoiled the next movement by fumbling, and Carter seized the chance to follow a kick through by Johnston and dribble past the opposing twentyfive. Minns shifted the scene, while the spectators cheered ironically at a series of “marks” by the visiting backs. Johnston was responsible for a further yellow invasion, to stave off which the locals tried the dangerous expedient of passing in front of their own goal. Butler extricated his side, but his kick was charged down, and it was a elose call when Auckland forced. Cathcart cheered the blue supporters by a solo dribble right upfield. It was only a flash in the pan. Wretched passing let Taranaki through, with Butler and Stoupe as the only ones to hold them out. Better handling took the blues back to the twenty-five, where Berridge’s shot from a free fell short. Once more, with an easy pass from McManus, Jenkin let the backs down, and a clear chance was lost. The forwards, with Knight in the van, carried on, to infringe. Hook brought his side back into the picture, and in a solid forward rush Finlayson went over to equalise. Berridge missed at goal. Taranaki 3, Auckland 3.

Quickly came a couple of amber attacks. Stoupe cleared the first, and in the second Butler slipped in possession, but kept Taranaki out. Linton and Minns, following fast, dashed to halfway, and on went the pack for Fell to make a great effort. Out came the ball from a five-yards scrum, and for once the whole back line handled, but without finding an opening. Taranaki worked downfield, till Minns went along the sideline, using his toe cleverly to keep the ball in play. A kick to Stoupe gave the latter a chance to send the opposing wing over, but his cross punt went too fay. There were exciting final movements, with the blues at last dominating play, but losing by a meteoric reversal. A sweeping Taranaki rush came right down along the side line. Hook and Butler made ineffectual efforts to grab the slippery oval. Robinson kicked it clear of the latter, and in a scramble was awarded a try, which Collins failed to improve, the game ending in a welldeserved win for the visitors. Taranaki g Auckland ’’’ 3 Mr. F. Sutherland-refereed. JUNIOR RESULTS. third grade. Shore 19. boat Dunedin O. FOURTH GRADE. Mnrist.s 3, drew with Otahuhu 3. HOUSE MATCH. Roller Mills G, bent Vacuum Oil 5. GAMES IN THE SOUTH. WANGANUI. The Nelson Rugby representative team cancelled their match against Wanganui, t w liich was to have been played on Saturday 1 nnd a game was played between the local I champions, Marlsts, and Taihape Old Bova. the leading team at Taihape. The Taihape team won 11 to fl. 1 In a match for the President’s Rose Bowl to decide the champion team of the Wanl g ,ion ’ Tai, ‘ a l’ e Did Boys 11. beat TIMARU. f X t jj Beti Cup fiha1 ’ Old Boys 20* beat