WHAKATANE'S WIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 30, 30 June 1939, Page 5

WHAKATANE'S WIN

PARATA CUP GAME

FORM OF THE PLAYERS The fast pack of forwards which | won the day lor Whakatanc against I Rangitaiki in the senior Parata Cup fixture last Saturday is a set which will take some stopping in future icpresentative games, and with the additions of Hayward and Hughes they will be as good a pack as the sub-union lias had for some time, it is not going to be altogether easy to dccide who to drop ? .since all the forwards played well. Dodds is no great toiler in the scrums, but he did a lot of damage among the Rangitaiki Insides, and his boot alone makes him worth a place. Lawson's stocks have been boosted, and he played a good game for the Senior B, but he is a ''shiner '; a useful man at that, bat too many loose men are not wanted. THE BACKS. With two games behind them the backs should now begin to show more combination. Trainor was solid at half back last and in default of a better half he should retain his place. Raynor did not pWv one of his best games, but should be suited by the second five.eighths rcosi tion. A good partner'for him is one of the main problems for the selectors Hohn.pata is well settled down to Ibe centre game now, and he disproved the talk that Rangitaiki his measure. His charge into Mac Howell which laid that player low early in the second half could have been a little less vigorous. Undoubtedly that rattled Howell, and probably laid the foundations for the How ell-Wilson incident. OSWALD'S HANDS. Oswald on Saturday was as effective as ever in covering up in do« fence. Oswald is generally considered to have very poor hands, but whenever he watches the ball he takes it well enough. One often gets the impression thai Oswald is looking for an opening or watching the man he ha,- to beat, instead of making sura lie gets the ball. Itiini revealed good kicking power.-; his left-footers, in particular, being excellent. It would occas'on no surprise if he were tried at lullback in the next team in place of Ruri who is a good kick, but who wa, badly caught through trying to beat men instead of ''making a bird ' of the line. Mitchell will find a berth on the wing when he comes back from coll?go. He will be a big help. RANGITAIKI MEN. On paper the Rangitaiki team was a better one 'than Whakata-e, and t will be better still next time the teams meet. There aa'sll hive to be more lire in the forward-;, and Rangitaiki must imnrovc their scrum, mnging and hooking. is unquestionabV a good halfback, but Rugby Howell would oroba.bly have been the man for Sat. uiday's game. Rugby can --tand up to a hard game and give it as well n.; take it. If he had been fitter M. Lees would have been n g-eater 'horn Whnkatanc's side in the second half His understanding with E. Howell j excellent, and Howell knows when to hand a pass out that makes Lees look a champion. Ma? -Howe Ts t ip to the side-line was an unfortunate incident in Saturday's game, and in view of the cir_ "um.s'tanoes it is t-o be hoped that r* r » --cry severe penalty is enacted on him by the Boy Union. Howell is undoubtedly a tough player, but he 'usually checks, his t-mper, and for this reason the in -id-Mit was all the mo v e surprising. The fact that be ■ould grin, if somewhat Avryly, and ;av "It's only a go.me of Rugbv' 1 when he came off shows that he does not lack self-control.