RUGBY FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 181, 3 July 1940, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

I -™ -*■ RANGITAIKI'S WIN 1 DEFEAT OF ROTORUA With conditions favourable ancl a large crowd of spectators Avatching the match, Rangitailci scored a good win over the Rotorua Rugby representative team in the match for the Hurunui Apanui Shield at Te Teko on Saturday, Hie home side Avinning 12-3. Play, Avhich took some time to settle down,, resolved itself early into a forward battle in which Rotorua were™ the equals of Rangitaiki, the tAVO back line's there Avas a Avorld of difference, Rangitaiki's backs functioning particularly well, while those of Rotorua made a very poor slioAving. " While • the play of Rangitaiki was not outstanding, the victory "ivas ■ well-mer-ited, for the team had an almost y perfect understanding, Avhich was 3 lacking in the Rotorua side. Apart from Skinner, the Rotorua backs lacked confidence and under--5 standingy probably due to the shuffling of the J inc. Half-Avay through the second spell the five-eighths reversed their positions, Riwai going to first, and from thence onwards their play brightened, but it Avas too late to make up lost ground. Principal AA'eakness in the back line was the tackling. Whenever the Rangitaiki backs attacked, and they attacked well, too, the Rotorua tackling Avas not strong - enough to check- the advance. Consequently, the bulk of the play fell to the for\A r ards, AA r ho Avere unable to hold the Avhole Rangitaiki team by themselves. V' Full credit mustjbe given to Rangitaiki for their shoAving. The team Avent Avell, and Avlien they "got the ball their combination and almost perfect team Avorlc gave them the advantage practically every time. They scored tAvc tries, and put over hvo penalty kicks, to an unconverted try by GregoiT for Rotorua. RANGITAIKI CONTINUES WINNING WAY ANOTHER VICTORY ANTICIPATED ON SATURDAY The Rangitaiki representative team continues its winning Avay, a solid victor} 1 " ever the Rotorua reps last Saturday adding to its laurels. The defeat of 'the team from the thermal region Avas accomplished in an easier manner than Avhen the same combination beat Whakatane a Aveelc earlier, and it looked as though the game against the Whakatanians had sharpened Rangitaiki's appetite for further blood. At the same time, as Avas anticipated, the previous match, the first of the season for the Rangitaiki representatives, had given the team an opportunity to develop its combination, and as it was in both cases more or less the same fifteen Avhich had such a triumphant run last year, one match was all that Avas necessary to consolidate fifteen individuals into one team. Rangitaiki is fortunate in that, unlike other sub-Unions throughout the Bay of Plenty, and, indeed, throughout New Zealand, it has suffered little through the enlistment of players. Barring accidents Rangitaiki should go through the season undefeated. Representatives for Saturday. The team to play Tauranga .at Matata on Saturday avi'll be selected from the foUoAving players:— T. Gardner, Francis, Renata, R. Lees,. M. Lees, T. Lees, Thompson, McCracken, Ratima, Kaipara, Howell, Tama, Schooner, Whitelj', Phillips, Conn, Woods, McGec, Parks, Kakaho and L. Gardner. (Continued foot next column). ]