RUGBY FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 189, 22 July 1940, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

RANGITAIKI TOO GOOD FOR TE PUKE NORTHERNERS GO DOWN BY SIX POINT MARGIN In one of the fastest games of foot ball seen in the Bay of Plenty this year Rangitaiki staved off a challenge by Te Puke for the Hurinui Shield at Matata on Saturday. Played in gloriously fine weather, the game attracted a large crowd, the biggest for a Shield match this year, and the spectators were delighted with the exhibition. The game throughout was fast and open, conditions being absolutely ideal. For some of the players conditions were too ideal, the bounce of the ball tricking many. It cannot be said that Te Puke were uin lucky to lose but on the general run of play there was hardly a six point margin between the two teams. ,

The teams were: — Te Puke (Red and Black)-: Aliimero; Steele, Gooseman (Gapt), Smith; Aimona, Vakler; Williams; Mitchell, Johnson, McClure, Hughes Ruebe, Webber, O'Reilly, Leonard. Rangitaiki (Blue and Black): C. Francis; T. Gardner, R. Lees, R. Renata; M. Lees, A. McGracken; R. Howell; T. Lees, Woods, Phillips, Schooner, Whitely (Gapt), L. Gardner, Kakaho and Tama. Referee: Mr Wilson, Tauranga. Te Puke Attack. Rangitaiki won the toss and Goose man kicked off for Te Puke, with the visitors facing a strong sun and a fairty steady breeze. Forty-five seconds after the whistle Te Puke were awarded a penalty, which miss ed- It was apparent that there would be a battle between the two evenly matched packs and the referee suspended play for some minutes while he instructed both sets of forwards in the art of scrumming. For the first ten minutes Te Puke pressed hard and Rangitaiki were fortunate that Francis was on the job. A scrum on the defenders' line was broken and offside play resulted in another penalty for Te Puke. This time the mark was appreciably nearer and Ahimero had no difficulty. Give and take play followed but Te Puke were in the ascendancy and badly troubled the homesters. Rangitaiki at this stage could do nothing against the fast-breaking Te Puke forwards and the speedy backs, every Red and Black man being on the job—and right on it. The visitors" tackling was sound and the Blue men were smothered as fast as they received the ball. Rangitaiki's Opening Score. Half way through the first spell, following a succession of Tc Puke raids, Rangitaiki retaliated and after a great forward burst, in wliich Tama, Schooner, Whitely' and Kakaho handled, the latter scored. McGracken missed with what appeared to be an easy kick. Play for the most part had been concentrated on the northern side of the field and the far spectators had their first close-up when M. Lees punted across fiekl. R. Lees broke through solo but the ball was brilliantly taken by Gooseman, who found the line well up field. Schooner and L. Gardner again took play towards the Red line but Ahimero was safe and showed to effect with a nice touch-finder. Ahimero was playing- a sound game, as apart from a solid defence, lie was not frightened to run his backs into position. His determined tackling was seen to advantage when L< Gartlijcr and Schooner broke through again, play returning downfield with the assistance of Hughes and McClure.

Brilliant McCracken. Now roused, Rangitaiki dccidcd that something in the nature of attack, might, after all, be the best means of defence. The leather was booted upheld and travelled little faster than the apparently streamlined Blues. McCracken secured and weaved his way brilliantly through the opposition, to h'and on to Phillips, Avho scored wide out. Francis narrowly missed with a difficult kick and half-time found the scorc, Rangitaiki 6, Te Pake 3. Rangitaiki's total was further increased five minutes after the resumption, R. Lees notching the points. Though the ball was taken into Blue territory and Te Puke had the advantage for some time Rangitaiki were not to be denied and led by Kalcalio, Woods and Schooner they pressed hard. Howell, McCracken and M. Lees handled but a scrum helped the visitors, until a free for a late tackle saw McCracken miss what seemed to be a sitter. Te Puke pressed hard but first Howell and then Whitely relieved. Then Renata thrilled the crowd with a dazzling sixty-yard side line dash but he stumbled as he attempted to swerve past .Ahimero. It looked as though R. Lees had made the grade but the referee ordered a five-yard scrum, Gooseman breaking away, but, fast off the mark though he was, he was well tackled by McCracken. The Scoring Increases. Returning to the other end, offside play by R. Lees gave Ahimero an opportunity from thirty yards out and he made no mistake with the kick. The scorc board read Rangitaiki 9, Te Puke 6. Offside again acocunted for another penalty to the visitors, this time from twenty-live yards outside. Ahimero's kick lacked nothing m elevation but the direction was faulty and the equaliser went astraj r Te Puke , were .working hard and play was confined to Blue territory until R. Lees wended a solo way in a counter attack. At this stage, Ahimero, who had played a consistently good game all through, was injured and went off, his place being taken by Perritt. Breaking through again, Rangitaiki, now definitely on top, had the Reds worried. Francis goaled from well out when an infringement presented liim with the opportunity. In a last attempt to get even, Te Puke swung towards the Blue liine but the defence held, and after Goose, man had missed a gift in front of the posts, play remained in Rangitaiki territory until the final whistle which found the score, Rangitaiki 12, Te Puke 6. In a junior game, played as a cur-tain-raiser, Te Puke prevailed by 12' points to 6.