REP. RUGBY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 96, 7 August 1945, Page 8

REP. RUGBY

.» WHAKATANE DEFEATED 6—o AVTN FOR BAY HIGH SCHOOL TEAM An exhibition of Rugby football ? quite a long Avay above the average was seen on Saturday afternoon at the AVhakatane Domain when the

Whakatane Junior Reps, met the Bay of Plenty Representative High School team which is to plaj- Sacred Heart College tomorrow. The game itself was an even tussle with no tries scored on either side School's six points coming from two penalty kicks which were converted. Teams were:— Whakatane: Ngatai, Hunt Home, Beaumont Rust Stewart Takao Bell, Dines, Ruru Ward, Green, Butler, Lafferty and Goodall. School: Hawthorne, Nieholls Putherford, Pye, Reweti, Paul O'Brien, Dickson, Wells, Law, Peter O'Brien McKay, Ririnui, Mundy Denby Goodall and Earp.

From the kick-off, play was at half way for the first few minutes and then Whakatane began to force School back to their 25. Some good tie fence play was seen and then Rutherford initiated a breakaway and led his side to the opposing quarter. A forward pass spoilt the movement and Whakatane hookr ing from the scrum made their position sound again. With play on School's quarter line, a penalty kick was awarded to Whakatane which hit the bar and bounced back into play. School took the ball back to half way where ?ome hard play for possession brought a penalty kick against Whakatane. The kick failed to find the line came back and the Scohol backs were away in a passing rush. R. Goodall (Whakatane) intercepted, but School once, again ( took possession . With play in Whakatane's 25 a scrum went down. Whakatane hooked and managed to fight back to the half line. Two penalty kicks served to bring School downfield but Whakatane defended successfully and Beaumont finding the line brought the halftime whistle with no score on either side. The Second Half The change-over found School with the wind behind them —defending their own 25. Suddenly School made an opening and the ball was out and on its way to School's try line. Bad passing spoilt the try. v In Whakatane's 25, a penalty was awarded School. Reweti sent it nicely between the uprights from an easy position directly in front, registering the first three points of the game,for Schlool.

Whakatane immediately began forcing the play, and School suddenly found themselves depending their own line for a change. Then a penalty kick reversed the order and School's back line was away. Across went the ball to Nicholls on the wing who was grassed short of the line. Back it came and School using the same tactics had a near miss on the. other side of the ground. A scrum went down. Out came the ball. Rust gathered in and led Wha'katane straight down the line to half way. Then suddenly Hunt broke through the opposing pack. Hawthorne the last man to beat brought him down and a penalty kick for School saved the situation. Up in Whakatane's 25 another penalty kick was awarded School. Reweti once again attempted conversion and once again his kick was good. The successful angle kick brought School's points to six. But School was far from contented, and their next rush had all the appearances of a good one', Rutherford led it well but Ngatai was safe and possession was lost. A scrum went down right on the try line. Out came the ball and Ward, ball at toe led the Whakatane pack downfield. School countered however and again their back line took the but the movement resulted in tlie ball finding the line and the Avhistle called time, declaring the final score to be 6 —o in. School's favour. Although Saturday's 'exhibition seemed to indicate a good chance of victor}* over Sacred Heart College for the Bay team it must be remembered that the provincial team is a composite one consisting of players from live different schools who have had little chance to prae-* tice together whilst, their opposition will be a team selected and trained together from the very beginning. However the Bay lads showed plenty of grit and determination on Saturday and Sacred Heart have a hard fight in front of them.