RUGBY FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 76, 20 May 1946, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WHAKATANE UNION GAMES SATURDAY’S CONTESTS

KUTARERE DEFEATS UNITED

Club football throughout the Whakatane Union last Saturday showed definite improvement. Matches in town and country were well patronised and some of the clubs which had made a rather inauspicious start, fielded teams which it was a pleasure to see in action. The highlight of the day as far as Whakatane itself was concerned was the friendly and very useful game between United and Kutarere, the champion Opotiki team which last year make up most of Opotiki’s unbeaten rep. com-, bination. The result was a thrashing for the local side, who however put up a good sound fight; The match will serve as a good lesson of team play and back handling to which the locals should aspire in order to hope for rep. honours later on.

Whakatane’s Maori fifteens had a day out on Saturday and were seen in action at Ruatoki, Taneatua and Whakatane. On all fields the play was a vast improvement. Wairaka, has made remarkable headway. The Ruatoki team possesses some fine individualists. Poroporo has straightened up its back line in a surprising manner and played a sound game against Waimana, which- side will improve with practice. The junior games were also bright and interesting, particularly those at Ruatoki and Taneatua. The selectors have a wide field of talent from which to choose the first rep. side. THE SCORE BOARD . r / SENIORS Ruatoki drew with Wairaka 11-11. Poroporo beat Waimana 9-3. Kutarere beat United 19-6. .Paroa 9 beat Taneatua 6. JUNIORS United beat Ruatoki 9-0. Poroporo beat Waimana 9-3. Paroa 12 beat Taneatua 0. THE GAMES V A DRAWN GAME L . w. RUATOKI v WAIRAKA This game opened carefully with loose forward scrambles, which however developed into better football as the Ruatoki forwards found -thrust and unison. The home backs which numbered some fine iaU/idualists were soon making the going very fast. The first score came from A. McGarvey who touched down after a solo sprint. The same man failed to convert. Continued weight by the 1 ome side kept Wairaka busy but RuUoki improved with the game J. Biddle showing to good advantage. H. Nuku at half notched Ruatoki’s next try which Tihi had no difficulty in converting. The score at half time was Ruatoki 8, Wairaka 0. Wairaka made a stand in the second half. Following a loose drive, Bluett dribbled through and in a solo sprint managed to touch down near the post. Lawson converted with ease, making the score Ruatoki 8, Wairaka 5. The home side now came again and M. Tihi from a penalty award lobbed a beautiful goal. A second shot by the same man struck the upright and bounced back into play.

Wairaka now took a new lease of life and invaded with remarkable vigour. Two beautiful tries were notched by Merito and Bidois in swift succession, both of which went unconverted. With the score 11 all the pace quickened. Side line enthusiasm was intense as Ruatoki attacked. The game ended soon after. Mr F. Peebles was referee. POROPORO DEFEATS W AIM AN A A KEEN HARD GAME The Senior Club competition match at the Whakatane Domain on Saturday was played between Waimana and Poroporo. The game, although it supplied several flashes of good football was only a fair dis-

play. Final score was 9-3 in Poroporo’s favour. As indicated by the points, the sides were evenly matched and solid forward work went into every scrum. Both back lines, however, showed lack of practise. Several quite fair solo runs there were, but no really good movements took place.

Scorers for Poroporo were Merito, J. Kingi and Rangikotua, whilst Boynton was responsible for Waimana’s 3 points. Mr J. Keepa was referee.

UNITED v KUTARERE VISITORS SPECTACULAR PLAY A friendly game between United and Kutarere was also played at the Domain, the visitors registering a Avell deserved win by 19 points to 6. Kutarere displayed a practised technique, and back line work was really good. United tried a number of solo rushes, and on several occasions were unlucky not to score. The side’s forward division was good but the back line showed only poor form. A brilliant movement was exhibited by Kutarere in the first half, when M. Delamere, playing at centre initiated a passing rush. Out went the ball to Jack Koopu, to Moto on the wing, who advanced and passed back to Koopu who scored between the posts. I nthe second half, United displayed more vigour, but an almost complete lack of team work ruined chance after chance. The better of their two tries came from McGougan who put the finishing touch to a brilliant Solo run by Cave, by scoring between the posts. Washer, for some reason missed the ridiculously easy kick. Kutarere’s points came from five tries by J. Koopu (2), T. Koopu, Delamere and Lingman and- two conversions by J. Koopu. United’s tries were by D. Stewart and McGougan. Mr J. Brown (Waimana) refereed. JUNIOR FIELDS UNITED 9 v RUATOKI 0 This game was more even than the score indicates, Ruatoki only missing points through lack of understanding and fitness. United though definitely outclassed as far as weight was concerned, were in every department the faster and fitter team. The backs showed an understanding which baffled the opposing line while the pack adopted the fast-breaking tactics which alone could neutralise the solid counter efforts of the heavy Ruatoki pack. United’s points came from two tries by Goodall and Rivett and a penalty kick by Gartshore. Ruatoki came close to scoring in the last five minutes when United underwent some anxious periods of defence. Mr A. Mitchell was referee. POROPORO OUTCLASSES WAIMANA The Junior game at Whakatane was a match between Poroporo and Waimana, the former winning by 9 points to 3. Play was even and of a fair standard with definite signs vof improvement on previous matches. Poroporo’s points came from two penalty tries (Ihia and Tiepa) and a try (Malmanche) whilst F. Addison’s try brought Waimana’s points.