RUGBY FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 80, 29 May 1946, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

RANGITAIKI UNION RESULTS The results of games played under the Rangitaiki Sub-Union on Saturday last were as under: — Seniors Otakiri 3 v Matata 3. Te Teko 6 v Edgecumbe 3. Juniors Thornton 9 v Matata 8. Te Teko 15 v Otakiri 0. Awakeri 6 v Edgecumbe 3. DRAW FOR SATURDAY Seniors Te Teko v Otakiri at Te Teko. Matata v Edgecumbe at Matata. Juniors Thornton v Edgecumbe at Thornton. Matata v Te Teko at Matata. Otakiri v Awakeri at Otakiri, DUNDERDALE CUP RANGITAIKI TEAM The Rangitaiki Senior team to play Whakatane for the Dunderdale Cup at Te Teko on June 3rd, will be selected from the following:— Black, Anderson, Gardiner, Bourke ,(Edgecumbe); Waldegrave, Woods, Whatley, W. Foote (Otakiri); Pope, Jacobsen, J. Ngaheu, Savage, Nathan, Hall, Edwards, Kakaho, Raureti (Te Teko); R. Lees, Pinker, G. Burt, M. Burt, W. Meti, J. Marr (Matata). Final selection will be made after next Saturday’s play. The following Juniors are asked to assemble at Edgecumbe next weekend at 1 o’clock: M. Davis, C. Davis, B. Wilson, S. Roleston, F. Wetine, B. Mexted, Savage, L. Newdick, J. Marks, Te Moko, Caverhill, J. Black, Rama, Baldock, A. Olsen, .Gardiner, Anderson, Ahipene, Hawthorn and T. Moko.

SPECTACULAR SENIOR GAME OTAKIRI AND MATATA DRAW Some surprises occurred in the Rangitaiki Sub-Union’s competition on Saturday. One of these was in the match Otakiri v Matata Seniors, played at Otakiri when Matata, the leading senior team was hard put to it to" secure a draw against the team at the bottom of the competition ladder. The game soon resolved itself into a duel between Qtakiri’s splendid pack of forwards and the speedy Matata backs. The moment the game began it was obvious that the Matata pack was heavily outweighted, and on very few occasions were they able to obtain the ball from set scrums. The Otakiri backs, receiving a feast of the ball proved themselves unable to take advantage of their opportunities while Matata backs hardly saw the ball. Nevertheless, the Matata backs were hardly up to the mach-ine-like display they gave against Te Teko the previous Saturday, faulty handling being responsible for the loss of at least two good scoring opportunities. The tackling of the Otakiri backs was also very sound. The first score came in the first half when a free kick was awarded to Matata owing to offside play by Otakiri forwards, M. Lees being successful with the kick. Later the same player failed with a similar kick while Conn for Otakiri had two unsuccessful shots at the goal. In the second half, taking advantage of a mistake by the Matata backs, K. Waldegrave scored for Otakiri, a good attempt at conversion by T. Gardiner just sailing outside the posts. The pace now became very fast, both sides attempting to improve their scores but the game ended in a draw—3 all. Of the Otakiri team Waldegrave, Rota and Woods played outstandingly in the forwards while Gardiner and the Otakiri fullback proved stalwart defenders. Of the Matata team C. Wharewera, a great forward and the team’s hooker was unfortunate in cracking a rib in the first 10 minutes of the game. A light pack of forwards toiled hard against heavy odds. In the backs M. Burt at half played a vei'y plucky game.

WHAKATANE UNION

SATURDAY S MATCHES Following are the matches to be played under the auspices of ~the Whakatane Rugby Union on Saturday:—

Seniors Wairaka v ’Waimana at Waimana (Mr F. Peebles). Paroa v Poroporo at Domain (Mr F. Darvill). United v Ruatoki at Domain (Mr J. Keepa). - r * U Juniors Poroporo v United' at Domain (Mr Mahy). Taneatua v Waimana at Waimana (Mr Brown). Paroa v Ruatoki at Ruatoki (Mr Mitchell).