SHALFOON SHIELD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 7, 5 August 1946, Page 5

SHALFOON SHIELD

HOLDERS RETAIN TROPHY TAURANGA DEFEATS WHAKATANE The Whakatane challenge for the Shalfoon Shield was played against Tauranga (holders) at Tauranga last Saturday, and resulted in a win for the holders by 14 points to 3.

The game was a demonstration of good Rugby throughout, and in the first half particularly was very fast. In the latter half, play developed into an even ‘back and forth’ demonstration, the Whakatane lads holding their own practically move for move.

The field was a mass of mud, having been thoroughly soaked with rain the night before, and chewed up on Saturday morning by other Rugby games. The ball was very greasy, and handling difficult. The Tauranga team’s main strength was concentrated in the forwards, whilst Bennett at half, and Rewiti (fullback) were outstanding. On the Whakatane side, the strength was more evenly distributed, all the players pulling their weight. An excellent aspect of the game was the manner in which both teams went all out to win right up to the final whistle, notwithstanding the heavy ground and the 35 minute spells which were played. ;The teams were as under:—

Whakatane (blue): Winslade, Addison, Harawira, R. Goodall, Rutherford, Hoi'ne, Tiepa, Fraser, Bell, Martin, Stewart, Butler, Hakopa, Lafferty, Goodall. Tauranga (yellow and blue): Rewiti, Downey, Nicholls, Tata, P. O’Brien, Emmett, Bennett, Ellis, Ririnui, Boston, Wells, Mackay, Robinson, Clark, J, O’Brien. Run of the Play

Tauranga’s kick opened the first half and a strong attack by Whakatane pushed the yellow and blue team to their own quarter. Settling down quickly the Tauranga pack brought the leather back to halfway, but it found its way to Addison’s hands who in a beautiful run went right round and down the sideline. Rewiti grassed him at the corner flag, and a try was missed by inches. Bennett led Tauranga in a forward rush downfield. Clarke picked up and kicked, Wells gathered in and the next minute was beating the field towards the try line. Winslade, coming fast from the side grassed him just too late, and first blood went to the home side. The kick just missed and the scoreboard read Tauranga 3, Whakatane 0.

With forward play predominating the Whakatane pack kept the ball in Tauranga’s half. Coming into a lineout, the leather flashed out to Nicholls, who took it nicely and broke through. Tackled he handed on to Tata who went straight up the line for the last twenty yards, beating Horne to touch down in the corner. The kick was wide. Tauranga 6, Whakatane 0.

Determined to see more of the ball, the two back lines fought out several encounters, Bennett the Tauranga half, feeding particularly well. The next try came with startling swiftness. Tiepa (Whakatane half) took the ball from a set scrum. Out it went to the backs, but Robinson picked up in the ruck and made a break through. With thirty yards to go, Tiepa turfed him, but not before he had handed on to Nicholls who scorned Winslade’s weak attempt to tackle and raced over the line to score between the posts. The same man’s kick was good and the half-time score was Tauranga 11, Whakatane 0. A forward tussle commenced in the second half, but Tauranga, with the edge on Whakatane, kept sending deep thrusts into the blue team’s territory. From a scrum at half way L. Goodall obtained possession and running downfield, centred. Three Tauranga men and Lafferty closed on the leather and the next minute a melee was raging on the try line. A set scrum went down. Tiepa made a dive for the line through the centre of the scrum, putting his men offside. The resultant penalty enabled Tauranga to clear. From a scrum the ball came out and went up in the air. Robinson and Lafferty both jumped for it, colliding in midair. Lafferty took the worst of the shock, and had to be taken from the field with an injured knee. Riini replaced him. Hunting together again, .the blue and yellow pack drove a thrust into Whakatane’s quarter. A move which almost reached the goal line was smothered just in time. Play came back to the centre of the-field and a penalty-kick was awarded against Whakatane. Tata sent it neatly between the uprights, raising his side’s [points to-14.

In a successive sweep downfield by Whakatane, Winslade moved into the position of first five-eighths, made a good dash through the opposing pack. Tauranga smothered the move and the leather was sent upfield, but Whakatane took it back with a rush to the blue team’s 25. Several minutes before the final whistle, a move was initiated which took the blue men into Tauranga’s quarter. The leather was kicked downfield two or three times, and .with it over the line, Riini beat three Tauranga men to touch down. Hakopa’s kick was short, and the scoreboard read Tauranga 14, Whakatane 3. The match ended shortly after, with Tauranga attacking strongly, and the final score declared Tauranga still the holders of the trophy. Mr R. Haycock was referee.