RUGBY FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 28, 23 September 1946, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

PILE CUP CHALLENGE PAROA DEFEATS TE WHAITI The challenge from Te Whaiti, Galatea Senior Champions, for the John Pile Memorial Cup was successfully contended by the holders, Paroa, at the Whakatane Domain on Saturday. The game resulted in a win for the home side by 22 points to nil.

The first half of the game was very tight and the ball was kept well under control by the two watchful packs. Three points only were scored just before half time. Everything, in fact, gave indications that the match would be a very close one. The manner in which the Te Whaiti defence went to pieces in the second half seemed unaccountable. Time and again Paroa thrust through to cross the try line, whilst play rarely left the visitors’ quarter. The few promising moves on the part of the Te Whaiti side were blocked before tries could result. The teams which took the field were as follows:

Paroa: Laurie, Riini, Goodwin, Wahaponga, T. Riini, Simpson, Goldsmith, Okaha, Hona, J. Ratahi, Harawira, Ratahi, Cleland, Butler.

Te Whaiti: Porter, Casey, Gardiner, Ruri, E. Moses, Wharepapa, T. Moses, Hunia, Tamaki, Te Kuru, Iraia, Rutene, Ohlson, Goldsmith, Taylor. (Porter left the field injured and was replaced by Carruthers early in the game). From the opening whistle the two teams engaged in a tight struggle at halfway and play gradually crept towards Te Whaiti’s quarter. Good but unspectacular Rugby was witnessed during most of the first half—the back lines could do little against sure marking and the fast breaking forwards kept the leather well down. The greater portion of play was at the visitors’ end and on several occasions it was touch and go on the try line, Paroa being unlucky not to score. Tai Riini notched the first three points when Paroa was awarded a penalty kick. He sent it neatly over the bar from the 25 yard mark to the delight of home supporters placing his side on the score board. Galatea took control immediately after and a promising back movement was started by T. Moses, but a high pass to Casey on the wing spoiled the continuity and the ball went out.

Play opened in the second half with Paroa showing a very willing spirit. The leather went to the visitors’ quarter and in a matter of minutes Tina Riini had dived over to score raising the points to 6. The same man’s conversion added another two.

A passing rush took the home side to Galatea’s end again where the same bustling tactics let Hona through to'touch down between the posts. Riini’s kick from a very easy position hit the bar and bounced back, and the score board read Paroa 11, Galatea 0.

A very fast passing rush by Paroa broke down within 15 yards of the try line, and the Galatea men, taking control of the leather set out on a dribbling rush which took them the full length of the field. With the ball over the line, Goodwin beat Carruthers to the touch down and a 25 resulted.

With play becoming looser and the leather being thrown about more, the game was more spectacular. Paroa showed a definite supremacy over the opposing team, and most of the play was in the visitors’ half.

Two tries came in quick succession, both from back movements, the second of which was initiated by Laurie from his team’s own 25 mark. Tina Riini notched the first which went unconverted, whilst Cleland went across by the post for the second. Goldsmith’s conversion