RUGBY FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 55, 18 July 1947, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

DRAWN GAME WAIKOHU AND RANGITAIKI A very hard and fast game played at Te Teko on Wednesday between Bangitaiki and the visiting Wailcohu team resulted in a draw, 3—3. Waikohu were on the defensive mostly and the large majority of scrums and lineouts went to Bangitaiki. The Waikohu players were high ing their praise of the Rangitaiki half, L. Raureti, who, in their opinion played a marvellous game. T. Scholium the Waikohu fr\llback, earned the esteem of his team mates by his exceptionally fine line kicking. A. Wills scored the visitors’ try and the Rangitaiki first five-eighths scored for his team. RANGITAIKI UNION TEAM FOR SATURDAY Following is the Rangitaiki junior team to play Tauranga at Matata at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday: T. Wetini, M. Savage, T. Tukiwako, J. Piurahi, C. Davis, G. Haimona, F. Haughton, M. Law, B. Wilson, P. Eivers, P. Hunia, G. Pryor, T. Lyons, T. Gardiner, C. Caverhill,' T. Enoka, B. Anderkoft, A. Olsen.

BAY OF PLENTY BEATS THAMES / VALLEY • MARGIN OF THREE POINTS Wet conditions on Saturday marred the first Bay of Plenty representative Rugby game played in Te Puke for many years, in which Bay of Plenty beat Thames Valley by six points to three. 1 The greasy ball and a slippery ground spoiled many attempted back movements. At times, however, a glimpse of good back play was provided and with a dry ball some excellent back play would undoubtedly have been witnessed. Play was very even in the firsthalf with both packs hunting the ball. The first penalty went to the Bay of Plenty, McGougan missing a hard kick. First points went to Thames Valley with a penalty by Woodlands. The Bay of Plenty nearly scored several times and just before half-time was awarded a penalty near the sideline, McGougan once again just missing with the kick. ' i The half-time score was 3—o in favour of Thames Valley. The Bay of Plenty team had the better of the second half. Delamere misse,d a penalty from a handy position. However, another penalty was awarded from practically the same position soon after this and McGougan was this time successful. < •.

The score remained unchanged until just before the final whistle. From a good back movement J. Clark came in as extra man and cut through. The movement carried play right to the Thames Valley line where Biddle was tackled. A set scrum went down and Raureti received the ball, cut round the blind side and scored in the corner. The kick missed.-

The Bay of Plenty nearly added further points when Wickham made a good opening right in front of the post and handed the ball on, but the player who received it was tackled as he crossed the line and failed to ground the ball. The final whistle found the Bay of Plenty still on the attack. Both sets of forwards played well. Of the Bay of Plenty backs, Clark, at full-back, played very soundly and his line kicking was both accurate and lengthy. McGougan and Biddle showed pace and good de-' fence, Delamere, Wickham and Shepherd played well, while Raureti at half-back, took lots of punishment and backed up well on defence. For Thames Valley, -O’Neill at full-back was sound, Woodlands being the best of the others. ' Mr O. Slow was referee. Junior Match

The game between the Bay of Plenty junior representatives and Te Puke Colts was won by the Bay of Plenty by 13 points to nil. This score, however, flattered the Bay of Plenty team as territorially the Colts had the better of the game. Two of the Bay of Plenty • tries were opportunist ones, the first coming from an interception by Abott who handed on to Pattie who scored under the posts, Haimona converted. Black scored from a ruck, and the final try was scored and converted by Haimona, who snapped up a dropped pass and outpaced the opposition. Mr K. Ball was referee.

A Primary school seven-a-side played in the interval between the two games, was won by Paengaroa from Te Puke by six points to one.