FROM DISTRICT PLAYING FIELDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 45, 11 May 1948, Page 5

FROM DISTRICT PLAYING FIELDS

loose. Taneatua got more than a share of the ball from the set scrums, but Hurran’s service to his back line lacked precision. Altogether, the handling on both sides was not good, though Paroa had two very safe men in Laurie and Dodd, with Goodwin always dangerous if given half a chance. Of the Taneatua backs, Welch was undoubtedly the pick, but some of his line kicks lacked length. His and Hurran’s tackling was an example to the field. Indeed, Taneatua’s coaches are to be congratulated on that department of the game. There is a tendency in modern club Rugby towards sloppy and often' stupidly dangerous tackling. Throughout the Taneatua team there was evidence of training in the correct method, hard, low, clean tackling. Pick of the losers’ forwards were Semmens, Rawson and Ball. It was only in the last ten minutes that Paroa forwards were able to exert any marked superiority, and right up to that time it was anybody’s game. With more coaching, particularly in handling and passing, Taneatua should develop into a formidable combination. Paroa gives that impression already, but could have played better on the day. Scorers:— Paroa (16 points): Ratahi, Dodd, Hona, a try each; Dodd, a penalty and two conversions. Taneatua (10 points): Rawson and Ball, a try each; Semmens, two conversions. Mr J. Whitehead was the referee.

RUGBY POINTS TABLE: PAROA AND TE TEKO SENIOR LEADERS

Rugby competitions under the Whakatane and Rangitaiki SubUnions were carried a stage further on Saturday under ideal conditions. Paroa, with a rather lucky win over Taneatua, stepped ahead on the Whakatane senior ladder and Te Teko, running up a heavy tally against Thornton took first place in the Rangitaiki competition. Here are the points table to date:— Whakatane Senior: Paroa 6, Taneatua, United and Wairaka 4 each, Poroporo 2, P.W.D. 0. Junior: United 6, Waimana and Paroa 4 each, Taneatua, Poroporo and Wairaka 2 each. Rangitaiki Senior: Te Teko 6, Matata 4, Matahina and Edgecumbe 3 each, Thornton 2, Otakiri 0. Junior: Matata 5, Te Teko 4, Thornton 2, Edgecumbe 1, Otakiri 0.

Teams For Rep. Trials And Jackson Shield Match

On Saturday the Whakatane Rugby Sub-Union offers tempting fare for the fans with senior and junior .representative trials starring the Maori v Pakeha match for the Jackson Cup. Of the senior teams listed below, the A. and B. teams are to report at the'A. and P. shed not later than 12.45 p.m. and the Maori and Pakeha at 1.45 p.m. All emergencies will play at least half a game. Here are the teams:— Pakeha Welch (T) Laurie (P), Cave (U) Capt, McGougan (U) Goodwin (P), De Lacey (U) Debreceny (U) Last down: Mundy (U) Ball (T), Cain (T), Crofskey (U), Semmens (T) vice-capt. Rawson (T), Ruffles (U), Jensen (P) Maori Huta (Po) Hakopa (P), Kruger (P.W.D.), Hohua (U) Tina Riini (V/), R. Crapp (W) ViceCapt. Tahi Takau Wai) Bluett (W) Ranapia (P) Capt., P. Ratahi (P), Gardiner (U), T. Crapp (W) Hona (P), K. Merito (W), Te Pou (Wai) ATeam: R. Goodall (U); Biddle (Po), Sisam (T), vice-capt., Asher (W); Forbes (P), D. Black Wai); Atarau (P.W.D.), Koha Merito (W); Tuware (P.W.D.) Capt, Kopae (Po), R. Dodds (W), Hunt*(T), T. Wharewera (W), Bell (Wai), Butler (U). B Team: R. Black (Wai); Hudson (W), Nuku (Po) vice-capt, Rutherford (U); Lafferty (P), S. Takao (Wai); Hotene (Po); Partin (P) Capt; Les Stewart (U), R. Kingi (P), Foreman (T), R. Hakopa (P), Linwood (Wai), Paruru (P.W.D.), Ratana (P.W.D.) Reserves: Forwards Dines (U), W. Wharewera (P), Fergusson (T), Hollis (U). Backs: K. Wana (Po), McCready (T), Rust (Wai), J. Kingi (W).

P. means Paroa, Po. Poroporo, U. United, W. Wairaka, Wai. Waimana and T. Taneatua. Junior teams will be selected from: R. Hohapata, T. Hohapata, K. Tawa, Manu, Takotahiwi, B. Tutua, Tuni, Martin, Tiepa, Thatcher, Tomoana, Stuart, Haupapa, Mika, Hill, D. Howat, Alcock, D. Carling, W. Sandham, E: Petty, J. Chadwick, B. Mundy, L. Goodall, J. Hudson, B. Clark, Green, Weko, A. Kora, B. Merito, H. Merito, D. Hillman, Andrews, Fleming, Clay, S. Shapley, Brown, H. Coker, M. Henderson, C. Goodwin, J. Taylor.

Element Of Luck In Paroa’s Victory Over Taneatua’s Hard Workers

After a somewhat dour struggle, Paroa came home a rather lucky six points ahead of Taneatua to take the lead in the Whakatane Rugby Sub-Union’s senior competition on Saturday. Score was 16—10. The forwards were fairly evenly matched, but Paroa lasted better and won the game with their dash over the closing stages. Both back lines could stand a lot of coaching yet. Teams:'—

Paroa: J. Dodd; I. Jima, R. Laurie, C. Hakopa; N.. Goodwin, J. Forbes; J. Lafferty; K. Wana, B. Ruru, H. Ranapia, P. Ratahi, R. Hakopa, T. Hona, W. Wharmona and M. Jensen. Taneatua: E. Welch; G. Hill, A. Sisam, L. McCready; J. Murphy, D. Empson; S. Hurran; I.- Shaw, J. Semmens, D. Cain, S. Hunt, L. Ball, F. Rawson, Fergusson, G. Foreman. Paroa started confidently, though handicapped by carelessness in line kicking and some departments of handling were concerned. They bustled their way over in the first five minutes when Goodwin slipped through neatly to hand an easy try to Pat Ratahi. Joe Dodd put on the extra two points, and Taneatua settled down to hard work to reduce the lead. At this stage of the piece, the forwards were pretty even, though Ratahi, H. Ranapia and T. Hona, all playing hard and with eagle eyes for opportunities, gave Paroa a shade of advantage in the

Wairaka’s Walk-Over Victory Over Rather Scraggy Waimana Side

Completely overshadowing their opponents in every department of the game, Wairaka walked over a scrappy Waimana side by 43 points to 3 in the second senior Rugby match at Whakatane on Saturday. Wairaka’s backs played pretty football at times, but the weakness of the opposition robbed what might have been a bright game,of real interest. / Teams:—

Wairaka: W. Biddle, K. Merito, T. and M. Riini, R. Hudson, R. Crapp, B. Hudson, C. Wharewera, K. Merito, L. Stewart, R. Dodd, H. Bluett, T. Crapp, C. Green, P. Kingi. Waimana: B. Main, J. Rust, R. Taia, P. Hillman, D. and R. Black, T. Takao, G. Hayward, C. Waratari, B. Clay, B. Taff, B. Te Pou, A. and R. Bell, R. Linwood. Opening play in the first half both sides played a testing game with no decisive moves until Wairaka went through for Merito to score at the end of 10 minutes play and from then on the play developed into a wild scramble with Waimana throwing all its combination and Rugby ideas to the wind in a vain effort to stop the Wairaka team from building too large a score.

The Waimana forwards and backs lost all their knowledge of tackling and were powerless to stop the fast Wairaka players, except by jumping at them. This form of tackling play slowed the game down with the number of casualties it caused. Halftime came with Wairaka in the lead with a winning score of 22 to Waimana’s 3 scored from a penalty gaol. In the second half play developed into a race between the '.Riini and Crapp Brothers to see who could compile the top score, with Waimana apparently powerless to do anything, about it. Scorers: Wairaka (43 points) K. Merito, R. Dodds, H. Bluett and R. Crapp one try each. T. and M. Riini two tries each, T. Crapp three tries; T. Riini two conversions, R. Hudson, R. Kingi and C. Wharewera one conversion each.

Waimana (3 points): Te Pou, one penalty goal. Mr J. Keepa was the referee.

Whakatane Junior Results

United 25 v Poroporo 3. Paroa 8 v Waimana nil. Taneatua 17 (Thatcher 2 tries, Stuart, Green, Haupapa, a try each and Tomoana, a conversion) beat Wairaka 3 (a penalty goal).

Rangitaiki Results

Senior Matahina 11 drew with Edgecumbe 11. Te Teko 25 beat Thornton 3. Matata 25 beat Otakiri 0. Junior Thornton and Te Teko drew, 6 all. Matata 12 beat Otakiri 3.