Paroa Retains Pile Cup In Drawn Match With Tough Pukehina Side

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 97, 20 September 1948, Page 5

Paroa Retains Pile Cup In Drawn Match With Tough Pukehina Side

For the Pile Cup, Paroa (holders) drew with Pukehina, winners of the Te Puke competition, 6—6. Actually, on the day’s play, Paroa lost. Pukehina scored two tries against Paroa’s • one, and really earned more. Teams:—

Paroa: R. Laurie; K. Wano, Ramsay, C. Hakopa; Goodwin, Harawira; J. Dodd; Lafferty, T. Hona, R. Hakopa, R. Kingi, P. 'Ratahi, Cleland, Nathan, Jensen. ' Pukehina: Anderson; Brownlee, Flint, Simpson; C. Cameron, E. Gordon; J. Ranapia; P. Reid, P. Jamieson, Awhimate, Cawte, -Pattie, I. Reid, L. Smith, T. Ranapia. Paroa scored first with a penalty goal, and thereafter were on the receiving end for the greater part of the match. Pukehina fielded a tough, hard-working pack of forwards who, though lighter than Paroa, had the better .of all departments most of the time. Inspiration

of a steady but unspectacular' back, lipe was the half, J. Ranapia, who _was streets ahead of any other back 'on the field on the day. Of the visi- . tors’ forwards, I. Reid, Cawte and Jamieson impressed. Apart from Ranapia, Brownlee and Anderson made the best showing in the backs, though the muddy field and greasyball gave little chance for J either back line to show its paces. Apparently Paroa found the heavygoing not to their liking, and,_opposed to a fast-breaking and : eh-'-terprising pack the backs made a’ very patchy . showing. R. Laurie,usually absolutely reliable at fulL back, missed a lot and failed to produce his usual form. J. Dodd, half, was steady but a bit slow off the mark. Goodwin showed up in flashes., but Paroa’s best back on the day was K. Wano, who slaved away steadily on the wing, making his. own play on attack and showing a sound pair of hands and hard tackling on defence. \ Of tfie forwards, Cleland and Lafferty worked well, with occasional flashes of form from Ratahi. Scorers:— * Pukehina <6 points): Anderson, and Jamieson, a try each. Paroa (6 points): Wano, a, try; Dodd, a penalty goal.