BAY OF PLENTY RUGBY TOURING TEAM LOSE TO EAST COAST 25—24 IN FIRST GAME AT TOKOMARU BAY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 15, 22 July 1949, Page 4

BAY OF PLENTY RUGBY TOURING TEAM LOSE TO EAST COAST 25—24 IN FIRST GAME AT TOKOMARU BAY

(Special to Beacon)

Te Puia Springs, Thursday. Outhooked in the scrums nearly three to one and losing the lineouts by about two to one the Bay of Plenty touring, rugby, team fought back hard against one of the most brilliant packs they have met this season when they lost to East Coast by 25 points (four tries, one converted, three penalty goals) to 24 (four tries, three converted, two penalty goals) in the first game of the tour at Tokomaru Bay, East Coast, this afternoon. Far superior in the backs, who always looked dangerous whenever they got the ball, the Bay of Plenty were handicapped from the start with a light pack but the team combined and defended brilliantly throughout.

The game was played in ideal weather and before a very large crowd on a ground that was as hard as concrete and this affected the play of the Bay forwards. Tonight most of the team are suffering from sore feet.

Among the Bay backs, which are considered to be amongst the best the province has had for some years, Welch and McGou.gan showed up. They played good football and were always well supported by the other backs. In the forwards Ranapia, Ratahi and Gabolinsky worked like tigers in the tight while Moses gave a fine exhibition of covering up.

Among a brilliant pack of forwards for the East Coast Isaacs was outstanding while in the backs James was always safe at fullback. During the game Bay of Plenty lost scrum after scrum apd several changes were made in an effort to get the ball but with no apparent improvement. The figures reveal that East Coast won the scrums 23 to eight. It was a similar story in the lineouts, except in the resulting rucks v/hen Ranapia and Ratahi, supported by Gabolinsky, fought hard for the ball. Behind the scrum the Maori All Black, L. Raureti, gave a good service to his backs but he was always worried by the East Coast fast breaking forwards. Territorially East Coast had a slight advantage but play swept quickly from one end of the field to the other. Marking the Maori All Black, Lannigan, McGougan was in no way disgraced and one of his tries when he ran from his own 25 revealed his amazing pace and determination. He beat both Lannigan and the fullback. The teams: —-

Bay of Plenty (blue and gold): Fullback: E. V/elch; three-quarters: McGougan, Newdick, Morrison; five-eighths: Goldsmith, Sullivan; half back: Raureti. front row: Gabolinsky, Parsons, Moncur; middle row: McLaughlin, Ratahi, Ranapia, Rogers; back row: Moses. East Coast (royal blue): Fullback: Janies; three-quarters: Lannigan, Maraki, Goddard; five-eighths: Tu Rere, Blanes; half-back: Hooper; front row: Lincoln, Shelton, Mackey; middle row: Percy, Hooper, Forrester, O’Sullivan; back row: Isaacs.

At half time for the Bay of Plenty Parsons was replaced by Kerei. Soon after the start East Coast were three up when Lincoln kicked a good penalty goal from halfway. He repeated this again twice later in the spell. Then it was Bay of Plenty. Tu Rere attempted a field goal which was charged by Goldsmith, who whipped up the ball and shot it out to McGougan standing just inside the Bay 25. McGougan set off and brought the crowd to. their feet as he ran 60 yards before touching down. Welch made no mistake with the kick and later kicked a good penalty.

Juct before half time ! Raureti broke from the scrum cut through and passed to Ranapia, who scored. Welch converted. The spell ended with Bay of Plenty 13 East Coast 9. From the start of. the second spell East Coast went to the attack_and Isaacs scored two tries, one of which was converted. Then Welch converted another penalty but the Coast could not be denied and Forrester went over and Lincoln converted. A few minutes later they scored again and then it was left to the tourists. The Bay swung everything into the attack "and coming round the blind side of a scrum the elusive Raureti handed to McCougan, who scored far out. Again they came back and the Bay backs got going in a scintillating movement, the ball finally coming to Morrison- who beat several men before scoring under the posts. Welch converted and the game ended.

East Coast 25, Bay of Plenty 24. Tomorrow the Bay of Plenty meets Poverty Bay at Gisborne.

3,009,000 Workless In U.S. American unemployment figures are now about 3,000,000, said Mr Ewan Clague, head of the United States Bureau of Labour Statistics. There would be need for "action by the Government if the total increased by 1,500,000.