Bay Of Plenty Beats East Coast 26-19 In Fast Game

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 53, 7 June 1950, Page 5

Bay Of Plenty Beats East Coast 26-19 In Fast Game

(Special from “Arrisimo”) Opotiki, Yesterday.

In one of the finest games yet seen in the district Bay of Plenty defeated East Coast narowly 26—19 in a representative Rugby match at the Reserve on Saturday. A large crowd saw two fine sets of backs and two packs of big Rugby forwards meet in fast thrilling football, producing many fine scoring moves. While Bay of Plenty won most of the scrums they were not so superior in the lineouts while in the rucks East Coast forwards excelled.

The Bay kicked off with the advantage of the sun behind them, but made little use of it. Coast gave them little respite in the first half and dominated play in both forward and back divsions. They were soon on attack and following up a nicely placed kick Goddard the right winger, snapped up the leather to score in a handy position. Kopua converted to add two more points. Later from a line out the Coast forwards in a loose rush carried play to the Bay line for Logan to score. Kopua again converted to give Coast a lead of 10 points. McGougan replaced Gardener who had to' retire and took the wing

position, while Kapua moved in to centre.

Just before half time a neat bit of work by the Bay backs ended in Martin, the winger, outpacing the oposition • down the line to run round and score under the posts. Welch converted to bring the half time score Coast 13, Bay 10. The Bay kept up the attack. Raureti, playing up to form, combined with McGougan and carried play to the Coast line. Raureti again got possession and broke through. He transferred to Isaacs, who inpassed back to Raureti to score under the posts. McGougan converted to bring the score to the interesting stage of Coast 19, Bay 18. The Coast were now tiring. Both the Bay forwards and backs kept up the attack and from a set scrum Raureti worked the blind side to transfer to Martin who raced down the line to score wide out. McGougan’s kick just missed to put the Bay in the lead 21 to 19. At this stage both teams took turns to attack, but the Bay held the advantage and gradually worked play back for Isaacs to get possession to use his weight and score iiear the posts. Welch converted to bring the final score Bay of Plenty 21’, East Coast 19. WHAKATANE JUNIORS TO PLAY OPOTIKI There have been a number of changes in the Whakatane junior representative Rugby team to play Opotiki as a curtain raiser to the Bay of Plenty-Poverty Bay game at Whakatane on Saturday. The team:

Full back, R. Heta; three-quart-ers, K. Tawa, P. Seebeck (vice-cap-tain), M. Brown; five-eighths, Hohapata, Luxton; half back, Simpson; back row, Chadwick (capt); middle row, Goodall, Pryor, Hunia, Shapley; front row, Cave, Tunui, Moeke. Reserves: Forward, W. Hall (Paroa); backs, Edmondson, Thatcher.