Wanderers Win Honours

Chronicle (Levin), 2 September 1946, Page 8

Wanderers Win Honours

FAST EVEN GAME AT LEVIN One of the best games of football seen this season in Levin was played on Saturday when the j un - ior championship was decided between Wanderers, the winners oi the northern division, and Waimeha, the winners of the southem division. Wanderers had quite a comfortable win over Waimeha by eight points to nil. The game was very even in the i'orwards, but the Wanderers' backs outclassed their Waimeha opposites and were unlucky on severai occasions not to add more points. The perfect weather and the dry ground further helped the Wanderers backs to exploit their opponents. The most prominent Wanderers backs were Sciascia, T. Winiata and H. Ropata. The combination oi these three was perfect, and their bright open passing had the opposing backs baffled time and time again. The strongest backs in the Waimeha team were the two Ropata brothers, who were a danger at all times to Wanderers. King, a Wanderers forward, was unlucky to get hurt early in "the game, forcing him to retire after a promising opening. The Wanderers pack worked as a team and it would be hard to select any outstanding forward. The key men in the Waimeha pack were the two Bryant brothers, who were on che ball the whole time and never let an opportunity slip by. Wanderers were led on to the field by M. Winiata, a diminutive supporter who was dressed up for the occasion. At the conclusion of the match the victorious team chaired the most deserving member of Ihe team, H. Ropata, the captain, who had led them through the whole season to the final glory of winning the junior championship. The two teams were: — Wanderers: Broughton, Paki, Graham, Juno, H. Ropata ( captain j, T. Winiata, Sciascia, Short, C. Winiata, King, Marshail, H. Winiata, Hughes, Simeon and Jones. King was later replaced by Heparaima. Wailneha: Russell, Fairley, Olliver, March, R. Ropata, R. Smith, J. Ropata, Dalzell, N. Bryant, D. Smith, G. Bryant, Joines, Thomas, Matusch and Jenkins. Wanderers kicked off into a glaring sun and followed up quickly. Waimeha brought the ball back to halfway, where a penalty was awarded them. The kicic iaiied and Ropata gained 50 yhrds withl an exceilent line kick. Both sides | were playing hard football and j after ten minutes of play R. King was carried off when he collided with a Waimeha player. Waimeha were awarded another penalty in j !a handy position, but the windj caught thc ball and carried it pastj the posts to Ropata, who gathered j it in and finally found touch on the halfway line. Each side was | striving to score but were always j stopped in time, the opposing sidel takmg the ball back to the oppos- , ■ite twenty-five. No points were scored in the flrst half and many thought that the game would end in a draw. After 30 minutes play in the second half Wanderers forced ihe game into the Waimeha twentyfive and from a ruck 011 the line Sciascia sent to Winiata, who transferred to Ropata and he ran over well out. Ropata 's kick failed, making it Wanderers 3, Waimeha 0. Hard play followed, with both sides turning on good football. The Wanderers forwards were breaking away from the serums quicker than the Waimeha pack, and bustling them, and this fact, combined with the fast back-line, won Wanderers the game. From a ruck Winiata brok© away and ,-ran up the line before kicking into . touqh, gaining 50 yafds,. which tood his side on the offensive again. After some hard rucking play the bail was kicked through over the Waimeha line and Short, who had followed up quickly, leapt into the air, caught the ball as it bounced and touched down for the second try of the game: Ropata's kick, taken from a handy position, brought the score to Wanderers 8, Waimeha 0. The game ended soon after and as 110 further points were scored Wanderers become the 1946 junior champions. Mr. J. A. Zuppicich was the referee.