Wairoa Beat Horowhenua

Chronicle (Levin), 18 August 1947, Page 4

Wairoa Beat Horowhenua

Amid intense excitement the" junior representative game betWeeii Horowhenua and Wairoa was narrowly won by Wairoa by 9 points to 6. The game was played on the . Otaki Domain, and although the" day was fine, the ground had several muddy patches on it which made handling difiicult at times. - Wairoa fielded a heavier team than Horowhenua, and in the first half the local fifteen 'found the going hard. • . The fifteen-year-old Wairoa full- - back, Wilsoh, brought deserving acclamation from the spectators with his dexterity in handling and sure kieking, This young player seldom allowed the ball to pass him. With his long and accurate kieking, H. Rdpata, showed his worth as the Horowhenua fullback. "Stopper" Anderson played a steady game in the Horowhenua front row. M. Merwood, F. Catley, R. Lankshear, C. Taylor, D. Langley, Molloy and G. Bryant distinguished themselves for Horowhenua. There were three Nepias included in the Wairoa team. Two of them played in the first half and the third was called on to replace Nugent during the second half. . Play was clean and open witn some good passing rushes, interspersed with bright individual play. Both teams packed well and were fairly even in the front row. The Wairoa backline excelled in handling and penetration, but were inclined to tire easily.

Wairoa secured the first score with a penalty, which was awarded very early in the game. Wilson, with his mineing- approach to the ball, kicked a very neat goal. Wairoa 3, Horowhenua 0. Another penalty was awarded to Wairoa and once again Wilson took the kiek to make the score Wairoa 6, Horowhenua 0. Horowhenua were given a penalty and D. Langley attempted a difiicult kick cross-wind, but found the distance too great. Wilson showed that even he was not altogether infallible when Wairoa were awarded another penalty and he missed his kick. The first try came when the Wairoa winger, Sutherland, took the ball and passed to M. Nepia, who scored under the posts. Wilson failed to eonvert. Wairoa 9, Horowhenua O. Wairoa were penalised several times during this stage of the game for forward passing. This proved to be the team's main fault. In the second half, with the wind in their favour, Horowhenua made a better showing. They forced play up under the posts and looked like scoring, Wairoa forcing to save. A penalty was awarded against Wairoa for handling in the ruck and H. Ropata took the kiek to secure Horowhenua's first points. Wairoa 9, Horowhenua 3. f A good exhibition of attack and defenee was given at this stage, Wairoa pressing upfield only to be beaten back almost to their goal posts by Horowhenua. Once again Wairoa were penalised and C. Taylor kicked a long ball to make the score: Wairoa 9, Horowhenua 6. Wairoa now appeared to be tiring, and, urged on by eneouragement from the spectators, Horowhenua made a determined effort to score. Several times they penetrated the Wairoa defenee only to find Wilson waiting to gather up* the ball and clear with a long kick to the line. Excitement was intense when, three minutes before time, a penalty was given to Horowhenua, but Taylor found the distance and the weight of the ball against him and clid not clear the posts. The referee was Mr. J. D. McFarlane.