RAHUI TOO STRONG FOR FOXTON

Chronicle (Levin), 20 June 1949, Page 4

RAHUI TOO STRONG FOR FOXTON

In keeping with th'e juriibr game Which precede'd it, the senior clash hetween Rahui and Foxton at Otaki #as scrappy in the early stages, but sufficierit life wAs infused during the second spell to piease the spectators. .On th'e day. Rahui ran away froin Foxton and the seore oi 12-hii was a fair iridicatidh of the tbams morits. The visitors, were doubtless dealt a blow when Langley ha*d tb retire half Way through thb first spell, and their re-arranged back lihb appeared to lack confidence, but to bquahse Rahui were without the services bi Wallis. There wero plenty of solo efforts among Foxton's'b^cks, with- an absence1 of thek

dribbling rushes which won the g'dm'0 l'or their fdjwai'd^ the* previ.hsr .weak. Rahui on* - the . other iiah'd tbaifidd tog'bthbr Well; with ihe . feffdi'ts of quiie a few of this Wihing pack re.any pleasing. Conditiqrisj were vbry pieasanc, but a #ind affecte'd kicking. .Rahui piayed in^o the Siiii and led tfie first rush when.J; Winterjjirn "and Fox' reached within a few yards- of the opposihg line, butvvere forced oiit. 1 Fb'xtdn retaliated and the situation looke'd awkward Wheri the Rahui backs,- * handled poor y,- but Casey, a& fuil-back reieyed-. -A. Watt- and G. Walker cook play back to Foxton-s line and were. nearly over. Foxton s backs handled nicely following this neai* reverse, with Lay, Langley and Vertogen .looking dangeroiis. Again OdSdy, savbd, r Mgrwood did some gbid work fdr Rahiii. When caught ih; pdssessibh iinder his own posts, ne went down on the ball and emerged from. a resultant ruck in possdssi'dn again to get a nice clearafig ki'ck m. Rahui's half, A. Wincerburh; was workihg hard and soon after he and McLebd gained much groun-d with a vigorous sprint for the line* Nice passing was seen b'etweeh Wlhtetburn, McLeod, Davis and K. Wiltori;,but the latter slipped short of the line and Wa ker shappdd up thb ball to bpen che scoring. Foxton had the better of the melee for the next quarter, with their backs inciined to go .alone. Twq penalty kicks by R. Tayl'or -failed 'to Seciire any feward for the visitors, and, prior to the close of the spell Vertogen sh'dwe'd a surprising , dash . jn a sprint which reachdd the full-back; with no stipport however. - A f urther penalty kick by Tayldf hit the bar and bounced back infield. A 'mark by Davis early in the second spell s,et the Rahui forwards racing, but thb Fbxton fu 1fiack, H. Jacob, ifivirig a splendid disp ay, won the raCe. Sdoh after d dribbling rush headed, by, Doug. Smith brought Rahui into fcreign territory again. With the full-back ju&t having- tiriie to find the iirie, a scrum 10 yards out saw the half, Winterburn,, shoot a nice pass to McLeod and over the latter went. Rahui 6, Foxton 0. Foxtdn Strov'e hard to gain the ascendancy and Jarvis, Lay, Betty, j Knapp and .Taylor in. tiirn reached ; Casey, but the latter rerhained cool and safe. Foxton forwards had a turji next, but were paralysed with a thrilling 60-yard ruh by MerWood, With'- J. Winterburn and K. Wilton in support, No mistake was made With the passing, Merwpod to Win.terbmn to Wilton, and the latter •'crossed to give Rahui ni»e poin'.s. Jarvis went oi) his owi^for Foxton again and was wqrking hard.* but his efforts were unavailing. With Rahui back in the visitors' 25, a scrum went down and Winterburn sent T. Smith over 'on the blind side for the easiest. try of the day, putting Rahiii 12 pbirit's ahdad. Mr. Vertongen was referee.