RAHUI HAVE COMFORTABLE VICTORY

Chronicle (Levin), 15 August 1949, Page 4

RAHUI HAVE COMFORTABLE VICTORY

At Otaki Rahui seniors beat Paraparaumu by the comfortable margin' of 17 points to six and in 40ing So made the tally three wins. Jor the Rahui club for the day. Rahui juniors and foUrths had also recorded successes earlier. A vgry even, f ast and open game was seen in the first half and with the score three-all at the end qf the spe 1, spcctators were in e'xpactant mood. Paraparaumu, nowever, lost the services of one of their vigorous' wingers for 'a time and. althgugh ihe playey came pn again, their 'defence was not up to what it had been earlier. Another factor that played into Rahui 's hands- was that. the .visitipg breakaway, Gibson, gave Rahui's half, Hakaraia, a rather gruelling time in the seeond - spell. This meant that Hakaraia, who shot out some electrifying passes •earlv, had little room to work in ater in the .game. Apparentiy Rahui's" backs benefited, as a record number of passes were dr Pped in the' first -spcj.1, wtth handling generahy much better in the second spefi.. Rahui owed mmQb oi their success to the almost exemolary display Qf WalUs. Rahui were dangercus following the opening wlfist e and were soon in the Visitor's 25. An earlj rush saw McLeod force'd out and a penaRy for the visitors relieved Bradley and Waaka were conspicuous in a ruslq for Rahui, bupoor handling speit disaster. Back in the visitors" 25, Merwo d t-hrey a long one to Waaka to Fox, whc sidersstepped one opponent anc dummied past another to score the opening try. Paraparaumu retaliated, with Harris, Ropata, Gibsor and Chard reaching Rahui's 25 They were still attacking when i penalty awarde'd the visitors sav Clunie equalise with a niee kick The same player was given an opportunity of taking the lead soor after when another penalty kicl just went outside the posts. The visiting hacks, Ciunie, King anc Howell, often looked dangetaus before the end of the spell, but the home side's defence held and hal: time sounded with no furthei score.

O. Howell was over two minutes after the second spell began to take Paraparaumu into the lead, 6 — 3. Rahui retaliated and again Waaka and Fox were pronnnent, For a scrum infringement 10 yards out Wallis landed a nice penalty for Rahui to even accounts. Rahui forwards were now working hard and Spiers, Fox, Phifiips and Wallis were all over in a scramble for the ball, but a penalty to the visitors again re ieved. Hakaraia tried to go over on his own soon after, but was grounded. A try by Bradley following a lineout saw this player recafied and the ball was thrown in again. Ropata cleared for Paraparaumu and Wallis and Sandford, with Kiriona and Ilowed in support, were unlucky when the ball reached the dead ball Ime after a hot attack by the visitors. Rahui came back and Wallis was almost over when tackled. His high pass to McLeod, with a clear run, was a hard one and the lafter fumbled. Following the resultant scrum, McLeod retrieved the situation when, after almost barging over, he threw a pass to M. Winterburn, who crossed. Wallis added the major points. Rahui 11, Paraparaumu 6. Rahui's fast breaking loose forward, Lethbridge, was responsible for a nice interception soon after. He threw a long one to K. Wilton, who knocked the corner -flag over when forcing and a 25 dropout was ordered. Rahui kopt iip the aftack, but the task was not an easy one as the Yisitors were taking their men weil, Hakaraia soon after whipped out a long pass tq the winger, Bradley, whose pace could not be matched and he crossed for Rahui to lead 14 — 6. Paraparaumu, had seyeral attempts to retrieve some of the lost leeway from this on, but could not finish aff their effo.rts and the final score came when Ashworth, who had given a pleasing display at full back. for the visitors, was bustled into kicktog backwards and liner 10 yards out saw a smarb back line move by Rahui, with the ball hancheh by Hakaraia, Merwqod, Phillips, Waaka and Bradley, who seored again on the othqr side of the field. The game ended 17—6 in Rahui's favour. Mr. F. D. Chainey was the referee.