SPECTACULAR WIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 21 August 1939, Page 11

SPECTACULAR WIN

SCHOOL’S RECOVERY GOOD VISITING PACK HOME BACKS SUPERIOR SPEEDY AUCKLAND WINGER Gisborne High 9pts. Sacred Heart 8 In their third intercollegiate match of the season, Gisborne High School on Saturday beat Sacred Heart, Auckland, by one point in a game calling for a much better performance than was required to defeat either Napier Boys’ High School or Hastings High School.

The visitors came within an ace ot success, thanks to a swift rally made in the'third quarter, and only a breau such as might not happen again in several, seasons enabled the home team to pull the game out of the Are.

The winners scored three unconverted trtes. Sacred Heart gained one try, a conversion, and a penalty goal. On Inis sho wing, the honours rest ad weil on the side of the Gisborne team, and they would have been unlucky indeed not to win, for they held the command for the greater part of the time, and displayed all-round form a shade better than anything the visitors could produce. Gisborne,in a Tailspin

The try which swayed 'the score in favour of Gisboorne was one of those solo efforts, developing from a sudden opportunity, which gives to Rugby football its most spectacular features. Two points behind, Gisborne were slowly coming out of a tailspin. the result of seeing their earlier lead go by the board in a few minutes. Kane, who had played a sterling game in the back division all through, beat two Sacred Heart backs for the ball, out on his right wing and with none of his own team at hand. He had tile choice of kicking out of bounds or gaining ground by running. He elected to run, and gave nothing away to the two northerners who tried to cut him oil. He bore out towards the comer-flav, making use of every inch of ground, and won a breath-taking race tor the goal-line. It was the decisive movement in the game, N Rival Teams’ Personnel The teams were-

Sacred Heart. —J. Sorenson, S. Gardiner, J. B. Faire, captain, E. Peterson, J. Hale, T. Hogan, J. Maxwell, D. Duggan, B. O’Donovan, J. Reidy, C. Faliy, R. McKay, J. Satherley, J. George, and P. Murphy. Gisborne High.—Cowley, Haig, Edmondson, Stewart, Kane, Whaanga, I‘oroa, captain, Kelly, Burley, Torrie, Brook, Shaw, Nelson, Sharp, McCliskie.

Of the winning tehm, McCliskie, Torrie, Shaw and Brook were the most effective, though all worked hard in the scrums. The two-three-two scrum formation was not successful against the good Auckland pack, with its broader front row, but in other departments Gisborne held its own with the, visitors, especially in the loose. The home backs were a better set, more evenly balanced, and Toroa, Whaa'nga and Kane made a splendid inside combination, tackling, handling, and running with determination. Edmondson produced good form at centre, and once or twice split the opposition with straight runs. The wingers did not get many chances, but did well, and the full-back, Cowley, was not often caught out of position, though his handling gave rise to nervousness at times. Good Visiting Forwards

For Sacred Heart. Murphy, Satherly. Duggan and McKay made the best impression forward, and Maxwell playcc a good half-back game, without unorthodox features. Hogan was a good five-eighths, but Hale was slow to get off the mark, and it was at 'him that much of the home team’s spoiling was directed. Faire also received a lot of

attention, at centre, and was not oi’.e. given room to move ahead. Gardiner got through a lot of hara and valuable work on the left wing, towards which the game swung alrnosi regularly ;and Peterson on the right had few chances. When he did gel into his stride, however, he turned on a fine pace, and he was responsible largely for the temporary demoralisation which nearly lost the game for Gisborne. The Auckland full-back, Sorenson, was capable and gave a good account of himself in defence. There was no sign of an inferiority complex in the home team at the outset, and though Sacred Heart gained a little ground from the kickoff, they were soon back near midfield, following a good forward rush by Gisborne. From a line-out the Aucklanders got the ball and they tried to open up the game, but McCliskie flashed in to intercept a loose pass and made a grand solo run to the opposing full-back, punted over his head, and then brought him down as he gathered in the ball. This put the scene of play very close to the Sacred Heard line, and within a few minutes of the start Gisborne scored through Torrie, who beat the defence, in. a dive for the ball just inside the goal area. Whaanga took the kick but did not add the extra points. Gisborne High .. .. 3 Sacred Heart .. • • O' Tim visitors’ forwards put in some good work, but their control of the ball lacked something, and they were inclined to overrun. Cowley, ihe Gisborne full-back, made a good save when 'he blocked a rush by McKay, Satherly and Fahy, with Hogan in support, and soon Kane made a break which put play back in the Auckland team’s end of the ground. Gisborne on the Defensive Sacred Heart survived a torrid session in which the Gisborne backs and forwards were dangerous in turn, and by long kicking and fast follow-ing-up, in which Murphy was prominent, they put Gisborne on the defensive again. A good movement by their backs, in which Hale, Hogan and Faire were seen in smooth action, ended in Gisborne forcing in the face of a forward supporting rush.

The Gisborne backs were more enterprising than their opponents, and they were always ready ’o open up the gdme, but their passing was faulty at times, and Sacred Heart managed to force them out towards the sidelines frequently, thus simplifying fhe defensive work. The home forwards were getting the bet’er share of !h ball from the scrums and line-outs, and they were a shade superior in the loose, but this superiority, while it gained ground for Gisborne, lacked the sting to carry home the attacks.

Whaa-nga Breaks Through Forwards It was through a back movemen* that Gisborne opened up the way Jo: the next try, Whaanga twice getting the ball in the loose and dodging through to put his forwards on s : dc and starting forward passing On the first occasion ’be play we'T from midfield to the Aucklander’s 25-yd. line, and on the second Whaanga burst his way through th? opposing forwards and gave a pass to Shaw. The latter, though sturdily opposed, never lost his impetus, and he broke three tackles to reach the goal-line for a try near ’he flag. Whaanga made a good effort to convert, but missed narrowly. The interval score was Gisborne High .. -. 6 Sacred Heart .. .. 0 The third quarter saw Gisborne on attack consistently, and Sacred Heart were lucky to force down when the home forwards went over their line in a loose rush. The Auckland defence was sound, however, and the fullback, Sorenson, did some steady and well-judged line-kicking, Gisborne hammering away in vain.

A dramatic change came when Sacred Heart, having for a long time tried to work the ball forward on their left wing .began switching it to Peterson, on their right Wing. He turned out to 'be very speedy, and raced round ’he Gisborne left wing and then kicked over the full-back’s head. One of the home backs went down on the ball as the Auckland forwards rushed in and was penalised for lying on it, Sorenson having a fairly easy kick and raising the flags for Sacred Heart. Gisborne High . . .. G Sacred Heart .. .. 3 Another reverse hit Gisborne within two minutes, when their full-back misjudged a rolling ball, finally retrieved it. and ’hen turned into the arms of the Auckland forwai'ds, He

was (bustled ofT (he I'onl', and a--■went over the line Peterson dived successfully and touched it down. Sorenson again goaled the kick and the lead had changed hands, gre. excitement prevailing. Sacred Heart .. .. 8 Gisborne High .. .. 0 The visitors were hit'ing their stride properly now, and with a good share of the ball from scrums and line-outs '--.v made the game open and nad their opponents badly worried, penalty kick close to the goal seemed likely to add to Auckland’s lead, but Sorenson missed this time and the home team’s supporters breathed again. Try Scored at Critical Stage The events of the next few minutes gave fresh hope to Gisborne, for though their opponents were stib getting the hall from scrums the home spoilers were preventing any exploitation of this advan'age, and the tackling charges were deadly. Edmondson made a sterling run through the opposition to the Auckland 25-yd. line, and the way seemed to be opening up for a try, but long kicks by Faire and Hogan drove Gisborne back to midfield, temporarily.

A magnificent solo effort by Kane brought the nex* change in the scores, when an Auckland pass was dropped and he niipped in to toe it along and then gathered it on the bounce. Hr got the ball a yard from the midfich and, unsupported, bad two men between him and the Sacred Heart goal line. They were coming across fast to meet him, but Kane did not look for support. With a great effor* he reached the line just as Faire and Sorenson dived for him. scoring the try that put his team ahead. The kick at goal failed badly, but that mattered little in tile eyes of the crowd, for the score now stood: Gisborne High . . . . 9 Sacred Heart .. .. 8 Sacred Heart were attacking whpv the final whistle sounded with the score unchanged. Mr. L. R. Stichbury was the referee.