GOOD LEADER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20025, 25 August 1939, Page 10

GOOD LEADER

HIGH SCHOOL CAPTAIN STRONG TEAM LEADER RECORD FOR SEASON BEST SIDE FOR TEARS By “Emergency” Congratulations to Billy Toroa, captain of the Gisborne High School first fifteen, on leading the school team through an unbeaten inter-collegiate season, which ended last Saturday. Admittedly the School played only three games, but they were matches against strong school teams and to emerge with a victory in each of the games played is a record of which Gisborne High may well feel proud. This is the aim and ideal of every school in the Dominion and is a record seldom achieved. Toroa was fortunate in that he led a strong team in the inter-collegiates this year, but he must be given full marks for his able leadership and tne manner in which lie kept his team hard at it in all the games played. In the first match of the season, that against the old traditional rivals, Napier High .School, Toroa’s leadership was very much in evidence, and right from the start his team was on top of the Napier boys. Best Win For Years In the match with Hastings the team was untroubled and scored an easy win, and last Saturday Gisborne High scored their best win for several years when they defeated Sacred Heart College, the secondary school champions of Auckland, and a team

which this season had enjoyed an unbeaten record until they met Gisborne. The game was one which has made college Rugby the type of game which appeals to all sections of the community. It was a hard-fought battle, but at the end the teams came off the field arm in arm and the losers lost no time in congratulating the conquerors.

Toroa has captained the best High School team for several years and he has led it well. His play at half-back has been ail that it should be, but he has been worth a place for his captaincy alone. Despite a physical infirmity, he lias proved himself to be one of the best all-rounders the school has produced, and he richly deserves the fine record which he and his team have won.

Whaanga and Kane have been a fine pair of five-eigths. Both are big boys and strong runners. Whaanga’s long suit has been his strong bursts from the sorum, and his great pace off the mark has made him a constant menace to all teams this season. Kane has the better sustained speed and turned it on in good style to win the match for School last Saturday. These three have been the star attacking backs of the season.

Promising Full-back

In Cowley, the School full-back, the coach has discovered a -boy of marked promise. He is small, (but he is fast and handled well. Cowley was at his best last Saturday and was a tower of strength to the team. In the forwards, Burley has been consistent and a good worker in the tight. This forward is an unobtrusive worker, but he gets through a great deal in every match. Tome ha.; played well in the loose and followed up well in all games, while Shaw was also a useful member of 'the School pack. iMcCliskie was versatile, and Brook was always handy. Points for the School in the three

Points for, 40; against, 25. i Torrie, McCliskie (3), Kane and Kelly scored tries in the match with Napier, Whaanga and Toroa convert- | ing one each. In the match with Hastings, Haig, Whaaiiga and Toroa scored tries and Whaanga kicked two penalties. In the game last Saturday, Torrie, Kane’and Shaw scored tries.

gamos played were scored as follows: T. c. Pen. Tl. Whaanga .... 1 1 2 11 iM'cCliskie .... 3 0 0 9 Torrie 2 0 0 6 Kane 2 0 0 6 Toroa i 1 0 5 Haig i 0 0 3 Shaw ■■■ i 0 0 3 Kelly i 0 0 3