WALES CUP STAYS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20027, 28 August 1939, Page 11

WALES CUP STAYS

TAIRAWHITI’S GAME

WAIPOUNAMU DOWN 12—9 LATE TRY BY D. TUHORO GLASSY MAORI RUGBY Tairawhiti . 12 pts. Waipounamu 9 Exceeded in local interest only by the previous week’s collegiate match, the challenge Rugby game for the Prince of Wales Cup, played on the Gisborne Oval on Saturday, resulted in a win for Tairawhiti, over Waipounamu, by 12 pouits to 9. Lacking in combination for the first few minutes, the teams quickly settled down, and began to develop good understanding. They put on a classy display, full of the spectacular incident which is almost inseparable from Maori football, and the initiative changed hands often enough to keep the attention of the crowd at fever pitch.

When Waipounamu equalised the scores in the second half the excitement was intense, for by this time the Tairawhiti association with Poverty Bay had been established, and the European patrons were as anxious as the Maoris on the sidelines for a home win.

The try that decided the match was scored by Dan Tuhoro, East Coast forward, who made an irresistible rush from ruck a few yards short of the southerners’ goal-line. Typical Fast Maori Football Clean handling, clever recoveries, rugged tackling—for the greater part —and some wonderful forward work were the features of the match. The backs on both sides had plenty of opportunity to get the ball out, and did j so frequently, but it was seldom that any player was given room to move far from tire spot where he got the ball. An exception was offered, however, jffi the case of Steele, the South winger, for he had pace, footHiftOk, handling capacity, and a devastating fend for a man of his weight, ffe never handled the ball for a loss of ground, and from the time when he sprinted half the length of the field for Waipounamu’s only try, to the finish of the game, he was the cynosure of all eyes. This winger showed not only the capacity to handle and run, but a keen appreciation of dispositions on the field, even when pressed by two or three of the opposing side. He gave his opposite number, Pakimana, of Tairawhiti, no chance at all to shine, and his defence was seemingly as solid as his work in attack. Southern Forwards’ Open Play . The Cup-holders had the advantage of weight in the scrums, and could always get the ball in set scrums, but they were not overpoweringly superior to their opponents. Loose work was the South Islanders’ strong point in the pack, and they did magnificently in this department. There was no Tori Reid among them, nor any Dan Tuhoro, but they used their speed to great advantage, and at times were all over the Tairawhiti backs with their penetrating dribbles. Reid, Tuhoro, E. Jackson, 'P. Smith and K. McClutchie were the pick of the Tairawhiti forwards, while A. West, T. Robinson, B. Ward and W. Wynyard made the best impression among the southerners. For the Tairawhiti side, Ahipene gave a good performance at half-back, his dive pass being well directed and speedy. T. Wi Repa played a fine game at first five-eighths, and Whaanga, the Gisborne High School player, backed him up well in attack, though he was less valuable as a defensive player. E. Howell, the veteran centre, was unobtrusively effective, his tackling being deadly; while Watford, on the left wing, was the better of his two outsides. G. Harvey played a rattling good game at fullback for the winners. Capable Inside Backs A nice display was credited to N. Paewai, the southern half-back, who r I shaded Ahipene in the position, am

showed a better grasp of strategy on the field. t Broughton was a good first “five,” and T. Love and T. Kawe, next in the chain of backs, were good ■all-round, though excelling in defensive work.

H. Steele was the most dangerous back on the ground, playing on the left wing for Waipounamu, and he was always a source of anxiety to Tairawhiti. P. Parata’s handling and kicking left little to be desired in the full-back position, and his tackling was most resolute. He lacks the speed for the position, however, and was outstripped by Tairawhiti players so often that his luck in the roll of the ball became a byword with close observers of the game.

The South followed the kick-off into Tairawhiti territory, and within two minutes of the opening of the game it looked as though they were going to score, but a series of scrums occurred near the goal-line, and eventually a penalty kick relieved the situation for the defenders. They pushed their way to the Waipounamu end, and there were some smart passing

runs that tested the defence. The play was fast and spectacular, and the crowd warmed up quickly, especially when Whaanga took part usefully in a passing bout and did not appear to any disadvantage. Talrawhiti’s First Points Tairawhiti opened the scoring account when S. Jackson goaled a penalty kick from a few yards outside Waipounamu’s 25-yd. line, but South equalised only a minute or so later, when Steele, the left winger, got the ball near midfield, cut through between Whaanga and Pakimana, Steele’s opposite number, and got clear away in a run for the Tairawhiti goal-line. He swerved wide out, giving no chance to Harvey, Tairawhiti’s full-back, and touched down well out towards the corner flag. The try was not converted, and the scores stood: Tairawhiti .. .. .. 3 Waipounamu .. .. 3 Two rattling forward rushes yielded tries to Tairawhiti, T. Reid racing the southern defence for the ball on the first occasion, after it had been dribbled over the goal-line, and E. Jackson being the one to add the second try, in a close scramble right on the line. S. Jackson could not repeat his earlier kicking success when it came to converting the kick, however, and he lost further opportunities later, it being his day off for place-kicking. With about 15 minutes to go in the first half, the score was: Tairawhiti .. • • .. 9 Waipounamu .. .. 3 The interval came without further alteration. Southerners Wipe Out Deficit Waipounamu opened the second half auspiciously, for Steele got away in a good run from midfield, kicked over the Tairawhiti full-back’s head, and then went on with his effort. A Tairawhiti man went down on the ball, and neglected to get up with dispatch, the result being that South were awarded a penalty in a good position. A. West took the kick for Waipounamu, and raised the flags with a well-judged effort. Tairaiwhiti 9 Waipounamu .. .. 6 The following minutes ware marked more by hard, bustling play than by scientific football, but it kept the crowd in a simmer of excitement, particularly when on two further occasions South were given chances with 1 penalty kicks from fairly good positions. West took both the kicks and was successful with neither, his record of missed opportunities almost equalling S. Jackson’s. Spectacular Passing Bouts There weie spectacular passing bouts and some magnificent displays of tackling when Tairawhiti took the initiative agam in the fourth quarter, the Wa ip oil mm u full-back showing , up well in tackling and kicking, ' though his recoveries were very slow 1 at times. Tie scores were equalised with only a iew minutes to go, when ’ a penalty ki:k was awarded against ' Tairawhiti liyds. inside the midfield ' line. It wai a long kick, but from a good angle, and Broughton took ll ’ reaching the goal with only a foot to spare, bit bringing up the flags amidst great excitement. * g > Tairawhti • • • • • ’ d Waipoummu .. •• a

The reverse brought the home team out of tile doldrums, and the Tairawhiti forwards were making devastating runs, smashing ' against the Waipounamu defence time after time, and being thrown back repeatedly. At last Tuhora secured possession a few yards from the line, and battled his way over for a splendid forward try. He put the ball down behind the goal, and it should have been easy to convert the try, but Whaanga missed with a weak kick. Tairawhiti 12 Waipounamu .. .. 9 The game ended a few minutes later, with no further change in the scoring. E. Howell was disabled in the closing minutes of the game, and M. Waititi went on to fill the vacancy in the backs. Mr, A. E. Ingram was the referee.