FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1930, Page 3

FOOTBALL

SENIORS

Cobden 14, v Make town 8. United 27, v. Stars. 6. ~ Exeelsiors iJ, v. Knvis 0. Rivals, v Brunner, latter defaulted

EXCELSIORS. V'. KIWIS

Senior football, if- Saturday’s contest between these two teams is . a, criterion is at a very poor standard at present. The conditions were perfect for good football, no, sun, no wind, and a firm playing field. In sp'ite of these conditions the game proved to be a most disappointing one. There was an absence of bach .play, iu spite of the fact that the Excelsior pack got the ball in nearly every scrum. tyhen the ball came out cleanly, which was not too often, Davidson took a header back into, the ruck: in a manner that must have made supporters wonder what was Wrong. All through J I ’ / ' same there were missed passes, bad catching, and an utter absence of any combined. play. If the .Excelsiors backs played the previous Saturday in trip same style, then their defeat i>y 'United could cause no 'wonder. Kiwi forwards though badly beaten in the scrum made the play willing: in the loose, but Hagar was penalised time after time for off-s 'd- and cost His team a great 'handicap. In the '.first half, though Excelsiors had somewhat the better of tho play tlje- game was fairly even, mostly loose forward play and scrums, with quite a number of pong episodes among, thehacks, and a, lot of kicking out of touch that slowed the game down materially. Towards the end of the ‘spell from a scries of return kicks. : '.T. King kicked across field and the Kijwi. wing being out -of.pla.ee. he was ; able to follow up. beat the full-back and score a very lucky try, which was not improved on.

Iu the second half Kiwi forwafds ; showed to ibetter sffen.togei; and i though they did not win mtttiy . scrums their loos* ■ rushes were more dangerous. The play went .to their opponents quarters on many occasions but an. enormous ntimber of penalties were given against thenp•while Excelsiors also lost much ground: and many favourable: positions for • repeated breaches of the,, rules. During the last half of the game. Kiwis had several good scoring chances which bad ■ 'handling: • lost. While, a,pot at goof failed'to rise and went under, the bar. , Nepr the bed - qf ; ..the game 1 Kiwis lost the serviced of Hagar and Stevens, both- being ordered off' by the referee... the form--•nr for questioning a ruling, ..and the latter for illegal-.nlay. in' the closing ifC-W in’n"tes Excehors attacked, but though' weakened' by .the loss of two men, Kiwis kept their-line from being' •crossed again, and...a,n . unsatisfactory game ended in a wiiiii .for. .Excelsiors, by, a try to nil. Mr J. Mora whs referee.

RIVALS V. BRUNNER

• Brunner ffiller to put a team in the field, against .Rivals.

COBDEN V. BLAKETOWN y

Cobden seniors proved superior to the Blaketown team, who had so far this season being undefeated, - but they went down to a team of , better trained players, who had them defending hardj in the concluding stages. Theijirpe was voted the best so far hei‘* this season. N. Eggleton scored two ,ppod ti'i.es for Cobden. whilst his brother,. Fred, also annexed a good try. and ,King kicked a penalty goal and coiiyerted one try. For Blake, town McDonald and User scored tries. Paseoe converting- one. .Cobden won by 14 to 8.

UNITED V.. STARS

The Star-United match on the Grevmouth B* ground was full of interest, and in tile early part play was very but United then became aggressive, and won by 27 points to 6. Scorers for United were A. Baldwin,' F Baldwin And Jamieson (U), whilst Walton converted three, tries nhd kicked' a penalty go,al. For Stars Fong kicked a penalty and McGinley scored.

KIWIS V. ROSS

This junior game was played at Ross and unexpectedly Kiwis proved successful, winning V IT points to nil. Tries were scored by Heinz Stapleltonr, . and' Thedrioh, Stapleton converting one. Mr ,A. Cutbush-- was referee.

SHRIMPS

The School were. again successful against St. Mairy’s, bv a. try (by West! to nil. Mr.- Haybittle-.was. in charge.

BRITISH TEAM. DEFEAT TARANAKI.,

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association,,

NEW, PLYMOUTH, May 24

The British Rugby team defeated Taranaki by twenty-three to seven. It was a gruelling, but pot a particularly spectacular struggle, in yvbich the open back tactics of; the British team triumphed., ,

BRITISH BACKS BETTER

The whole of the British score was compiled ill the second half, during a period when Taranaki play deteriorated. and the visitors were quick to seize their opportunities. At the interval Taranki led by lour points to nit, the liohie teaiii having a slight advantage. The" score consisted of a magnificent field goal, kicked by Handley Brown. The standard of play, generally, was not very high', and one could not escape the conviction that- the British team will need to improve very eons;derably to win the test mat lies. Cetlainly their hack play was much su, perior to that of Taranaki, and the visiting backs had at the same time to contend with the deliberate tactics of the Tarahaki forwards in smashing the inside back movements, while the Taranaki backs con-.entrflted on giving the ball to their forwards, thus- spoiling the spectacular aspect of the game ■to some extent. HOME PACK GOOD.

Taranaki’s forwards were definitely superior in the■ early part of the game and they frequently crushed the back movements of the visitors, but this superiority did riot last Jong. Generally the scrums favoured tae British siue. ’

The match was played in file weather in tile presence of about fifteen thousand people. Tl.r teams were as selected, excepting that Welsh replaced Ivor Jones in the British team.

THE PLAY

The British opened with the sun in their faces. . Soon Taranaki vigorously attacked, the British getting the ball away from the scrum, but the Taranaki men charged dovVn on them. Jennings, the British full back, was early bustled to find the line. The British began passing effectively, and Biown stopped a dangerous rush by forcing Reeve into touch. Taranaki then infringed in' a sjrunij and Parker narrowly missed kicking- a goal.

O’Neill then kicked the ball’over tile line, arid Tarnaki were forced. Hunt, the Taranaki full back, tried a pot at goal, and missed very narrowly. Twice, Owen kicked too hal'd and found the dead ball line.

Taranaki then, kept the. British team fighting desperately oh the line. Clarke eventualljbbi ought the ball away from ;V.scrummage, and sent it out to Brown whjD potted a fine goal.—Taranaki 4. British- 0;

Spong, Murray, Aarvold and Reeve iVere 'doing good work for the British, but the Taranaki tackling was deadiy. Brown took a penalty kick, the ball striking the post, but a little low. Morley next broke away, and he dashed, along the line, attended by W.lkiuson (who dodged his way over the line, and lie touched down, but he, was brought back because Morley had stepped out). Black was rtext away for the British, but Robinson jumped on his back. The score was still four to nil at half time.

SECOND SPELL

The British opened the second spell with bright passing, but Taranaki continued to tackle well-.. Then W.ilkin;on broke away down the side line, and he, had just sufficient - pace, to reach uhe line and score a ."good -try. Black converted;,’from an angle.—-British] 5, Taranaki 4. *

Morley was now .playing- a great rune on the British wing. A lucky ebouiid. fell- into Black’s .hands, and he; dashed ov.er to score under the ’OSts. ' and lie converted his own try.— British. 10, Taranaki .4.

Theh - . British forwards now were ■;m ashing- 1 their, way through.•Taranaki. >nd their - backs were getting the ball, from the scrums. Clarke had a chance, o goal when the visitors infringed, put his kick failed.

(Jjruv; the Taranakj rover, failed back Iv to tapke his man, and Morley and Mijrriiy broke away, and after some orqttv passing, Murray scored a great fy, which Black converted. Black’s plaiee kicking was excellent. —British lfi. : Taranaki 4.

. Taranaki now commenced a long and sustained'attack' in. a corner; scrum following scrum, with.the advantage continually with the' home team, hut a desperate defence prevented any score. Brown narrowly missed the goal with a penalty kick. Ward and Will's on other occasions nearly got over Fookes and Robinson were also prominent.

After the long siege, the scene snddeplv changed, the British raking the whole field with a back, and forward rush, which ended in an exciting scramble on the Taranaki line. Morlev faii-ed- in the attempt to pot a goal. Wilkinson and Welch made a spectacular dash for half the length of the field, find Welch finally touched down amid, a scene, of great excitement, but it was all after the whistle had sounded. A scrum was ordered and play moved out till the British were put down at half-way. The. British hacks were now getting out of hand. Hodgson sent a pass to Wilkinson, who scored with little opposition. Black again converted;.-British,.2o:,; .Tai-anaki 4. Immediately . after • this, Wilkinson received a pass which was sent off the ground, unnoticed by. the referee, Mr H. Rowe. and he scored in the corner. Black’s kick struck the top oT the post ■md fell hack.—British. 28; Taranaki 4. ' (fur brilliantly intercepted, and npeued up a movement that led to a try for Taranaki. The hall was bustled over the line in a flunrv of- men and Wills ’touched down. Brown’s kick :failed and the final score was:

BRITISH ...' 23 TARANAKI 7 NEW PLYMOUTH, May 2d. The attendance at the British Rugby mat-h was 17.000 aml the-gate takings were £1550.