RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1933, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WELLINGTON 37, AUCKLAND 9. (Per Press Association, Copyright). AUCKLAND, September IG. The annual Rugby match between Wellington and Auckland at Eden ’ Park to-day ’resulted in an easy win for Wellington’ by 37 points to 9. Splendid conditions prevailed. The attendance was -do,ooo. Auckland were,completely outclassed except in the hooking of the ball from the scrums. Even with this advantage, the Auckland backs failed to impress. The Wellington rearguard played brilliant football, some of their movements being a treat to watch. The visiting forwards were also,good in loose rushes,, in tackling and in their support of the hacks, this being a feature. Wellington were quick to start counter attacks from almost any position, and especally after their opponents’ mistakes. The -Kilby-Lilburne-Killeen combination was splendid.

THE NORTH ISLAND TEAM. AUCKLAND, September 17. Til©- North Island team to play the South Island at Wellington o a Saturday is as follows: Full-back: Nepia (East Coast). Tin •©e-quarters: Fuller (Wellington), Caughey (Auckland), Bullock-Douglas (Wanganui). Five-eighths: Killeen (Wellington), Page (Wellington). Half-back: Kilby (Wellington). Forwards: Cooper (North' Auckland), W. Hadley (Auckland), -Leeson (Waikato). McLean '(Wellington), Steer© (Hawke’s Bay), McKenzie (Manawatu), Mahoney (Bush), Solomon (Auckland). Reserves: Lilburiie (Wellington). Clarke (Taranaki). WEST COAST V. BULLER. The West Coast team to play Bnller at Hokitika on Saturday is as follows: Full-back, G. Gilbert. Three-quarters, L. Martyu, C. Schroder, E. Pfahlert. Five-eighths. J. B. Taaffe, A. Fong. Half-hack, M. Davidson. Forwards, G. Kelly, J. Kirkland, M. Kelly, A. M. Jamieson, M. Thompson,

H. Thiele, L. Hughes, E. Jones. Emergencies: Backs, J. Behan, A. King; forwards, W. Buchanan, H. Jones (Ross). Freitas and M. Scandrett are unavailable owing, to injuries received last Saturday, while W. Hughes is also on the injured list,. R. King and B. 'Scandrett will be in Wellington for the inter-island match.

RANFURLY SHIELD RETAINED. i CANTERBURY—TARANAKI DRAW. CHRISTCHURCH, September 16. Canterbury had a, very narrow escape from losing the Ranfnrly Shield to Taranaki to-day, a, very closely fought match ending a dr.iW, fifteen points afi. 'Canterbury was saved only by a spotted goal by Hazel hurst in tho last few minutes of play. It would appear that the Canterbury team him had enough- rugby for the season, for .there 'wa§ evidence of stateness in the team to-dav. The dominating factor of the game was the supremacy, both in the tight, and loose play, of the Taranaki forwards. Rarely did Canterbury get the ball from the s et -scrums, and the Taranaki men in the loose’ launched attack after attack that smashed past the Canterbury inside lucks, and looked always dangerous. Canterbury were much superior in the back division, but the visitors’ forward supremacy kept the Canterbury Hyei’s very quiet. Fortunately for the Shield holders, the combined play of the Taranaki backs was poor, Had they been able to penetrate with their back rushes, they would have won by a good margin. A* jt was, Taranaki were attacking for the greater part of the second spell, lnit' -if the ' Canterbury forwards hrd shown suc’h' energy and da»h as they have shown in previous Shield games, they would have fed the Canterbury backs, and they would probably have shown up the Taranaki backs rather badly.

The first part of -the game produced little good football. Canterbury established a. five points lead after about- a quarter of an hour, when every bi.ck on the Canterbury side handled, .and the full-back, ’ French, scored, and converted his own try. Canterbury -scored again in the first spell when Andrews came in ,at- the end of spectacular passing to run over at the corner. The. kick failed.

Just before half rime Colli* ls , 'the T'-rnnaki full-back, potted a -goal from wide out. the spore at- half time being : Canterbury 8 ; Taranaki 4 A misunderstanding between the Canterbury full-back and Oliver, in taking a high bail allowed K..• lodges to rush over under the posts to score for Taranaki Ross converted, and Taranaki led by nine to eight. Taranaki forwards paved the way fo r the next try, but sting through I he defence, and AVills scored near the posts, :but Ross, missed,-the goal.—Taranaki 12; Canterbury 8. From long range, French kicked a penalty goal, and'the score then was : TnMnaki 3.2: Canterbury 11. Taranaki went further ahead when

their forwards went to Canterbury s line, and lU'ss, joining in, dived on the ball at the corner flag. He missed the goal.. With seventeen minutes to go, Canterbury were held at bay until the last live minutes, then the backs got moving, several passing bouts going close to scoring.' Two minutes fi'« m Hazel'hurst, hemmed in by the defenders near the posts, snapshotted a goal, and the scores were even.