FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4416, 19 May 1922, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

NOTES FBOiM THE PLAINS).

side

It is now evident by the continual low scoring that the Hatir.aki Plains teams are very evenly matched. The competition in consequence will bo more interesting and will attract more attention from ’the public. Even so early in the season the competition is at a very interesting stage. Waitakaruru with two wins and a lose (4 points) heads the list, Patetonga and Turua, with a win and a draw apiece (3 points), come next, and Ngatca, with one win and one lose, only another point behind. Kerepeehi so far has nojtj registered a win, but has played some veny close games.

The resul.t of the Turua-Patetonga match at Ngatea came as a surprise to many who had the opinion that Patetonga had the stronger team. Turua took the field with the knowledge that they were matched against a good team, and made the pace from the kick-off. It was a fast, hard game till .the final whistle. Both teams had good material, but Patetonga, -to some extent, lacked training and combination. . The backs could be improved, and did not combine as well as the Turua back division did. The tackling on both sides was good. The heavier Paitetongn forwards were predominent. in ike scrums, hooking' the ball away bn nearly every occasion. For Patetohgi Costello, the full-back, showed out to advantage. .He was clever in getting the ball away, finding the line with good strong kicks. Garry at fiveeighths arid Garry as forward also played well. Foote as three-quarter was sound. The forwards were a good, even lot, .and i|J is difficult to make any distinction. In the Turua team Bedford played a consistent game right through, while L. James at half-back" played well, and McMillan ttie five-eighths was reliable. Mr D. G. McMillan gave every satisfaction as referee.

Kerepeehi showing improved form surprised Waitakaruru, who, with a strung team, could only win by six points. The first half, when Kerepeehi were short-handed, was in favof Waitakaruru. Kerepeehi'was later reinforced with another of their players and a couple of “borrowed” men. The second half Was a very even tussle, and Waitakaruru could not add to their score. With a little more training and thorough coaching the Kerepeehi fifteen may later on in the season prove themselves to be quite as good as the best. Both junior games were evenly contested, the margin in both cases being only three points. The standard of play appears to be steadily growing higher, though there is yer considerable room for improvement. The junior competition is a little disorganised owing to a replay having been ordered in the recent Waitaka-ruru-Patetongg match. Turua and

Ngatea at present hold the top position with two wins each (four points). Kerepeehi is next with one win, while Patetonga and Waitakaruru have not yet been credited with apy points. ; The match between Turua and Ngatea schoolboys' teams set down for last Saturday did not eventuate. As the many interesting matches yet to be decided are expected to draw considerably large crowds, each club should endeavour to make adequate provision to cope with the gate and the side-line. . The country playing areas are not fenced to force, all spectators to enter the grounds by I the gateways, and there may he many who gain free entrance to the • grounds ; in fact, at Ngatea on Satur.‘day, when a big gate was expected, the proceeds did not total £5. Some scheme should be devised whereby all spc-tcators will be charged. The spectators must, also be. kept off the playii-g area, and if no provision is made, the referee has too frequently to stop the game while the onlookers get behind the line. This can easily be remedied with a little wire and a few posts.

Next Saturday the cup matches will be suspended -o permit ! senior and junior A. and B. trial matches t.o be played. Each club is asked to nominate seven senior and seven junior players. The-rep. teams for the following Saturday will be picked from the result of those games.

T.h;e representative Plains teanrs will play in blank jerseys again this season, as green (the chosen colour) is unobtainable. Now that <he rule-books are to hand the work of organising the referees' association will soon he gone on with. ) . The report that it had been suggeste I at the Thames Rugby Union’s recent meeting that the Hauraki Plains challenge (for. the Peace Cup should not be received, was not seriously discussed at fihe Plains Union meeting on Saturday. It was pointed out that the N.Z. Rugby Union had defined the Thames Valley boundaries and accepted the affiliation, so that Thames had no option but 4o accept the Plains challenge for the Peace Cup. It is understood that, Hamilton, Paeroa, and Piako have already challenged for the cup, and the first match wil,l probably be played against Hamilton on June 24. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY.

• The following are the fixtures for next Saturday : Senior and junior trial matches, to be played at Ngatea. Juniors to start at 1 p.m. and seniors at 2.30 P.m.