RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3270, 31 May 1943, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

PAEROA V. TE AROHA

WIN FOR LOCAL TEAM FIRST GAME OF SEASON The weather was fine and’ the ground in good order for the opening game of the season when a Paeroa team met a team from Te Aroha at the Domain on Saturday.' Though most of the players suffered from lack of training the game was fast and interesting throughout and indicated that some good football will be witnessed in the coming season. The home team was slightly heavier than Te Aroha and on the day played better football though had luck favoured the losers a bit more the result would have been much closer. Paeroa combined the better to eventually win by 28 points to 3. The teams were as follows:—

Paeroa.—Speechley; Jamieson, Fulton, McKain; Ryall, Baker; Finlay; Pearson. Strong, Neil, Niven, Murphy, Goble, Vinnicombe. Te Aroha.—McMillan; Wawman, Kelcher, Mallow, McCarthy, Swney; Austin; Hooper, Duncan, Wilson, Needham, Stables, Candy,, Mather, Stewart.

From the kick-off Paeroa received and opened up a good passing rush to take play to Te Aroha’s 25. Play hung in this area until Crosby secured from a scrum, worked the blind side to dummy his way through to score the first (ry six minutes after the start, of play. Ryall failed with the kick.

Paeroa 3, Te Aroha 0. . Paeroa secured from the drop-out and again rushed play to Te Aroha’s line but was penalised for offside. McMillan took the kick for Te Aroha and with a good kick found touch on the Paeroa. side of the half-way line. Te Aroha secured from the line-out but a dropped pass gave Paeroa possession and a score looked imminent. Ryall held on too long and a scrum gave relief to Te Aroha. Paeroa were penalised for handling in the scrum, McCarthy finding touch with a good kick. The Paeroa backs were combining well and several passing rushes carried play to the Te Aroha line, the Te Aroha fullback, McMillan, having a busy time keeping Paeroa from scoring. Paeroa were not i to be denied and after an excellent * run by Baker and Fulton Ryall secured from a scrum to cut in and score. He missed the kick. Paeroa 6, Te Aroha 0.

From the drop-out Paeroa initiated another passing bout for Crosby to eventually secure and score wide out. Fulton missed the kick.

Paeroa 9, Te Aroha 0 1 . ■Play was fast in midfield until temporarily held up by an injury to Wawman. (Te Aroha). who was replaced. From the scrum Te Aroha rushed play to 10 yards from Paeroa’s goalline where they looked like scoring, but Ryall cleared with a good kick and half-time came with the score Paeroa '9 Te Aroha - —- —.— 0 On resuming, Crosby secured to hand on to Ryall to Fulton, who made a great run and then passed to Jamieson who scored wide out. Ryall narrowly missed the kick. Paeroa 12, Te Aroha 0. McCarthy was playing a great game at five-eighths for Te Aroha but lacked support from his other backs. Time and again it was this player who broke up the Paeroa attacks. Paeroa kept throwing the ball about and after a passing rush in which all the backs handled Bakerscored a good try. Ryall missed the kick. Paeroa 15, Te Aroha 0.

A free kick to Te Aroha saw play switch to Paeroa’s 25 but Speechley secured arid after a determined run he handed to Fulton who sent McKain over wide out. Ryall missed a difficult kick. - Paeroa 18, Te Aroha 0.

Paeroa were penalised for offside McCarthy finding touch inside halfway. The same player secured from the line-out and shaking off a tackle, set sail for the line to score. a good try under the posts. He failed to convert his own try. Paeroa 18, Te Aroha 3.

The Te Aroha boys were now tiring and Paeroa secured two tries in quick succession, the first by Ryall and the second by Crosby, Ryall converting both. The whistle blew shortly after for the game to end. Paeroa - - — 28 Te Aroha — .... .... 3 Mr H. W. McGregor rdfereed.