FOOTBALL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2432, 23 May 1922, Page 2

FOOTBALL

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

SENIORS Wanderers IG, Foxton 9. Old Boys 26, Weraroa 3, Hui Mai 13, Shannon 5. JUNIORS

Wanderers 21, Weraroa 3, Rovers 8, Shannon 3. Tokomaru 3, Foxton 3.

THIRDS. Rovers 10, Shannon 3. Foxton 37, Weraroa 0

FOURTHS. High School 35, Training Farm 9

(Notes by Koata.)

Foxton was again fortunate in experiencing line weather for the continuation of the football competitions on Saturday. At the Race Course the general public attended in force, this fact testified to the great popularity Rugby enjoys in thik part of the Horowhenna district. Although there was no Senior match played locally, the high standard of play in this grade last week gave reason to believe that residents of this district would be favoured with some brillajnt expositions of the National game this season, and Saturday’s play did not detract in the least from this belief, but only tendered to strengthen it. The display given by the Foxton Fourths in their match against Weraroa was one well Worth the trouble to go some distance to witness. Foxton’s success was mainly due to superior combination than to anything else. There is still room for improvement to be made •in this grade. Foxton Thirds proved themselves to be better than their opponents by the safe margin of 11 points. Here, too, the high standard wes maintained, . The match between Foxton Juniors and Tokomaru proved an evenly contested one throughout and before its commencement it was confidently expected " that Tokomaru, with the assistance of seven “reduced” senior players would over-run the local combination owing to the great preponderance of weight in their favour, but owing to necessity of both teams being compelled to centre the ball, the whole aspect was changed as the local boys whose combination showed that they had been training assiduously. Their light nippy forwards were altogether too fast for the Tokomaru pack and the admirable way in which they worked in conjunction with their backs betokened efficient combination. - 1

, The most unfortunate feature of Saturday’s carnival was the inattention shown by many of the spectators to the appeals (to keep the limits of the field clear) made by the referee. In the second spell of the Junior match he had to stop the game four times. Referees, in future, will report the names of those offending to the Union who will take ;lie necessary steps to refuse their admission.

Weraroa kicked off witli the sun in their ffcps. Play, for the first live minutes was slightly in favour of the local team. Offside play by Fuller relieved the visitors for but a few moments. From a line-out within Foxton’s 25 the local forwards initiated a t rmidable dribbling rush which carried play well within striking distance where Delany. ai'ier his vanguard had overrun the ball, secured and transferred it immediately to Huff who, in turn, passed to Ebliett, who scored Mm first try for Foxton. Fuller’s kick at goal failed. Foxton 3; Weraroa nil. Weraroa kicked from half-way and Foxton lost no time in returning to the attack Avitli a good pas-sing-rush and after the ball passed through many hands Huff scored. W. Walls failed with the kick. Foxtun 6: Weraroa nil. Again the visitors kicked from Imlf-Avay and play quickly moved back towards their 25 line •where Huff picked up the ball and after running round toAvards mid-field, suddenly cut in and passed to Ebbetl, Avho returned the pass to Huff in time to get over. Hinds failed with the kick. Fox-ton 9; Weraroa i* 1 * 1 - k From the drop out Fox'ton forced play and in a few moments a good passing rush avus initiated and after the ball had passed through many hands Nelson got over. Sherlock failed to convert. Foxton 12; Weraroa nil.

On re-opening play a solid rush was started and when things looked mixed Ebbett secured the oval within his opponent’s territorj' and scored a well-earned try. Fuller again failed to convert. Foxton 15; Weraroa nil. Play continued for a feAV moments longer and Avlien matters were beginning to again look unpleasant for the visitors the referee sounded half-lime.

The second spell was eWn better forithe local team than the first as Ihc.A; were never called upon to defend once.

Throughout this spell the visitors had to rely on Cole, Hislop, Broughton and Bell to stall oc the offence. Time out of numbers these boys had to defend their goal-line against the intrusion of the local combination. ' In defence Bell at fullback, for the visitors, deserved special mention for the manner in which lie showed pluck and skill. With four visitors defending, the local team went for all they were worth and in less than three minutes a good passing-rush was started and just before N. Ball was pushed out of touch he passed the oval inwards to Walls who scored and converted his own try. Foxton 20; Weraroa nil. Weraroa’s kick from half-way

gave rise to a dribbling-rush which ended in Fuller scoring. Walls failed to convert. Foxton 23; Weraroa nil. , '•

From the half-way kick the local team transferred the ball from one in another and finally found Crowe in a position to get over. No conversion was attempted. Foxton 26;

Weraroa nil. < From half-way the ball • was quickly returned to the visitors’ territory where Hinds, at full-back, secured it and with a good run duly landed a try. The kick at goal was adjourned till the returned matchFoxton 29; Weraroa nil. The visitors dispatched the oval from half-way where Foxton initiated another passing-rush which resulted in seeing N. Ball race over the line attractively. No conversion was attempted. Foxton 32; Weraroa nil.

From the last visitors’ kick at half-way Fuller got possession of the ball and with a good run he crossed the line. Hinds converted. Foxton 37; Weraroa nil. Thus the score stood when the referee blew his whistle. FOXTON JUNIORS 3 V. MARU 3. Foxton won the toss and decided to defend the northern half with the. sun behind them. Toko, sprang off well and immediately carried play into Foxton’s territory where y Procter, at full-back, was repeatedly called upon to save' by finding touch. With seven reduced seniors in Toko.’s ranks Foxton’s task was by mi means pleasant. The local team was up against weight, strength and matured mep who were all ; well-known exponents of the game Under “Ginger Mick’s” guidance Toko, worked both strenuously and individually. United endeavours in Toko.’s play were conspicuous by their absence; thus they were repulsed repeatedly. Both teams shared attack and defence alike and on one occasion when Foxton was on the attack W. Christie'fell over the line and was unfortunate in losing control of the ball. After play had been in progress for a few, minutes W. Christie was instrumental in bringing about a passing-rush in which Hirini, King and Shortt took part and' in which a try appeared certain if the latter mentioned player had allowed his weigjit and. dash to carry himself over the line. Unfortunately-he al- "" lowed the opposite to happen. From a scrum within Toko.’s territory the ball came out and raced across the field where both teams in turn shared alike in handling it. A knockon ensued and resulted in another scrum being taken within 15 yards, of Toko.’s line. For over-keenesf t x. Foxton was awarded a free-kieE l which Hirini, from a reasonable angle, converted, Foxton 3; Tokomaru nil. *

From this out much in the nature i>i' give and take play ensue*!. Except for the occasional obstruction rendered by “Ginger Mick” to the Foxton half-back little!or nothing up - to the end of the spell eventuated. On resuming pbjy Foxton attacked and carried the ball well within striking distance, but “Ginger Mick” was not long in reviewing the situation and in a few moments he converted the defence into attack. Backwards and forwards went the ball with both teams in hot pursuit, broken only by the referee who stopped the game many times owing *■ ro the spectators encroaching bevond the limits of the playing area. Despite his continued appeals to the onlookers to leave clear a certain space in order to guarantee non-in-terference with players, undue accidents etc,, they would merely ignore them and take up the attitude of one who would not shift until a . ■* stock-whip was applied to one’s render-hide. ' This attitude caused A much regret as it actually altered the result of .the match from a decided win to a, drawn game. dead of the spell lasting 40 minutes ” it actually took 53 to complete it. Uthough the game might have gone on until Toko, had befen able to cross Foxton’s line, yet no referee v would have any reasonable excuse to the game. One could safely conclude that the Foxron spectators were determined to see Toko, win or'make a dra w otherwise they would have thrown (heir lot with the local Juniors by get ling the game over within 45 minutes at the outside. Players as well as those.who enjoy a good exposition of Rugby would appreciate the absence of all those who offend in this direction., There was not theslightest doubt that the, referee exceeded any limit of time which he might place on a spell for interference and accident. The spell commenced punctually at 4 p.m. and-jU White (for Toko.) crossed Foxton’s ' line at 4.52 p.m. Play .continued until 4.53 p.m., when the whistle sounded - for the end of the spell. Mr Randall, referee, interpreted the rules tolerably well but one must point out the want of prompt decis in during scrambles on or near i lie goal line where a player might force and an opponent take an unpaid advantage if, by delay, he is allowed to do so. u 5

HOI? OWHENUA V. RANGITKEL

REP. TEAM SELECTED, 1

The selectors have picked the fol- . lowing team to represent Horowhenua in their first rep. match of the season, to be played against Rangitikei on the' Levin Domain on Wednesday,' May 24th: — Full back: Moses (Foxton), Three-quarters: Johnstone (Hui Mai), N. Winiata (Wanderers), Bryant (Foxton). f~-Five-eighths: Porter (Hui- Mai), T. Winiata (Wanderers). M Half: T. McDonald (Wanderers), Wing forward:- Jacob (Wan