FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3986, 20 August 1929, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS. JUNIOR FINALS. Otaki 13 v. Foxton 3. SENIOR NASH OUP. Foxton forfeited to Shannon. 'Wanderers 14 v. Hui Mai 11. : +—-v Manawatu defeated Southern Hawke’s Bay at Palmerston North by 28 points to 8. Huia (Rangiotu) Juniors defeated Rangiotu Juniors at Oroua Downs in the final for the competition, by 8 points to 5. New Plymouth Boys’ High school defeated Te Ante at New Plymouth by three points (penalty goal) to nil. WAIRARAPA RETAIN RANFURiLY SHIELD. DEFEAT MANAWIHENUA BY 37 .POINTS TO 16. Wairarapa successfully defended the ißanfurly Shield fo<r the third time against Manawhenua on Saturday, defeating the challengers by 37 points to 16. Manawhenua (red, white and blue) won the toss and Wairarapa (dark green) set the ball in motion. A good mark by Johnston early in the piece stemmed a Wairarapa rush and forced play downfield, where the shieldholders were penalised on their twenty-five line. Fletcher, with the wind behind him, put the challengers three points up in as many minutes’ play. From, half-way, Wairarapa forced the pace and wa,s awarded a penalty well out. 'The wind blew the ball back over the heads of the forwards when Fuller took the kick. Over-vigorous kicking by Manawhenua saw touch in goal, but from the" drop-out, the challengers’ backs swept into action. The movement was halted when Fletcher was caught in possession and a welcome free kick to Wairarapa enabled Cooke to find the line at the twentyfive. Manawhenua continued to press and T. Parata and Conrad led a strong forward rush that was only stemmed by an infringement. Wooiking back to half-way, Wairarapa forwards took the ball at their toe and a kick found Johnston out of place. M. Willoughby chased the leather across, but Johnston saved by kicking behind the dead ball line. An exchange of kicking saw the challengers back at half-way, where a high kick from Fuller, which was blown back, nearly spelt disaster. Wairarapa backs secured possession and Cooke cut through the opposition light to the full-back. Johnston was equal to the emergency, however, and a good tackle stopped a try, enabling Manawhenua forwards to clear. Wairarapa continued to press, however, and J. Donald snapped up in the ruck to send the greens away. The

ball was lost in the scrummage, but in a flash, Mill had picked up and dived over. Fuller missed the kick. In a movement, Manawhenua had swept play to the other end of the ground and a solid forward rush saw Parsons battle over with two defenders dragging him down. Fletcher converted with a beautiful kick. Play settled down in mid-field, but a short passing rush between Harvey, McGregor and Stringfellow was stemmed in the nick of time by Johnston. From neutral territory, Strange secured but was forced into touch by Roach when nearly over at the corner. Wairarapa forced again, but Manawhenua came back and Stringfellow was called on to clear'. Next, Johnston took a mark in the teeth of a rush, while Page followed the kick and gained ground with a determined run. In a moment, Wairarapa had retaliated, and Cundy broke away to beat the defence within 15 yards of the line, but Fletcher came across and threw him out of touch. In the resulting scrummages, Conrad and Tatana were prominent in driving back the invaders into neutral territory. The relief was only temporary and in a scrummage on the challengers’ twenty-five line, Cooke seeufred from Mill and scored between the posts. Fuller converted. Manawhenua B—Wairarapaß—Wairarapa 8. Manawhenua continued to press, and another serum on the Wairarapa line resulted. Manawhenua forwards stove in the defence and Miles fell on the ball over the line. Fletcher again made no mistake with the kick. Half time sounded shortly after with the scores —Manawhenua 13 — Wairarapa 8. In the second half Bramwell replaced W' Parata behind the Manawhenua scrum. Cooke sent play early to Manawhenua’s 25 with a good line kick, but visitors cleared. The press continued however, and a fogce temporally saved the situation. Greens however, came back again and from a scrummage Cundy crossed. Fuller missed with the kick. * Manawhenua immediately replied. Tatana and Conrad led an assault and Parata crossed. The kick failed. Wiairarapa retaliated with solid attacks but failed to alter the scores until their backs sent Fuller across in the corner. His attempt at goal failed. •J. Donald then cut through and planted the leather behind the posts. Fuller added major points and gave Wairarapa the lead by 19 points to 16. Wairarapa forwards took up the offensive and in a short while Corkill scored. (Cundy converted.

A few minutes later Cundy was successful with an attempt at goal from 15 yards on the Manawhenua side of half way. Cooke soon after scored again and Cundy converted. Manawhenua retaliated slightly but they could not now hold back the shield holders. Stiringfellow crossed and Cundy converted. The game ended with play at the half way line, Wairarapa 37 —'Manawhenua 16.

JUNIOR OUP FINAL. OTAKI v. FOXTON. The Horowiienua Rugby final for the junior championship was played on the Levin Park Domain on Saturday, between Otaki and Foxton, the former winning by 13 points to 3. As a result of recent rain, the ground was heavy and the ball difficult to handle, but despite this fact spectator’s witnessed a fast game, and, considering the greasy state of the ball, both teams handled it well". Otaki, w T ho were the heavier team, played for the first ten minutes with only fourteen men. It was the excellent work of their forwards in the loose that brought them victory. Several times they swept down the field with the bail at their toes, and it was only through the fine defence of the Foxton backs that the score was not larger. The following w r as the personnel of the tw’o teams: — Otaki. —O. Flutey, M. Johnson, P. Cook, H. Derham, G. Merwood, K. Metera, J. McLeavey, B. Ryder, J. Fafeita, S. Sinkinson, J. McDonald, R. Merwood, W. Annis, J. Bevan, H. Edw’ards. Foxton.—C. Huff, Rankin, H. Huff, V. Hoffman, Williams, Stevenson, Hartley, McCorkindale, Scott, McGregor, Wright, J. Barber, Taylor, Irwin, Anderson. Play opened with Otaki going to the attack, but a free kick allowed Foxton to work back, and from a dribbling rush Otaki had to force. .On the ball going into play Foxton came again, and once more Otaki had to force. Then G. Merwood gathered up near the half-way line and ran through the opposition, to be grassed nicely by C. Huff, at full-back, and not being supported by any of his colleagues, a good chance was missed to open Otaki’s scoring account. Following this, Foxton had to force. A fine passing rush by Foxton from the halfway line carried play to Otkai’s line, where Stevenson picked up and' sent on to H. Huff and the latter on to Williams, who scored. The try was not converted. Foxton 3 Otaki nil. After play had travelled up and (low’ll the field, G. Merwood again put in a splendid run to the line, but when, collared there was no one handy to pass the ball to. Just on the call of time Foxton made a hot attack in Otaki’s territory, a scoring chance being lost by a forward pass. The spell was an even bout. On changing over Matera and Ryder fii-ibbled to Foxton’s 25, where fast following up to Sinkinson, enabled Edwards to score, Me-

tera converting. Otaki s—Foxton5 —Foxton 3. Otaki continued to press, and from a penalty Metera had a shot at goal. The direction was right, but the ball fell short, and, Bevan following up, secured and crossed the line and scored. Metera added his second goal. Otaki 10 —Foxton 3. Foxton now became aggressive, and Flutey had to kick to touch to save. Finally Otaki worked back, and, following a line-out, R. Mer•wood got possession from a scramble and went over. Metera failed to increase the score. Otaki 13 — Foxton 3. Mr. T. Parata controlled the game. Of a good pack of forwards, Sinkinson, Fafeita and Edwards were the outstanding members for Otaki, while of an even lot of backs 0. Merwood and G. Flutey were the most prominent. The Foxton backs proved very solid on defence, C. Huff and Hartley putting up a great showing, while the forwards to a man worked hard against their heavier opponents. A noticeable feature of the game was the clean hooking by both teams. Wanganui Technical College first XV, met and defeated a Te Aute team at Wanganui yesterday by 24 points to 6. For Te Aute, Rum kicked a penalty goal and Hunter scored an unconverted try. For Technical College, Bassett, Warren 13), R. Mete Kingi and Lauvatu scored tries, three of which Welsh converted. The friends of Mr. J. Kirkland will be pleased to learn that he has been selected in the Canterbury team to tour the North Island. “Jim” is a nephew of Mr. W. Kirkland, of Foxton.