BATTLE FOR SHIELD

NZ Truth, Issue 1238, 22 August 1929, Page 16

BATTLE FOR SHIELD

, Wairarapa Defeat Manawhenua (From "NvZ.. Truths Wairarapa. Rep.) W.hateyer may. have/ : been said . ... and written about the; two preSeding; ; games m d.efehceV.pfVthe.Ran- ■ /furly Shield, '-/ifAliad no -application .' ■ to. the match against ManavyhSnua' last Saturday, when the -greehs had a walk-over to the'tune of 37-' > points>to 16. DLfAYING against the sun and a gale of wind m the first half, Wairarapa wem down 13-8' at the. interval, but they . werej'playing m a manner that left no doubt whatever as to what . would happen ' when conditions were reversed. * Making the game open and playing spectacular, football .m spite of the force of the wind making passing difficult, they rattled or. the points m good style, and m the closing stages had the : challengers at. their mercy. Back and forward, the greens were much too strong for the x visitors, and had the weather been good the score m their favor would have

been even larger. Sixteen poi.nts may seem a lot for a team like Manawhenua»to put up against Wairarapa, but with the exception of T. Pa- . rata's great try, the . visitors .. had the wind to thank for the majority, of , them. .(■. :';.-. Against the wind, the defending side was kept on tenterhooks, the ball sometimes • acting like a. thing possessed. High punting

was out of the question, as the wind . carried the ball back over the- kicker's head and towards the goal-line. Playing with it, the attacking side had to exercise great restraint m .the use of the boot, and even then, on very many occasions, the ball found its way over the dead ball line. . With the exception of Irvine and Randal Booth, the Wairarapa team was the same as, that which played Auckland. Olliver and Reid did the hooking, Reside taking his old place m the back row. Corklll displaced Cundy at first fiveeighths, the latter filling Booth's place dn the (eft wing. Though allowance must be made forthe weak opposition,l the rearrangement showed good results, and it Is likely. that this .will bethe back formation -when Wairarapa meet' Canterbury on the 28th. Corkill played a heady game, his best effort being the brainy piece of work that led to Cooke's first score. Well and fit. again, Stringfellow went like a frisky colt. A straight and fast runner, he gave the defence continual } trouble. The wind had Fred Fuller badly beaten In regard to goal-kicking and the best he could do In four or five attempts was to convert a try from right m front. Rawi'ts greater.' experience of goal-kick-ing under all conditions stood him m good stead;. , and kicking marvellously well/ he raised the flags on each, of his four attempts—a wonderful -feat m such a gale of wind. - 1 - ■■' '■' * ■ _ Fuller is now . getting- more -used •to "" ,"" : wing play and gave

an improved show■ing.' all-round; . G.iyeh. a/fair ; spin, Roach's • play 'at full-back '> was -.a great contrast .to his game against Auckland. .No.th-r---ing got past him '■ on this occasion. Had Mill not been on the pad - dock, W. Parata would have been given credit for playing a t good game, but he was completely overshadowed by the Wairarapa half.. At centre, Flet-

. cher w.a.s reliable without being brilliant. The wingers, Strange and Page, both 1 showed possibilities m the first half, when Manawhenua were doing most of the at--1 tacking,' but faded under stress. '<■ ■ The 'Manawhenua pack were a hefty • lot, but contained too many specialists m the loose style of play to ef- . fectively hold the Greens m check. Most of the hard work m tho tight was done by Dalziell and Parsons, both of whom went really well all through. Wairarapa will now have a brief spell till the 28th, when' Canterbury's challenge .. for the .Shield will be contested at Mas-' terton. ..'"•". . iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiniiii