RUGBY FOOTBALL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 224, 23 August 1939, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

BAY TEAM SELECTED MATCH AT OPOTIKI In view of the'good showing made by the Bay of Plenty representative team against Waikato at Hamilton recently, and the good performances put up by the Poverty Bay representatives this year, the match between these two teams on Saturday at Opotiki should be a very hue one. Some of the players will be striving hard for All Black honours, and the chances of A. AlcAneney (R. 8.) are considered to he very bright. This;/ placer usually plays cm the wing hut on Saturday he is to;lie tried as first 'five-eighths: The aim of the Gisborne selector, Air. Freiieli, is to secu'r© penetratio;i. With the much better standard of Rugby this year, the .meeting of these two teams should! attract a big crowd, especially as the prices for admission are very low. Following are the members of the Bay of Plenty representative team to play Poverty Bay at Opotiki on Saturday next, August 26-: Full-back. H. Payment (Tauranga); three-quarters, E. Donovan (Te Puke), R. Lees (Kangitaiki), G. Oswald (.Whakatano) j live-eighths. M. Lees (Rangitaiki), R.jcues (.Opotiki) ; hali-nack, Lenurum (Opotiki); forwards, E. Hay ward (Whakatano), M. Alatlicson (Rotorua), Nicholson (Te Puke); T. WhiteIcy (Rangitaiki), J. Best (W’haka.tane); c.uergencies, backs, Mihaere (Opotiki), L. Raynor (W hakatane), AI. Francis (Rotorua); forwards, P. Tahiti (Rangitaiki), K. Aratema (Rotorua). Alonita Delamcre (Opotiki). The .managers of the team will be Mr. W. Buffett (Opotiki), and Mr. W. S. Henderson (Whakatano).

Tile Poverty Hay team lias been selected as follows Full-back, T. Scholium; three-quar-ters, it. Short, W. Hoy. and A. Read; five-eighths, P. Haisman and A. AJcAneney; hall-hack, \\'. Morrison; front-row forwards, \V. Johnstone, C. Anderson, C. McGrannichan; middlerow, G. 'Phillips, M. O’Jirien, W. Aitken, captain, and F. Twigg; hack-row, 11. Rogers. Flmergencies: hacks, T. Smiler, M. Sharp; forwards, AY. Holmes M. Doyle. OPOTiKI RUGBY UNION COAIAITTTFE AIICETUN G i 'The following members were present at the weekly meeting ol the management committee: of the Opotiki Rugby Union: Messrs. T. Hickey (chairman), AY. Hnrrett. Beat-tie, Roberts. ALarjoribanks. Black, Chapman, Delameie. Parkinson and I). Bennett (secretary). An apology for absence was recoiled from Mr. Sotheran. ' Shield Match.—-The chairman congratulated the team and selector on the performance in retaining the HurinuKApanui Shield. The manager, Mr. I). Marjoribanks,reported upon the satisfactory manner in which the teams played and mentioned the success of the evening lor players. 'The players had expressed their appreciation of the Union’s hospitality. He reported that the new ball was missing. The committee decided that inquiries would lie made tor the ball and its loss advertised. Shalloon Shield.—Air. Roberts reported up(wi the result ol the Shalloon Shield game at Rotorua, stating that the junior representatives had made a very good effort under most difficult conditions. A latch with AVajikohu.—Arrangements in connection with the return match with the AA’aikohu representatives were discussedi. 'The match will be played at Te Kanaka- on Saturday. Mr. I). Marjoribanks was appointed manager, and the team will leave Air. Hickey’s shop at 1) a.m. and will travel in Air. Aiio’s bus. Bay Rep. Match. —Arrangements fo-r the running of this match were finalised. 'Tile secretary reported that a match between AATiakatane and Opotiki 3rd. grade representatives had been arranged. Air. A. Short- was appointed referee. Practices for the 3rd. grade team will lie held on Tuesd'av, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Air. Roberts was appointed coach and manager, while Air. Seville is to assist in the training. Donations.—'The secretary was instructed to write letters of appreciation to those who had made donations to the Union funds, and to thank those shopkeepers who assisted toward the Success of the fixture on Saturday by closing tlleir shops; also to thank the Golf and Hunt Clubs for their co-op-eration. Challenge.—The secretary was instructed to ascertain whether or notthe Apamii Rugby Sub-Union is on-

titled to" challefnge'tlie the shield for the final match of. the seas- / j. i ■ on. ,/■' •

.Mclntosh Shield..—lt was decided to forward a. challenge to the holders of the McLn|%s!h : Shield (Thuraafga), •' p. siiitals§|pate tosc arranged. Injpfeu Players.—Consideration • of the'-'cases of injured players “'svfis deferred!. _ it- was deemed that as many members of. the ' committee as possible should attend the annual meeting of the Athletic Association.

THE SHALFOUN SHIELD OpOTIKI OVERAVHIXMED . . f'- . POKJHUA’S GREAT VICTORY Reporting on the Shalloon Shield match playe'cV a.t Rotorua on Saturday last'■tlie^lto’gprxia'Morning Post states: gV/disappointing attendance turned oift, on • Saturday to watch the total ■.defeat of. Opotiki junior representatives by those of Rotorua, in the second match o l f The Shalftion Shield imr ies played f at Arawa Park. The ness of the day, no doubt;,, put off. a’ number of the regular /t spectators, while many enthusiasts travelled to Opotiki .to witness , tifje Opotiki-Roto-rua senior representative match for the Te Hurimii Apauui Memorial Shield. - - 1 Rotorua, played,, a fine] game, displaying at times bri lliany’ com bin atiqnj '

and proving, so strong in the forwards, both ill the loose-and the tight, that tlie opposition backs seldom had a chance of scoring. "The- final-Total, was the unusually large one of 36—1*4 in favour of Rotorua. Tile home team -were oh top for practically the whole .of the match, • scoring 2‘S of their points in the second spell, when laced by .the setting sun and a. strong wind.

The forwards dominated, the game bursting through the . opposing pack with comparative ease many times during the. match . There were also some very fipe back- movements in the course of the encounter, several of them resulting in tries. Altogether the match could -be said to. be the best that the juniors have played so lar this season, and had they played in the same spirit when they met Rangitaiki, the Shield wouldi ■; not have been retained on a protest only.

The visitors, although overshadowed by Rotorua, turned on. seme good play at times, as their score of 14 points shows. They had; an exceptionally fast and nippy back line, but inability to secure-the ball from scrums, militated against- many moves by the backs. The foi'vvards appeared, ail round, to be lighter than Rotorua-, and'this no doubt made a considerable difference to the result of the game. Ewert maintained his reputation by putting over a very near field goal from about 15 yards ogt, the pack having taken the ball in the serum, but- his feat was excelled by that of Chambers, playing for Opotiki, who put over v a magnificent >pot from the vicipitv of the 25-yard'- line. Jhev were two fine kicks. Shortly after the commencement of tlieupatch, with Rotorua in the ascendant, J. Wilson scored on the wing from a ragged passing rush in which both’ forwards and backs were associated. His try was converted by Ewert, who put over a penalty kick almost immediately, making the score Rotorua 8, Opotiki 0. A little before half-time Opotiki attacked strongly, almost reaching the Rotorua line, but a brilliant passing movement by the backs completely turned the tallies* Wilson again .scoring with a hurst of speed andi Skinner converting the try, to make the halftime total Rotorua 13, Opotiki 0.

With the wind behind them, Opotiki made no error in scaling a fine try immediately after the spell, when Heattie outpaced the defence to score neai the posts, Shoeran converting. Ewert-, however, practically made up lost ground by putting over his field goal, when the score was Rotorua 17, Opotiki -5.

From a forward rush initiated in a scrum at the twenty-five, P. Barker gathered up the ball in a scramble and dived over the line for Rotorua. His trvjvas followed by a fine solo effort- by’ Kaimona, who sprang into the aiy to take a kick from the Opotiki full-back, and; cutting through the opposition to score neatly. Skinner was unable to convert the try. or another one some minutes later, when I*. -Yior- , risen scored at speed after another neat sidestep some’TTistanee from the goal. Next score went to Opotiki, when Debreceny gathered up thei ball near half-way and sprinted' for the line, none of the Rotorua defence being able to catch him. Sheeran aiso converted this try, making the score Rotorua 26, Opotiki 10.

Chambers added the final four points to Opotiki’s score with his field goal, T. Jacobs and Merriman taking the remaining tries for Rotorua and Ewert converting both, to make the/ final total : Rotorua 33, Opotiki 14.