FOOTBALL.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 42, 7 August 1924, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

ROTORUA 25, PUTARURU 5. The Putaruru representative Rugby team journeyed to Rotorua on Saturday and played the Rotorua rep. team at Arawa Park. A hard game resulted, but Rotorua proved to have a nimble, dashing combination in its back division, which was entirely responsible for compiling a score of 25 points for Rotorua against five points for Futaruru. The Putaruru forwards played a good combined game, especially towards the end, their hustling and hard tackling smothering the fast Rotorua backs in great style, and after one cr two unlucky attempts scoring through Knap. The Putaruru backs showed individual form, but did not strike the effective combination so necessary to scoring. The Putaruru team were: Full-back, Hamilton; three-quarters, Reweti, Taylor, Cox; live-eigh'.hs, Taupiri, Kite; half, Rawe; rover, Gasparich; forwards, Jensen, Tcmalin, Cocks, Knap, Nor- ; ton, Newell, Taieri. Rotorua (black) started the ball rolling, the exchange of kicks and fast following up allowing the Putaruru forwards to get well into their opponents’ quarters for a time. The scene cf operations was removed by a Rotorua passing bout, in which Hohepa and Oneone gained 50 yards. A forward move between Atihepa, Oneone, Reke and Papuni was stopped only just in time. Putaruru (red and black) then broke away in a loose i forward rush, which ended in the blacks forcing. Vercoe made a prom- j ising opening for Rotorua, which was quickly nullified by a clever intercep- j ticn by Gasparich, who made a good I run, but was overtaken. The blacks [ cleared and Papuni made a fine attempt to score from a free kick. Sergeant led the black forwards, the ball

going over the line, Hamilton antici* Rihari by a second in touching ▼ down. The reds attacked, mainly through a good run down the side line by Cox, when the whistle sounded to change over. Almost immediately, the black rearguard got going, and after passing through the hands of Atikepa, Oneone, Vercoe and Papuni, with good snap, the latter grounded the ball over the line, drawing first blood for the home team. Sergeant sent the ball over from an awkward angle, and Rotorua were five points up. Rihari gained ground with a neat run until well collared, then Rem ana secured from the loose, got clear, and handed on to Parakuka, who scored, but Papuni’s kick at goal just missed the upright—Rotorua 8, Putaruru 0. Half-time sounded with the ball in neutral territory. Reweti had had to retire from the game a couple of minutes before owing to an injury, and, on play resuming, he was replaced at wing threequarter by Taieri, while McQuillan was the fresh player who brought the Putaruru pack to full strength. Opening in the second half, Putaru- . ru attacked and the reds got a handy kick beyond quarter way but in front of the goal. Gasparich took the kick but the leather fell short. For Rotorua, Vercoe picked up in the open, made ground and handed to Reke, to Anaru, who put on the finishing touches. The kick at goal fail- ; ed—Rotorua 11, Putaruru 0. The blacks were now getting the upperhand in solid passing rushes, and the score was increased through Atikepa making a nice opening and passing at the right time to Hohepa, who brushed through two opponents and dived over the line. The attempt to improve was again futile. Rotorua 14, Putaruru 0. Oneone and Sargeant were

noticeable in effective line work, but Cox made a sure tackle as he over•jjrhauled the blacks. T-he reds, by concerted footwork, transferred play to the blacks’ quarters and forced them. whistle sounded to cross over for the last 20 minutes. The reds were not dismayed at the score, and played up with renewed vim, the forwards showing great dash. Taupiri, who had been doing great work, secured the oval and got clear. At the right moment he sent out to Cox. The latter gained ground and sent the ball infield again to Taupiri and he back again to Cox, who was held a yard or two from the corner flag by an offside tackle, an abortive kick at goal resulting instead of what would otherwise have been a try. It was a spectacular bit of play which deserved success. The blacks cleared, but a fine mark by Rawe stopped them in mid career. This was still further improved by a run by Taupiri, which failed from want of support. The reds kept up the pressure and Heke in trying to get clear, ran across the front of the goal posts and was well tackled a few yards from the line. He lost the ball, which Knap snapped up and dived over the line for a well deservtry near the corner. Gasparich sent the ball fair between the posts, makPutaruru’s tally 5 to Rotorua’s 14.

This success heartened the visitors and they had the best of the play for a time, the blacks being forced. A lot of ground was gained for Rotorua by a passing bout between Vercoe, Atikepa and Anaru, resulting in the latter racing over to score. Hohepa’s attempt was wide. Rotorua 17, Putaruru 5- In quick succession two more tries were added in the closing stages by the efforts of Pini and Papuni, the latter converting his. Rotorua 25, Putaruru 5.

For the visitors the most prominent players were Cox and Taupiri in the back division and Jensen and Toma Tin among the forwards, while the tackling generally was good. All the Rotorua men played well. Mr. W. P. Martin was referee.

last week’s meeting of the management committee of the Putaruru Rugby Union was attended by Messrs [J. Barr Brown (chairman), F. Phillips (executive), J. Gasparich (schools union), M. Henderson (Rovers), Francis (Selwyn), and G. E. Martin (United). Mr. Phillips was, appointed to act as secretary for the meeting in the absence of Mr. Ashford. It was resolved that the union’s ..competition for this season be now declared ended, it being unnecessary to play the further matches of the second round to decide the winners.

The following fixtures were then arranged for future Saturdays:—August 9, Maori v. Pakeha, at Putaruru; August 16, A and B rep match, at Putaruru, to try out the Putaruru union’s rep team for the Finlay Cup match the next Saturday; August 23, Cambridge v. Putaruru, at Cambridge, for Finlay Cup. It was agreed tentatively that following these should take place the Selwyn v. Rest of the Union match, at Mangatapu, and the Hamilton-Putaruru rep match at Putaruru. The Te Awahou (Ngongotaha) Rugby Union wrote asking for a match with the Putaruru union’s representatives, either at Putaruru or Ngongotaha. It was decided to reply that the first available date the Putaruru union had for such a match was September 13, and if this was suitable the Putaruru union would advise later where it wished the match to be played. It was reported that Amopiu Bros., of Te.Whetu, had sent a verbal message offering a cup for a knock-out competition between the clubs in the Putaruru union, and the union was awaiting the necessary written confirmation of the offer.

REPRESENTATIVE TEAM. The following team has been chosen to represent Waikato against Auckland:—Full-back, Malloy (Waipa); three-quarters, Beaver, (Hamilton), A. Thompson (Cambridge), C. Thompson (Cambridge); five-eighths, Kemp (Hamilton), Johnston (Hamilton) ; half-back, Buckingham (Hamilton); rover, Peake (Cambridge); forwards, McHardy (Morrinsville), Courtney (Hamilton), D. Bourke (Cambridge), Robertson (Cambridge), Gray (Hamilton), Delaney (Matamata), Carter (Morrinsville). Emergencies: Warren, Hooper, Quin, Campbell, Harrison.

'The teams for Saturday’s Rugby match at Putaruru are:—Maoris (selected by Messrs. M. Phillips and T. D. Reweti): Full-back, Kite; threequarters, Terei, Taupiri, Potalia; fiveeighths, Uundon, Phillips; half-hack, G. Barnett; rover, Reweti; hookers, Borrell, Banner; lock, Jones; sides, Waea, Taieri; back row, Morgan, Edwards; emergencies (backs), Heta, Tawhi, S. Paul, (forwards), R. Barnett, Tua. Pakehas (selected by Putaruru Rugby Union selector, Mr. Parker): Full-back, Hamilton; threequarters, Ashworth, Woolliams, Taylor; five-eighths, T. Henderson, Gasparich; half-back, Woodward; rover, Dimond; hookers, Jensen, Knap; lock, Cocks; sides, Norton, Karl; back row, Newell, Dunlop; emergencies, C. Brown, Irvine, Macown, G. Brown. D. Cox, of Ongaroto, who is leaving the district, W. Henderson and F. Tomalin would have been included in t-he pakeha team but are not available for the match.

A correspondent (C. S. Jenkins), priding himself on being a fair judge of the game, writes to the Wellington Evening Post, in reply to the criticism of the All Black team by G. Tyler, a member of the original All Blacks: —“ I certainly consider,” says the correspondent, “ that the 1924 backs are inferior to t-he 1905 backs, but the forwards are infinitely better, and the team generally compares very favorably with the 1905 team. Certainly there are less ‘ passengers ’ in the present team. I saw the Auck-land-All Black match, and it was 'a case of a good provincial team out to win against an untried combination just off a steamer after a heavy trip, and whose members were indifferent to the result. In speaking of an un-

1 tried combination, I refer more par

ticularly to the backs. There is no doubt that the All Blacks were beaten through the failure of their fiveeighths’ line. One might almost go further and say through Badeley’s failure. Mr. Tyler’s criticism, boiled down, is a criticism of an Aucklander against Hawkes’ Bay. Taking this individual criticism: Paewai has not played since the tests. He was brilliant last year, and is young and will improve out of sight. Mill lost Wright in the tests, and in the last game in Auckland, in spite of Auckland’s criticisms. M’Gregor was a failure in Auckland and in the tests, but we in Wellington know his worth as a player (how unfortunate is Johnston, though?) Kirwan and Matson are good players, and may or may not be unlucky, but Olsen and Goodacre were the two outstanding players in the Auckland match. Irvine is a good front-ranker. Lomas may be a better hooker, but I think it is sufficient criticism of Mr. Tyler’s article to point out that Irvine (Hawkes’ Bay) and Lomas (Auckland) were only half the number of the hookers in the game. Also, in spite of anything to the contrary, the All Blacks had a fair share of the scrums, and Irvine was prominent in the open. Wright on the tests and the last game is not the first half in New Zealand. Dailey, Mill and Nicholls all are better. Nevertheless, Wright is a good half, and is, I think physically better equipped than Nicholls, although he cannot compare with Nicholls as a player. I think very few Wellingtonians will disagree with Mr. Tyler about J. Moifitt. He should have been in the team, but he, like a score of other All Black forwards, was unlucky. On the question of pace—surely Mr. Tyler does not consider Paewai, Nicholls, Cooke, Lucas, Hart, Brown, and Steele slow? I think if Mr. Tyler had seen a few of the test games he would be satisfied that the 19§4 All Blacks were the makings of a good team, even as the 1905 team were in the beginning, and let it go at that. Certainly I grant him the right to criticise, but it should be fair criticism, and not a ‘ one-eyed ’ Auckland v. Hawkes Bay criticism.”