RUGBY FOOTBALL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 307, 22 August 1932, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

OPOTIKI WINS SHIELD AFTER GRUELLING CONTEST BEST GAME OF SEASON After one of the hardest fought matches of the season. Opotiki was successful in .securing the HurunuiApanui Shield from Whakatane on Saturday. For Opotiki Jones played a splendid game being the best back on the field. Sydney, Hawkins, Rangi Paul, Sonny Kelly and J. Brown all did exeellent work for Opotiki. The Opotiki forwards all played outstandingly g-ood football, they were excellent at defence, although Whakatane were better at attacking. Mr. Walker, of Te Puke, controlled ' the game. Whakatane Attack Whakatane kicked off and this was followed by a lineout at halfway. Whakatane were granted a free kick and side play ensued until following a scrum Whakatane found touch in the Opotiki corner. Hawkins secured and found the line with a good kick ' up field. Two scrurns and lineouts followed in quiek succession, Opotiki being granted a kick after the second with which they found touch. Opotiki secured and a kick by Black took the play to Whakatane's line. A scrum was formed at five yards from which Whakatane secured and took play to the 25 line. Frofri a line out and a scrum at half way Opotiki secured and found touch. Whakatane gained possession from the throw in, but only to be penalised and Opotiki kicked up-field where they caught Whakatane in possession. A scrum was ordered from which Opotiki secured and brought play up field. Jones was caught taking the ball out of the scrum and Whaka found relief with a good kick down field. From a series of knock-ons Opotiki had to force, but eventually brought play back to halfway. Jones took play up field, but only for Whaka to return it from a line out to halfway where a scrum was formed. From a free kick Opotiki found touch at the twenty-five, but Connolly returned the compliment with a well placed kick. From the line-out the Opotiki backs started a nice passing movernent, but when Black kicked up field he placed Whakatane in possession and they put the ball out at the halfway line. Opotiki secured from the line-out and f orced the play to the Whakatane line, but McFarlane cleared well to halfway. Play went to Whakatane's twenty-five where Opotiki was granted a free kick, but Hickey Sydney failed to score. Whakatane secured and found the line again at the twenty-five, where Opotiki were granted another kick, but failed to score. A little later Shom Kelly narrowly misrnd scoring as the result of good work by the Opotiki forwards. From a scrum Whakatane backs started a good passing movernent, but Black | saved the situation for Opotiki and [ ennbled Jones to find the line at the ! twenty-five mark. A series of free kicks followed without advantage to | eitTer side. Following a line-out ; Sydney secured and started the Opotiki backs going. Black put in a fast run and transferred to Brown who scored a good try. Sydney failed to convert. Opotiki 3, Whakatane nil. Whakatane made a determined ef~ fort after the lcick-off, but Sydney stopped a proniising passing movernent and half-time was called with no alteration to the. score. After play was resumed both sides worked hard, the play going from twenty-five line to twenty-five line without advantage. After several penalty kicks Whakatane secured from a scrum and found the line at the Opotiki twenty-five. Opotiki gained relief by a penalty kick, but Whakatane brought the play back and kept Opotiki defending. Whakatane were granted a kick, but McFarlane failed to secure. Black relieved the Opotiki defences by finding the line at half-way. From here Opotiki pressed and Paul securing the ball found touch at the Whakatane twenty-five, but Whakatane's forwards quickly reversed the position by taking the play to Opotiki's twenty-five. • From a scrum Opotiki secured and the forwards took play to Whakatane's area where another scrum was formed. Opotiki again secured the advantage and scored. Black failed to add the extra points with the. kick. Opotiki 6, Whakatane nil. From the lcick-off Opotiki f orced play into Whakatane's area and Whakatane had to force. Whakatane kicked well up field, but Opotiki quickly forced the play back again. McFarlane relieved the situation with a kick to touch. Whakatane being given a kick from the line-out found touch again at halfway. Another kick to Whakatane from a scrum and good forward play enabled them to score in the corner, but the kick failed leaving the score Opotiki 6, Whakatane 3. Opotiki secured the advantage from a line-out following the lcickoff and kicked high for Whakatane to force down. Whakatane found touch at halfway, but Opotiki soon forced play back to Whakatane's twenty-five, but a kick relieved the situation. Opotiki secured from a scrum and scored again, but Sydney failed to convert. Opotiki 9, Whakatane 3. From the lcick-off Whakatane attacked determinedly, i but following v scrum, Kelly found touch with a good kick. Up and down play followed during which Hawkins took r good mark and saved for Opotiki. The Whakatane forwards made a splendid rush down field to the Opotiki goal line and kept play in Opotiki's twenty-five, but solid def ence by Opotiki kept them from scoring. From a line-out in the Opotiki twen-ty-five Whakatane setured the advantage, but good rushing tactics by Opotiki toolc play back to Whaka- ;

tane's twenty-five, and time was called soon after. Opotiki 9, Whakatane 3.