SURPRISE VICTORY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 313, 29 August 1932, Page 6

SURPRISE VICTORY

ROTOITI BEATS WHAKA ! j Playing good football, Rotoiti de- ; feated Whaka in the semi-final of the I Mitchell Shield knock-ouLcompetition ! and gave many of the fans a sur1 prise by extending this season's chamj pionship winners the whole of the i journey, and finally taking the lead | to win by a fair margin. j Whaka's- supporters argued logicj ally enough, that given a fine day ' and with their best team, Whaka's 1 superior combination and speed would : run their opponeAts off their feet. However, Rotoiti had a say in the ' matter, and with fourteen men, Ross retiring with an injury to the knee early in the game, they swamped the opposing backs with solid tackling which terminated many'passing rushj es. , Whaka produced fireworks for the | first ten minutes with sweeping pass- ; ing rushes to their opponent's line, j where the movements broke down, j for the Rotoiti defence proved too 1 sound. The first points came from a ' penalty kiclc in front of the posts, I R. Waerea taking the kick. Shortly | after, Morgan beat Hapeta in a race J for the ball, and gathering up well, | spurted for the line to score between i the posts, making the score 6 — 0 in | Whaka's favour. No further points | were registered in the first half. Rotoiti had two opportunities in I this session from penalty kicks in 'front of the posts, but Heke missed , with both. A score was also thrown 1 away through handling in the scrummage, when Sonny Vercoe broke through, and was hauled down on Whaka's line. The Second Spell Rotoiti opened the second spell with a forward rush to Whaka's twenty-five, where Solomon broke 1 away and out-paced Sullivan to score behind the posts. Heke added the points. Both sets of forwards appeared to go in spasms. First one pack and then the other was definitely on top, but Whaka was packing better in the scrums and hooked the ball more often than their opponents. Hamiora and B. Kukume had a day off, and this seemed to be the wealcness in Whaka's back formation, although Morgan's wealc defensive play and poor handling was also a contributing factor. Failing to go down to a forward rush, Taiapa let the Whaka -van through and following up a short kick, Morrison gained possession to score in a handy position making the score 9 — 5 in Whaka's favour. From a penalty kick, Heke reduced the lead by three points, Whaka retaliating .with some snappy passing rushes which were continually brolcen up by the sound tackling of Marsh, Hulton and Vercoe, who made some good individual displays. Rotoiti made the score read 13 — 9 in their favour, when Purei snapped up from the ruck to go across well out. Taiapa converted yith a great

kick. In the latter stages, Rotoiti had the best of the play although Whaka made desperate attempts to regain the lead, but Solomon ended the argument by scoring his second try of the game making the final score, Rotpiti 16, Whaka 9. It was a good, clean, interesting display. Mr. L. Clarke refereed.