Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY.

MANAWATU DEFEATED BY HOROWHENUA. - ''A RUNAWAY VICTORY. Admitted by both sides before the game to be the best teams that both Horowhenua* and Manawatu had put in the fields for many years, the champions of the two unions met on Saturday in the Levin Domain, when to the surprise of even their most optimistic supporters, Horowhenua defeated the visitors by the easy margin of 22 to 6. Manawatu was outclassed in every department of the game, and although they put up a plucky fight against superior odds, and by their determined effoort at the end well deserved the second half of their score, there was no question alter the first, few minutes oi which was the better team. On Saturday morning even the most optimistic of Horowhenua’s supporters felt nothing more than a confidence that their rep. team could be relied upon to put up the best fight in its power against superior odds, and the team itself went out. on to* the field with the same feeling—a dogged determination to put. rip ,as good t: showing as'possible against almost certain defeat. That the team was good was admitted: That it had benefited by the few days practise was certain, but that they could; prevail against thp Manawatu combination, which like the Greeksj, came sending their voices before—admitted! v the strongest team which they had put in the field some year's, no one did ■ more than hope. Good generalship and good combination decided the day—the first to be ’ attributed to Jacob, the Horowhenua cantain who, summing up the heavy state of the ground and the weight, of his pack, wisely decided to make the game a, forward one; and secondly to the excellent combination existing be- -■ tween, the backs who, whenever they got the ball raced for the line, confident in each other’s olay— nmplb justification, of the Management Committee’s foresight in getting th'e team together. The ground was heavy after the rain, although the afternoon was brilliantly fine and cold, and tire 800 spectators who followed the game were given an exhibition of hard, clean football, which did not flag right through until the final whistle.

THE TEAMS.

MANAWATU. Full-back, King (Old Boys, captain); - three-quarters, Oxenham (Woodville), Brophy (O.B.), and Glen dinning (O.B.) ' five-eighths, Akuira (O.B.), Gowle (Woodville); half, Rose (O.B.) ; wing, Sly (Woodville); hookers,, .Carroll (.O.B.) Anderson (Kia* Toa) ; lock, Moffatt (O.B.); supports, Galpm (O.B.), O’Brien (Kia Toa), back row, Murie (FeUdi-ng), Hansen (Woodville). HOROWHENUA, Full-back, Metu Johnston (I-lui Mai) ; three-quarters, Udy (Otaki), Kelly (Shannon), Wells (Werairoa); fiveeighths, Batchelor (Otaki), Read (Foxton); half, T. McDonald (Wanderers); wing forward. H. Jacob (Wanderers); hookers, Sands • (Shannon), Howell (Wanderers); lock, Tana (Hoi Mai); support,s, Broughton (Weraroa), Moyn.ihan (Shannon); back row, Rhodes (Otald), T. Gardner (Hui Mai).

THE PLAY. v Horowhenua, fortunatein starting the first -half with the sun at their backs, it undoubtedly troubling the ..visitors, were soon on the offensive-, forward rushes, headed by Rewi Movnthan, ad ably supported by Jacob. Rangi Brought on end Tana carrying play down "to Manawatu’s territory only to meet with a solid defence. Play shifted up. field, and from open work at Horowhenua’p 25 Rose got the hal 1 and a nice nassing rush by the backs enabled Glendinning to score an easy trv< King failed with the kick. No adeouate "defence had been put up, the • backs apparently playing stiff, and for’the moment it looked as if Horowhenua was going to suffer the overwhelming defeat which many expected. The reverse was what, wa« needed, however, and the Horowhennp; forwards with ft splendid piece of concerted work were soon knocking, at their opponents doors, until Sly relieved with a kick un-field followed up by a loose forward rush. Followed a snell of indeferminate play iu which 'Horowhenua was co'lecting its forces for the attack, and then Reid got Hip , ball, and raced down the line with Jacob alongside. The ball passed to -Jacob who dodged one man and then threw to Udy as the next man, collared low. Amidst frantic cheering from the local fans. Udy dived over scoring near the corner, and from a difficult angle Jacob got the goal. Horowhenua 5. Manawatu 3. This success was all that was needed to overcome the awe of' tlieir opponents felt by the local men, and from now on, the backs came into the limelight, Udy, Wells, Batchelor, and T. McDonald showing-up prominently in ■fine concerted movements. The forwards too were playing a splendid game and making the most of their . weight in solid close rushes, which brought the full force of the pack ■ crashing down,on the opposing line, crumpling them un repeatedly and giving the hacks their opportunity. Wells and Udv on the three-quarter-line wings being always ready to dash throucrh. Wells just failed to get over and then Batchelor got the hall and threw to Read who beat three of the opposing side in a beautiful trickv run and at the right moment transferred to Wells, who scored. Jacob juist failed with the kick. Horo- - whenua 8, Manawatu 3. Horowhenua were 1 now playing/- like clock-work, and Moynihan, Gardiner, Howell and ' Broughton were hammering at the defence with Jacob roving on the wing ready to take an .opportunity. I-Ie

■got it and racing for the line was only collared five yards out after bringing ' down four of the opposition In his rush. Play shifted across the field

and Wells got an opportunity and croing for the line passed out. when a bold rush might possibly have scored. Oxenham relieved and supported by 'Akinra took the play up-fleld. From a scrum Rose got the ball, but a mark ! W Batchelor stopped the rush._ For a while here Manawatu held their own. '-umll and Slv, who were probably b° fie*t of the" Manawatu forward*, beading loose' rushes which,, however. K "' ke against the solid defence. Jacob now broke away with the ball at his -eet and dribbled it for the line with icing and Manawatu caota.in between i and a score. A tricky side kick and he was past and gathering ur> the ipatber be raced over and scored a beautiful try, adding the major points a few seconds later in faultless style. U half time the scores stood HorowbcnuaHß. Manawatu 3. Manawatu had undoubtedly been bonified by the sun and -the impression was pretty freely expressed that when Horowhenua got it in their faces there would be trouble. A few minutes’ lfiay dispelled the idea,, and the most biassed critic was compelled to 'ulmit the superiority of the home team. Playing with al level sun in their eyes, so that a man had to shade bis eves with one hand and take the nail with the other, they soon had Manawatu on the defence again. A =eries of strums around half way followed. Carroll’s hooking generally o-iving the ball to Manawatu, but Jacob smothered Rose, the (half-back before he could do anything with it. A lively rush was started by Meta Johnson and Tacob getting the half, was collared off-side and from the free-kick added three more points to the home team Horowlienu® 16. Manawatu 3, Horowhenua was now out lor blood and hammered at the opposing line until it was demoralised and looked like cracking up permanently. Brophy and Glendinning momentarily relieved, but Jacob breaking away was collared by Brophy just in, time to prevent a score. From a scrum., the ball went out to Udy, who fought his way through the opposition, and fell on the ball. The kick failed. Horow’rienuai 19, Matnawatui 3. Rose, the Manawatu half-back had to retire here, Mair© taking his place, and for a time the fresh man livened up the play. Horowhenua* were still forcing and from a mix up at the 25, Udy gra/r’v the ball, hut was pulled down and the referee gave a scrum, on the line. McDonald got the ball and tossing well out to Udy, enabled him to dive over near the flag. Again the kick failed. Manawatu now made a determined .attempt to reduce the gap between the scores and 1 the last quarter of an hour saw a sustained effort on their part, which kept the local men on the defence the whole time. Time after time, the forwards, hurled themselves on to the home line, but Udy, Batchelor and Meta. Johnson, broke their rushes again and again, only to have them return desperately to the attack. With time almost gone, from a wild rush, Anderson found a gap and diving into it scored ; at the posts. King was entrusted with the kick, but failed and the game ended: —* Horowhenua 22. Manawatu 6 Mr Burrows was referee.

PALMERSTON COMMENT

Under the headings “Beaten to a Standstill—Manawatul Outpaced and. Out generalled,” the Palmerston ; “Times’’ comments as follows on Sat- ■ urday’s rep. match:— . j On." paper the 'best team for many V r ef | rs _ on performances the worst! The 1923 Manawatu fifteen was licked fo a standstill in every point of the; frame by Horowhenua on Saturday, j The score was 22 to 6. It might easily I have been 44 to 6! Two obvious al-! famativei reasons might be advanced for the rout. One—which it is hoped . is not true—is that the green' combin-; at ion is hopeless. The other —here advanced (charitably) as the real reason —is that Horowhenua unloaded a human avalanche, which paralysed the opposition and made it look simply stupid! Levin’s Domain was the scene of the debacle. A patchy ground; dry in parts; but sloppy in one. corner. The coin spun against the visitors—and everything else went against them. They faced dead into a glaring sun, which certainly upset the backs not <ai little, and when Horowhenua turned over even the sun quailed before Ihe ferocious forwards, promptly disappeared behind a cloud, and stayed there. This, however, is the only excuse -that can be offered on behalf of the beaten team. As they filed on to the field appearance were, if anything, in their favour, but- in less than five mnutes, tbe barometer reported, “storm 1 area approching,” 'and it- smote the visitors! fore andi aft. Uerl by Harry Jacob, the big All-Brown winger, and composed largely of hefty natives, tbe Horowhenua.’ combination dominated the game from whistle to ! bell, much to the delight, of the large crew'd', «i big proportion 1 of whom were natives.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SNEWS19230626.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Shannon News, 26 June 1923, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,724

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY. Shannon News, 26 June 1923, Page 3

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY. Shannon News, 26 June 1923, Page 3

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert