NASH CUP WINNERS.

Shannon News, 28 August 1923, Page 3

NASH CUP WINNERS.

FOXTON DEFEATS HUI MAI. Foxton proved a surprise-packet on Saturday Jay defeating easily by 13 points to 9 the much fancied Hui Mai team in the final of .the Nash Cup. • It was generally felt that Hui Mai had only to come up to collect the Cup, and when the Foxton team, filed on to the field, <a full stone lighter than the (brawny Hui Mai representatives, the opinion was strengthened that Foxton would run themselves out ' in fiiie first half. Instead the forwards set a lively pace from the word go and 'although they received practically no support from the (backs they ran all round Hui (Mai’s heavier team on the principle of cut and come again. • Had Hui Mai possessed a set of backs capable of playing a sound defensive game, the result would probably have been different, but as it was their nippier opponents slipped through each rush and were away for the line without the backs being able to put up a reasonable defence. The result was that the game went rapidly from one end of the field to the otner in hard forward rushes, mak-

ing one of the liveliest and, at times, most exciting games of the season. Neither team gave a good exhibition of football, lacking combination, particularly, but of the two, Hui Mai probably played jjhe better game. The superior speed of their adversaries was the winning factor. The game opened with Hjui Mai playing with the sun in their eyes, and Foxton leading off, took the hall well-down. Hui Mai retaliated and at half-way Bob George picked up ana carried down to within ten' yards ol The pibj active. A forward scramble at the 25 resulted in a free kick to Hui Mai, a good kick, by Tufu Gardner just missing. A succession of long kicks gradually .brought , play back to Hui Mai’s territory, where from loose play, Riansfield picked up 4 and .a useful passing rush in which .George Tana and MQki also figured, failea on .the line. Play immediately, returned, Baker dribbling the bah right through to -within a few. yards oi the Hui Mai line. Bob George returned the ball to the) Foxton 25 end the game went up and- down the fiele in -rapid rushes until at the 25 Marsh took the ball and side stepping a couple of Hui Mai defenders cut in and threw to Baker who scored a welldeserved try. Taylor added the extra points. Foxton 5, Hui 'Mai Q. From the kick-off play centred a* half-way for a spell until Tana made a fine run from that distance right through the. Foxton pack. He successfully handed the dummy to two Foxton backs and then with a clear run and only a couple of yards to go v slipped and fell. Taylor returned the ball to ‘the 25 where Ransfield opened a passing rush and sent the ball to George, - Avho shot it out ‘to Gray. Gray got over, but lost the bail across the line and Tana hurled himself over and scored. Gardner missed with the kick. , 5—3. Fast open play, practically confined to the forwards, followed, with Foxton gradually working Hui Mai back. From the 25 Moses kicked over and Taylor following up fast added another try. The kick failed, and the score stood B—3 at half time. With the sun in their favour Hui Mai \vere expected to annihilate their opponents in the second half, but. it was soon evident that Foxton was fit and had plenty of fight left. Foxton led. off by taking play into tut opposing. 25, Tana saving from a critical position by, finding the line. A line Quit five, yarns out resulted in a free kick to Hui Mai, and Wallace took the ball down to Foxton’s 25 where play remained for a spell with Hui Mai using all their weight to comer their elusive opponents; A dramatic incident followed when Procter, the Foxton, five-eighths, intercepted a pass from Turin Gardner and raced the whole length, of -the field to score .behind the posts. Taylor added the. major points. Score 13—3. The superior speed of .the Foxton . men was tiring out the Hui Mai forwards, who were playing) now without initiative, and for a spell the game remained in Hui Mai territory, Foxton on one occasion getting the ball over only to have it forced. \Vifh ten minutes to go Bryant opened out, and a fine passing rush'the. whole length of the field in which Gardner, Martin and Moki also figured enabled the latter to .score. With the failure of the kick Hui Mai’s chance of winning was definitely gone, and although Gray just on. time added a further three points the final score stood: Foxton 13, Hui Mai 9. Mr Seymour refereed.

THE RUGBY GAME.

NOTES ON THE PLAY. The Taranaki - Horowlienua rep. match \vias. a disappointment to those who looked forward to seeing a hard close game. On their showing against Manawatu it was generally expected that the local men' would have all they could do to hold their own, hut after the. first quarter of an hour’s play, there waß no douht that Taranaki was outclassed 4ri every department of the. game. Lacking weight a® they .did in the forwards it was expected that the' splendid condition of the ground would enable them to givie an exhibition of fast back play, but with the exception of Friar, who went ojH in the first spell with an injury to the leg, the backs were weak, and on the few occasions on which they got . the ball, their handling lacked confidence and skill. For Horowhenua, the. outstanding man .of the team and indeed of the garnet—was Jacob, who played first five-eighths, to strengthen the link the weakness of which is said to have to a-great extent, resulted in Horowhenua’s defeat by Manawatu. He demonsftrated his ability to play at any part of the field by playing a first-class game in his own position, and at the -same time found opportunity to assist in any other part where an extra push w’as needed'. With Moses, he originated practically all the open play and was prominent in each of the passing rushes, which resulted in scores. Moses, the Foxton five-eighths, was probably the best straight-out back on the field. Ha neve?, made a mistake with the

half, and used his head well, getting rid of the leather or taking a risk in a manner which showed that he was never bustled. , In the • three-qurtea- line, Read and Udy showed up well,, Uciy, on the wing, being) ip articular ly forward in anything that, was doing. He is a tremendous worker and has pace ana weight to back it, takes a bail well and can. kick from any angle, one kick over his head which found the line being particularly good. He has still some of the finer points of the game to master, however, and one of them is when to get rid of the ball, and that there, is no use trying to bullock through the other team from mid-field 1 .

Meta Johnson on the other wing, played a hard, clean, but less conspicuous game.. It is questionable whether his shift forward from fullback is. a success. Possible with further experience in the position, the selector’s faith in his. ability to make an outstanding three-quarter will be justified, and his speed can be utilised to tfie .best advantage. . Lenihan, at half, and T. Winiata at-full-back, were both sound. Full-back certainly seems to be Winiata*s place. In the forwards Turn Gardner, Tana and the veteran Bob Georyj showed up well. George as a hooker is a first-class man and in general play, brings the benefit of 'his 22 years’ experience to bear oh the finer ■points of the gam,e. In hooking, however, he mars his play by infringements. Rangi Broughton, as rover, played a hard game, arid of the other forwards perhaps Howell was the pick. The win of Hui Mai over Weraroa last Saturday Was hardly in the nature of a surprise, in fact it is. a tribute to the way in which Weraroa has improved, that team was even looked upon in some quarters as having a chance. The forward division of the team has now been brought up to a useful standard, and provided some stiffening oan ‘be put into the backs, the Weraroa team should give a good account of itself next year. The forwards of both teams in this garn'e were pretty evenly despite some advantage in weight, in favour of Hui M.ai. The difference in the backs, however, made all the difference for whereas the Hui Mai backs led by Meta Johnson, who played a splendid game, were always on the spot to carry oh the work of the forwards, Weraroa was unsupported. Marslin, at full-back, played a fine game in the first half, his tackling, kicking, and handling of the ball, be-, ing all excellent, but there was no other outstanding player . amongst the backs. In the forwards, Henderson, Cole and Collier did good work, with Hopa prominent at times.