WANGANUI JUNIORS BEAT MANAWHENUA

Shannon News, 24 August 1928, Page 4

WANGANUI JUNIORS BEAT MANAWHENUA

Visitors Better Team in Close Scoring Game

MANAWHENUA NORWARDS FAIL, BACKS NOT ON FORM

Ip a close scoring game, Wanganui junior representatives yesterday beat Manawhenua juniors on the Showr grounds by 19 points to 17. Played on a good holding ground iq fine weather, the game was interesting through the close nature of its scoring but to Manawhenua supporters at least it was also disappointing. Manawhenua forwards though the heavier pack were beaten by the visitjr ors’ frontal division while the home rearguard could accomplish little, Wanganui were the better team on the day’s play and deserved their win. The teams lined out: —Wanganui (blue and black): Rusden, Holland* Koroneto, Harrison, Gallagher, Rees; Grotty, Grenside, Herd, Woon, Towler* Tonks, Yates, Glasgow, Rhodes. Manawhenua (red, white and blue); Pou, Thompson, Benge, Smith, Page, Rose, Hartley, Hepburn, McKenzie; Trotter, Tayldr, Vertongen,' Johnson, Flowers, Farrell. The Game,, Wanganui set the ball rolling, thei? forwards taking the offensive but, find*, ing the colours too much for them s in this department. Manawhenua forced play to the visitors' 25 where from q scrum Hartley sent his backs aw%y. Rose sent a bad pass to Page and the movement lapsed only to com* to light again x>n the other wing, when Benge, losing possession, snapped up again in the ruck to score in the cor ner. He failed to convert his own try Manawhenua 3, Wanganui 0.

Wanganui were hooking the bat from the scrums but their backs were not making the most of their opportunities. Gallagher came into the pic-> ture with a solo break, bctll at toe and Pou returning, Woon marked and attempted'to drop a goal. His kick wa* a shade astray however, and a moment later Manawhenua had cleared and Thompson was sidestepping the opposition’ down the wing. Play swung across field to Smith, the, winger putting in one of his characteristic to throw off all attempts .at tackling and penetrate right to thd corner. Rusden went high and' was thrown off, but succeeded in jostling the Manawhenua winger 'out of touch. Backing up well, the Manawhenua rearguard took up the attack, and Benge beat his man tq score in a handy position. Rose rnadq a good but unsuccessful attempt to convert.

Manawhenua 6, Wanganui 0. A couple of minutes later Wanganui were given a golden opportunity to open their account, when Manawhenua were penalised right in front of thq posts. Rusden took the kick but madq a very poor attempt to add the points* The blues were deteimined, however, and following a foozled high kick which beat Pou Gallagher followed fast and with the Wanganui forwards behind him, laid seige to the colours' citadel. A series of gruelling scrum? mages right on the line found Manawhenua hard pressed but defending desperately. A.ll Wanganui's efforts were in vain however and Flowers cleared up the sideline. The blues were still aggressive, however, and were soon pressing again. Rees kicked high from a ruck and Pou failed to field the ball cleanly. Gren? side was right on top of him and T.owler who was in support, snapped up to score an easy try. Rusden con-’ verted. Manawhenua 6, Wanganui 5. Wanganui .Lead. The blues were having the better of the argument in the forwards and in a series of solid attacks worked Manawhenua back to their defences. Wanganui hooked from a scrum within ten yards of the goal and Rees, securing ridded their second try well out, Rustic n converted with a good kick. Wanganui 10, Manawhenua 6. Manawhenua stirred by the reverse, countered heavily, Rose and Hepburn, catching Rusden in possession and' penetrating well into blue territory.: The Wanganui for weds rallied for «.< moment but could not sta> mo onslaught of the colours' forwards who. swept the defence before them, forf Rose to snap up and fall over. Rose converted his own try with a splendid kick. Manawhenua 11, Wanganui 10. Manawhenua were making the play willing, and were battling again into Wanganui’s defences. A line out within five yards of the blue citadel saw McKenzie secure and using his weight to advantage battle over. Rose failed as the half time whistle sounded, leaving the score Manawhenua 14, Wanganui 10. Second Spell. Manawhenua re-opened aggressively and worried the blues both fore and aft. Wanganui shortly reasserted themselves, however, and the Manawhenua cusodian proving very unsafe a spell of hard work found them scrummaging almost on Manawhenua's line. From a rnek following a set serum, the blues battled across. Rees going down on the leather beneath a press of forwards. Rusden failed. Manawahenua 14, Wanganui 13. From the half way colours staged a vigorous counter-attack which culmin-

ated in a ruck on the corner where McKenzie battled across. Manawhenua 17, Wanganui 13. The two fifteens were taking the offensive in alternation, and Wanganui in their turn made the pace. Securing the leather from a scrum Crotty proved elusive and transferred to Yates. The big blue forward displaying a surprising turn of speed, cut in and left the opposition standing to score beside the posts. Rusden missed an easy kick. Manawhenua 17, Wanganui 16. Wanganui strove desperately to make up the solitary point deficiency, their forwards though the lighter pack, working with more vini than the colours’ frontal division. The big forward Yates proved particularly enterprising, and shortly crowned his efforts to score his second try. Pou was again caught out of position and failed to go down to the ball, the blue forward filling the bill for him. Rusden made an ineffectual attempt to goal. Wanganui 19, Manawhenua 17. The blue forwards were holding the upper hand still while the Manawhenuft backs were rendering practically all their movements ineffectual through slovenly handling. The game ended without further score. Mr. H. McGregor was referee.