WAIRARAPA SNATCHES WIN FROM MANAWHENUA.

Shannon News, 19 July 1929, Page 4

WAIRARAPA SNATCHES WIN FROM MANAWHENUA.

It was a game of spells. In the iirst half, Manawhenua dominated the picture and left the field with two converted tries on the credit side of the ledger, but after the breather, Wairarapa appeared a revitalised team and, adopting open tactics, overran Manawhenua. The forwards got easily the bigger proportion of leatiier, both from lineouts and scrums, and this enabled the rearguard full scope. The outstanding figure on the. field, and the heart of the Wairarapa attack, was Jimmy Mill. He was everywhere he was needed 1 and his brilliant flashes of solo work never gave his opposition rest.

It wa3 the first game of Manawhenua 's representative season and, taken all round, the team gave a fair exhibition, with the promise of better things to come.

The visitors' team had two absentees and in consequence thtc back line was reorganised. Henderson replaced Roach at full back, while Burgess went into Eandall Booth's place on the wing. Booth was moved in to centre and F. Fuller came in to take his brother's place -in the five-eighths line. Manawhenua's changes were all in the forwards, where Pratt replaced Crawford and Parsons wc«t into the scrum in place of Dalzell, who went out to take T. Parata's position ad rover. Weather conditions were chilly,' but otherwise •favourable. The ground, however, was heavy underfoot and a stiff breeze across field had to be allowed for. ; ; Tue Teams The teams lined.out: — Wairarapa (green): Henderson, Burgess, R. Booth, A. V. Jury, P. Puller, J; Mill, Hart, Devine, M. Gregory,

Last Minute Try Gives Visitors the Game. Wairarapa cut things fine in its representative fixture against Manawhenua Wednesday. Ten points down at half-time it took 44 minutes to get nine points, which left it with victory only a single point away. The final minute saw a supreme effort when the whole Wairarapa hack line raced through the opposition and Burgess completed, to score the winning try and give the greens the game, 12—10.

Walker, Fairbrother, S. Willoughby/M. Willoughby, Olliver, Irvine. Manawhenua (red, white and blue): Johnson, Strange, Fletcher, Taylor, Bevan, Ormond, Parata, Dalzell, l/rattj Boldt, Tatana, Conrad, Mhos, Parsons, Satherley. The Game The home side set the" ball rolling and Dalzell and Conrad immediately led an excursion into Wairarapa territory. The greens relieved, but again the colours forwards swept them downfield. The crowd rose as Parsons broke away near the twenty-five and sprinted through almost to the green line. Just in time the greens rallied and T. Parata, who was in support, had the leather kicked out of his hands right in the corner. The home side was attacking hard and had Wairarapa badly worried. Ormond received from a scrum and tried to battle over, but was smothered in the press. There were some tense moments as the colours forwards battled near the line, but relief came to Wairarapa from a force down that found Conrad perilously near the ball. Wairarapa forwards looked dangerous in their counter-attack, but Manawhenua was back on attack when Bevan booted through a gap to find the line -near the green twenty-five. Short passing among the visitors' forwards took play back, but Conrad and Tatana smashed a way through the press to lead Manawhenua again.

The home si tie was definitely in the ascendant.at this stage, and the crowd registered its appreciation as Taylor rhade a strong run, to be thrown out near the corner. Wairarapa worsted back to halfway, however and Devine snapped up from a scrummage to find

the line, well downfield. Good loose scrummaging by the colours saw the home side again on the offensive, however, and, fielding a high kick well, Taylor narrowly missed in an attempt to send over a field goal. Holding their advantage, Manawhenua's chances looked bright when Devine and Irvine were caught offside and a penalty awarded.the home side in front of the posts but well out. Fletcher 'took the kick, but found the distance too great. The relief to Wairarapa was brief, however, and a sweeping rush by the homo forwards carried .them to the visitors' line. Here a stern battle set in, which culminated when Boldt secured possession and drew first blood for Manawhenua. Tatana added the extra points.—Manawhenua 5, Wairarapa nil. Manawhenua Leads The first real danger to Manawhenua came from Olliver, who broke through from a scrummage and chased the leather right' upfield to Johnson. The colours' full back was safcj however, and effected a good clearance. Manawhenua continued to press and the backs raced away in good style until Fletcher had the ball knocked out of !:is hands. In a moment Mill had :-ent out\a transfer to Burgess, and the winger raced down the line almost to I he home twenty-five. Here the colcurs rallied and took the offensive v.gain. Wairarapa was again defending hard and Johnson earned a round of applause when he fielded a rolling ball to dance through the defenders and give Parata a good transfer. Miles was in support, but was thrown out of touch and a dangerous moment, for the greens passed. In a flash, they were themselves on attack and, following a kick downficld, the green forwards swarmed to the assault. From a scrummage the ball came out and Mill cut through a solid mass of players almost to the line. The home side strove desperately to hold its line intact, and a splendid clearance by Johnson gave relief. Back at half way, the leather came out to the green backs and Mill cut in like a flash through to Johnson. The youthful custodian again rose to the occasion, however, and upset the, Wairarapa skipper with a bump. , Right on half time came another sensational change in the play when Fletcher raced through to snap up n rolling ball and punt over Burgess's head. Dalzell was in attendance and the two Manawhenua men raced Hen dcrson over the line for Dalaell to score. Tatana converted. Manawhenua } ... 10 Wairarapa 0 Second Spell The second spell opened with a scrum in midfield, and a period of loose up and down play set in. A dribbling rush by the green forwards gained ground,

but Johnson cleared with a beautiful kick past half way. Immediately Wairarapa backs swept play back to the corner, but from a scrum, Conrad broke through and toed the leather back to half way. In midfifcld, the green backs came away again, Burgess punting over Taylor's head, but losing in the race for possession. Wairarapa would not be denied, however, and developed a strong attack in the corner. From a melee, the. ball came away to Jury, who put in a most determined run to score by the corner flag. Fuller's kick failed.

Manawhenna Ift Wairarapa 3 Visitors Improve The visitors were playing with much more combination, and in a moment, their backs were en route for the Manawhenua line again. Booth's pass to Jury was knocked astray, however, and in a series of scrummages the homesters worked clear. The relief did not last long and Devino, M. Willoughby and Walker combined in some short passing that had a score at the end of it. Walker was in full sail for the linn when he was recalled for an offside infringement and again a critical situation was saved for Manawhenua. . An exchange of high kicking between the full backs saw little change in the location of play, but a strong Wairarapa attack in the corner soon regained the visitors their advantage. Johnson was again handy, however, and cleared by running across behind the posts and finding touch. A solo brcau r>y Strange took play back towards Wairarapa territory, but the green forwards drove back again. From half way, Taylor dodged his vis-a-vis and raced downficlcl to give Parata a transfer inside the Wairarapa twenty-five. The half was caught in possession and, despite active work by Conrad in support, greens saved the situation. The home forwards held their hard-won ground, nevertheless, and clever work by Johnson initiated a sweeping movement which saw Bevan dive over under the posts, only to be brought back for a knock-on. Again the home rearguard took the offensive and had the visitors bustled in the corner. Jury broke back to half way and play'grew very loose and fast in midfield. Exciting Final Stages The visitors' forwards Anally took command and swept all before them as they invaded Manawhenua territory. M. Willoughby was in the van and, securing possession, he raced over to score with Taylor on top of him. Fuller made a good, but unsuccessful attempt to convert. Manawhenua 10 Wairarapa ~.....,..,.. 6 At this stage, Manawnenua lost its

clever full back, Johnson, who had to retire as the result of an injured rib. Graham replaced him. A serunt near the home twenty-live line saw the colours forwards gain possession, but Parata was smothered by the fast breaking Wairarapa forwards. An infringement gave Fuller a chance to turn a penalty to account, but the wind flighted the brill wide of the posts. Play moved across field and he was given another opportunity from approximately the same position on the other side of the ground. Again he was unsuccessful in rai, c i:ig ( the flags, but the visitors' forwards continued <"0 hold the territorial advantage. The backs took a hand then. Mill broke away ,again to cut through almost to the line. He was smothered just in time and Taylor cleared.

Fore and aft, Wairarapa was hammering the defence, and from half way the elusive Mil] left the opposition standing to go right through. All seemed over but the shouting when Strange came across like a flash to grass the visitors' skipper. The green forwards wore close in attendance, however, and only Fletcher's going down on the ball saved the day. It was a tense period for the home supporters as the green tide ebbed and flowed, and'interest rose to fever pitch as the visitors strove to make up their dchcit. Wairarapa's chance came when' a penalty was awarded them well out and Fuller given an opportunity to try his luck again with the kick. Prac tice had improved him, and 'with a splendid effort he raised the flags.— Manawhenua 10, Wairarapa 9. The deciding try came on the call of time, 1 when- from midfield the leather came out' to. the green backs. Travelling at top, they handled with splendid precision for Burgess to score in the corner. Henderson's kick failed. Mr. J. J. O'Connor was referee.