Sport in the Province

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 130, 23 August 1927, Page 12

Sport in the Province

HAMILTON RETAINS THE PEACE CUP A further challenge for the Peace Cup was successfully stalled off by the Hamilton Rugby representative team at Rugby Park, Hamilton, on Saturday, when Cambridge was defeated by 11 points to 6 in a well-contested game. Play was hard and there were quite a number of casualties. The condition of the ground militated against a fast exhibition of the code and the game was mainly confined to the forwards, at which Cambridge more than held its own, but the superiority of the Hamilton backs, when they did get into action, decided the issue, though their opponents made a good struggle. McMillan justified his inclusion in the Hamilton team with, a good display. Although crowed at times, he got through his share of the work well and fulfilled the promise he has given in club matches. For Cambridge, Bourke was perhaps the outstanding player and got through a lot of work for his side. E. Hall, of Cambridge, was playing a sterling game until he sustained a broken leg. His forced retirement was a severe loss to his side. There were some who considered the Cambridge rover, Voysey, was allowed a little too much latitude in breaking, away. Boreham played an excellent game among the Hamilton forwards and was always in the thick of the fray. Hamilton was early deprived of the services of Clemett and this upset its back organisation a little, while Kemp was distinctly unlucky in his play. There is no question that there is something wrong with the Hamilton pack, for when the ball is hooked it does not come out cleanly. The selector would be well advised to keep a vigilant eye on this part of the scrum. Cambridge failed to cross the Hamilton line, but W. Bourke kicked two fine goals from penalties. Bayly scored a good solo try for the winners and W. Christie notched another, following forward work with Courtney. Tuck added points from a mark, while Badeley was responsible for one conversion. Badeley played an excellent game as fullback for Hamilton, and his linekicking was remarkably accurate. Clemett was playing' well on the wing until he was injured. Going, who replaced him, was weak. McMillan’s one weakness seems to be on defence. Carter played a good game as five-eighths, but Fitzgerald did not go with his usual dash, and was caught with the ball too often. Tuck had a trying time behind the scrum, but came out with flying colours, while Bayly lived up to his best reputation as rover. The Hamilton forwards, although beaten in the scrum, held their own in the open, but their tackling was lamentably weak, Boreham being the exception. Collett played a good game as fullback for Cambridge and handled the ball well. C. Thompson and Busso, the two Cambridge wingers, did not get many liberties, but the former went within an ace of scoring once after a fine run. A. Thompson, the Cambrdige centre, was the pick of the visiting backs, his defence being particularly sound. THE CLARK CUP The opening round of the Clark Cup knock-out Rugby competition was played on Saturday, two games being contested at Rugby Park and one at Huntly. Old Boys accounted for Frankton, while City went under to Technical Old Boys by a margin of one point. The match between Boys o*d Frankton was closely contested, tne former winning narrowly by 10 points to 8. The game was not characterised by any brilliant play. Both teams were materially weakened by the inclusion of players in the Peace Cup team, and quite a number of juniors had to be promoted to fill the vacancies. The ground was greasy and handling conditions difficult. Frankton had the best of the loose forward play, but that was counter-balanced by the snappiness of the Old Boys’ back division, and the score was a reliable indication of the teams’ respective merits on the day’s play. City lost to Technical Old Boys in a Clarke Cup game by one point, but the former was far from being at full strength. The Waikato representative team meets Manawhenua at Cambridge on Wednesday and is expected to give a good account of itself against the visitors. THE PEACE CUP HAMILTON TEAM CHANGED A number of changes'are announced in the personnel of the Hamilton Rugby representative team which will defend the Peace Cup against a challenge by Waipa next Saturday. Clemett, who was injured, is replaced by Snodgrass as wing threequarter, while Montgomery will not be available in the forwards, and his place will be taken by Stubbs. The Hamilton team will now be as follows: Badeley, McMillan, Kemp, Snodgrass, Fitzgerald, Bib. Carter, Tuck, Bayly, Ardern, IT. Charleston, Stubbs, Courtney, W. Christie, Scott, and Boneham: emergencies, backs — A. Buckingham, Going; forwards —Corlett, Roberts. HARDING SHIELD RUGBY AT DARGAVILLE The first of this year’s inter-union matches for the Harding Shield was played at Rugby Park, Dargaville, on Saturday between Northern Wairoa, holders, and Bay of Islands, challengers, before a crowd of about 1,400 spectators. The day was fine, but the ground very sodden, resulting in a greasy ball, hard to handle. The shield was retained by Northern Wairoa, after a closely contested, even game, the only points scored being a penalty kick by Watson, the crack Wairoa forward. The play was not of a particularly brilliant nature, being confined mostly to the forward division on both sides, although on two occasions the Bay was unlucky not to score—once between the posts. Finlayson and O’Shea were the outstanding forwards of the Northern team, and Mcßae, Harris, Repia and Ludbrooke the best of the backs. Warmington, who is recognised as probably the best rover North of Auckland did not impress, his famous dashes being conspicuous by their absence. Of the Wairoa backs, Simonsen was in a class by himself, his play throughout being faultless. Sundberg, Biddles and Munro all played well, but Seymour at half, and Matene at fiveeighths, were both weak. The latter appeared to have no opinion of his supports and tried to play the Bay team on his own, being repeatedly grassed with the ball with two and sometimes three men waiting in position for a pass-out. Among the Wairoa forwards. Watson was outstanding. Of the others M. Rika, Julian, Jones and Heywood were always hard-working and useful. The general opinion of spectators qualified to judge was that Wairoa will

(From THE SUN'S Correspondent)

have to show considerable improvement to stave off YY hangarei-, when that union’s challenge comes up for . decision next month. That is providing the best team is selected from the latter union—a question whidh is causing a good deal of speculation as the opinion of the sole selector has differed very considerably up to now from that of other enthusiasts quite qualified to express judgment. WHANGAREI RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP WIN FOR KARAMEA The match between Maungakaramea and Hikurangi, at Kensington Park, Whangarei, on Saturday, had an : important bearing on the senior competition. The last round is being played and ’Karamea had only to beat I the mining town’s representatives to ; place the country team in an un- ! assailable position. This was done in a decisive manner, ’Karamea winning by 14 points to nil, ; after a hard, clean game. For the winners, Kerr, Jones and Child each scored tries, and Tucker kicked a ! goal from a mark. Ker.r also added j two points by converting his own try. ; The latter, who plays fullback, was ! easily the outstanding back on the ground, and played faultlessly j throughout. His try was very pretty | and elicited a round of applause. Jones j and Beehre also played a fine back J game. Of the forwards Tucker, j Child and the two Morrissey brothers were most often in the limelight. Findlay and Hamilton were the best j of the Hikurangi backs, and Mcßonald i and Wells the best of the forward j division. KAMO BEATS OLD BOYS This match was played on No. 2 ground at Kensington Park, and although stiffly contested throughout, proved somewhat easy for Kamo, which team is improving by leaps and bounds every Saturday. Tries were scored for Kamo by Finlayson, Nicholls and Clotworthy, one each, and McDonald, who notched two. Of these, Nicholls converted two and McLean one. The Old Boys’ scores consisted of tries by Macken and Waterman, and a goal from a mark by Waterman. For Kamo, “Bunny” Finlayson was in great form and was ably supported by his pack as a whole. McDonald, the half, is a fine player and his equal in the position would be hard to find in North Auckland. Guy Nicholls, who, by the way, is a brother of Mark, of All Black fame, bids fair to reach the standard of his brother before long, and is not far behind now. He is the nippiest five-eighth in the Whangarei Union. Of the Old Boys’, Waterman and Brunette were outstanding of the backs, and Sherriff, Aim and Cotton the best of the forwards. BAY OF PLENTY REPS WIN AT ROTORUA The Bay of Plenty and Thames Valley representative teams played at Rotorua on Saturday last, *he game ending in a victory for the Bay representatives by six points (two tries) to three (a penalty goal). Play was not of a high standard, neither team appearing to have had any practice together. The Bay team certainly was not assembled prior to the day of the match, and considering that the players were selected from a radius of 100 miles from Rotorua it was not possible for them to produce a high standard of team work. For the Bay, Kelly and Nicholson scored, the latter selling a dummy to the opposition .iust after the final bell had sounded. NOTES AND COMMENTS For the visitors. Golsbury at full was very- safe. Black, at centre, was in the limelight throughout, while J-le-Rae at half was a great worker. In the forwards, Rolleston and Cray worked hard. For the Baly, Kelly on the wing was sound; Hawkins at five-eighths was in the limelight throughout. Nicholson at half, however, was the star back of the day. His clean passes and dummies were cleverly executed Pirn Haupapa, the Maori ex-All Black, was the pick of the forwards. Black at rover got through a great amount of work, and was a great thorn m -he side of the opposition. HIGH SCHOOLS’ GAME A curtain-raiser was played between Takapuna Grammar School and Rotorua High School, and resulted in a runaway victory for the local boys by 42 to 3. Mitchell, Kmgi, and Anaiu had their opponents nonplussed whenever they secured possession ot tne l€ Next Saturday a Bay team is to be opposed by the I uckland touring team which will play a. series ofm etches in the' Bav. A good game is antici Dated A curtain-raiser is to be staged Eetween Opotiki (City) and Rotorua (Kahukura) for possession of the McIntosh Shield, the trophy for the best junior club team in the Bay. Roto rua are now the holders. VIGOROUS HOCKEY AT PAPATOETOE The Papatoetoe hockey team crossed sticks with Somerville on Saturday at Papatoetoe, and in the absence ot the official referee a substitute was called on, some of whose decisions were difficult to follow from the side-line. The ground was in a very wet condition, and mitigated against any good play. The game opened with play very even for about half of the hist spell, till Somerville found an opening, and, taking full advantage of the opportunity, made no mistake witn th papatoetoe team now took charge of the game, and had the whites penned in their 25 area, practically the whole spell, and Horne, for Papatoetoe, senin a splendid shot, beating the visiting goalkeeper, and equalising the score There was no further score when the whistle called half-time. SOMERVILLE IN THE LEAD On opening for the second spell, both teams took a hand in the attack, the ball travelling from one end of the field to the other, and from a long shot by one of the Somerville backs well outside the circle the ball glanced off the fullback’s stick and goalie’s pads into the net, making the score Somerville 2, Papatoetoe 1. Papatoetoe again pressed hard, and from a melee in front of the Somerville goal netted the ball, but one of the defending players picked the ball out of goal and threw it behind. The referee ordered a 25 bully. For the rest of the game play was even, neither side being able to pierce the defence, and the game ended with the score Somerville 2, Papatoetoe 1. The Papatoetoe Club has written to the Auckland Hockey ' ssociation appealing against the i ee’s decision.