Sport In The Province

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 656, 7 May 1929, Page 13

Sport In The Province

(From Our Otcn Correspondent)

Rugby Union

HAURAKI PLAINS

Typical “first-of-season” form was ' shown in the first games of the Hau- | raki Plains Rugby Union’s inter-ciub j competitions on Saturday last. Turua j seniors beat Ngatea by three to nil in j a hard forward game, which showed j promise of good football as the season advances and Waitakaruru beat Kere- j peehi by 9 to 0 in a poor game. Turua juniors beat Ngatea 3 3—lo and Waitakaruru juniors beat Kerepeehi 15 — 0. DARGAVILLE Ruawai seniors had gin easy victory over Northern Star (Tangiteroria) at Rugby Park. Dargaville, on Saturday. Nesbitt (a new recruit from Wairarapa) and Frean, also a recent addition, were outstanding in Ruawai’s backs. The former scored two tries, one of which Dodd converted. Dodd also kicked a penalty goal, making Ruawai’s total of 11 points. Among the forwards Williams and McDonnell showed to advantage for the victors. Northern Star’s only try was scored by E. Wilson, who. with Tito, played well in the forwards. B. Wilson and Best were prominent in the backs. The remaining matches for the first round of the senior competition are: May 11.—United v. Northern Star, at Dargaville: Ruawai v. Dargaville, at Ruawai; Tangowahine v. Southern, at Te Kopuru; Public Works, a bye. .May 18. —Dargaville v. Tangowahine, at Dargaville; Southern v. Kaihu, at Kaihu; Public Works v. Northern Star, at Public Works ground; Ruawai, a bye. May 25. —Ruawai v. United, at Dargaville; Dargaville v. Northern Star, at Tangiteroria; Public Works v. Southern, at Te Kopuru; Tangowahine, a bye. June 1. —Ruawai v. Southern, at Ruawai; Dargaville v. Public Works, at Dargaville: Kaibu v. Tangowahine, at Tangowahine; Northern Star, a bye. June 8. —Ruawai v. Tangowahine, at Tangowahine;. Public Works v. United, at Kaihu; Southern v. Northern Star, at Te Kopuru; Dargaville, a bye.' IN THE WAIKATO Perfect conditions prevailed for the opening of the season on. Saturday. There were three senior matches, the principal one, between Old Boys A and Marist, drawing a largo crowd. Marist assumed the offensive throughout the first half, but i ti the second spell Old Boys revived, carrying all before them. New players among Old Boys who shone were Graham, an ex-member of the Maori All Black team, and BurnMurdoch, a Grammar Old Boy. Tuck and Collins, were in fine fettle. Mills and P. Clark! n were the best Marist players. Final score: Old Boys 28, Marist 11. The Technical Old Boys-City encounter was fast and open, both sides combining well. The former won 14 — 9. St. George and Mitchell for the winners and Going for City, were the most outstanding men. In the other senior game Frankton

obtained a walk-over in a match with j Old Boys B, the final tallies being ] 24—0. OPOTIKI The Rugby senior competitions were j continued at Opotiki on Saturday, there being a good attendance. In the senior j matches Te Hui defeated Triple Links j by six points to nil, after a very poor display by both sides. Interest centered in the match between Country and City, and expectations of a close game were realised. The pace was solid from the commencement, both teams striving hard to secure a lead. Despite good play on both sides there was no score until almost the call of time, when the Country backs in a line concerted passing bout succeeded in scoring the only try of the match. Thompson, who had been playing a line game for Country, was the man who got over. Players are trying hard to impress the selector in view of the fact that the representative matches for tho Hurunui Apanui Memorial Shield, which is competed for by Taupo, Rotorua, Tauranga, Te Puke, Rangitaiki. Whakatane, Opotiki and Apanui, will be commencing at an early date. Opotiki at present holds tho shield, THAMES The football season opened at Thames on Saturday, when College Old Boys met Physical Training. The game was fairly even until the final quarter, when Physical Training kept their opponents on their own side of half way until the call of time. Physical Training scored five tries, none of which was converted; the. scorers were G. Pollock, J. Tonge, B. Harrison and R. Dowell (2). Old Boys’ six points came from a try by Buchanan and a penalty kicked by G. Mortimer. Physical Training second fifteen defeated College Old Boys by 12 points to 3. High School defeated C. 0.8. thirds by 12 points to 6. MATAMATA V. WALTON Smart passing and strong running by Davies, Vosper, Storey, Robertson and Kneebone decided the clash between Matamata and Walton in favour of the former to the tune of 25 points to S. Seven tries, two converted, for the winners, and two tries, one converted, against was the run of the scoring. Storey played a great game as rover and Davies showed a lot of dash. Simmons, Wallace and Groubc (backs) and Martin, Wright and Moor© (forwards) battled hard against defeat. WAIUKU A hard fought game resulted when City and Waipipi met on Saturday. Tho City team, which clinched a victory by 8 points to 6, had the advantage in the scrums and tho line-out, while the smothering tactics of Reg. McNaughten, who played a great game, time and again broke up the Waipipi backs. In the junior grade Otaua 20, beat City 0, and Aka Aka 14, beat Waipipi 12. BAY OF ISLANDS In ideal weather for football, the finalists in last year’s competition met at Kaikohe on Saturday, When, after a keenly-fought game from kick-off to no-side. Okaihau again defeated its rivals by 8 points to 5. Okaihau showed more combination, Greaves at half behind a dominant pack being able to send the five-eighths away, who with Repie at threequarters, gave several bright displays of passing. The forwards are a fast lot, and it was their speed and bunching play that won the game. Kaikohe put up a sterling fight, but the pack was unable to hold its oppanents in the scrum, although it was its equal in the open. Diamond and G. Hows, a promoted junior, were an acquisition, tho latter playing a highclass game. The result may have been different had Amos taken his old place at half. He is wasted at fiveeighth. R. Matene was slow striking his gait, but livened up toward the end. Tho Kaikohe tackling and fast following-up was very effective in spoiling its opponents’ passing bouts. The goal-kicking was gymnastic. Edmonds (Kaikohe) once sent the ball, to hit the bar, whence it bounced against the post, spun round twice and dropped over the bar to goal. Later on. when Okaihau scored, the ball hit the bar and “towered” ,in the air, spinning, end over end, also to fa.ll over the bar. Ngawha beat Waihou at Waihou, f*—o. Kawakawa beat Ohaeawai at Kawakawa, 6 —o. MORRINSVILLE The cart was upset in Morrinsville senior football on Saturday, more especially by the display of Tatuanui against last year’s champions, Kercone. The former scored a try early in the game after good forward work, and the champions were showing a deficit until late in the third quarter, wben Cameron kicked a penalty to equalise. The play in the last quarter, when everyone expected Kereone to come to light, was wholly in Tatuanui’s favour and th© greens were lucky to get off with a draw. Another surprise was tho defeat of Terriers by United by 17 to 12. United was all over its opponents in the first half and her© again it was a case of good forwards beating good backs. United tired in tho second half, but its good work earlier prevailed. The junior football was marked by a great display by Palmer, halfback for United. More will be heard of this lad. TAUMARUNUI SUB-UNION The first official matches under subunion rules were played on Saturday. Results: Senior—United, 3, v. Taumarunui, 3; Ongarue, ’ll, v. Athletic, 0. Juniors—Taumarunui, 28, v. Athletic, o. Third grade—Athletic, 15, v. High Schooi, 10. As might be expected of country clubs at the opening of the season, the senioi’ play disclosed a lack of training, and the games were not brilliant. MANUKAU The Manukau Rugby Sub-Union’s 1929 season was opened on Saturday with inter-club matches. Decisive victories were registered by the Papakura and the Valley Rovers (Hunua) teams. The Papakura-Clevedon match was a fast, open, but non-spectacular game, and ended with the score of 26—3. Although it was known in football circles that Papakura would field a much improved team, yet its win against the formidable Clevedon fifteen came as a surprise. It may be taken for granted that Papakura will make a very bold bid for the Manukau championship. Papakura’s backs are a promising set. Bar-

rett, a newcomer, of Hawke’s Bay fame, being the most prominent man in the rearguard. In the role of rover. W. Francis was one of the hardestworking and most useful men on the held. Johnson was the home team's best forward. Of the Clevedon team, F. Duder was the outstanding back. iud H. Munro and Stokes the best pack men. The Valley Rovers defeated the newly formed Wliitford team by US to 0. PUKEKOHE The principal match in the Pukekohe Sub-Union on Saturday was the match between the United and White Star Clubs, which ended in a draw. 14 all. On the previous week the newly formed United Club, the members of which are the old City Club and Power Board, now disbanded, defeated Patumahoe by a narrow margin. The result:, in view of the trouncing the Stars received from Ramblers, came as a surprise to followers of the code. Throughout the game, both teams kept scoring alternately. The Uniteds were unlucky in not compiling many more points. In the pack, the White Star team was slightly superior, but the United backs had the upper hand throughout.. For the Stars, tries were secured by Hogan (2), Golding., and Forster, the latter also converting one. United’s scores were compiled by Wright, Walters, and S. Crotty, with a try each, and Hintz, by converting one. FRANKLIN In the three senior matches played in the Franklin Sub-Union on Saturday, each of the winning teams recorded high scores. The FukekawuBombay game was won by the former by 16 to 6, but the score does not give a true indication. Although outclassed in all departments, the home team offered a strenuous resistance. Fm the winning team, tries were scored by Lindberg, Eyre, Thomas, and A. Bell, Short converting two. For Bombay, Best scored a try, and Lowry kicked a penalty. Other results were: Pokeno, 17, Tuakau, 0; Te Kohanga 14, Onewhero, 0.