WAIRARAPA WINS AGAIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 754, 29 August 1929, Page 13

WAIRARAPA WINS AGAIN

TOO GOOD FOR CANTERBURY EPIC SHIELD CLASH (Special to THE SUN) MASTERTON, Today. • For another season at least, so far I as Canterbury is concerned, the Ranfurly Shield will stay away from Christchurch. At Memorial Park, j Masterton yesterday afternoon, a fur- : ther close encounter between the Red I and Blacks and Greens was added to j what should become an historic list. History ha 3 repeated itself almost, and there were many doughty Wairarapa supporters, who at half-time yesterday had visions of the Shield being circled with red and black ribbon. But the second half proved the acid test of form, and the superiority of the defenders was unquestionable, and Canterbury had to admit defeat by 17 points to 12. It is true the i challengers were unfortunate in the way of injuries, for in the first few minutes H. Lilburne, first five-eighth and captain, injured his shoulder and, though suffering, carried on till halftime, when he retired. He would have been wiser to go off when hurt, for his disability hindered his usefulness to his side. Then in the second half, when Canterbury wanted all the ball it could get, S. Baird, the lock, broke his nose and had to go off. so that the pack work was disorganised. This was a pity, for Canterbury had the advantage in

the scrums, and its lighter pack was more than holding its own against the solid lot of defenders. Wairarapa Has one man to thank for its ascendancy, and that is A. E. Cooke. Many titles have been applied to him, including wizard, freak and mas-

ter. Master, perhaps, is the best, for he showed both in attack and defence that he is the outstanding back in the Dominion. Where the battle was hottest, there was Cooke saving and booting magnificently. When Wairarapa swept down in attack, it was Cooke who made the neat opening to cut out one mam or more. “COOKE MAKES TEAM” Cooke makes a team and holds it together, and without him Wairarapa would be of very ordinary calibre. In the first half with the scores 5-all at the end, it semed anyone’s game, with odds in favour of Canterbury, which had done most of the attacking. The forwards were getting the ball back, and the backs were throwing it about, although Oliver marred an otherwise fine display by a tendency to overdo the short punt. Twice he kicked when ho had two good men outside him. In the second half, with Lilburne gone off, and a beautiful potted goal by Cooke from the middle of the crowd of players, Canterbury slumped, and it was Wairarapa’s game. It is true there was a flicker of form at the end, when for ten desperate minutes Canterbury camped in Wairarapa territory. and the players emulated D. Hay (who replaced Lilburne) in potting at goal. CONCLUSIVE ENOUGH Wairarapa, however, piled on 12 points against Canterbury’s seven and that was conclusive enough. It was thought that Canterbury pack would be too light in calibre for the heavy and resolute men of the Wairarapa, but the Red and Black van surprised its supporters agreeably, especially considering that the Wairarapa forwards, and indeed backs, also were 50 per cent, better than against Auckland. The forwards held their own in the scrums and came through the rucks with Burrows and Cottrell leading in great style. Wairarapa had a slight advantage in the loose and line-outs. Scrummaging, on the whole, was not clean, although Canterbury had the advantage in the first half. The best Canterbury forwards were Cottrell, Burrows and Anderson, with "Toby” Robinson shining in the loose. Manning was a toiler and Manchester was

doing his bit In the line-outs. As wing forward Scrimshaw gave J. Donald a good tussle and often beat him for the ball. Thi3 pair had some interesting little struggles in the line-outs Donald’s method of putting the ball into the scrum was strictly watched by the referee. Moffitt,

in the Green van, M. Willoughby and K. Reid were the outstanding men, with W. Irvine close up. The other forwards were very even. Wing-forward Donald was the best man on the field in the loose and hunted in great style. One would not have known the Wairarapa backs for the same combination in the second half. There was snap and determination in their methods. Th« passing rush from which Cundv scored in the second half was beautiful to watch, and Cooke cut out a man cleverly before giving the bull to Stringfellow. who sent Cundy over. MILL'S OLD FORM Behind the scrum. Mill showed some of his old form, and was dashing and clever. T. Corkill was sound on defence and did his job reasonably on attack, though he did not show* a great deal of enterprise, being content to let Cooke do the main work. Stringfellow was solid at centre, and F. Fuller, on the wing, showed more versatility yesterday than against Auckland. His side-stepping was pretty, but he needs just a little more dash. Cundy was sound on the other wing and L. Roach, at fullback, was right on form, kicking beautifully. The Canterbury backs were bright in the first half and Mullan sent out the ball well. Lilburne did not do much attacking, as his injured shoulder was handicapping him, and it was left to Oliver to make the openings. This he did. but spoiled things by kicking. He worked like a trojan all day, and when opportunity came his way on attack he made* full use of it. Hart played dashingly on the wing and deserved the obstruction try which was awarded him. Jack Steel did a comparative freeze, so to speak, but he did not get manv opportunities. At fullback Jack Harris ©laved fine football and showed that he is right on form.