A FIELD DAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1019, 9 July 1930, Page 13

A FIELD DAY

FULLER’S GREAT GAME FOR WAIRARAPA MILL BRILLIANT, TOO Special to THE SUN MASTERTON, Tuesday. In 1926, Hawke’s Bay football was at its zenith. With 12 All Blacks wearing the black and white jersey, and the Ranfurly Shield as the tribute of its prowess, Auckland and Canterbury were the only contenders who had any prospect of giving the spectators a thrill tit McLean Park. And when the Magpies travelled, they were accompanied by a black and white goat as a mascot, and a special train full of supporters as “urgers.” But how are tho might fallen. No special train, no Shield, not even the goat, with the fee simple of the playing field at odd moments! And tho return game with Wairarapa showed that tHe desperate search for talent to combat the invading British had so far not been too successful. The forwards are big, but lacking in sting; tho backs are sound in defence, but lacking in penetration. Cyril Brownlie did not travel owing to a broken rib, M. Brownlie was honeymooning, and Ruru was held back by Te Aute College for the annual game against Napier High School. It was truly a day of triumph for Fuller. He converted all three tries scored for his side, and besides notched five penalty goals, thus gaining 24 out of Wairarapa’s 30 points. The only penalty lie missed was one from near half-way. On that occasion he placed tho ball only 12 feet from the opposition, and it struck the portly Wanoa heavily on the head. But the outstanding back for the home team was J. Mill. His form this season has been uncertain, and his day off at Dunedin did not surprise his best friends. Yet Saturday week he was the Mill 'of old, displaying all that resourcefulness that won him world fame in 1924. The manner in which he set his backs in action with clean snappy passes frequently roused applause, while in defence ho was superb. lie made one excellent 20-yard dash for the line, but finished the last few feet like tho snake in the garden, and a fiveyard scrum wag ordered. The next time he was tripped by a forward, colliding with an opponent’s knee, and was out for borne minutes. Fuller added threo points from the penalty, and thereafter Mill fed his backs unfailingly. GREAT HOOKING W. R. Irvine is still confined to bed after his meeting with old opponents at Dunedin. His plax?e was taken by J. "Walker, a sturdy Maori hooker, who with Keith Reid in the front rank gave tho Wairarapa backs a. l’cast of the ball. So pronounced was the superiority, of these two over their opponents that after tlio first scrums J. Donald took scrums instead of line-outs. Out of 68 scrums, Wairarapa obtained cleanly from 47, 3 2 were indecisive, and Hawke’s Bay obtained from nine. Besides controlling the scrums, lan Harvey was outstanding in the loose, and is today easily the best forward in Ibis district. It ‘was understood that Air. Norman McKenzie was trying out several young players before selecting the final team against Britain on July 13. Setford was the'pick of the Bay backs, being well backed up by Grant and McDonald. Grenside was given few chances, but was always dangerous. Mills, on the other wing, scored two fine tries. The Rev. Mr. Wanoa (the former Auckland rep.), Campbell and ITeffemail were prominent in the Magpie pack.