RUGBY

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 29, 30 July 1952, Page 5

RUGBY

GARRETT SHIELD Maroa 8, Waitahanui 0. United 27, Oruanui 0. A fine day attraeted a considerable crowd to the Taupo Domain, ineluding many IMaroa supporters who made the journey to Taupo to cheer on their team. They had the pleasure of seeing their side inflict 'the first defeat of the season upon the Garrett Shield leaders, Waitahanui, but the game was very evenly contested right up to the last ten minutes, when Maroa asserted their superiority. At the outset each side in turn pressed hard, playing good elean football, but without fire in the movements. After twenty minutes the Waitahanui forwards oegan to gain the ascendancy, and led by A. Grace at second five-eighth, kept Maroa on the defensive with many short well placed punts. Those tactics deserved mere success, and they might have achieved it but for the unpredictable bounce of the ball on the rough ground, but the old heads in the Maroa back line, Andrews and Tuhara, saved their side time after time. It was . % very noticeable up to this stage that the referee Mr F. S. Harding needed to use the whistle very little, an adequate indication that the play was good and clean. As the teams, warmed up, the forwards took more control, kept the ball tighter and played harder football. The Waitahanui forwards continued to press and Maroa were fighting to hold them out. iShortly before half time the ball came right along the Waitahanui back line, every man handling it. T. Wall on the wing was unlucky not to score. Waitahanui were awarded a penalty for a Maroa infringement but Grace's kick at goal missed and there was still no score when the whistle blew. Maroa were really on their toes at the beginning of the second half wlien a movement developed which took the ball out to Tetua on the wmg, who passed back in-field, and it seemed to be handled by every man in the Maroa side before it reached the Waitahanui line, where an almost certain score was saved by Ham who kicked for safety. And:ews started another rush, and Kapua crossed the line but was called back for a . scrum because the pass was forward. Then the Waitahanui forwards gained control again & took the ball to mid-field & kept play hard and tight for a while. Infringements by Waitahanui players gave Tuhara two chances to land penalty goals, and he was successful with the second of these for Maroa to take the lead at 3-nil. Seemingly inspired, Maroa now gained the ascendancy and cut and thrust at the line continuously. There was no let up. Then from a line out 10 yards from the Waitahanui line, the Maroa forwards gained the ball, packed down and hooked it to Andrews at half who swung round the scrum and dived over for the only try of the game, which was converted by Tuhara. !Th§ whistle blew for time with the score, .Maroa 8, Waitahanui 0. # Throughout the game Maroa had the advantage in the line outs, winning 23 to Waitahanui^ 14, whilst in the sc^ums Waitahanui won 13 and Maroa 11. Oruanui v. United. , In the match at Oruanui, United overwhelmed the home team by 27 points to nil, after leading by 8 points to nil at half time. The scores for the winning team were the centre three-quarter, Joe Habib 2 tries, Said Habib on the left wing 2 tries, Dudley Tomoana, half back, 1 try. R. Rameka the second fiveeighth 1 try, and a forward Alec Gray 1 try. Four of these tries were converted, two of them by P. Kahia and two by Tomoana. '