SENIOR RUGBY AT TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 133, 13 August 1954, Page 2

SENIOR RUGBY AT TAUPO

OLD ROYS DRAW WITH TAUPO IN BRIGHT GAME Owing to Tongariro being unable to notify their players of the change of venue from Tokaanu to Taupo, in time for their McKay Cup game with College Old Boys last Saturday, this game was replaced with a friendly game between C.O.B. and a Taupo team, whose numbers were made up with some United players. Old Boys took the offensive and did not take long to get three tries, one scored by Hepi, one by H. Maniapoto and one by C. Wall. Ham converted the sejond of these | and the figures were Old Boys 11, Taupo nil. The game was fast and open, and shortly before half-time a penalty to Taupo enabled Vedder to goal, making the half-time score 11—3. On resumption the Taupo team showed to greater advantage than in the first spell, and the game developed into one of the best seen in Taupo this season. A free kick to Old Boys after ten minutes saw Ham add apother three points, and a try soon after, by Grace, uncon- I verted, brought the score to 17 — 3 in favour of Old Boys. Taupo were pressing when a penalty against Old Boys resulted in another goal to Vedder, 17 — 6. Soon after, Michael Orr intercepted an Old Boys pass in the latter's twenty-five and went over between the posts for a try which Vedder converted, to make the score1 17 — 11. Within a minute of the kick-off Ham copied Orr's f eat, intercepting a Taupo pass and going over in the corner, for an unconverted try, making the tally 20—11 in Old Boys favour.

Both teams were throwing the ball about, but Taupo were bustling the Old Boys toward the latter part of the second half , and a bright try was scored for Taupo by Kereopa, of the United Club, who got possession a little inside the ,half and raced for the line, to make the figures 20 — 14. Two more tries, also unconverted, one by Kereopa and one by Hoare, brought the final tally to 20 all. Both teams played in sporting fashion, and it seemed that the players enjoyed the game as much as the spectators. It can be said that the Old Boys backs showed, as usual, better penetration than the Taupo backs, while, especially in the later stages of the game, the Taupo forwards showed to advantage in going through with the ball at toe. Mr Kori Rameka refereed. I