INTER-SCHOOL RUGBY AND BASKETBALL

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 191, 23 September 1955, Page 6

INTER-SCHOOL RUGBY AND BASKETBALL

Mangakino Visits Taupo The Mangakino High School boys' first Rugby fifteen and girls' first basketball team liad a perfect day for their visit on Tuesday, September 13. Visiting pupils and teachers were entertained at morning tea at 11 a.m., the games commencing at 11.30 a.m. The visitors enjoyed hot mineral baths at The Spa before leaving on their return journey. Mr D. Price, of the Mangakino staff, mentioned that the party came via Mokai, as blasting operations on the big hill, 25 miles from Taupo on the Atiamuri Road, were in progress and it was expected that it would take four hours to clear the rubble away. Taupo Wins Basketball The Taupo girls won the basketball match 24 — 22. From the whistle Taupo intercepted and the ball travelled goalward for E. Darlington to open her account. K. Reid threw off for Taupo, and the ball passed to E. Darlington. Taupo 2, Mangakino 0. Mangakino settled down and the score steadily mounted on both sides. After 18 minutes the score was Mangakino 11, Taupo 10, and at halftiine the teams were level at 13-all. After resumption Mangakino scored five quick goals, but excitement mounted as E. Darlington scored five for Taupo, making the teams 18-all. With five minutes to go, and the score 20-all, excitement was great. Taupo made the most of this time, notching four goals to Mangakino's two, for a final score of Taupo 24, Mangakino 22. Mangakino Win Rugby In the Mangakino School fifteen Taupo met a team which had not lost an inter-school match this season and whose 9-nil victory maintained their unbeaten recorcL From the kick-off Taupo pressed Mangakino back to their twenty-five but could not break through. Though averaging over a stone lighter than the visitors, the Taupo forwards dominated the game and subdued and overran the Mangakino pack. R. Braddock hooked the ball consistently but the fast-moving Mangakino backs and breakaways gave Taupo's backs little chance. From the lineouts T. Percival and M. Isaac fed P. Ngamotu who set his backs in motion, but Mangakino's defence held. After twenty-five minutes' play the heavier Mangakino pack forced the game to change ends and Taupo had a turn of stubborn defence. From a scrum Mangakino heeled the ball which went to their first five-eighth, who propped behind his scrum and drop-kicked a goal for a 3-nil lead. Taupo immediately attacked, and had T. Percival been backed up a score would have been inevitable. During most of the second half Mangakino attacked, but the defence work of W. Tauteka, W. Turetahi H. Reid, D. Ward, P. Dixon and S. Crowther kept them at bay for the first 20 minutes. From a loose ruck five yards from Taupo's line the ball was kicked through and two Mangak'no forwards dived, R. Dick scoring to give Mangakino a 6-nil iead. For the next eight minutes Taupo attacked and were unlucky not to score several times. Once H. Reid fell on the ball over the goal line, but a Mangakino plaver grabbei for the ball immediately after in was grounded and a five-yard scrum resulted. Mangakino then cleared and pushed Taupo back to their twenty-five. A. Perry attempted to run through the opposition from his own goal line -only to lose the ball in a tackle. It was kicked ahead for R. Scott to gather in and race five yards along the sideline for a corner try.^ Mangakino 9, Taupo 0. Though Taupo pressed hard and were on Mangakino's line for several minutes they could not get over. The game ended