FLU POSTPONES GAME BETWEEN UNITED AND TONGARIRO TEAMS

Taupo Times, Volume VI, Issue 290, 29 August 1957, Page 8

FLU POSTPONES GAME BETWEEN UNITED AND TONGARIRO TEAMS

INFLUENZA weakened all teams in the Taupo Rugby competitions last Saturday, but despite that all teams managed to foave 15 players on the field before the end of the games. The Tongariro-IJnited clash for the final of the knockout was postponed because the Tongariro team had been badly affected by the bug. The Taupo-Tongariro play-off for the Garrett Shield will be this weekend.

Ilesults : Taupo 14 C.O.B. 3, United 19 Te Haroto 10. Junior : Kaimanawa 8 United nil, Taupo 9, Maroa 3. The Taupo-Maroa game produced the best rugby of the day, and drew the larger section of the crowd. Till the last 10 minutes it could have gone either way. Taupo then caiuped on Maroa's line and refused to allow the maroon to gain relief from the steady pressure, so that Maroa vvilted and let Taupo througli twice to gain the match. Pleased the Gallery Kaimanawa pleased the gallery in their first appearance on the Taupo Domairi by a display of fast, clean rugby. It was expected that United vyould not even give them a game, Uut as time went on they had a full team ou the field and they made a real game of it. Despite the eight-point differenee, there was never this amount of disparity between the two sides. United seniors were too hig and heavy for the visiting Te Haroto side, and if they had liked to apply the pressure eould have doubled their score. The game itself was scrappy. Being a friendly oue with nothing at stake, this affected the attitude of the local players. Taupo seniors surprised by defeating C.O.B. in a game that at times reaclied great heights, and then at others was so scrappy that it was a disgrace to see. Again a game with nothing at stake, and a case of two teams filling up the many gaps with "(>1(1" reserves. So much so that the last, two players to tuni out for Taupo did so witliout boots. The game fluctuatod from end to end

of the field with first one side and then the other appearing to be in the position to score, but never quite making it. N. Wall played a great game for the black forwards, was always into the thick of it, and the first player after the loose ball. G. Koopu sliowed promise in the centre berth, and several times needed only tliat ounce of luck to give him tries. Woodward was the leader for Taupo and he did a great job. Erickson, McAllister and Fislier went exceptionally well in the back line. Daly drew first blood for Taupo when he scored 15 yards from the corner after 22 minutes of play. Tito converted. C.O.B. came straiglit back and C. Wall was there to score. Koopu missed the conversion. The ball looked to be falling short, then bounced back from the top of the crossbar. Taupo dominated the second half and several promising back movefrnents just failed. McAUister appeared to go over in the corner, but with a 25 awarded he must have lost the ball. Erickson made a tricky run to break througli and score near tlie posts. Tito missed. Missed A Sitter C.O.B. forced Taupo back to their line, but a good kick which was followed up set the black-and-white baeks away, but a knock-on 15 yards short ruined tlie movement. Fisher then tried to break througli when he kicked and followed up to ■catch the fullback, and so send theball loose. Woodward and Tito . were close enough for Tito to kick througli, but Woodward beat hihi to gather it in and scored uiuler the posts. Tito missed the siter. Near tlie half way the ball came loose and Thimbleby, in bare feet, gathered it in and braved tlie boots to make a fine dash right througli C.O.B. to score. No kick was attempted. The game ended witli Taupo winning by 14 points to 3. Mr F. Harding was the referee.