COB BUSTLE UNITED TO WIN WET WEATHER RUGBY

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 42, 1 June 1965, Page 2

COB BUSTLE UNITED TO WIN WET WEATHER RUGBY

Taupo club footballers experienced their second miserable wet Saturday of the current season on the weekend, but this did not prevent an exciting result in the Seymour Rosebowl fixture between strong Garrett Shield teams, COB and United. Amid mounting excitement in the second spell, United, after leading 6 — 5 at half-time, went down to COB by 14 — 12 following some rousing wet- weather football. Considering that both teams were weakened by the absence of many Taupo representative players, both sides showed surprising combination with many of the younger players giving hard-working support to their more experienced team members. The game was very even as the score suggests with both sides having periods of territorial advantage. COB scored twice, half-back K. Wall, capping an outstanding display with both tries. Front row forward, J. H. Wall, banged over two relatively easy penalties and a conversion. United, whose backline handled the slippery ball in good fashion, had its guiding light in five-eighth, L. Moana. Moana, who moved into scrum half in the second spell set his chain in action and once again had a quick eye for opportunity in dropping a brace of field goals. Ex representative forward, D. Rameka, who has few peers as one of the j most experienced loose forwards in the competition, continued his consistent goal-kicking by landing two penalties.

Both packs struggled to assert supremacy in the greasy conditions with the COB loose forwards eventually bustling United into errors and infringements. Scrum possession was even, but United had more of the lineout ball, thanks to splendid jumping at the front of the lineout by C. Williams. For COB, half-back, K. Wall, and hooker, J. H. Wall, as well as scoring all their side's points, were able tacticians. Winger, N. Hieke tt, and prop, P. Northcroft, were others to perform well. Besides Rameka and Williams, K. Hurae and T. Pitiroi wrere steady toilers in the United eight.