FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1919, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

TARANAKI'B DEBACLE. WANGANUTS HUGE SCORE. Though It was generally recognised that tlie team which left for Wanganul was the weakest that Tatanskl had put In the field this season, few expected that It would give such a miserable account of Itself as proved to be tha. case, foir save In the first lew minutes of the. game, when Taranakl appeared to have a prospect pf winning Somewhat eaallr. they never had a look In, and particularly during the second spell were hopelessly outclassed. The Taranakl forwards did not appear to pat any 7lm !ntu their work, and the rashes the; did attempt were usually lone-handed, with the result that the Wanganul backs were easily able to stem them and, added by very poor tackling on the part of the visiting backs, were able to turn the tablw completely and preas home attack after attack with monotonous regularity. The Wanganul backs are a fine nippy lot, and on the day's play were easily a class above their opponents. They handled the ball ajflendidly, throning It about In great style and making the game open and spectacular. As soon as they realised that they had the upper hand they took great risks In opening up the game, and these almost always came off, owing to the weak manner In which the Taranakl men tackled, letting the speedy 'Wanganul rearguard beat man after man with ridiculous ease. On the other. han<\ the Wanganul forwards, by fast following up, smothered the visiting backs on the few occasions they got going. Atkln, the Taranakl captain, by making numerous changes. Including the playing of two wing forwards, endeavoured to stem the tide, but It was of no avail, and Wanganul ran out winners by 56 points—lß tries (4 converted), to 3. a penalty goal. With a moderate amount of success at goal kicking Wangahul's score would hate been much greater. Cook's Gardens, where the match attracted about 1500 spectators, was In splendid order, being, if anything, on the hard side. The teams were as follows: WANGANBI. Full-back: Head. Throe-quartet!: Packer, Scott, Phllllpson Five-eighths: Cowle, Stewart (capt.) Half: Palmer. Forwards: Champion, jlatre, Lockett, Alabaster 13anlef3t.il, ftois, Green, Hogan.

TARANAKL Pull-back: George. Thtee-Quartets: Stewart, Roberto, Whlttlngton Five-eighths; Gibson, Tate. Half: Atkins (capt.) Forwards: Taylor, Chadwlck, Soffe, Spratt, Carlson, King, Norgate, Fuller.

Wanganul won the to»a and elected to opes against the sun and the wind. Taranakl kicked off ana Scoltt mulling bailty care Wanganul an aniious time, but he recovered well, from a line out Atkln passed to Gibson, who beat his man and transferred to Tat«, but the latter failed to take the ball and Wanganul cleared. Taranakl forwards, headed by Klhg, sat up a rush that carried play to Wanganui's line, where from a scrum Hogan got off-side. George made a good, but resultless attempt to goal. Failure by Head to take the ball saw Taranakl swarm round their goal, and Atklh essayed to dive over the line, but was held up. A moment later Whlttlngton was also held up by Packer'at the close of a passing bout In which Atkln, Gibson and Tate also participated. Twice In succession Wanganul were forced mainly as the result of failure to take the ball owing to the sun. Sfffe wis next prominent In a forward Tush, but Wanganul cleared, and Mb a flash assumed the aggressive, Harre, Lockett, and Hogan heading a forward rush which Roberts badly failed to stem. King, however, came round in time to save and a little later a force ensued. - Roberts next made an opening but Packer checked, and following up fast the Wanganul backs got going. Palmer. Cowle, Stewart, and Phllllpson handling well. Taraflakt was farced. Later, Phllllpson centred to Btewart, 'Who galloped for the line but was well collared by Soffe. Prom the scrum. Atkln secured and kicked, Palmer took v$U and handed on to Scott, who cut In neatly and transferred to Packer; this speedy wing beit Whlttlngton and scored. Head failed to goal. , Palmer gamely checked a Taranakl rush headed by Tate, and Wanganul again attacked. A nice bout in which Scott, Lockott, and Cowle were associated, ended In the latter streaking across. Head failed to goal. Almost on resuming Taranakl were awarded a free kick, and from almost half-way, George landed a beautiful goal. Green, marking In the face of the charging Taranakl pack, Head had another good shot, which fell anort. Cowle failed to take Gibson's return, which went out at half-way. A high kick fast followed up, saw Whlttlngton collared with the ball and Scott scored. Head falling to goal. Green and Campion were prominent In a rush that led Wanganul to striking distance, and from a mark by Packer, Alabaster made ft poor attempt to goal. Taranakl forwards, aided by fine line kicking by George, carried piny to Wanganui's J5, where Head was in difficulties, but managed to clear. Then Scott picked up and passed to Phllllpson, who when collared by Whlttlngton, transferred to Packer, who scored his second try, which Phllllpson converted. Almost immediately Scott secured and shot across to Cowle, who outpaced the opposition and side-stepping George, scored. Phllllpson failed to convert. Wanganul were now making the game very open. Campion and Palmer game Taranakl anxious moments, but the visitors were able to clear. From an Infringement, Head had a Tesultless shot, and Gibson's return well followed up by the Taranakl forwards, looked dangerous, but Head obstructed, and George's kick at goal was forced. , During the concluding moments of the spell Taranakl were aggressive, and a rush, headed by Norgate, was forced. Whlttlngton also made a great dash down the line but was collared by Cowle, and In a forward rush a moment later SofTe kicked too hard and Wanganul again forced. The spell ended: Wanganul 1' Taranakl Almost from the kick off Taranakl were forced. Then the Taranakl backs made a feeble attempt to pass, but the result came to nanght, and a moment later, George was badly beaten by the sun in taking a high ball and a score lookod Imminent, but he was able to force Just In front of Packer. Taranakl forwards' lone hand rushes were twice checked by Scott, and on the second occasion, George again failed to mark, and from the scrum, Palmer passed to Scott, to Cowie, to Phllllpson, who was collared but fell over the line. Cowle goaled. After a brief Taranakl Invasion, Wanganul were back, and George falling to stem, Scoit got over, and Cowle goaled. Cowle returned Hhe ki<;k to past halfway, but the Taranakl forwards, headed by Rnratt and Co., broke away. Palmer, however, snapped up and set Ills backs moving and play moved fast up and down the field, blth sides attempting to centre. Then Phllllpson intercepted a Taranakl pass and streaked down the Held, but was well taken by Roberts A moment later he had his reward, as taking a pass from Scott at full speed, lie beat the opposition and scored, Cowie's attempt to '°A BMk l"* 'alim? wall followed us had

jjaranaltl again In difficulties, but George lined. Ticket Was nearly over from a Wanganul | passing bout, being collared by Stewart, then i Wanganul's Stewart picked up, and, beating « couple of men, Bcored. Cowle again failed. ! Almost from the kick off Cowle made a ] great run, making tho opposition look like■ lucks, and passed to Stewart, who handed on ] t> Palmer, the latter scoring. Alabaster failed ! :o convert. i Tries came with almost monotonous frc- < quency, the spec'-unrs being chiefly Interested in the prospect of Wanganul reaching the | half-ccntry In points, and a converted try, . which made Wanganul's score 50 .to S, was the signal for applause. The game reached almost I burlesque level in the closing lUces, and Wanganul added twa more unconverted trios : before time was called with th« scorn:— Wanganul 56 i . Taranakl 3 A feature of the game was the poor placei kicking, only four of Wanganul's sixteen tries ; being converted. The following scored for i Wanganul: Phllllpson (5), Cowle (3), Packer! , and Stewart (2 each), Scott, Ross, rainier, j I and Lockett, 1 each. Cowle converted two, | and Packer and Phllllpson. one each. Mr. I Atkinson made a capable referee. ! ! Tho Taranr.fri team, which was under th« } management of Mr. A. R. Ryder, ieft here : on Saturday morning by Mr. C. H. Johnston's I motor bus, had a splendid run down. They j were entertained by tho Wanganul Rugby Union !to lunch, and in the evening both teams sat j down to dinner at Chevannes' Hotel. The { Taranakl team were afterwards the guests of : tho management at a complimentary concert given by tbe Queen Alexandra Band. The return trip was made yesterday under ideal conditions. INTER-ISLAND MATCH. SOUTH HEAVILY DEFEATED. . By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Saturday. The Rugby match between teams representing the North and South Island was played at Athletic Park this afternoon, and resulted In a win for the North Island by 28 points to 11. There were about 10,000 spectators. The high north wind which swept across the ground spoilt play to a large extent. The North Island men played with better combination than tha Southerners, and to this fact their success was largely due. THE LEAGUE GAME. AUSTRALIA DEFEATS AUCKLAND. Auckland, Saturday. Over 20,000 spectators watched the Bugby League match between Australia and Auckland to day. Australia won by 32 points to 8. The was superior in combination to the New Zealand team which met Australia last Saturday. For Australia, Culllt and [ Holder played great games, frequently beating the home team's defence. CANTERBURY SUCCESSES. Chrlstchurch, Saturday. In the Rugby League representative matches, Canterbury beat Wellington seniors by 27 points to 15, and Canterbury junlora beat Wellington juniors by IS points to 8. CARBINE SHIELD™MATCH. STAR DEFEAT TUKAPA. Tho contest between Tukapa and Star juniors at Pnkekura Park on Saturday was for the Carbine Shield. In the opening stages, Star forwards dominated play, and the backs threw the ball about in a way that indicated an easy win, but tlie effort was net sustained, and until well into the second half the Tukapa team secured possession whllßt their backs certainly gave a better exhibition of passing and fielding.. There were many bright flashes during the game, which, however, fell below expectations. Mr. D. Johnstone was referee, playing opening at 3.10 before a fair attendance of supporters of teach team. Soon after opening, CHIT (half) set the Star backs going, but the effort was spoilt by the Inability of Sims to transfer before tackling. The blacks kept hammering at the Tukapa defence, and twice the latter were fortunate in saving scores by forcing. Stars, however, were not to b« denied, and Falwasssr with a strong run Bhook off a blue tackle and scored. . Ruru filled to convert the try. Before the spell ended, Ruru, by the agency of a penalty added three moro points to Stars' total.

With six. points to nil against them, Tukapa were not dismayed and In a loose rush Bart Becured the ball and aided by weak tackling, penetrated the Star defence and scored. Hooker converted with a fine kick. The blues came again, and as a result of tight play near the Star line, Crone went over, making Tukapa 8 and Star 6 at half-time. In the second spell, Star were mainly on the defensive, the blues swarming down repeatedly on their line,, but, although having several kicks from marks and penalties, Stars averted danger. During these bouts Boswell (Tukapa) and Cliff (Star) had to leave the field through Injuries, Tho only score secured during the spell was made by Ruru who successfully landed a penalty goal and thus won the game and Shield for his team by 9 points to PROPOSED NEW RULES DISCUSSED. Wellington, Saturday. A special general meeting of the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union last night considered the English Union's reply to the suggested alterations in the laws of the gape and the rules regarding professionalism, also to discuss the Auckland proposals for alterations In the rules of the New Zealand Union and the laws of the game. Mr. Frost (Auckland) moved au amendment to Rule 2, providing that, while affiliating with the English Union, the New Zeal«uu Onion should have power to make such amendments In the laws of the game as were deemed desirable. Mr. Slade (Taranaki) seconded. Several speakers thought that New Zealand had reached a stage when it should control Us own affairs. Finally, Mr. Frost withdrew the motion, the meeting having decided in favor of a conference of delegates from the New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, and, If possible, South African Unions to discuss the laws of the game. Mr. Frost asked if some sort of exemption could not bo granted to Auckland meantime. If Auckland was compelled to go back to the old laws Rugby there would be killed; it would not bo able to stand up against the League game.

The chairman ruled that permission to play the amended rules could not be granted by the New Zealand Union under the present regulations.