FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME. TO-DAY'S MATCHES. * REPRESENTATIVE FOOTBALL Auckland v. Taranaki, ' at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, at 3 pm. CURTAIN RAISERS Clifton II v. JLgh School, at 1.30 p.m. 1 Junior Final in Northern Division). Waitara v. Stratford, at 12.15 p.m. (final of School? Championship). NEXT WEEK’S FIXTURES. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19. A Grade. Clifton v. Tukapa. at Waitara. Stratford v. Haw era, at Stratford. Kaponga v. Okaiawa, at Okaiawa. Opunake v. Patea, at Opunake. Waimate a bye. B Grade. Star v. Old Boys, Sports Ground. Okato t. Eitham, at Okato. Inglewood v. Lepperton, at Lepperton. MAORIS v. NEW ZEALAND. ‘ Rotorua. Last Night. Mr. Parata has selected the following to reoppsent the Maoris against New Zealand on August 19, assembling in Wellington on August 15: Borrell. Barclay, Blake, Phillips, Bel?. Potaka, MUI. Jacobs, Bevan, Tresize, Dove. Tangitu. Gemmell, Bannister, Garlick, McGregor, Mata!, Petna. Akuira. TEAMS FOR TO-DAY. Star third grade v. Old Boys, at 1.15 p.m., at Racecourse No. 1 ground: Morris. Hoffmann. Murphy. Loveridge, Russell. Buli-Jtt, Parker. Smith. Byre, Stroud. White, McKen«ie. Francis. R. Berge, N. Berge, Rendell. Emergency. Stunmey. Old Boys third grade team v. Star: Merrcn. Corkiil, Falwasser, WhFeler, Newell, Bayly. McHardy, Rawlinson. Rea, Luxton, Drader, Ellis, AHen. Frethey. Emergency: Thompson. N.P. TECHNICAL COLLEGE v. HAWERA TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. The annual match between New Plymouth Technical College and Hawera Technical High Sehoo’ was played vesterday afternoon at the racecourse, and resulted in a win for New Plymouth by 27 points to 3. The game was very fast and open throughout. Both packs of forwards played a fine game, but the visitors more than held their own. Owen, the Hawera half, played a clever game and gave his backs every chance. The New Mjwnouth backs, however, altogether outclassed the visitors, their fast passing being a feature of the game. For the winners tries were scored by Loveridge (3), Dickson (2), Rumbell (1), O’Byrne (1). while Loveridge converted two tries and Dickson one. For the visitors Hammond kicked a goal. Mr. Gilmour controlled the game. Amusing par from a Wanganui Chronicle report of a Married v. Single Rugby match played at Bulls this week: "The benedicts showed several flashes of oid-time play, and "Ted” Wilson, the well-known sporting scribe, crossed th« line by a "Carbine" burst of speed, completely outclassing his opponents and scoring between the posts amidst deafening applause.” 1 THE ASSOCIATION GAME. The following flayers will play at Hawera; Lawrence. Worthington, Jones, Grundy. Parker, McGuire, Beichin, Woodhead, Katz, Sheppard, Johnston. A curtain-raiser will be played by two Hawera school teams. MEWS AND NOTES. The cup matches which have been suspended for a couple of weeks, owing to the representative matches, will be resumed on Saturday. Principal interest will centre in the meeting of Tukapa and Clifton at Waitara, and of Kaponga and Okaiawa at Okaiawa. Should’ Tukapa beat Clifton interest will probably fade out cf the competition, as the championship will then be virtually assured to Tukapa, and later on country teams will have trouble* in meeting their engagements, though It Is expected Kaponga wilt rttake a big effort to send a team to New Plymouth the following week. The visit of the country team would be most popular here. In the lower grades matters are reaching finality. To-day Clifton and High School will meet to decide which is to play Okaiawa for the junior championship of the province. Stratford Technical High School and New Plymouth High School C meet to decide the fourth grade championship, whilst the third grade is also nearing completion. Taranaki has during the past week came out of its shell by winning two matches. Last Saturday they beat Wanganui by 10 points to 7 and on Thursday defeated Manawatu by 22 points to fl. ‘Hiere was little merit in the match against Wanganui as the local team played a very disappointing game and deserved to be beaten Instead of winning on the call of time. Certainly the local forwards had the better of the game, but they did not show the superiority they should have considering that Wanganui was weak in this department. Indeed, they infused little ginger into their work. It was the forwards, however, that won the match, as the Taranaki backs were absolutely hopeless in attack and gave local supporters a great shock. The less said about their display the better. Thp Wanganai papers had the following comments on the match:—

The Wanganui Herald says that "a draw would hare been a fitting end tn the gaune on the day’s play. It was the fortune of war that Taranaki should have won on the last minute. The Taranaki forwards were better than Wanganui on line out play and in the light work where they grafted honestly. Their footwork was also better, but in the loose the Wa’nganui vanguard more than held their own. Packer was brilliant In the second spell, and Cox and Harre also did a lot of fine work.. Stewart, Smith and Abbott worked hard all through. The two former hooked well, but the ball frequently hung up in the back and Taranaki forwards broke through owing to one or two of the blues being too eager to break sway. West was the outstanding Taranaki forward. but he was well supported by Fogarty, Malone and Campbell. Brown played as rover and did a lot of fine spoiling work as well as taking part in many passing rushes. He handled the ball well and tackled in great style.

"The Wanganui backs were undoubtedly superior to the opposing rearguard. In the first spell Baddeley did not handle the ball well, but In the second half showed something like his best form. Peina alro dropped some passes in the early stages when both Delves and he were playing too deep, and this led to the passes being more difficult to take. In the second spell Peina and Potaka got in some dazzling work, and several times had the crowd on their feet. Delves played a fine all round game and Head did good work. Weir was not seen at his h»st. R- Collier did a lot of fine work, but overdid the running about on several occasions, though it Is stated he was playing to instructions. Of the Taranaki backs Robertson was the pick. Wilkinson got few chances on the wings, the inaides failing to get the bail out to him. Vanghan dropped a lot of passes." The Wanganui Chronicle says that "on the day a draw would have represented the merits of the sides, but In the last few minutes Taranaki were certainly on top and their winin'’ score was undoubtedly the reward of perseverance. Some of the private watch holders thought that the game was played over time, but a good deal of time was lost through minor mishaps to players, and the official watch could therefore be regarded as the only time keener. When the teams settled down it was a splendid game of its kind, breaking forward plar allied to deadly tackling. Under M»«.,

On the Hue out work the big Taranaki forwards showed more cleverness and beat their opponents while they were swift in starting their dribbling rushes. In hooking it was fifty fifty, but in the case of Wanganui the ball hung after it was hooked. In the loose Wanganui showed more speed. Wanganui in attack undoubted!} - had the better backs, although the team work was by no means perfect. Mishandling • was much in evidence early in the game, while .there was not the system in their passing that was expected.

‘ Taranaki can thank their forwards for coming out on top. West was the best forward on the ground, while Malone, Fogarty and Campbell all played’tine games. A feature was the clever taking on the line out and smart footwork in dribbling xbe ball. "The Taranaki backs' were disappointing and had no finish in their attacking work. The veteran Colman played indifferently behind the scrum. A lot of his parses were too low and lacked vim. Fryday proved a weak link at first five-eighths. Johnson shaped nicely in the outer position, and by cutting through he made some good openings for his side. Vaughan failed at centre three-quarter, and dropped more passes than he took. His play reflected in the wings, who thus got little in the way of chances. Both Stohr and Wilkinson showed plenty of pace, the latter t>eing the better of the pair. Robertson shaped soundly at full back, and kicked a splendid length. He also rendered good service when he was shifted up to the five-eighth line.”

The Mar-awatu match has gone a long way in restoring confidence in the Taranaki team. Tt is not so much that Taranaki won by a comfortable margin of points, but the fact that the local backs have shown that they know how to attack. Certainly there is still room for improveiment. but the display was a pleasing one, and shows that Taranaki now has a centre line right through from half to full back. Taranaki forwards again showed that the province has nothing to fear in that department, for though several of the local players were being spelled. Including West, who is a great leader, they proved too good for thejr opponents in all departments, save hooking, and here they were badly beaten. In the first spell they hardly ever got the ball, which only came through their scrum on one occasion in the second spell. Tn the enry stages it looked as if Manawatu were going to beat our men, as they showed more dash and thefr forwards threw the ball about freely. After the first quarter of an hour. tb»> loco’s got going, and after that Infused ginger into their worV nnd kept command. The local hacks were practically a new combination. Johnson at second five-eighths, and Wilkinson, on the wing, being the only ones in their old positions. With snore practice that they will get to-dav. the team will be a good attacking proposition and also a solid defensive one.

The backs threw the ball about well, and gave some exhiliratlng movements, considering that they seldom received the ball from the scrum. Lynskey, at half, was solid on defence, and let the ball out much better than of yore. With a little more finish he should develop into a useful half. He still runs Into the ruck occasionally, but once this brought off a good try. Robertson and Johnson com- , bine well at five-eighths. The former also got the ball away better than usual. This trio can be relied on for defence. Marks played h»s initial game at centre three-quarter with the team, an d is on his day’s play unquestionably the right man for the position. He quickly seizes an opportunity, Is fast, and runs strongly, whilst he also knows where to pass. He scored a couple of fine tries, but there was nothing selfish about them. He also got the ball out well to his wings. The wingers did good work, each scoring a try. Wilkinson failed to take a pass on one occasion, possibly because he had too much pace on. Ennis made some great attempts, but was well watched. For a novice on the wing he is alright.

Coutts played a great game at full-back, and has evidently discovered his proper place in the team. A careful five-eighths, he is the best full-baek In Taranaki to-day. He takes well, is fast. a. strong runner, and a good kick, and tackles well. He made some great runs through the opposition yesterday, but should be careful or he may endanger his side. However, on his game he will fill the bill admirably. Of the forwards none played better than Compbell. who was always in the war, but he was well supported by the others. Malone is at the top of his form. He was here, there, and everywhere, doing a tremendous amount of work. His hands seem to be coated with glue, as he never misses a ball, taking some seemingly impossible marks. His long kicks proved killing to the opposing forwards, especially as their backs were not too sure in the second spell.

Of the Manawatu vanguard. Harkness. Dustin. Galpin, and Carrol’ were most prominent. The latter showed that his reputation as a hooker is no myth. Gothard on the wing was very useful.

Of the backs Jewell did a lot of work at half. Mullins and -Parsons, at five-eighths, did not appear to combine too well. Robinson was solid in defence, as Indeed were the wingers, Bailey and G 1 endinning. The latter is very steadv. and scored a great try, the crowd recognising its merit. Swainson. at full-back, had a lot of work to do, and did It. He went down gamely to the forward rushes, whilst his tackling also saved two or three tries. He was right off on his goal kicking, or the margin would not have been so great.