FOOTBALL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10702, 24 August 1912, Page 5

FOOTBALL

I TARANAKI'S DEFEAT. WAIRARAPA'B GREAT PLAY. I In. describing the above match the Taranaki News says:—"But if Taranaki gave a miserable exhibition, credit must be given to their opponents for the sterling exhibition which they put up. Their forwards are beyond question a magnificent team —it is said on good authority that they are the best pack ever sent out of Wamirapa. Certain it wag that they were one of the best swarming packs yet 6een in New Plymouth. Playing with grand •combination they repeatedly swarmed down on their opponents like so mnihy bees. The "queen bee" Me. Kenzie, easily played the best forward game on the field, his line-out work being superb. He together with Speekman, Desmond and Gold.':-, made a fine quartette, their backs, also, were top-notchem ,and contain more thin one candidate in the neir future for Dominion honours. Perb.ips their star man was Matson, quite a young player. The game was rmueual'y fast, and exceeding! v interesting to vtatoli. The firc-t spell, which was evenly contested, opened up in favour of Taranaki, who were aided by a slight wind. The first score (a converted try) came within a short time of commencement. Wairarapa retaliated with two tries, both of which should have- been converted, in fairly quick succession, and after a lo:ig spell of give-and-take tac-r ticy, McKenzie notched a converted try. Well into the first half Robert:, notched a beautiful try for the home team, which Stohr converted, making the-score: Wairarapa 11, Taranaki 10. In this state half-time was reached. Up to this it was anybody's game, and. there were many who] thought that Taranaki would make up in the second half, but after resumption they simply went to pieces. Just before the rot &st in Stohr put them in the lead by two pointy, by scoring I an unconverted try, but this was the'.r last score. Wairarapa quickly caught up to and passed their tally, and when the whistle was blown for the last time the.y were -victors to the tune of 17 points to 13. A feature of the closing incidents of the gamo wag. the series of magnificent lone hand efforts on. the part of Don C:merou to pull tho game out of the fire.