RUGBY FOOTBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 July 1939, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

REPRESENTATIVE GAME AT MASTERTON

Hawke’s Bay Wins Thrilling Match WAIRARAPA BEATEN BUT NOT DISGRACED O. HATTON SHINES IN REARGUARD Thrilling the crowd with every stride he took in a 45-yard dash down the touchline, a try scored by Ray Rox, the slashing Hawkes bay winger, was the highlight of play in the Wairarapa v Hawkes Bay Rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton, on Saturday. After a fast and thrilling game the Bay emerged the winner by 17 points to six. Conditions were ideal although the ground was somewhat cut up as the result of the South Wairarapa v North Wairarapa senior curtain raiser. Judging by the attendance the Wairarapa Rugby public had anticipated a good game and they were not disappointed. The Wairarapa side turned on first-class Rugger and it was only the weight and brains of the Hawke's Bay pack that won the visitors the game. Time and again the Wairarapa pack swept all before them in fierce attacks on the Bay line, but bad luck and to some extent bad judgment lost them at least three tries. The Bay gained possession in the majority of the scrums and line-outs, but Wairarapa more than held their own in the loose rushes. The Wairarapa forwards broke from the set scrums much faster than they have previously done this year.

Of the Hawke’s Bay forwards Doug Dalton. C. Wilson. Lockwood and T. Reid appeared to be the best of what might be termed the best representative pack in the North Island. In the Wairarapa pack Russ Howard, lan Percy and Mathieson stood out above the rest, who all toile(l hard. Percy and Mathieson should go further than Wairarapa Rugby. The Wairarapa rearguard played good solid Rugby. Hatton, well served by Denboe behind the pack, was in top gear and was brilliant at times. Brunton, on defence, played an outstanding game. Fox was. of course, the star of the Bay rearguard. His slashing runs repeatedly. brought the crowd to their feet and had it not been for the determined way in which Peterson tackled, the Bay would have rattled up try after try. P. Reid came next in the order of merit. M. Dyer, the Bay last line of defence, impressed and Taite and Moss both did good work. The teams were: —

Wairarapa: O'Callaghan; W. Peterson, G. Brown, E. Thompson; R. Brunton. O. Hatton; E. Denbee; W. Stringfellow; I. Percy. M. Trass, Humphrey, H. Mathieson, R. Howard (capt), Mitchell. J. Walker. Hawke’s Bay: M. Dver; C. Taite, R. Devine, R. Fox; P. Reid. H. Holt; S. Moss; S. McKenzie; T. Reid, M. McDonald, Lockwood; J. Lincoln, D. Dalton (capt). E. Jackson. Wairarapa kicked off with the sun at their backs and for a few moments pressed hard. A free kick to Wairarapa in a handy'position saw Brunton goal. Wairarapa 3, Hawke’s Bay 0. From the kick off play hung in midfield where Russ Howard came through too soon. Fox with a nice kick was just wide. From a line out Denbee set his backs in motion, Hatton going through, but the Bay marked. The Bay backs flashed into action and Taite punted into Wairarapa territory, but a brilliant save by O’Callaghan slopped the rush. A line-out on the half-way saw Wairarapa gain the advantage and Hatton cutting through sent on to Humphrey, who in turn sent to Howard. Several forwards handled, but the ball was eventually lost. It finally dribbled out to the Wairarapa backs but Thompson was held up on the line: Bay were nearly over when Wilson went right to O'Callaghan and as he Was tackled sent out to T. Reid, who knocked on. Wairarapa returned to the attack and Bay were defending desperately. The Bay forwards returned to the attack. From a line-out in Wairarapa territory Devine eventually scored. Fox failed with the kick. Wairarapa 3, Hawke’s Bay 3.

MATCH

OLD BOYS BEAT PUKETOT. Masterton Old Boys beat a Piiketoi Sub Union team at Pongaroa on Saturday by 19 points to 13 in an even and exciting game. The visiting backs were on the whole, too strong and opened well with a spectacular passing display. Towards the end of the game the Puketoi forwards rallied well but the visitors possessed the necessary finish to keep in the lead. Lynch. Thompson and Smith were probably the best of the Puketoi pack and Herbert. Belshaw and Tinney played well in the rearguard. For lhe visitors Hoggons scored two tries and Ryan scored one try. Ryan also converted two tries and kicked two penalties. Lang and Lynch scored for Puketoi and Reiri converted both and kicked a penalty goal. In a curtain raiser, Pukehinau met Pongaroa in the final game of the Bunn Cup knockout competition. The game resulted in a draw with no score. The Union will later decide the allotment of the Cup which is competed for annually. All players were later entertained at a dinner and smoko concert as the guests of the Sub-Uunion. The president. Mr P. Donovan, was in the chair and thanked the visitors for travelling so far in the interests of Rugby. Mr J. A. Payne, coach of the Old Boys team, said how much his Club appreciated the opportunity of playing a combined team at Pongaroa and hoped that such games would become a regular feature every year. The toast list at the smoke concert was as follows: —The King: Puketoi Sub-Union. Mr J. A. Payne—Mr P. Donovan: The Old Boys Team, Mr G. Lang—Mr W. Dyer; The Referee. Mr F. Morion—Mr W. J. Thomas. An excellent musical programme was also presented.

WIN FOR DANNEVIRKE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) PAHIATUA, This Day. In a match between Dannevirke and Bush the former won by 6 points to 3.

JUNIOR MATCH

IN OTHER CENTRES

The highlight of the match came just on half-time. P. Reid receiving from a scrum on the Wairarapa side of halfway cut between Hatton and Brunton. He was tackled from behind, but as he fell sent a good pass to Fox. The latter, gathering the leather in, set sail for the Wairarapa line. O’Callaghan came across fast and dived but all he grasped was air and Fox, amidst cheers from the crowd topped a splendid run with a try. The kick failed. Half time sounded soon after with the score Hawke’s Bay 6, Wairarapa 3. On . resuming the Wairarapa forwards attacked. Mishandling between Denbee and O’Callaghan let T. Reid in for a try close to the posts. Fox made no mistake with the kick. Hawke’s Bay 11. Wairarapa 3. A line-out in the Bay twenty five saw Brunton bump off P. Reid to send Thompson over for a try. Brunton failed with the kick. Hawke’s Bay 11, Wairarapa 6. Heartened by their try the Wairarapa forwards got under way and the Bay were forced to defend desperately. Led by Percy and Howard the Wairarapa forwards carried all before them but P. Reid saved brilliantly. Fox kicked past O'Callaghan along the ground and beat the opposition to the touchdown. He failed with the kick. Hawke’s Bay 14, Wairarapa 6. The closing stages of the game provided thrilling Rugby. Fox threw a pass infield to McDonald who crossed in the corner. The kick failed. Time sounded soon after. Hawke’s Bay 17, Wairarapa 6. Mr E. Grantham was the referee.

Feilding probably their best team to date Wairarapa put up a brilliant performance. leading to the hope that local Rugby is at last on the up grade. The outstanding play of some of the Wairarapa forwards, notably Howard, Percy and Mathieson gave encouragement in the direction of the home pack bring able to sts.ge displays better than has been seen for some seasons. In the opinion of many competent judges the team could be further improved in one or two directions. In a curtain raiser South Wairarapa beat North Wairarapa by 28 points to 3. In a third grade game on No 2 ground Wairarapa College beat Carterton by 4 points to nil.

WIN FOR WAIRARAPA. The Wairarapa juniors defeated Hawke’s Bay juniors at Napier on Saturday by 23 points to 13.

Wellington:—Defeat of Athletic, a rather fortunate draw for Wellington and a last-minute win for Petone were the features of the first series of the second and final round of senior championship matches in Wellington on Saturday. Not for years has club Rugby been so interesting. Poneke re-established themselves as a menace to leading sides by their impressive win over Athletic, and have been matched against Wellington in the main attraction next Saturday. The latter have a big lead for the championship, but were nearly downed by Johnsonville. Pollock scored all the points which gave Petone a narrow win over Marist Bros. Old Boys. There were no surprises in the first round of the Hardham Cup competition. Baldwin had a successful day for College Old Boys, scoring 15 of the team's 18 points.

Auckland.—As a result of their playing a drawn game on Saturday. Marist and Suburbs are still leading in the Auckland Rugby Union’s championship, one point ahead of Otahuhu, followed by Grafton and Ponsonby, two points further back. Results: Otahuhu 11. Training College 8; Suburbs 11, Marist 11; Grammar 10, North Shore 5: Ponsonby 12. Grafton 11.

Christchurch.—Merivale IG, Albion 6: Athletic 14. Air Force 3; Varsity 33. Southern 14; Christchurch 10. Linwood 3; Sunnyside 9, Old Boys 3.

Dunedin. —Southern IG, Kaikorai 6; Union 11. University A 5; Alhambra IG. Pirates 16; Dunedin 20, Zingari-Rich-mond 9: Taieri 21, University B 6.

New Plymouth.—Tukapa 29. Eltham 0; Star 9. Old Boys 6; Clifton 14. Okato 5; Inglewood 3, Stratford 3: Hawera 12, Opunake 8; Okaiawa 8. Athletic; Waimale v Patea, postponed.

Manawatu.—Palmerston North Old Boys 11 beat Kia Toa 3; St Patrick’s 3 drew with United 3: University 21 beat Feilding 12.

Wanganui.—Wanganui and Old Boys 11 beat Pirates 3; Kaierau 21 beat Marist 0; Technical Old Boys 3 drew with Taihape Country 3.

Horowhenua. —Shannon 9 beat Athletic 8; Kuku-Manak.au drew with FoXtoh.

WIN FOR NELSON.

NELSON, .Tilly 15. In an evenly-contested forward game the Nelson Rugby representatives beat Marlborough by 8 points to 6. POVERTY BAY BEATEN. NAPIER. July 15. After a very patchy first spell in which Hawke’s Bay held the ascendancy, Poverty Bay staged a good comeback, and in the last few minutes almost beat the home team, when the Rugby representatives of the two districts met today on McLean Park. Hawke’s Bay came home by a scant four points, the final score being 23-19. BULLER BEAT WEST COAST, GREYMOUTH, July 16. Buller beat West Coast yesterday by 12 points to 3. -