ANOTHER GAME TO PLAY

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20906, 11 September 1939, Page 10

ANOTHER GAME TO PLAY

STAG TROPHY CHAMPIONSHIP OLD BOYS AND CITY IN FINAL TWO HARD MATCHES IN HAMILTON Old Boys 16, Technical 6 City 21, Frankton 5 As a result of the games in the Stag Trophy Rugby competition on Saturday a play-off will be necessary between City and Old Boys and patrons can look forward to a grand game. The two games were very hard with the tackling the best seen 3$ the park for some time. Both matches had their exciting incidents, while the standard of play in the Old Boys-Technical Old Boys game was much the better. v The final should be a fitting finale to a grand competition. In the first match Frankton badly missed its fullback, Ward, and was beaten by City, while in the second game Old Boys played much better as a team and gained a well-deserved victory over Technical. City’s performance in reaching the final in its first season in the senior ranks, is a splendid effort.

TO PLAY FINAL CITY BEATB FRANKTON uLEAR SECOND-HALF SUPERIORITY City added further lustre to its many honours as a first-year team this season when, on Saturday, the side played itself into the final of the Stag Trophy championship of 1939 by defeating Frankton by 21 points to 5, in the curtain-raiser, at Rugby Park. City, with a number of penalties against it early in the game, was slow to settle into superior action, but in the second half the team domineered the play and ran up all its winning margin. The teams were:— City.—Hague, Hopcroft, Perkins, Wilson, Gerrish, Atkinson, Dobson, Findlater, Chell, Spiro, Barr, Clarkin, Scott, Dutton, Johnson. •Frankton.—Jamieson, Griffiths, R. Everest, Davies, J. Everest, Cassells, Wilkins, Wright, Finlayson, 'Elliott, Mclntosh, Dick, Moltzen, Bowler, Lynch. Slow To Settle Down Both teams were so eager that the opening stages of the game were indecisive, neither team settling down to concerted action. Superior line-kick-ing by Frankton gave the side just a fraction of an advantage and each time City tried to turn the tables, overeagerness led to infringements. City was securing a fraction more of the ball but the players made little use of it. When 'Frankton secured the ball Cassells was the weak link, throwing out poor passes and then it was that Gerrish opened many City attacks. City’s chances as it began to assume the offensive were ruined by frequeni off-side play. Both teams were making mistakes. When Hague mis-flelded a well-direct-ed kick from J. Everest he was trapped and Frankton initiated a determined attack. By trapping R. Everest at the vital moment and bringing its robust forwards into action, City cleared and turned defence into attack. When Spiro broke through a scrummage and galloped after a speculator by Perkins, he set Dobson in motion for a vigorous City attack. Again an infringement curbed the movement. Great Try Down the flank City charged again with Scott in control. He in-passed to Gerrish but Griffiths came in to tackle him brilliantly and then gam possession to clear to the line in a spectacular manner. Davies fought City on his own till the scrum came to his assistance. Wilkins saw an opening, barged through to start short passing in the forwards between Elliott, Dick and Lynch, the latter carrying the ball over for a great try. Finlayson converted: Frankton <5, City 0. City lost no time m seeking to equal the tally. Atkinson kicked to a Frankton weakness at fullback and Chell sped up to capture Jamieson in possession. Frankton was penalised but Chell missed the kick. Dobson cut through the Frankton forwards in quest of honours and Findlater cooperated to take the thrust within ten yards. Perkins made another opening and Clarkin secured to score under the posts. Chell converted: City 5, Frankton 3. City was now carrying the attack in a decisive manner. Dutton made a spectacular break but he was caught by It. Everest. Clarkin was there with a clear run before him but he picked the ball from the ground before playing it with his foot. After the scrum, Wilson made a bid for the corner but lost possession in diving. Free Kick Missed Frankton turned the tables when R. Everest sent J. Everest away and Griffiths centred for Dick to catch it for a great effort to bustle over. City infringed but Finlayson missed a free kick. City switched play back to the attack, and Chell missed a penalty kick. At half-time the score was: City 5 Frankton 5 With Dobson and Dutton having the attention of the crowd focussed on them, City attacked immediately upon resumption. In the midst of City's offensive Wilson just failed to land" a field goal. City’s attack was maintained with the forwards having the measure of Frankton’s defence for a time. Frankton then gave its entire back line a run for the first time in the game and City was pushed on the defensive. It was momentarily only, however, and Gerrish camo through like a shot out of a gun and dribbled till he gained possession and* set off for the line but Griffiths overtook him and the ball rolled over the line to the dead-ball area. Frankton whipped in another offensive and made a determined effort to keep it alive but each player was met man for man in solid tackling. Finlayson was injured and left the field. City Takes Charge The City forwards broke clear and Barr gathered possession when Frank-

ton was all out of position, for a great solo dash which culminated in his scoring under the posts. Chell converted amid a roar of cheering from the crowd: City 10, Frankton 5. Smashing down the defence with powerful Perkins cut a passage to the line for a devastating score. Ghell’s great effort to convert just failed: City 13, Frankton 5. City had command of the match from this stage. . Another score came rapidly when Jamieson’s weakness a.t fullback let Spiro in. Chell’s kick failed: City 1-6, Frankton 5. Wilson beat Jamieson immediately and it was only R. Everest’s speed in overtaking the City winger that stopped further City points. The attack was carried on, however, and Gerrish scored. 'Chell’s kick added two points to make the score: City 21 Frankton 5 The game ended shortly afterwards, Mr E. Thorpe having refereed.

CLEAR=CUT WIN OLD BOYS’ VICTORY TECHNICAL ELIMINATED Old Boys eliminated Technical Old Boys from the Stag Trophy competition on No. 1 Rugby Park on Saturday, when the team put up a great performance to win by 1G points to 0. It was an exciting game, with Technical making the early pace and coming again at the end, while Old Boys dominated the play in the middle stages of the game. Old Boys played much better as a team and three of its tries were the results of line combined work. The teams were : Old Boys.—Slow, 'B. Paterson, Finlav, Parsons, Carroll, Crozier, Broad, Waite, Mac Lean, D. Paterson, Egan, Jones, Bary, Reese, Bremer. Technical Old Boys.—'Fraser, Goosman, Haughey, Whyte, Jordan, Stancich, Tetzlaff, Kemp, Flannagan, Barber, Tait, Baffkier, Hills, Smith, Anderson. Technical gained the early advantage, but Crozier, Parsons and Finlay combined well to gain ground. Hooking the ball well in a handy position Old Bpys had a chance but Crozier knocked on. Using the wind which was right behind it, Technical forced the play down field. Game Opens Brightly The game had opened at a fast tempo, both backs making great attempts to open up the play. A fine run by Finlay gave Old Boys the advantage, but Stanclch, Jordan and Haughey combined prettily to again give Technical the territorial advantage. Two free kicks to Old Boys saw Slow gain plenty of ground each time. Technical was making most of the play, through taking advantage of Old Boys mistakes. The backs worked nicely but Finlay and Parsons both tackled solidly. Then came a grand try by Old Boys. Broad sent out a great pass on the half-way line. Crozier, Carroll, Finlay and Parsons handled crisply. Parsons straightened up the attack and sent in-field to Carroll, to D. Paterson, who outstripped the opposition to score. Slow converted: uld Boys 5, Technical 0. Just prior to this Egan went off for Old Boys and Richardson came on: Further in the Lead Technical then attacked hotly but Old Boys gradually worked up field. Then they hooked again and Crozier made a fine opening, fending off Stancich. Technical Old Boys ran to cover the outsides but Crozier sent in to McLean, to D. Paterson, who scored another try, Slow converting: Old Boys 10, Technical 0. Old Boys, getting the ball from the scrums and line-outs, was now making all the play and Technical, despite the advantage of the wind, could do little. A fine kick by Fraser put Technical on the attack for a spell but Waite, Finlay and B. Paterson put Old Boys well into Technical’s territory again, where play was at half-time. Penalty For Technical Technical had the advantage for fully five minutes on the resumption and was close but could not get the ball. As the result of offside play Technical was awarded a free kick and Smith goaled with a line effort from near the sideline- well out: Technical 3, Old Boys lu. Old Boys again assumed the attack, the backs ban liing on several occasions. Good tackling met them, however. Crozier Hashed into the limelight with another good break but when lie in-passed <he forwards ware smothered. It was ten minutes before Technical was in a position to attack again but almost immediately iiio'iardson, Egan, Waite and D. Paterson handled well lo reverse the position. From another Old Boys 'attack Finlay just failed to steady the hall and it went behind the dead-ball area. The Lead Reduced Technical then gradually worked into Old Boys territory. The team was assisted by a free kick and from

an infringement in another scrum on the twenty-five yard mark Haughey kicked a goal: Technical G, Old Boys

Technical had livened up at this stage and Flannagan and Tait led the forwards up-Ileld. Another fine line kick by Slow, however, placed Old Boys on the attack again. A fine break by Stancich down the centre sent Technical away but he passed infield when he had several men outside him. A free kick relieved Old Boys and then Bremer made a great break down the centre. He kicked for the corner and Parsons dashed up fast, collected and dived over, Slow missing: Old Boys 13, Technical Old Boys 6. Paterson’s Third Try Technical then had a free kick straight in front but Smith missed. Old Boys soon scored again. Jones picked up from a ruck, passed out to Waite, who dummied Haughey and Jordan and then passed on to D. Paterson, who had another clear run in under the posts for his third try. Slow missed the kick: Uld Boys 16, Technical 6. The pace had died down a bit by this time, but Jordan then flashed through. However, Old Boys’ tackling was safe. Towards the end of the game uld Boys, again hooking the ball, was attacking hotly, and the final whistle blew with the score: Uld Boys 1G Tecnnical Old Boys . . 6 'Mr A. A. Griffiths was the referee.

WAIPA DEFEATED WIN FOR TAKAPUNA (Special to Times) TE AWAMUTU, Sunday. The annual match between Waipa representatives and the Takapuna Club was played at Te Awamutu yesterday and some bright football resulted in a win for the visitors by 6 to 5. Interest was lent to the fixture toy the appearance of Merv Corner and W. Iladley for Takapuna. The former showed that he is not a back number by any means, and his work was an object lesson for young halfhacks. Hadley, not as young as he was, kept up with the play very well and when possession was necessary lie hooked the ball at will. The heme forwards were well led by J. Wynyard, who appeared to greater advantage than he did during the season’s competition fixtures, probably because he received less attention than usual. One feature of his play was some excellent kicking. The teams were as follows: Takapuna.—Stevens, Evans, Freaks, Duignan, Neal, Constance, Corner, Bramley, Hadley, Mills, Grant, Speight, Grace, McGuiness and Anderson. Waipa.—Hart, Teddy, McGruther, Wilson, Smith, Adams, 'Lawry, Wynyard (2), Thompson, Turney, Daniel, Donaldson, Tombs, and J. Tickelpenny. Visitors Score First Takapuna was soon on the attack by means of rushes started by Corner, and Duignan sped down the line in a spectacular dash which had Waipa in trouble, but Tombs relieved. Waipa backs handled, but Smith held on too long and Takapuna broke up the movement by an interception. Waipa forwards had slightly the better of the tight at this stage but the visiting pack stuck to it. Stevens was showing good style at fullback and his pace enabled him to bring off some spectacular work. Waipa was caught off-side and the visitors turned the breach to advantage to gain the points: Takapuna 3, Waipa 0. Takapuna opened up the play and the forwards combined with the backs to send Duignan away in another fast run. 'Play was in neutral territory for some time until Smith sent them back to half-way where Tombs broke away but stumbled when in a good position. The Takapuna backs were being well fed by Corner, and Constance was very nippy to let Duignan away again, but the fleet winger delayed his pass and a good chance was lost. Then Takapuna scored after Corner and Constance had placed the line in a good position and Evans, taking the ball at speed, galloped over near the corner. The kick was a poster and Takapuna was 6 points up. Waipa followed up a high kick which was not taken by the defenders and Turney got possession to pass to Thompson, who was held up short of the line but he got over from the resultant scramble. Lawry converted with an excellent kick. There was no change in the score at half-time, the play being even, with Waipa pressing at the call. Splendid Combination Constance, who 'had received a knock just before the interval, came to light with several fast runs which had the opposition guessing at times. Waipa was using its forwards to advantage and at times the backs handled in such a way as to show that a combination of the two senior teams would make a very strong unit in the competition fixtures. Takapuna used the side-line to advantage and appeared fitter than the locals who took a spell, though J. Wynyard was on the ball all the time. Takapuna was placed on the attack when Stevens, the fullback, side-stepped neatly and his high kick was taken by Smith who slipped near his own line. Freaks had a shot at a field goal but missed. Then J. Wynyard came through from a scramble and play was right on Takapuna line. The backs handled for McGruther to pass in hut Thompson knocked on. The home team kept up the pressure for some time but the defence was sound. Both teams were tiring towards the finish though Waipa made strong bids to win. At last effort was made when Lawry took a penalty from a long way out, and, though the direction was good, the distance was too great. The final score was: Takapuna 6, Waipa 5. Mr G. Laurie refereed. OTHER RESULTS Representative Matches Southland 16, Auckland 14. Canterbury 24, West Coast 6. Auckland Colts 29, Thames Valley 11. Fiji 9, Buller 4. Wellington 18, Taranaki 18. Manawatu 21, Walrarapa 3. Morrinsville Old Boys 28, Terriers 0 (championship final). Thames Knock-cut Cup.—Hui Mai 18, Physical Training 14. Tauranga Power Board 6. Post and Telegraph 6; Retailers 14, Banks aind Insurance