Shield Match #67
Hawke’s Bay 30 – 14 Wairarapa | 3 June 1924

The early portion of this season was taken up with regional trial matches for the selection of the team to tour the British Isles, the North v. South Island match on 31 May culminating in the announcement of 16 “Certainties“, who included Nepia, Irvine and Cyril and Morrie Brownlie of Hawke’s Bay. The final trial on Tuesday, 3 June included Nepia, Paewai and McNah, who were thus prevented from assisting Hawke’s Bay, who that same day were resisting Wairarapa’s challenge for the shield at McLean Park, Napier. As it happened their presence was not needed. although so well did the green forwards play. led by the dashing Jim Donald that at the interval Wairarapa led 8-9, Desmond two tries and Hiroti a penalty, to tries’ by Grenside and Falwasser, McCarthy converting the former.

On the resumption, the Bay forwards threw off their lethargy and so controlled matters that the total reached 30 points to 9 with but a few minutes to go, when Parker scored in the corner and Hiroti converted to make the final tally 30-14. Blake, Mill, Kirkpatrick, Mardon,Greenside and Gemmell added tries for the Bay, McCarthy converting two.

Hawke’s Bay: McCarthy; B.A. Grenside, J.M. Blake, A.C. Falwasser; J. Mardon, N.L. Kivell; J.J. Mill‘; J. Walker, S.W. Gemmell, J. Ormond, C.J. Brownlie, M. Mahoney, M. J. Brownlie (capt.), W. R. Irvine, A. Kirkpatrick.

Wairarapa: M. Scott; R. Booth, E.B. Booth, H. Carson; R. Jury, F. Booth, J. Hiroti; J.G. Donald (capt.), H. Burn, W. Knowles, Seymour Willoughby, I.H. Harvey, Stanley “M.” Willoughby; Bishop, A. Desmond.

During the match Carson and Donald retired injured, H. Parker and J. Roberts taking their places.

The referee was Mr A. C. Kitto of Wellington.