RUGBY FOOTBALL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10169, 28 July 1924, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

COUNTY COMPETITION GAMES,

RESULTS AT A GLANCE. junicrs— Ashburton 6, Mayfield 5. Spriugburii-Mayiield 9, Kaka.a Hinds IS, Old Boys 6. Celtic defaulted to Allenton. Third Grade— Rakaia 3, Old Boys 0. Metliven G, Tinwaltl 0. The following tables show the relative positions of the teams m the junior and third grade competitions: Juniors. P. W. L. D. Pts.

Third Grade. p. W. L. D. Pts

.Matches in the junior and third .grades of the county competition were * continued on Saturday afternoon m fine weather. The ground was j somewhat slippery, and interfered a little with back play. The spectators chief interest lay in the junior game between Ashburton and Mayfield, which, after a very willing encounter was wen bv Ashburton by six points to five. The Springburn-Mayfield, Ashburton and Allenton teams each had .a win on Saturday, and their relative positions as the three leading teams in the junior competition is unalFollowing are details of Saturday’s play:—

Junior Grade.

Playing on the Show Grounds, t .Springburn-Mayfield defeated Rakaia by 9 to nil. L. Hood scored a try, and J. Smith put over two penalty goals. Mr I. Fallwell controlled the' game. .... Ashburton defeated Mayfield in a hard game on the Show Grounds, by 6 points to 5. Mayfield was fairly •consistent in getting the ball from the scrums, and its forwards were very aggressive. Ashburton more than evened matters by good combination among its backs, of whom Alexander, Tate, "and Fitzharris were perhaps the best. Beaumont played a good game for Mayfield, while T. Whiting, at full-back saved well on occasions.Ashburton’s scores came from tries bv W. Willis and J. Ibell, and Mayfield’s by a try by Winchester, which Murdoch converted. Mr L. Grieve had charge of the whistle. Hinds accounted for Old Boys by 18 points'to 8, in a game played at Hinds. A fair portion of the. field, sheltered from tire sun by trees, was still frozen hard. The referee was Mr IT. Porter.

• Celtic defaulted to Allenton, in a game to have been played' on the Show Grounds.

Third Grade

, Rakaia accounted for Old Boys to the extent of 3 points to nil, in a gatne played on the Show Grounds. F. McNamara *got across for the winners. Mr R. J. Ford controlled the

game, i Playing at Tinwald, Metliven defeated the home team by 6 points to nil. Neither side displayed much science or the game. Mr C. Day had .charge of the whistle.

ASHBURTON DEFEATS ELLESMERE. AN UNINSPIRING GAME. Ashburton journeyed to Southbridge on Saturday to play the annual return match against Ellesmere Sub-Union. The ground was greasy, and did not offer 'much foothold to either side, but the local team adapted itself better to i;he ground conditions. The visitors were without the services of J. Robilliard, D. Donnehv, W. McDonald, and N. Tasker ; J. Nicoll, L. Traill, Tatterson and J. McCormack taking their places. Little spectacular football was seen. The visitors did not find their feet until the second spell, as in the Shield match against Hurunui. The scrum did not pack at all well, and lack of the ball resulted in the ibaeks being starved unless play were made from the half. Ellesmere appeared heavier in the forwards, and hooked the ball more consistently. The hacks threw tho ball about well. On defence the homo side was solid. The best Ashburton backs were McSherrv, N. Robilliard, and Kennedy. Dore, Day, and "Watson did not play up to them usual standard, but they apparently could not adapt themselves to the conditions. J. McCormack, Scott, Chisnall, ®nd Dalton were always to the fore in forward rushes. Dalton played an exceptionally good game on attack, but his defence was not as sound as usual. He appeared to receive unnecessary attention from the opposing wing-for-ward. Only once during the whole match was the advantage rule applied, and Dalton was palpably offside when he received the ball from which he scored a try in the second spell. Ellesmere" kicked off against the sun, and Dalton immediately transferred plav to the homo twenty-five but Dailey cleared nicely. From the loose Dav secured and sent to RobiHiaid, but the latter was tackled m possession. From a free kick shortly afterwards McLeod landed a good goal, for Ellesmere. Ellesmere 3, Ashburton 0. "McKenzie, the Ellesmere half, then secured from the ruck, mid shot the ball out to Payne, Calder, Hunter-Weston, and on to Houghton, who get over. Mel cod’s kick failed. Ellesmere 6,, Ashburton 0. Ashburton immediately

broke away, and Nicoii carried the bah thirty yards before transferring to Kennedy, who had a clear lunin. Robilliard’s kick failed, and half time sounded with the score 6 points to 3 m favour of the home team. In the second spell Ashourton pi t more vim into their play. . In a loose forward rush Dalton received an offside transfer, but got away and under tfie posts, for Robilhard to an vert. Ashburton 8. Ellesmere 6. Ellesmere could do nothing with the ball, the Ashburton forwards gammg control on all occasions. Rohr hard a o au made a hid, but was pushed out at the coiner and the ball was quickly transferred to the other wing, 1 ore dribding over and scoring closely atten - j ,% Kennedy. Traill’s luck failed. 4,e 5 AsTailed shortly afterwards with the scores: —• Ashburton 11, Ellesmere 6. Mr H. A. Brown was referee.

all blacks win. - VICTORY OVER COMBINED TEAM. PALMERSTON NORTH, July 26 There were ideal conditions toi the final match between the All Blacks and the combined Manawatu-Horo-n hernia team, at Pa- merston dav before a crowd of about to, ooo, drawn from all parts of the Nor i Island. The final score was A to J-' in the All Blacks’ favour. There were tight forward tussles throughout, the home forwards confining themselves mostly to spoiling tactics, in efforts to stop the national combination getting under way, Loo m being particularly well marked. Ike training slogan of the homesteis, bet Cooke,’ - ’ was carried out to the letter. No unbiased witness of the game, however, could claim that the Blacks had much on the Green and Whites in the scrummages and in the line-outs, ihe home team were the equal of the visi tors, and got their full share of the ball. The difference practically lay in the superiority of the New Zealand backs. The latter were always dangerous when they got the hall while on the other hand the combined reai-o-uard took very little part in active attacking operations, combining with their forwards’ policy m the direction of spoiling tactics. While the public was delighted with the showing of the home team, which undoubtedly had the worst of the luck of the game, no doubt practically everyone on the o-round wanted to see the All Black, win. All that the huge crowd wanted to see was, firstly, the All Blacks m action, and, secondly, their opponents put up a reasonably good performance, and that they did this is beyond question as witness by the half-time scoi e of 11—9 in the AH Blacks’ favour. In the second spell the national I fifteen settled down to business, and except for the first five minutes, in which the Greens wore on the All Blacks’ goal-line, New Zealand dominated the play, and added 16 points to the combined team’s 3 points. * The Greens drew first blood, when after 15 minutes’ play Mcllerion scored an unconverted try. Stewart soon after crossed for the All Blacks, and evened the score up with a doubtful try, Nepia’s kick failing. Dailey set the backs in motion, and Cooke got ‘ over, leaving a comparatively easy kick for Richardson, who converted.

All Blacks ... ••• » Combined Team ... ••• 6 .. The next score came when Larroii, for the home team, eluded the opposition and scored, the kick failing. As the result of close play. Richardson next crossed the line, missing with his awn kick. „ All Blacks ... tl Combined Team • ••• A In the second half Badcley was first to open the scoring account. His try was converted by Brown. Shortly afterwards Badeley again crossed, eluding all the home rearguard, and was never touched. Brown’s attempt at conversion failed. The next score of the All Blacks came from a penalty kick by Brown, and the score was then: All Blacks 22 Combined Team ... .... 9. As a result of the back combination, Law, for Combined Team, secured the ball, and passed to McHerron, who scored. The kick failed. The final score came from a passing bout, in which Robilliard secured, ran right through the opposition, and scored. Brown converted, and the game ended : All Blacks 27 Combined Team ... ... 12 Mr W. J. O’Neill was referee. Richardson and Munro, in the forwards, and Dailey, Cooke, and Steel m the hacks, shone, but none of these individually eclipsed the work of Daw (back), and Gothard, Carroll, and MeHerron (forwards) for the home team.

The Auckland “Herald’s” critic, in commenting on the game, said of one stage: “Robilliard, on the other wing, atoned for any mistakes by scoring a great try. He got tho ball outside the twenty-five, beat several opponents, outpaced the others, and touched down just when tackled by Law. It was fine work.”

CHRISTCHURCH COMPETITIONS.

• By defeating Christchurch on Saturday, Old Boys won the Canterbury Rugby Union’s senior championship for the year 1921, with Merivale run-ners-up. It is 10 years since Old Boys attained a similar honour. Old Boys were rather lucky to win against Christchurch on Saturday. The game was very evenly contested, and although both sides lost chances of scoring, Christchurch, with a hit more luck, might- easily hare won. The game finished up 12 pts to 8 in favour of Old Boys. The game was fast and exciting, but the standard of football produced was not of the best order. Both sets of forwards battled hard, hut the form shown by the Christchurch backs on attack was not too good. Of course this may be accounted for by the fact that some of tlie regular Christchurch backs were made to play. The Old Boys’ rearguard was better than that of Christchurch, but even they did not play up to their best form, and they were guilty of several bad. mistakes. Old Boys frequently infringed the rules, but Christchurch did not possess a goal-kicker who could r.-so superior to the rather heavy ground. Failure to register goals from penalties cost Christchurch inanV points. The game was witnessed by a large- number of spectators. All the stands were filled, and there, was also a big crowd on the embankment. The ground was not in too good order, being heavy aftoi the recent rain. The other two senior games were also played at Lancaster Park on Saturday. Linwood snatched a last-minute victory from Albion, and won by 11 pts

io 9. Merivalo beat North Canterbury by 17 pts to nil.

SUB-UNION'S TRIAL. MATCH ON WEDNESDA Y. The following team lias been se'"cted to represent the southern sub-unions in the match winch will take place on Wednesday:— Southern Taani, Full-back —H: Dailey (Ellesmere) Three-quarters N. Robilhaid ( burton), G. Day (Ashburton), T. RolU E & ive-eighths—IL" Mason (Peninsula, Ca iTalT-back-F'. Kennedy' (Ashburton). Wing-forward-H. 'Scott (Ashbarton), A. McCormack (Ashburton), Chisnall (Ashburton), Denneliy (Ashburton), Pearce, Leith (Peninsula), and Montgomery (Ellesmere). Reserves —Backs: Horton, HunteiWeston (Ellesmere). lor wauls . D. Gaghorn T. Robinson (Peninsula). This team will assemble at the New Zealander Hotel not later than 10 o - clock on Wednesday.

AUCKLAND MATCHES. AUCKLAND, July 26. Ponsonby 9, College Rifles 6; Grammar School Old Boys 10, University 7 ; Marist Brothers 16, Grafton 3; Suburbs 11, Newton 8; King’s Old Bojs 23, North Shore 9. WELLINGTON MATCHES. WELLINGTON, July 27 Old Bovs 16, ’Varsity 3; Poneke 19, Oriental 2 ; Selwyn 7, Hurt 3 ; Petone 9, Athletic 6; Berhampore 10, Marist 0. TIMARU MATCHES.

TIMARU, July 26. For outdoor sports, although fine, the weather was cold. Results:— Senior—Old Boys 26, Zingari 5 j Star 17, Temuka 12. . _ D , Junior—Old Boys 14, Zmgan 3; Star 12, Temuka 0. „ . Third grade—Southern 3, Y-M.C.A. 0 ; Old Boys 21; Zmgan 0; Washclyke 16, High School 6 ; Geraldine beat 1 aieora by default. -r, Fourth grade—Zmgan 9, Old Boys 3; Temuka 24, Waiho 0 ; Star 5, High grade—Star A 20, Point 0; Star 8 12 High School C 6; Zmgan o School BO; Temuka 8, Celtic 0; High School A 19, Geraldine 0.

dunedsn matches. DUNEDIN, July 27 University A 16, Kaikorai- 14 • irates 17, Alhambra 3; Zmgan 12 Southern 9: Dunedin 25, University B 14; Taieri 9, Union 5. University A ancl Kaikorai are now equaPm points foi the championship, hut the former is a crame behind, having yet to play Union. University is practically assured ol;t!ie premiership.

Spring!)’ n-MavFd Ashburton 11 11 9 S 2 2 1 9 8£ Q Allenrcn"'' 11 7 2 3 2 O Mayfield 10 6 1 62 Rakaia 11 5 3 3 60Celtic 10 3 6 1 3 2 1 1 Old Roys 11 1 10 — Hinds 11 1 10 —

llakaia 12 11 — . 1 114 84 High School 11 8 2 1 Old Boys jVIethven 10 5 o' 4 1 o X1 10 5 Technical School 11 -4 6 1 4^ Q Timvald 10 3 3 7 6 — O 3 Ashburton . 9 —