RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 139, 12 June 1905, Page 3

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIPS.

A WIN FOR CITY. fTJBTJRBS FORFEIT TO NEWTON PONSONBY AND NORTH SEORI PLAY A DRAW. The Rugby football championships were Mntinued at Alexandra Park aud at DeTonnort ou Saturday. The match on the i 1 ground. City v. Urafton, was generilK looked upon as a walk-over for City. «nd this, combined with the counter attraction of the Ellerslie races, made tat ittendance one of the smallest ever seen at Aleiandra Park on a tine day. City had the measure of their opponents all through. md won by 24 points to ::. Suburbs were for the second time this season unable tc »et a team together, and had thus to allow their match with Newton to go by default. At Devonport a hard-fought game between Ponsonby and the home team ended in a draw. CITY V. GRAFTON. (City 24. Grafton '■'~) City won the toss, and played from th» western end with the sun at their backs md a good breeze in their favour. The City forwards outplayed their opponents from the kick-off. currying rhc bail with a lerles of short rushes to Grafton's Is. Here off-side play caused by over-anxiety to score gave Grafton a free kick, us the result of which play centred. A brief attack by the black and whites was relieved by Todd and \V. Tyler, and City again playing up booq had (irafton in difficulties. Gladding was nearly across as the result of a flne run from the but he was collared a jard or two fruui the iiue. ll< kicked across the chalk mark, but Craig reached the ball first and forced. Play remained in Grafton's 115. and a hue pajslug run by the City backs, the ball going from man to nan like clockwork, resulted In the first score of the match. Yi-uug snapped the ball np from a line-out. and after making a good opening transferred to Todd, to W. Tyler, to Little, and Lack to Tyler, who scored In a fair position. Todd took the kick and landed a good goal. Grafton rallied after the score, und the forwards by *ood work In the open dribbled into City's 25 Fast following up temporarily relieved City. MaeCoriniek headed another loose rusb walcli returned the ball to City's 25. The forwards gradually worked close to the line, but bard kicking enabled Tyler to mark From the kick Cooper potted at goal, and City forced. A poor attempt to field the kick-off saw the oval out on Grafton's side of centre. A forward rush put City on the defensive again, aud a tine return by McKenzie from a free kick sent cut In Cltv's quarter. The backs were associated In a passing run which returned the ball to neutral territory, and here Little nicked up In the open aud headed for the Joal line. He beat King, and when grassed by McKenzie threw the bull on to G. N'icha „on who bad followed up smartly, and who,'taking a long pass well, had a clear run for the line, being pounced ou as he dronped on the leather. Todd again lauded a creditable goal. City 10. Grafton till. Play centred from the kick-off until Seeling headed a alee rush Into Gruftou's territory relief coming Just In time from King and McKenzie, who by smart play returned to centre The bull travelled betweeu the two 253, but no further score was recorded In the spell. ~ _ Graftou were forced a few minutes after the opening or the second spell, and as the "suit of t long kick by M.Kenzle. City f,.rced very shortly afterwards. Seeling = kick out rebounded from a Grafton player, and the ball went out in City's 25. Some passing by th- Grafton backs was then indulged In. but lot au Infringement the) were p«rualiW. and City, with a free Hick, transferred to centre. The Grafton forwards then dilbled the ball near the Cl'., line where the City forwards secured. Little kicking out In the 25. V. Little took the ball to centre, where he was run out. The ball then changed hands between abo.it half a dozen players, a nice bit of play ending lv Graftou forcing. A minute later V Little scored a try for City, which Gladding failed to convert. Mcllhone scored another try for City, after a passing run between the forwards. Todd failed to increase the score. By fast following up Seeling prevented King making a good return. The ball went over the line near the corner, and Seeling racing after it Bcored. The try was not converted. The succeeding play was in favour of City, but Champlim made an opening near the half way, and after a stroug run got close to the City line. Here be marie a wild pass, but King gaiheied the ball up cleverly, and crossed the line and scored just as several City men grassed him. The try w-as not converted. (City. 19: Grafton. 3.1 Near tl-,<; eal lof time G. Tyler scored another try for city, Todd converting. City thus won by 24 points to 3. City had the game well in hand from the start, and although they did exert themselves to the fullest extent, the scoi c ;,lve3 a good Idea of the game. Of the City forwards, G. Tyler probably played best. In the serums. City got the ball pretty well as often js they choose. Seeling and Nicholson did not shuw up so well as iti!;r.t have b«p expected. Probably they are reserving*themselves for the British tour McKenzie and King were the mainstay ■■i Grafton's defence. In the first spe.l 11.Kenzle got through a gieat amount of wtrk, so much so that he ran himself almost to a- standstill. The effect of th s was noticeable in the second spell, when he lacked dash. King played n sound defensive game right through. YV. Tvler aud V Little were the best or the City backs. Tyler is probab.y one of the most adaptable players in Aui-ki.:nd. His regular place la wing forward, but h" plays a very fair game in almost any position. Tocid." liveeighths, showed Improved foi m. aud at times played really wel'. Mcllhone played a good game a, wi.ig forward. Cucksev and McCnrmicb were prominent among the Orarton forwards. NORTH SHORE V. PONSONBY. (North Shore. 3: Ponsonby. 3.1 Ponsonby won the toss, and decided to defend the western goal. A light breeze was also blowing acioss the field, slightly in favour of the toss. Yeoland set the ?h .. motlon - and a good return found the line ou the home side of the half wav nag From the throw la Shore took the Ball down the fleld into the visitor*' territory, Carlaw. however, broke the attack oy getting possession of the ball, and th i g i : oin at ' ar the - 5 - Ponsonbv got we leather at the throw in. and rushed ft,iiTw , t0 tne home ground, where the rail back relieved by a line kick to centre. ■M« nf" the first piece of offiiK Play r tmrred - I'-wuuby being penalismJSL* . fret ' ki '' k - v -ohind made an uura«esaful attempt at goal. After some *%£?*/' .S ud a:mos ' afterw_rt ni noth " r on tv Su -'"'- -»"« bard ith.i? lajr Uuw flowed. »»d frum a scrum ball .L Way ttj " c '- iim secured the km? ~d ° arll ' d U d -' n ' a tv visitors' FmL A tr - v '• Jukl ' J imminent, but kick _M T f rt " d tl:e ' ,un^r ]> y a beautiful wav fl„ Ueh / uu " d thl ' 1 " 1 " "" r the half gotthe ß ", '' ru!u v " turow-lu Ponsoubv leroa^f ttdV S, tu ''*' JUd eh looked dauMcC.uske a swe'ot I :tU " k - headl ' d '' ? Into Pnnol'„*. • p l "" game once more was -CI"? h;lnJ aud *»""*. and the pace Posing the m . ; '" :u ';' t " am especlall - T tlon At thi th L ' reilt Jftermina-»-ean mn'rl- r. , st; -" v - VVyuyard took a with the L; , "'" ~ :! k -- - ~t to work rae vW..i ,V ,a! A t "" k i[ <!jw " to toe line „,„1 Vi . iirum took P ; ace on PousonbV hv ta ", sltUi ;V 01J was relieved for •»« out at'the £" Wh ' Ch the rash act vn S h.? «l Allowed, and another Into the X\ZJ ,v took the P' av dowu rae resenp i : "" y ' but Sellars came to tU f in: " r - nowever, PonWal posu P and liat ' d liKht '" front ~f their Imminent \w„,;!i T il fur shor,i look^ enouith . kowever. „iade barely b acks aaain ; ► after the Shore made a n° ba "' and R ' Wynyard "ents to the Tn r ght throu S" »»U oppoaQ il saved th bftck ' vvho srassed him «d into the S 800ro ' Pia - V the " gravitatklck f e . g f oQnd ' and Crom a crossbar I W> "} "'successfully at the Po nsonby ni? M i a h '' d f " rcp *'- Half time: Frannft' sl »ore. nil. P'oy foUoTwl and T", ' O L' SU :lud loose Keronsly near th„ "nsoaby getting dan- £-• A litt 1 „ 1 " UJ "-' llnL '' Jackson forer^ched'th : ' , ff ° od . klck from W ' tors' 25 kvJ. X '""'"dary at the visiWorlc foilowo,? '^ B throw-in some quick ln Stalth „!r;i n and :1 Passing run resulted "rner. dr»_i, I oy * r the lhle near tap u nd miidp I g flrst blood for Sb - or(? - Yeoiteont a „ a good but unsuccessful atr- *"■ ~« goal. (Shore, 3: Ponsonby, uiL;

- ——————»> _S______g~~~~~~~M —— '*?** to tilelr opponents'i B**p< and the play bec_me exceedingiy lively, a considerable amount of fouling and scragging bf-lng ajnoue* t_e features of it_ Plaj- now osdnasSH Xor OOJO* I time rroSi one side to the other, scrum fol-' lowing scrum, and free kicks being too numerous to mention. The ball now -ot down Shore's end. but Woodward relieved by a well judged kick, which found the line near the half way flag. Ponsombv took charge at the throw-in, however, and C arj ned play dangerously near the home line. f ■ but Woodward secured the ball in the I nick of time and forced. At this stage of the game the home team appeared to* fla~ , somewhat, and for a time Ponsonby had E ; them in difficulties, but rallying wea they | again took the offensive, but their oppo- « nents defence was sound, aud play eonI tinued to vacillate. Shortly after this the , home team were penalised right in front of . the posts, and Wilson brought the score ~ I even. A little later Shore again forced. c 1 lay now gravitated again to the visitors-' ._ j territory, and a little later, from a pen- . 1u y H K t beyoud half way. Yeoland made i .. the kick of the day. in a beautiful ate , tempt at goal, the ball hitting the bar. and I t bouncing back into play. A scrum follow- I d , e , u oa tne Ponsonby line, and for some i , I time the blue and blacks weie kept hard cI at it defending. Play opened out a bit, ' 0 I but shortly after the visitors were again I ~ | penalised, and a quick follow up once more . , placed them in a very tight corner. Over I • eagerness of one of the Shore backs, by I a ' picking the ball out of the scrum, saved • the situation temporarily, but the green I .-Hid whites were now playing to score, and after a bit of hot work, in which Gerrard, R. Wynyard. and Smith figured conspicuously, rue last named fell on the ball over * ' the line. The referee, however, disallowed s j the try on the grounds of off-side play, aud c - awarded a free kick to Ponsonby. The s j whistle sounded immediately afterwards, a j (North Shore, .'!; Ponsonby. J.) ' NOTES. I k , The S 3 ™* 1 was fought, and fought hard, i from start to finish, and from the spec- i v tators' point of view was as interesting a j»_ match as could have been desired Bota a teams did good, sound work, but the slight a advantage that the local men possessed in s the matter of weight aud combination "ive< ' c them the palm of having played the ""bet- I v ter team. Almost throughout the game the ~ hume team were the aggressors, and re--0 peatedly hemmed their opponents into dift ticult corners, but the defensive tactics of the visitors were almost as repeatedly suc- , r i cessful in averting a score. About the » . middle of the second spell, however, the ■ Shore team appeared to tire somewhat ' c and for a time the tables were turned, it ' , was during this period that Ponsonby brought the score even, and this fact seein- ■ s ed to shake the local men up again for ' 1 from that out they made the pace fast aud furious. seidom giving their opponents ' | breathing space. The one regrettable feature of the match was the altogether unnecessary amount of rough play that was ' t a: times Introduced into it. Of the Shore team it can be said that ■ _ every man played a good honest game I each member being nearly always In the . right place at the right time, the forwards i t playing a solid, dashing game, and the _! backs sustaining them well. Almost the! 1 only fault they displayed was an ovete • eagerness, which ou at least one occasion ; c ™5 tn*" l " » score. Yeoland. Smith. Wells i t,n Mc< - lusk,, - v a; l Piayed good sound ! . game, in the van; while of the backs comd parisor. would be invidious, although Gerr £*™- -"aeksou. and Woodward were notice- ! 1 '< I £Ol L br ' alth °usb not such a stron- , combination as the gieen and whites, plaveu a good whling game, and deserve evei-v ■' rt ?°t their effort - Lacking some of 1 of" rh e 't ; "' aUd a Uttle of the combination " w_l. , a °P^ ,uelJts - they stood up to It well, and played the game, albeit at times somewhat on the rough side. It was their good defensive play that saved them a " «£'*'". -'though <>n one 0I - tWo oewLions - the il k Waa , "1?° evlde "tly with them or . the vanguard, Francis. Dorau, GaUaher and . , Sandall were conspicuous: while in the , rear division Sellars, Carlaw and Hi 1 were > ?M?hfnS S rH llarS , BCd Hlll especS,ilyTs! , 1 tin?ul=hing themselves. '