NORTHERN UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 147, 22 June 1915, Page 9

NORTHERN UNION.

(VP KEENNESS. SOME LIVELY GAMES IN STORE. The situation is developing, as the war cables say after conveying information of a more nebulous character than I usual. Saturday* games had decidedly I unexpected results, and the position in [regard to the league table interesting enough before—has been given a rare dash of spii-e by the alterations wrought, by the eonloets. Both North Shore and , (irafton, who have led the League tables ' so far, suffered defeat, and Ponsonby leapt to the top with one championship point more than (Irafton. City's tine achievement demonstrated that they have to 1«> very seriously reckoned with iv connection with Cup calculations, while the two bottom teams put up a j hot tight. North Shore's defeat by 18 points apparently indicates a serious falling oil' in form, but the club on the other side of the harbour lias shown itself to be capable of great recuperative powers, so that, on the xvfliole, tho chances of (irafton, Ponsonhy, North ' Shore and City all weign pretty evenly in the balance. All four teams have sustained defeat, but Ponsonby lias by ■ far the bisaest margin of scoring points jin its favour. The most prolific point■getter to date is Ifwenwn, who, in Cup j garni-*, lias a total of 3.5 to his credit, out of the ."..I registered by bis club, and next comee Paul, of North Shore, with

WELL-EARNED VICTORY. '; Passing retrospective judgment <ii Saturday's game between City and Grafton, one incline- to the opinion that, I' on the whole, (Jrafton displayed tliu Imore stylish football, despite tlieir dei feat, and that the next meeting wirb City may quite possibly reverse the result. Nevertheless, City are to , be congratulated upon their victory. They ■ won by sheer hard work and doggedness, • and the credit of the win in no small 'measure belongs to the three brotaers Ai-her. who. between them, monopoii-ed ■ ! the team's .-..ore. In the fimt half, with I the wind in their favour, (irafton cxi j hibited rare .-kili and judgment, and on i l the play uji to the interval were leaders : . mi merit. N'everthelcM, the energetic , ! forward work of the City augured great doings for the second half, when the favours of the weather were bestowed upon them. Rukutai and the other mem- | hers of the pack played with rare dash. When the teams changed over Cit\ at j once bustled to the attack, and wore i their opponents dawn by the incessant j l.issaulta on the def.-nsivp positions.! j Nevertheless it was not until late in , I the game that tbe leeway was recovered, | and. witli the appetite for points whetted ! City, for the greater part of the game. , kepi play within the confines of the (Irafton twentviive until the shortage of ,seven points had been converted into n ! bad of six. Throughout, the City men ! played a fine uphil! game against opi ponentfl who seemed to b<! bettor acquainted with the finer points of the Ignme, and the win whs v tribute to grit and energy. The three Ashera j were always in the limelight, and the S incliiMoii of the youngmt of tiie trio in 'the renior team" has Iweu amply justi- ' iii-,1. The brothers played together splendidly, and their efforw were consistently" aided by the other backs, amonist whom Minelinin did particularly eilcciivc work. Muylail, at fullback, had a trying time in t;io Tirst half. when the wind was res--niit-.ib!e for a score of unexpected and ticklish riitua- , tions. At that period of the game he made one o r two costly mistake- -which the best of full-hacks could scarcely have I averted under such condition--- -but in : Irceoncl half lie played soundly. The forj wards were excellent throughout. Moth in the scrum and the loose they were a t!iorn in the side of Graf ton. (; it A I-"T( i X's FA I LITRE. (iralton's defeat was sohdy due to j I their inability to conjure up ..ullicicnt , ; reaourei-H of staying power to meet the | impetus of I he <itv attack in t-he second ' I half. In the early stages of the. game ' I (irafton were su markedly superior be- ; hind tile scrum that few of the City . supporter* dreamed of the lead being overtaken. It was then that Ifworsen I I and his colleagues showed up so cleverly I in attack. Particular credit is due to ■ , .]. McGrejrnr for the faithful manner in I , which he kept his captain supported, * ■ and al.-o prominent amoujrst the backs I 1 were I). McGregor, lies, and McDonald. \ltliough play in- a spirited frame in the lirst half, the (irafton pack was in that stage fairly c-onifortahly held by I the City forward-., and was outweighed : and outpaced in the second half. Nevertheless the forwards were the mamKtav of the defence, and strove valiantly to stem the torrent of the <-ity assault. ' NEWTON V. OTAHtrir. Without the wirvices of Ha nigra ye, , Otahuhii tt:Te sorely weakened for their ( rontest with Newton. While the southern team had not shown up to advantage in Hip -.even-aside tournament, the Newton , barometer had been steadily rising, ~,„! lie,melt and hi- men entered the field .with every hope of victory and of coming iibrcasi of their opponent*! in the championship I able. The game was an interesting one throughout., but the < big pull Newton enjoyed over their ■ ■orTooneins in the scrum inevitably wore • : ,.vvay the resources of the Otahuhu de- ' fence, and the final result of lft points 1 to 0 was a pretty fair indication of I the way of tie garni.

XORTH SHORE'S COLLAPSE. Many were the exclamations of surprise hoard at the conclusion erf Saturday's match between North Shore and ' Poneonby, which was looker Forward to I with eagerness and uncertainty by many of intcresU'd in ttie position of either of these tennis on the progressive chart. Although J'onsonny were ex|H'itc,l to be. good enough to give the keenest of games. Nhoroe emphatic revi'rse came as a shock lo a great many of tlie supporters of this solidly-made i team, and to thowe whn hnfl in mind tho old rivalry between the blacks and the westerners. It would not tie fair, however, to assert that Ponsonby held the upper 'hand throughout, for the defence of ■ h<- defeatpil team was determined and stubborn, although PonsonDV managed to find the weak points lr. Shore's armour on mo r e than one occasion. The slipperinesa of the ball rendered fast play a-lmost impossible. Diit both teams were labouring under the same difliculty, and every credit ii< due u> the Ponsonby men for the manner in which they held their end up. Shore's nrax point was la<-k of that combination for which they have made themselves a reputation, in which essential their opponents on Saturday oatsily outcliisspd them. Tho defeated team's performance was a way below the average. However, the weather conditions were not of the best, and (his was undoubtedly responsible for their downfall, juggling with a greasy ball on a watery turf being anything but favourable to football, especially when points have to be made against the wind. The Shore team was also considerably weakened by tho absence of Wee torn, who can generally be depended upon as a cohesive factor of his side. There was no conspicuously weak point about Ponsonhy's play on Satur day. although t-ome good chances were thrown away, mainly owing to hastiness. There was one fault. However, which caused comment from the crowd once at leaet—and the blame lor this may be laid on individual players—namely, the tackling of a man before actually in possctision. Tndividuallv the Shore players were very steady, but, ;ir> pointed out before, they did not keep touch with one another as well as they might have done. The best work was don,- by Stewart, who saved some difficult situations for his team. .T. Paul was up to his usual form, and hi* forcible attacking gave liits opponents some thinking work. He was always fiercely tackled, however, by the Ponsonby men before he could do much damage." WynyarJ and McDonald did good work too, especially *vhen they were concerned in rushes, r'or Ponsonby, MoClymont and .lon.-s w.-n- very conspicuous, the former allowing out specially proiniiivntly. punting lightly and following up at a smart pace, generally with success. MeOallum was another nippy player, (securing several pood point* for" liis team, while Longbottom caused his opponents i-omc anxiety on one occasion by dashing In great style down the side line being brought t,i the ground within reaching distance of the I .'nal-Jine. Cross, who did I'onsouby'H kicking, goi in *omy goo<? poal work,! which was epecially commendable owing' to the unfavourable \\ md.

lIPN'TIV V. TUTIRI. A I.enelli foiHlmll inatPfl r..r (lie Hospital Ship l-'in.d was- played' en'-Mie neenvitlon .',:.. i>n. I .<ii Saturday nftornomi t.etwr.-n llaiitly and Tauplrl. The followlUK were the teams: — 1 lluntly. Pull-hark. A. Rarnnr; threei|iinrren<, T. rawsnn. Tniwkr Punakl. Tiimate Mnhiitn: nvp-plcbihs 11 Poekbam, tie... I'akl: half. H. I'nkl; forwanU, XV, I r.-illnehaa, W. Kajnor, W I'ivls, K. I ilnrtlu. EinerKMicjr. J. Callanhan. Tiiuplrl. Kiill-tinelc. ('. Smith: :tir.-e----.-linir'crs lie,. Cw.k. K. Mttlewnoil. A. f'ciiik: llve-elEhth*. 11. nookhnin. IVnl: hair. r Nlpl: fnrwnnls. Nfwtnn. I' MnnxlleU!, ('. Mason. \V. Wilson. Wrlu-lit. T. Wilson. Tauplrl won tiy 7 points to .T. Tliprp was :i Rood nrtendanre, and thp Bcrrctary lilt 11. Peek ham) hopes to be nble to ; transmit about £12 o<ld to the fund.