FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 182, 1 August 1916, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY.

A FAST, OPEN GAME. TWO WELL-MATCHED TEAMS. Saturday's weather was ideal for football, and, with the two leading teams in the championship in opposition, the attendance was well up to expectations. The ground was in fairly good order, the gluepot patch near the half-way being an exception, and this was responsible for the spoiling of one or two promising ■bits of play.

The star teams. University and Grammar School Old Boys A gave a fine exhibition, the pace being fast from the kick-off until the bell rang, and the spectators were at times roused to a high pitch of enthusiasm. It was certainly > ■Rugby at its best, one noticeable feature being the excellent spirit in "which the match -was played. Both fifteens ■battled it out in good style, and though University won, Grammar were somewhat unlucky, for they lost several scores through faulty handling. The result, however, coming after the draw of the first round, shows that there i 3 very little between the sides, and lovers of the game live in the hope that it will be necessary for the pair to meet again before tlie end of the season. The standard reached in Saturday's game must have been very gratifying to the Rugby authorities, for their action in limiting their competition this rear to those under 20 years of age has received full justification. Right through the competitions, however, this has been shown, and 'the number of promising young players unearthed makes the future for Rugby look particularly bright. With things so favourable, now is the time for the Auckland body to make a move in the direction of improving the jraruc, and if they arc unable to get the other provinces to fall in line, there is nothing to prevent them acting on their own. Auckland was the first to adopt the five-yard throw-in, which has now become universal throughout the Dominion, and also promises to be the same in England, and it is safe to say that if the proposals set forth in the "Star" last Saturday week re the kicking into touch and the elimination of the wing-forward were adopted in Auckland the other provinces would soon follow suit. .The matter is too late for this season, but the Union could experiment with the proposals at the back end, when one of the Charity matches are being played. The secondary schools' competitions are all in an interesting stage. In the senior division. Sacred Heart and Grammar School A are leaders, while iii the second and third grades several teams are within a few points of each other. The defeat of Sacred Heart by Grammar B was a bi<; surprise, the reverse of the former allowing Grammar School A to draw level. The positions of the teams are: — Points Chp. TM. W. L. D. For. Agst. Pts Grammar A. r> 4 I — 4r> 14 8 Sacred Heart 4 3 1—23 19 6 Grammar B <> "_' 4 — 1!) 3(> 4 King's C 01... 5 1 4 — 23 41 2 The match next Saturday between Grammar A and Sacred Heart should provide a good exhibition, notwithstanding the defeat of the latter by Grammar B. The result has a big bearing on the championship, for if Grammar win they get the honour, -but if Sacred Heart win they would still have to beat or draw with King's College to secure the championship. GRAMMAR'S GLORY GOES. The anticipation that the UniversityGrammar return match would be fast and exciting was realised to the full on Saturday. That University had important units of their attacking formation missing, and won luckily, only tended to intensify the excitement; for, having! snapped the first scoring chance that came along and converted it into five points, University thereafter played a desperate game against a side that was palpably a superior scoring combination, and yet could not score. Throughout the whole second half Grammar flung bout after bout of both passing and dribbling rush at the University line, for they were getting all the ball in the scrums, and bout after bout was smothered, broken down, or beaten back, frequently when at the very point of success, while the air was surcharged with great waves of sound, that swept over the ground from the throats of ecstatic supporters. The old School paen, slogan, war-cry, bark-song, or whatever they call the reiterated two-note tootle "Gram-r-Ram-r-Ram-r," split, tore, splintered and shreaded the welkin as it was ramped out from the grandstand and side-lines till it must have seemed to the blue jersey defenders of the 'Varsity line that they were playing all the collective sound-projected personality of the spectators as vfeTl as the very solid fifteen phyeically projected personalities that strove to defile their sacred thin white goal-line with the insult of a score. When the nerves of everyone had been twanged and jangled to fever-heat by the continued ramp-ramp of the Grammar twonote song, what time the Grammar backs just missed scores several times, when their backs tried the long line of possingon the open side of the scrum, a short, surprise bout was opened up on the reverse side of the scram, and a passing triolet by Rowe-BaJcley-Nicholson brought the long-expected score. Also if brought relief to the sore-tried tympani of neutral spectators, as the Grammar go-on song broke up into ecstatic variations of individual exultation. There is no doubt the game was exciting and blood-stirring. But Xicholson's try counted onlythree points, the kick at goal having failed, and the opposing score was five points, so that Grammar had to settle down again to a chase after the points. Again , and yet again in the last ten minutc3 both forwards and backs got thereabouts, but not quite there, and when the whistle sounded "no side" University came off the field the winners. It was another instance of the Rugby axiom a try scored early in the match, and capped by a goal, is one of the hardest leads in the game to overtake. And this asset came to University on the •day they most required it.

But it must not be thought that University, from the moment" that Platt nipped in at the fag end of a dribblingrush, and scored hie try, merely settled down to a systematic attempt to sit on the score. Though chief credit for opening up the play to Grammar, their opponents played a sporting game, and it was one of the fastest! matches ever played on the ground, despite the fact that the turf was heavy. Facing the t n: *prl''*t^htffiJjKifJpi' i >n"rtl'f'Vrtfirt »*"*

one that was getting the ball, University, with their own back team disjointed, had to play a smothering game, to depend on the sure tackling *nd stopping of their backs, and, particularly, on getting assistance in the open from their forwards. At the jump-off the University forwards "went to score off their own bat by fast footwork in the loose, and it was such a movement that enabled Flatt, with ready resource, to seize his scoring chance. As Grammar settled down, however, the 'Varsity pack lost its initial superiority in the loose by tiring in the chase after the fleet opposing backs, and in the second spell they were forced to concentrate their failing energies on stopping and tackling. It was the heady breaking-up and quick tackling of the ■blue forwards that really saved the day for 'Varsity. Lucas, Chapman, Gibbons, and the others got out so readily among the opposing backs, tackling so resolutely, that the Grammar combination failed to hold together, and developed faults at critical moments that nullified good pioneer work.

Yet even then Grammar might have won, for their forwards were as bu=.v and as able as thedr backs, had it not been that there was not a single shirker on the other side, either back or forwards. Peace, at full-back, played the game of his life, and saved the situs.' r-n time and again. Pla-tt, Boucher, Robinsou, Bevins, Milliken, Thomas—all played their parts well, with every man of the forwards.

Grammar, on the other hand, were time and again unlucky. Easy placeVdeka simply would not go right for McLean; twice Pomervcll went dashily to the goal-line, to be staggered by a bump a* he crossed, and then again bumped before he could ground the ball, so ttat it flew from liiij clutch; once a forward took the ball over the line, and had first reach for it. hut just missed *he steadying touch. Yet while Grammar played their opponents to a standstill, and had bad luck, it has to be admitted that, faults among the backs completed therr undoing. The forwards to a man playei well, and by superiority in scrum and on the line gave the hacks full opportunities, but the five-eighths developed a tendency to cut "into the brawn" of tl-.u opposing pack when the odds again'C their getting through were desperate. But Wilson, at centre, was the chief offender, in that he persisted in endeavouring to barge through the opposition and hroig to the ball long after it was evident that ihe was well marked, and h» threw away chances thereby. Rovre, Nicholson, and Somervell played right up to form. THE GRAFTON MACHINE GUNS. Like the contrast of rapid machinegun fire against the heavier booming of cannon was the dazzling exhibition of quick scoring which took place on Xo. 3 ground concurrently with the etubborn but exciting contest in front of the grandstand. Grafton met a side of eleven men from 'Varsity B, and piled up nearly 40 points before half-time. The blues then decided to "pull out" and watch their A team .wrestling with Grammar A. The Grafton forwards were both solid and speedy. Their footwork helped them considerably, and the fact that six of the nine tries came from the front division shows that they were constantly ■up and under. Fooley (wing forward) was particularly fast, scoring two of the trres. Williams got one. and altogether played a fine game. Millar was a third trump in the -winning pack. One fault With the forwards was that in their eagerness they forced the pace overmuch, and frequently got offside. The most successful of the backs was Gregory (wing three-quarter) and King (five-eighth). As a whole their passing was erratic, a circumstance which accounts for the fact that few spectacular scoring movements were provided. On the losing side there was little or no meritorious play. The tackling was woefully -weak, Airey (five-eighth) being the only one to go for his man in orthodox fashion. Had the game continued the' score would probably have been a startler. A TRIO ORDERED OFF. Ponsonby went in against Grammar B with muscular aggressiveness and minus any beg pardons. Responding -with equal enthusiasm, the whites kept up the pace, and the game wasted warmly from kick-off to whistle. When the interval came Ponsonby were playing two men short, Dickinson (centre three-quarter) having been ordered off for the manner in which he spoke to the referee, and Roes (forward) having been told to leave with Wallace (a Grammar forward) for fighting. At that stage Ponsonby had a lead of six to nil—a penalty goal and an unconverted try. With the advantage of numbers, Grammar attacked hotly in the second term, and snatched a try, which they converted. Even play ensued till the end, and tire suburbanites landed' the win .by a point. Except that they played a hard, willing contest, neither team performed conspicuously. In view of their earlier showing, Grammar B did well to run tlveir more experienced opponents to such a close finish. THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS. The defeat of Sacred Heart on Saturday by Grammar B, by 14 points to 3, came as a big surprise, not so much that the hitherto unbeaten went under, but that Grammar B won so easily. Some excuse can 'be advanced for Savred Heart, in that four or five of their usual side were absent, while the boys only returned to school a few days previously, after a mouth's vacation. * This -would certainly tend to demoralise the team, and there is no doubt that they played' a long way below tlieir form of the first ronrid. Grammar B, however, played with great dash, and on Saturday's showing -would be a stiff proposition for any of the teams in the competition. Both backs and forwards -were seen at their best, and took advantage of every opening. The forwards in particular played a hard, fast game, and, after the" first ten minutes, never gave the opposing pack a look in. The Sacred Heart pack showed little or no combination after the first couple of scrums crump.ling up 'badly, and were a long wa3' below form. Their backs also -were decidedly off, and, altogether, their showing >was too bad to be true.

On the. Grammar, side, Kawhiti did a lot'of good work at full-back, his takin" of the ball on the full being a stron" feature-of his .play. Greville was the best of the three-quarters, and McLeod the*pkk of the five-eighth. In the forward division, L. Kronfeldt, the wingei' •liowe&aJet of -daßivand- was TWonunent

NORTHEBN UNION.

NEWTON'S EE\rENGE.

Custom and precedent seemed to be altogether suspended during the game !>ctween Otaiuhu and Newton. Wild sallies and impetuous individual play caused a frequent punctuation of scores, few, if any, of them being traceable to any real strategy. Newton pko'cd a fast enough, game, and several time 3 the forwards broke out-with eitatche3 of dashing play that simply disorganized the oppoeition. In taking their revenue Newtoa 'vere nothing if not thorough, and tne score, 22 points to S, indicates just what serit of a match it was. Otahuhu lacked pace and organisation, but in the second spell they picked up, and had Newton defending fairly often, so that tlicj whole of the half result 3d in a try for each team. The play suggested, ■however, that Newton slackened off when safely entrenched behind a margin of points, and that bhey were not hard pressed at any time. Farrelly did excellent work at the back of Otahuhu'ipack, while Eustace and Stannaway were prominent of the others. For Newton, the Isles brothers, Thomas, Potier, Castles, and Bennett bore a very fair share of the hard work. REDUCED TO THREE. The first round k>l the knock-out eonpetition has eliminated North Shore Albion, Otahuhu, and Graf ton Athleti", and the issue now lies between City Rovers, Ponsonby United, and Newton hangers. In several respects it is a pity that Grafton were unable to raiso n team on Saturday, for there should ha c been a good game between tiie champions and the Athletic, and, moreover, it will be unfortunate if, in the draw for the bye in the second roun.l, City are left in for the final without having a fight of any description. If any teconical difficulty that may arise can be overcome, the supporters of the League p'ould doubtless appreciate it as a sportsmanlike action if the Rovers offered to allow Ponsonby and Newton to draw against them for the second round, so that every team would have to play at least two games to win. HOW PONSONBY WON. The game 'between North Shore Albion \ and Ponsonby United en Saturday had niany shortcomings but it had the saving and salient virtue that it was played at a hot and wiling pace throughout. The two previous meetings between the ■teams this season both resulted in wins for North Shore, the first by 13 points against 5, and the second by 12 points against 2, co that the result of Saturday's match has a special satisfaction for the United, in addition to the fact •that "if leaves them with a good spcuj,- ---\ ing chance for the knock-out trophy. As the score indicates, Ponsonby were not ; freed from the possibility of North S'.iore coming level with or causing them until the last few minutes of the game, and there can be no two opinions as to the closeness of the combat in all it> stages. Nevertheless, PoiKonby mast be given the credit for possessing the initiative during the greater part of the game, and this fact must be ascribed to the excellent work done by their forwards, and the 'hard work and ddsh put into the operations of the backs. FIRST TO ATTACK. Ponsonby were the first to make aTreal showing in defensive work, but their'opponents opened the score with a goal from a mark. Ponsonby responded with a try 'by Martin, and this was the strength of the score at halftime... With only a difference of a point at the interval it was dangerous to form conclusions as to the result, but there could be no gainsaying the fact that Ponsonby's willing msthods up to tliis period had made them favourites lor the honours The second spell had tlie same characteristics. The locale of the play was mainly in North Shore quarters, where the Albions, despite their inability to change the tenour or the game, were putting up a istalwart defence, particularly on the last line, where Harrison was facing the heavy calls made upon him with coolness and determination. Ponsonby's second try manoeuvred by McClymont and Martin! was. an exceedingly pretty piece of *'* r ' c '™ d was thoroughly deserved, and with Winters convertini, tha " Pon ; e3 '• were given, a clear lead of six points which ttiey managed to maintain until the end. Generally speaking, they were fully entitled to the margin on the afternoons play. As already indicated, the game was not a traveller's sample of -Northern Union football; there was fatoo much dsish-the-con sequencer fly-kick- ? S «. Wi,d throwin 3 for that to be the case. But it ,vu S not an unattractive exhibition, thanks to the energy imparted into it by both eides. Ponsonby showed more' resource 7Ll aT It y in u thdr style of than J«orth Shore, but their passing movements were not executed with tHe precision required for rendering them' effective. Among the Ponsonby backs excellent work was accomplished by Martin m j « >? ree ' < l uartcr line; while Cross and McClymont, the two five-eighths, revealed a good understanding/ of each other's play and materially helped in •keeping up the offensive. Of the forwards, Pooley, Harris and Winter ifere always in the thick of the fight. The .thanks of the North Shore Club are due to Harrison, whoso filling of the fullback position on Saturday was one 'of the features of the game. He w as equally reliable in kicking, tackling and McAneny, placed at wing three-quarter' shaped much better, while Paul and GraY at five-eighths, and Walters and Nelsoii in the forwards, were amongst their] most useful workers. jl POPULARITY PLEBISCITE. ' .Charity covers a multitude of sins, and lor this reason, although at normal times one might be inclined to move a hearty vote of censure on "the notion tliat trophies should be awarded at the whim of the more or less fickle football crowd little exception can be taken to the decision of the Management Committee of the league to conduct a popularity election in connection with the -final of the Roop's Rooster competition, the gate Proceeds of which, as is now generally known, are divided amongst various philanthropic institutions. Generally speaking, playing to the gallery of all kinds requires to be severely suppressed but in this caee the idea is on all fours with the recent patriotic carnival, when ■under a superficial absurdity lay the golden heart of a worthy movement. All that the Management Committee has in mind in reserving the gold medal offered by one of the patrons- of the league for a vote on the most popular player is the attraction of a big gate for the final Properly organised, there is no reason why the ballot should hot prove a bi" draw, particularly if the competitors are restricted to club nominees, so that the personal element-wllFbe .kept as decently siibdued-as possible. Under such circumstances, recollecting, the object of the

ASSOCIATION. '

The members of the North Show V * ciation Club had once more- the-wirißL I of ■war brought home to them thif£i! I when the sad news of the death of ? I •of their late comrades was «n?mi, ° 1 Sergeant Cyril W. Coltman, onrES* I - Fatty » Coltman, and Gunner "S 1 Wallace, both of the first junior divkP I ■having honourably given their liv« SS , B ing "Somewhere in France." TwSr ■ sent members and officials of I Shore Club wore mourning ■ white in memory of their felWc.-' H ladee on Saturday last. Other mcmV B of the Shore team, who hai.jwSSj .fallen v aeition, are Sergeant AllanWi I lace, Alf. Corlett, and Sergeaat-HiJ!' ■ CWlla Sinton.. There are now oitiL B past and present members of theMi^fl l Club "d*ing their bit" in ■ struggle. :.™ I Frank Biker, the ever-poptriar enu, I of the Everton senior team, write» ; fi2 I the Featheeton camp to th« effecttw I he and Reg. Booth, Aitkineon, I W. Tyson, aid possibly Caiedag will k! I in Auckland on August 11, and wo* I like to bringa team of soccer playetert I meet one sebeted from the players "it I present available in Auckland for j»tt£ 1 day, August 12, Anyone deeiroua-of I playing is requested to immediately cmi H municate witli\tlie A.F.A. at to-nighft 6 meeting, when Ihe possibility of arnife I ing a match rt be discussed. Itbeim I delegate night, tie management will ■ come anyone iiterested in Associtiei I football. \ ■ , •-• ,:- B Practically thefleciding match of B first division uampionsnip ■ played on Saturky next, wliaf i& I mond, the leadcrs'by one pointy- "wjft B meet North Shore) the runnere-up.%£ I ding-dong go ie elpected. Both teua I are showing good c&nbination; andlmV* I put up fine periornances the last two E Saturdays. It is met likely that th« v I Domain will be the cmvincing grouad. r: - G