NORTHERN UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 177, 28 July 1919, Page 8

NORTHERN UNION.

FOR THE KOOPE BOOSTER.

THREE EXCITING CONTESTS. . ' WITH UNEXPECTED RESULTS. PONSONBY CROWD SPOILS GOOD GAME. v REFEREE FORCED TO CALL OFF. MARITIME SETTLES CITY. AND MARIST' COVERS SHORE. ~~~ ~*~~■• On the Domain on Saturday the Roope Rooster .championship under the League code began, and each one of the three games provided rather unexpected finishes. The most interesting of these was on the second ground, where Newton were well on the way to defeating Ponsonby when the crowd about the touchline became so unruly that referee Murray rightly declared the game over. In front of the stand Maritime and City had a ding-dong go, that left honours even at the interval, and was very close till almost time, when Maritime added live points, putting themselves on the right end of the stick to the tune of fourteen points to six. On the third ground Marist Old Boys came to light by defeating North Shore with fourteen points to spare. The Ponsonby-Xewton game was terminated by the referee owing to the encroachment of spectators a few minutes before time, when Nuwton were leading by 10 points against S. The Maritime-City meeting was good and fast all through, with the Maritime bucks working better than heretofore. The teams had honours even after the first spell, but the watersiders pulled ahead later. In the Marist Old Boys-North Shore contest the former outplayed the latter to the tune of 17 points to three. The winners were more than a match for their opponents, who lacked combination. MARITIME V. CITY. Maritime, with a series of individual rushes, put the reds on defence. Quick and lively the uttackers sought to get n result In figures for their udvuntago, and their backs went working rather well together. A. Sutton was tackled within a yaril of the Hue, und within two lnlnnteH the wuier<idi» barks had another go on the other side. But red defended well, a*id the game slid down to the raid-line. A high punt gave Davidson the chance to confuse Adlam, and he kicked the ball on, and H. Avery made the try. Three times In »uccession Maritime were almost over, but still they did not manage to add points, and when the game opened up some pretty City forward play ended with Clarke on the wing making a long sprint that took him over. Again nothing came of the kick. The play was moving very fast, and now one side, now another, had a temporary advnntage.' I-'rancls came down in mid-fle'.d with before sending to'Mitchell, to Clarke, who was grassed on the line. Maritime had an advantage during the last momenta of- the spell, which closed: City 3, Maritime 3. .. The reds attacked strongly, and there was a sharp tussle in Maritime territory. But with long kirks the watersldere saved, and then over along, the distant line Lang went sprinting along. He made an In-pass to Sutton, and then it went back to him, and he shot right through to the corner, -with three forwards backing him up. The long kick was not successful. With a lead now Maritime came fiercely at It, and City were hard put to defend their line. David-, son broke of, but was held by the foot, and :Robinson took the pass et full speed. He was 'bngged, and Lang was the boy that opened up the game, and with a fast run took the leather on. He passed it along among the supporting forwards, and right down near the objective It was sent to H. Avery, and he dived over. Maritime 9. City "Mitchell dribbled till he had kicked past the full. Two red.i and two blues fought their way across the lino, and all four missed, but Francis coming behind cot it, and the attempt at goal failed. City l>, "Velther side sained much till a minute before time, and then a Maritime forward sally gave Avery the ball, and he passed to Lang. The boy went over easily, and goa ed the thing himself. The whistle went with the result: Maritime 14. City <J. Mr A. Ball was referee. PONSONBY V, NEWTON. Ponsonbv, the team of consistent brilliancy, met Newton, the side of surprises, "n tue subsidiary pitch on the Domain on hiiturdav jittcruoon. Newtou s-uirted the game against the sun and early iv the same Dutty opened the score with a nlcciy-dlreeteu penalty .'oal From the resumption l'onsonby .momentarily pressed by menus of a series of short foliow-up kicks, but Newtou sprang another oiieusive, aud Keeuau, covering a lot of -round iv :i wriggly ruu, cross-JcickeU to the left. The wiug meu were too closely covered to make progress, and from a scrummage ou the other side Newton got the ball away slickly, aud lies, heating all opposition, crossed and registered the second item in Newton's account. Dufty missed with a. kick from a promising angle, aud the score read—Newton 3, l'ouaouby " From the kick-out I'onsonby attacked strongly and when Newtou were penalised Cross negotiated the piece of string which, dangled between the posts in lieu of a cross-bar, with an excellently gauged long kick, reducing Newton's lead to three points. When the ball was again set going, the Ponies eam*e away at length, iv a spectacular piece of work between A. Cadman and McGregor, who challenged repeatedly, and kept the attack going until the forward beat the last of .the defences aud went over for a clever try. Interval — Ponsonby 5, Newton 5. The resumption of the game saw attacks by Ponsonby, a cress-field movement terminating in Brlen getting over In the left corner. Kicking from the touch-line, : Cross got -perilously near to his- objective, but the ball fell short l>y a few yards. There was no lack of thrills when the teams • got to work again, and at length Newton pressure compelled Ponsonby to -recourse Keenan set' the ball travelling the line until it reached Thomas, who wentwer near the left nag. Dufty kicked a magnificent goal from the touch-line, agaiu securing Newton the lead. i'lay was fast and open to ;in exciting degree, aud the I'onsonbv fans, who were present iv large numbers, indulged in vigorous lung-exercise when lirieu made a determined dash for the line, which was followed by a desperate melee near the left corner nag, where McGregor appeared to cross. The linesman ruled him out, however, aud although nve hundred spare referees on the line yelled lustily for a try, Mr. Murray supported his colleague, aud ordered a scrum after the excitement had subsided and the field hail been cleared. Newtou obtained temporary respite by a breakaway to mrt-neld, but Iα the last nve minutes I'onsonby were almost continuously on the Newton goal-line—and the spectators ten yards over the touchline —but the defence prevailed. At this stage the barraekers set up a hostile demonstration against the referee, and although Mr. Murray and the linesmen made repeated appeals for the field to be cleared, the encroachers refused to budge, And ultimately the referee had to declare the game off —a course he might have taken with justice ten minutes earlier. The score of the unfinished game was— Newton 10 Ponsonby 8 MARIST OLD BOYS V. NORTH SHORE These two teams fought it out on No. 3 ground. Marists pressed from the roll of the "ball, attack after attack being held up by a solid defence. The advantage remained with the olues, their vanguard handling the ball superbly, 'but running across field instead of straight. The attacks continued without a point's advantage until Clarke whipped it up nippily just outside. Shore's twenty-nye and sent a beautiful pass to a supporting hack. On it went in good style to 'Robertson, who carried on until in front of the posts, and 6ent it over the rushins black forwards' neaas

and over the. bar. Marist Old Boys 2, North Shore nil. The blackE stayed beyond the mid-line for a while, and then from a scrum Ghent let it. away nicely, and It went on until It came to Hing. This dashing little player changed the angle of progress, and, running etralghter, penetrated well into the defence and then kicked. One of the blacks was there, and it same back in a kick, filng, assisted by Campney, again placed hl» Bide in black territory, but Roberts at full lor the 'blacks, who was taking the ball well, and getting Into his stride quickly, made thmgs lively for the blues. Hing was the .saving factor. -At the mid-line Marlsia got going from a scramble, and, after a long 6oU> run. White registered the first try, Clark converting. • Marist Old Boys 7 North. Shore O After interchange play. Keenan distinguished himself, running right through after warding off a black, who went for him high. Clarke anade a good 'but unsuccessful attempt to convert. A tew moments ,the 'blues were at it again, the ball passing advantageously between Hlng aud the Robinson brothers, the ball going across and. being forced, but brought back for a penalty to the attackers. Clarke took the kick, aud this time made good, the score reading—Marist Old Boys 12, North Shore nil. North Shore took » hand, 'their backs being seen really to advantage fop the first time In the game, aud Boon making good Roberts failed with the kick. Marist Old Boys 13, North Shore 3. More points came to the blues through an opening b y H Robinson. After sprinting into a gooa Position, he successfully kicked it acrosa fleld. nnd Iveenan was there, whipping It up and touching down in a position that Points ffl£ f ° r GUeDt tO ,mproTe thel ' Mnrist Old Boys ... " 17 ; •North Shore ." !!!!!!!! 3 I L7o m^,ed^ilor a y. raomentary blaCk Mr. Eddowes was referee. SECOND GRADE. Hovers beat Maritime by 23 to FOURTH GRADE. City. 30, beat Newton B 0. Tries were scored by Clark 3, Verrnl 2, Cole I Murray conv 0 e"t n ed m H ° rDe ' and Rels Ponsonby won by default from Sunnyslde. FIFTH GRADE. Richmond A 9. beat Otahuhu S City 4S, beat Ponsonby 0. SIXTH GRADE. City 10, beat Ponsoutfy 4. For City Kenay and Peters scored a try each, and Green kicked two goals.

THE REP. TEAM

TO PLAY HAWKE'S BAY. The rep. team to play the HawKe'% Bay reps, at the Domain next Saturday for the Northern Union Challenge Cup has been selected as follows:— Full-back: Delgrosso. Three-quarters: G. Davidson, G. lies, Dufty, D. .McGregor. .Stand-off half: Idling. Scrum-half: Neal. Forwards: Helandcr. Lowrey, Thomas, Francle, Haildon; H. Avery. ; Reserves: Full-back, Adlam; three-quar-Keennn and Hlug; forwards, ' Newdick[ Carglll, Reid. All players selected are requested to be at the League's training shed. Baker Street, at S p.m. on Tuesday. Those fallIng to attend will, have their places fllleu , .

THE THACKER SHIELD.

SYDENHAM CHALLENGE iPONSONBY. The secretary of the Ponsonby- United. Club has received a letter from the Sydenham Club stating that the senior team hae won the First Division Championship In Christehureh, and challenging Ponsonby, the holders of the Thacker shield, in ac- . cordance with the rule's governing the competition for the trophy. The game will be [played in Auckland, but the date has not yet been arranged. _^ Ponsonby lifted the shield last year after Sydenham had held, it for four seasons.

THE AUSTRALIAN TOUR.

TEAM RETURNS WEDNESDAY. The officials of the Auckland Rugby League hnve received cabled advice that .Messrs. Oakley and Levein, the managers, with the New Zealand representative team which has been touring Australln. are expected to arrive at Auckland by the Mahla from Newcastle, .which is due at daylight on Wednesday. HUNTLY V, NGARUAWAHIA. CBy Teli?graph>-Own Correspondent.) HUNTLY, Saturday. The League match, Huntly v. Nganiawabla, resulted: Huntly 35, Ngaruawahia 0.