FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 105, 4 May 1920, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. The opening of the Hugby I"nion season was merely hinted fit li.v the playing of the cup match College (Rifles v. Grnfton ou the .Domain on Saturday. When all the teams Set Into action nest 'week enthusiasts will ibe greatly disappointed if the standard <rf play 1s uot much above that shown by lirafton. Even allowing ilmt one of the t-'ieiii of the servl.es'of Hanseh and Nl.\on. men who are not easily replaced, the showliiß of Grafton was not up to the standard renrhed liy tliem at the end of last season. Their chief weakness was in the five-eight line, 'where faulty and ek.w handling handicapped the other 'backs in iitliu-k, and iv defence enabled tlie opposing forwards to theOnifton backs williiavp to be much snappier all round before the team will be able tv win matches against strong opponents. In the forward division ■Ornfton have a strong (•oiiiblnatlon. which will be improved with the addition of "Hansen, and for the llrst spell ou Saturday It looked as if these forwards would cause College ltltles a lot of trouble. l.ji.nli. .Moore. Daurell and Walserley showed up in bustling action in the open, while Stanley and IMenzles μ-ot their share of the ball iv the scrum. lint they could . uot sustain the effort against tJie weight nrnl pace of the College pack, which showed to advantage ohli-flv in handling work In the loose. As a "matter of fait, the Graftou pack sluiniv pluveel their opponents into form In the llrst spell, and in the second half College 'Klllt-s, working together in fine style, just romped over the blue and whites, ilnishlug up with a wiu of •41 points to nil. The College Oilfles 'backs arc much the sume as last year's lot. In flinea they have a solid fullback, and Wilson, I.axon and marker gl\e them pleutv uf pace and scoring ability in the three-quarter Jine, fire-eight of 'more than ordinary ' club calibre. The addition of 'Pilliiis, from tUo Sacred Heart ranks, gives them a •halfback who has everything to commend him and generally the back division Is an exceptionally strong one. Ilarty. the .Fletcher brothers. Lane and 'Watson give them plenty of weight and puce Ju tJic pack. which will probably be further strengthened as the season progresses. NORTHERN UNION. TUE OPENING GAMES. Supporters of the League -code will want to see at least another tortulght's games •before they van hazard an opinion ou tin.merits of the seveu senior teams in the field this year. The opening performances of six of the seven teams on" Saturday give food for a good deai of thought. Iv the three games no less than V£> points were scored, nnd this wouM appear to Indicate a general weakness in defence wiit'h a corresponding speed In t hjc play that should promise well for the coming season. The championship table Is:— rh Team. I. W. 1.. Pts. Ponsonhy 11 ■» £lty i i _ ~± Newton 1 i -- •> Marist Old Hoys 1 - - 1 Graftou 1 _ 1 iDevouport 1 — 1 — .Maritime — — — A CAPITAL PKRI'OKMAXCi:. The contest between Pousonby and Marlst Old Boys brought much credit on the latter team, although the whining honours went with Ponsonby. Marlst is a young team iv every .sense, and ne -several of rlie players had to be Introduced to their clllbmntes before the game, anything iv the way of a flushed combination could scarcely be expected. Nevertheless, they put up a fine tight, and gave a team that has becJi League chum;>iou for several yeare just as much as they could eonifortObly undertake to notch a* victory. These Marlst boys can stand any amount of good coaching, nnd In a sense' It was fortunate for them that they struck strong opposition hi their first try-out. They lost one or two scoring chances during tlii- play by overlooking one or two practical applications of 'the rules. They have a sound theoretical .knowledge of the laws of the game, anil keep to them much better than the I'oudid the "play tlie ball" rule, and should study its practical side a little more. As for Ponsonhy, both pack and backs, Ihey should certainly pay attention to competent and experienced coaches. Because they won out. last year it by 'no means follows that they will do so again now in IOiO. Tbdr .scrum tactics on Saturday, especially during the Qr.st spell, before Mr. Eddowes dropped on to them, were ter.%Jy. They loafed off-side, they broke aVI went round before the ball was out: iv .tact, they knowingly broke half a dozen rules every time they went down to ;a scrummage. -The Marist pack tried none lof that. Their mistakes were errors of Ignorance rather than deliberate breach.es. Delgrosso, us the Ponsouby full, promises well again this year. K. McGregor's leg is giving him trouble very early In the season, and he has not gained his last ye.ir's form. McClymout Is still Inclined to hold the ball too long. -The kicking of Cross wafl not lup to the mark. Xeal was fair, but 'Walsh 1 proved himself time nnd again as a master. .He was the pick of the backs. U Cadtnau Is inclined to off-side work, but is a good I forward. Southernwood and Luwry are i good men top. and Henderson in particular I justified his inclusion. I In Fry ATarist seem to have secured a (good heady safe full-back. Eustace, on the : wing, proved himself to be a good man. Hiug and Ghent are the two kiug-plns of this back division, and Loveridge, the Wellington man, came out occasionally. He has not hjMl much time yet to get into his stride. TW forwards as a pack are a good hard-working lot, and they need some careful coaching. When they all get to know each other, this young team ought to be able to turn out as a working combination that will be "a hard thing." CITY'S EASY WIN. It was evident from City's display against the uew combination, Devonport TJuited, that the wearers of "the red and black jersey had d,one some hard training, and had studied each other's play, for the combination that characterised their play In the first half was of the very best. There was practically only one weal; link In the back division, and -that wns Postlewalte at full, who was very faulty in his ■handling of the oval, the team being hard put to It, particularly In the second half, to clear their line through this player failing ■to accept. Otherwise, the chain of fastfooted backs worked like machinery, B. Davldßon, who has come up from the'lower ranks, well meriting his inclusion in the team by hie flue display. Like his other two brothers of League football fume, he shows a very fair turn of speed, which, he used to good advantage, and was also a trojan worker when called on to defend. The forwards likewise played a sterling game, but did nut show up so well in the scrum as did the home team, Walters in the green and white pack, being responsible for his team showing up well when down to it. Tlie green and white forwards were very strong on 'the day, but although they put in a lot of hard work, a good deal of it went to waste through lnck of combination. However, their rushes in the second half kept the home team E limed on their line during several vely momeentH. Boon and Jaggs, the latter at full, were also conspicuous for the home team. Tie Suit half vras a repetition of eight tries by City, all or which went unconverted. Devonport's only points—.two—in thla spell came ' from a penalty landed by Stewart. The second JiaLf wae much more even, for although City again added jnore points—*S—Liie home team did likewise. No doubt the red and blacks were feeling the effect of the hard play in the first lielf. but nevertheless the gnine was fact to the end, although both teams were showing signs of tiredness in the latter stages.