NORTHERN UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 124, 25 May 1920, Page 9

NORTHERN UNION.

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS,

POINTS ON THE PLAY.

Three weeks yet before the firet round I *f the senior dhampionehip is over, and n any at these three coming games a . loss by the leading teams will bunch . our rivals all in good position to break >ut into the lead. City have lost their rfaee in the front by being beaten by; in unbeaten team, but their chances of »ming up into the lead again are dis;inetly good, lor their remaining matches ippear at the present moment to be iasier than those that have gone before. Maritime have not "yet met Ponsonby. On paper the latter team is likely to lose, iut of course in practice the chances are not nearly so certain. Newton stands ihead of Ponsonby, and the meeting between these two rivals next Saturday sliould draw much more interest than the other two. for if Newton should win it will give IVmsonby a harder task to draw level again. The outcome between Maritime and Marist is not at all certain, for tflie Tykes are a good team. Jacking experience and consistency, it ie true. City meet Graftoa and should have no difficulty in that direction. The standard of play put over on Saturday was rather good, but the games go to show that there is an urgent need for most of the teams to get more snap and sparkle, quicker movement, and much more certain handling, into their back play. The forwards in the loose are not nearly quick enough, and they are not improving so much by experience as could be wished. In many cases they have no control over the ball, whether at hands or feet, but it is well to ccc a distinct brightening over last season ir the tackling. Generally this is good, and vigour, cleanness and spirit are showing si«ns of coining into this department oi the work. The backe' play is still weak Often the half is slow, and more ofter still the ball swings right along the line until the outside man is jammed ante touch with scarcely five yards gainedor what is more likely somebody mulls or gets tackled and smothered. Thai sort" of play, fast enough in a way, but purely mechanical and monotonous H itselfj is not worth the candle. It seldon brings results. Perhaps coaches can tel their players it is better by far to rui forward "five yards and do it quickly than to run twenty towards touch an get no "forrader." The championship table now stands:-

Toints. Cu. Team IP- w - D - v lF ' X V ' Maritime ...3 3 « 17 6 City 4 » — J T3 -57 (» Newton 4 2 1 1 5» 41 .. Ponsonby ... 3 1 1 1 ->4 jn .1 Marist 4 a 1 2 45 45 a Devonport .. 3 —. 1 2 83 04 1 Graf ton 3 — — 3 18 iO —

A KEEN. HARD GAME. Aβ a team Maritime are not so highly polished as some of their rivals, tout there is no doubt, after their performance against City on Saturday, they have the goods. • Keenness and a Une spirit of enthusiasm that prompts each mau to do als best all the way and all the time. That is the spirit or all the Maritime games. And their very keeness, coupled with the realisation that they were up against something hard, -won through for them against City. A rather soft ground in apt to be less of a hindrance to men of the Maritime stamp than to the others, but this does not discount the value of the win, which was made cnlefly by a dogged defence and a determined nttack. Brien, the Maritime full is developing into an aggressive back, with a certain amount of sureness and fair pace. His kicking Is good. lie has great possibilities, providing he does not overdo the aggressive business. The two McGregors played up well on the wines, and are devclopine font Into good sound boys. Lang, the half, a quick tackier and fast raider, played well. The front-row men. O'Brien and ll'ore, easily held their own against their opponents, and beat them for the ball quite often enough to justify their place In the pack. Avery Is a man Maritime could scarcely do without. On the City side Davidson played very nicely. He usually does. Ills kicking with a heavy ball was Rood. Postlewnlßtat on the winK, was a failure. Hll handline Is not sure, and his Judgment unsound. -Heed and Francis were not ur to standard «n the forward work. Fltzcerald made a fltilte pnssahle full, and Wetherall and Lalns, the latter especially with his fast, keen raiding, played greal eames.

• TOO MANY MISSES. Xewton debated snore on Saturday, but I ( If they can play no better this week-entf ~ they will surely be beaten by Ponsonfcy There w«s a mlssln* link—or. perhaps, it would foe better to cay tt whole chain of i missing Hnks—along their back-line. Pol- , son Iβ n half of unusual promise with j 'need end T>hick. but he was rather slow at ! times getting the leather away. \lrtue, five-eighth, was line on occasions lint bo lost many chances of sending the ball on. j Cloke, centre, was away ahead of the others. He ran, handled, an* tackled well and worked some schemes that would rto «nyones heart good to see. if v «* • !>lso did well, being a resourceful player. Bl°gs and Kcenan. the latter especially, mishandled too much. Somere and Base were the pick of the pack, with C. James ""There' "vaV something radically wrong with Nicholson. He missed far too mm*. If he is as unreliable as he proved himself on Saturday he should be among the nmlor" Otherwise the Devonport boys fmiffht out n R"O<1 R nme. witli many mle- . SkS but Plenty of hard work ««U»^ Zml Jaw. the full was not too safe, "ut nevertheless played n promising game. GUAFTON DOWN' AGAIN. M^« ftOn ZreTeZ & SpJSSSS iToy. the pack, and Kwerscn ..Jjd The Marlst boys fought spiritedly, ami niia mT.t pood men in the ruok. vie with Kite, who is easily nrst in the loose.