RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 134, 9 June 1925, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

SYDNEY UNIVERSITY. THEIR LAST MATCH. To-morrow the Sydney players will meet should be one of the best of the tour, and it is fully expected that the local students will be able to give a much smoother einiUtioii of the <ode than was given in the test came It wns obvious from the game on Saturday that the visitors have benefited a ■deal by their experience on tmir an.l they I ~ vp rv C ood chance of finishing their itinerary with a win. Up to the moment ! the Sydney lads have met three nniversiiy club teams and have been beaten oni> once by Victoria College, lft* Against I Otag'o they playe.l a draw (14 all), and they j Leaf Canterbury 17-10. The Auckland team for the game Is the i strongest the ekih has had in this season. ; and should it play up to its best club form I lie game will be one worth seeing. Mr. ! Ye Auckland team 'isr-Full-hack. Blikey: three-ouarters Ma'-kon. Olsen, Sincliir: I tlve-eighlhs. Carter. Hamilton: halfhaox. Cashmore: rover. Keone; forwards. Miles, Brookcr, Stone, Anderson, Brendel, Keegan, ; Millar.

UNIVERSITY GAMES. CLUB MATCHES ON SATURDAY. After the University test last Saturday, and the Sydney-Auckland match to-morrow, 1 the club gomes will be resumed on Saturday, when the second meeting of Ponsnnby anil Grammar Old Boys should give patrons something extra special in the way of club i football. Each side will have two of their but I'onsonby is reported to have adequately tilled their vacancies; but what the Grammar substitutes will be is not yet known. In its general standard the third University test was disappointing, though by the dash and excitement of the final twenty minutes it atoned for the lnpses of the earlier part o£ the game. The Sydney team Is especially young, and taking the run of the play on this game its members put up a really excellent showing against a side that was packed with Individual excellence, but lacked the Inspiration which would havo made It a great team. It was notlcenble throughout that where the New Zealanders played blindly and ineffectively their opponents, even when beaten back to their line, always had someone with an open eye for scoring possibilities, and thus it was the Sydnev-slders loet only by a slight turn of bad luck.

The New Zealand forwards had rather the worst of matters in the scrum, but in footwork they had the advantage all through, and failed to use this advantage sufficiently. O'Regan, Miller, Mackenzie, and Smith were prominent throughout, though on the day Wiseman was probably the best forward on the ground.

Among the backs the honours were Tvitn the Australians. Though in the early part of the game McDermott's handling was execrable, he made amends later, while Pratt was a tower of strength to his side, and both Johnson and Tilbury were fast and nippy. Tilbury, however, threw away winning chances early In the game by failure to take his passes. Williams played a good fullback game. Stevenson's game at full-back waa patchy. Brodie was a solid half, and the others of the backs did a deal of fine individual work. Malfroy being outstanding in this respect; but in attack the passing and taking were frequently erratic, and the inside barks showed a blind reliance on cuttlng-ln without ability to change their tactics when they were met by solid tackling.

i In their last three games the Sydney ! team has scored 17 points each time. The : second test was lost Xi-17. the same against Canterbury Collese was won 17-16, and the third test was lost 10-17. KING'S V. SHORE. The curtain-raiser at Eden Park was I quite an interesting exhibition, for though neither the Shore nor the King's teams can be classed as a finished combination ! they keep tbe play open and full of incident. Saturday quite justified this reputation for, with a dry ball and the ground In fair condition, the leather was flung about freely and the hopes of supporters were constantly excited only to be dashed Ito the ground as a wild pass terminated the movement. Forward play was practically at a discount, each side relying upon its bucks. Though Shore won comfortably at I the finish the game was never one-sided, and the spectators had every reason to be satisfied with the introduction to the main item on the afternoon's programme. SUBURBS WIN AGAIN. Suburbs registered another good win on Saturday when they defeated Manukau to the tune of nineteen points to three. The previous Saturday they had overwhelmed King's Old Boys by a similar margin. The game, however, was not as one-sided as the scores would indicate, and Manukau were unlucky in not scoring on at least two occasions. Suburbs, at the present time, arc playing good football and on their own ground are a hard team to beat. Their next match against North Shore backs were in good form in the game with Manukau and held the upper hand throughout. Grey was safe at full-back and got rid of the ball In good style. The threequarter line was too fast for the opposing team, Lincoln being particularly dangerous. Hurry, Don, and Somervllle also did good work, the last-named getting the ball away well. The forwards were more evenly matched, the local players being superior in the loose. Consedliie and Baker were the pick of the bunch. Of the Manukau team, Tβ Hara (full-back) held on too long and was frequently caught in possession. He tackled well but kicked wcaklv Davis and McClusky did some good work but received little support. Pascoe was a tower of strength and was the equal of any player on the field. In the scrums, the Manukau men showed a marked superiority and hooked the ball on almost every occasion. REFEREES' ASSOCIATION. The usual weekly meeting of the association was licld last evening, Mr. H. Clltl'e occupying the chair. Referees In two games advised having ordered off two players i Q senior matches. A letter was received irom the Suva Referees' Association asking to be supplied with handbooks, and requesting rulings on several Incidents during tae course of play. Both are to be supplied. Mr. Hollls, a member of the Whangarel Association, was welcomed to the meoting. His attendance waa also for the purpose o" obtaining rulings.

Tbe Auckland Rugby Union Management Committee asked the assistance of tne association in getting matches off to time. It wa3 resolved To render such assistance as could possibly be done having regard for tbe rules of tbe game, and the executive are authorised to endeavour to find ways and means to bring the request into effeit. A letter of thanks ia to be sent to the (Marists Brothers for their ever ready assistance in controlling matches at various times. It was resolved to write to Him. CaMxtus wishing him a speedy recovery from bis indisposition.

A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. S. Kronfeld for his donation of a jersey for use at Eden Park.