THE LEAGUE GAME.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 152, 29 June 1926, Page 14

THE LEAGUE GAME.

FIRST TRIAL MATCH

ECLIPSE OF SOUTH AUCKLAND.

There was a feast of try-getting at Carlaw Park on Saturday, when Auckland literally annihilated the South Auckland team, at least, the team that played under that aegis. Although they had the assistance of Littlewood at wing 'three-quarter, the visitors were outclassed from the moment that play began, and the first half of the game was a debacle, nearly all whirlwind, and something of a tragi-comedy. A mishap to the visiting fullback (G. Sherlock) saw his replacement by Mansill, and at halftime it was decided—fortunately from the spectators' viewpoint —to reinforce the demoralised visiting side with four of Auckland's leading players, who had been in the passive role of spectators on the bank. It was a case of a desperate remedy, and thus by heroic action the complete discomfiture of Auckland's opponents was prevented. It is a Rugby truism that one side plays just as well as the other side lets it. South Auckland— what's in a name — offered but feeble resistance. They were a team of units, triers all, but entirely bereft of subtlety, skill, or any of the finer points of the code. They soon became bewildered in the maze of speed and versatility that they encountered. Playing care-free football, the metropolitan side j raked them fore and aft, and threw the ball about in a manner that nonplussed them and got them into a complete tangle. Scores came with a monotonous regularity, and the big crowd of spectators began to divide its sympathies between the sorely harassed visitors and an overworked small boy who operated the scoring board from a precarious perch on a high ladder. Genuinely farcical over the first half, a test match score in points would have materialised but for the big reinforcement in strength that was added. One does not know the minds of the New Zealand selectors, but it would occasion genuine surprise if any of the South Auckland players—the true elect of the Waikato minu« the metropolitan flavour that was added—were included in the national side to uphold the mana of New Zealand on playing fields abroad. Yet several of the country players showed promise— all that they lacked was the skill that comes from capable coaching and a wider experience of big football. Menzies, Parkes, Hooper, and Giesen were, in their own way and methods, a solid quartet, and they battled hard while they were together. None of the visiting backs reached the best metropolitan club standard, although Davies, behind the scrum, and Jackson, in the intermediate line, disclosed promise, and Sherlock, at fullback, put up a valiant defence until he was rendered hors de combat. Naturally there was keen interest in the display of the metropolitan team. Forward the home six played up to a good standard, but in the back division there were several weaknesses revealed The Auckland backs had every opportunity to shine in attack, and* demonI strate all that is brightest and best under favourable conditions in the code. But the balance was wanting. Delgrosso did not have the necessary pace to keep up with the faster men inside him, and occasionally the strange sight was witnessed of Davidson daltying°on the journey until Delgrosso got up. Wetherili was very patchy, and often spoiled the combination. Cole was easily the most spectacular back on the ground. With, dazzling speed and straight running, he repeatedly carved a way through the South Auckland rearguard, and his sole fault was that he .succumbed to the temptation to go too far on his own. He was admirably served from the scrum by Peekham with snappy play and swift, good passes. Davidson, in the centre, was perhaps Auckland's best back. He gave a heady exhibition, and played unselfishly into the hands of the men supporting him Brown was completely bottled up by Littlewood, and was rarely in the picture, while Dufty played well as custodian of the Auckland goal. His workwas neat, but he was scarcely once called on to tackle. Avery shone most of the Auckland pack, and was quick to linkup with his backs when the latter were on scoring bent. Of the others O'Brien was the most prominent. Townsend in the role or rake—possibly the most important position in a League t°am — outclassed his vis-a-vis, and from the set scrums regularly got the ball Under the heading of t,] so played come Littlewood, Mansill, Gre°- or y Kir wan, Payne and Herring. Littlewood gave a sterling exhibition—a display that was a purple patch in a drab setting as far as South Auckland were concerned, while Gregory and Kirwan were long enough on the field to convince the spectators that they were unfortunate in not being included from the outset in the cream of the League reps Ln passant, one might remark on the weakness of the metropolitan cr oa ]. kicking. Out of thirteen tries-several were scored under the posts—but four were converted. Comment would be superfluous. c

THE NORTH ISLAND TEAM. The North Island team chosen to play South Island next Saturday is virtually an Auckland combination, Desmond of Wellington, being the only player from another centre to be chosen. It is to a large extent the same team that won so decisively from South Auckland last Saturday. With the exception of O'Brien, who has been replaced by Herring, all the forwards have been chosen. In the backs the only alteration has been in the three-quarter line. Delgrosso and L. Brown have been dropped, B. Davidson has been shifted out to the wing to give Desmond a chance at centre, while Littlewood has been included on the other wing. On last Saturday's exhibition none of the Aucklanders played badly enough to disqualify themselves for further consideration, * although it was obvious that Delgrosso was wrongly placed, and that Cole and Wetherill did not pair sufficiently well to make an ideal five-eighths combination, despite their individual capabilities. There is no .doubt that Littlewood played himself into the team, and on his showing on •Saturday could not be left out. To a large extent the North back division is an experimental side, and it will rest with the inside. hacks, particularly Wetherill and Desmond, to make or mar the side. It was expected that Carroll Black .hooker, would get a place in the of Wellington, the ex-Rugby Union All team, but the honour of getting the ball for -the North backs has been allotted to Townsend, who certainly played his part well in Saturday's trial game. The South Island have a very solid team, and if their backs combine well thet'North representatives will not have an„-tea.sy, task. . Y»'ilson : Hall, formerly.of Auckland? is behind the South pack and i-tdiis.:'seasdn. has been playing at the. top

of his form. The South three-quarter line will include Hickey, who to Australia with the 1922 Union All Blacks. The South pack includes several well-known players of repute. Peterson and Mouatt are amongst the 'best in the land, Mason is a hefty player well known locally, while Henery, another player of fine physique, was one of the leading forwards in England before he came out to the Dominion.

To Auckland followers of the League game it is obvious that the North Auckland selection by no means exhausts the list of candidates for the touring team to go to England, and one has but to mention players of the calibre of Gregory, Kirwan and A. Scott. However, a trial game is to be played as a curtain raiser to the inter-island fixture, and the Dominion selectors have made it known that the form of the players will be noted with the possibility of extending to them an invitation to pack their bags and join the Dominion side when it sets out on tour.