THE WORLD of SPORT

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 200, 24 August 1926, Page 10

THE WORLD of SPORT

RUGBY FOOTBALL

AUCKLAND ON TOUR.

NOTES ON SHIELD GAME

Cyril Brownlie taid aftbr the game: "We won by 30 points, but 1 reckon there wasn't half that between the two teams on the day's play." The "Hawke's Bay Herald" says: "It might be said that, if Auckland were beaten by 30 points, Wellington should have been beaten by 230." A notable feature of the gamn was the success of Hadley and Palmer against the All Blaok hookers, Irvine and Kirkpatrick. Hadley played the game of his life, and a prominent Bay supporter expressed the opinion that, if he were in the Shield province, he would be an All Black. The defence of the Hawke's Bay rearguard has improved probably 100 per cent by the inclusion of Johnsou and ■C'ooke. The former has made a great impression in the Bay by his hard, straight running, and great defensive work. An extraordinary feature of the game was the number of stoppages for injuries. Play was held up on 15 ocasione to Enable players to receive attention. They were practically all minor mishaps, the game being a very clean one from «tart to finish. There is no getting away from the fact that Freeman has not been the success hoped for at first five-eighth. The three-quarter line was practically starved all day at Napier, and Lucas had to do three men's work on defence.

It is hard to blame Freeman, particularly as he was called on right at the end of the Gallaher Shield matches to fill a position in which he had not played all the year. He would probably do better on the wing.

It may be expected that Farmer will be v tried out in the Wairarapa match to-morrow. The necessity for finding a sound defensive player as well as a good connecting liiVk in the passing chain is further emphasised by the fact that Cammick io essentially an attacking player, and does not shine in a purely. defensive rnle, where he is considerably handicapped by lack of weight. There was a gasp from the Hawke's Bay fans when McWilliams upended "Morrie" Brownlie in a strenuous forward clash right in the first few minutes of the game. The moral effect of the incident was noticeable on the younger members of the Auckland pack. They seemed to realise that their opponents were not supermen, and the honours of the game were undoubtedly with "Bubs" Knight and company until weight and superior condition told its tale in thy second half.

Saturday's match was Kirkpatrick's last Shield game, the All Black hooker being about to enter double harness. Kirkpatrk'k has played nearly a~hundred games for the Bay since 1918, and was captain of the team which won the Sheild from Wellington three or four years ago. The ball used in last Saturday's match was presented to Kirkpatrick, inscribed wit/h the names ot those who took part in the game —a graceful tribute to a fine player and a gentleman both on and off tlie field.

Through colliding with Nepia early in Saturday's match, Webber received a nasty knock just above the knee. The injury will keep him out of the Wairarapa match, in which, no doubt, he will be replaced by Casey, who deputised for the Ponsonby lock in the All Black match.

Loft also sustained an accidental injury at practice the day ' before the match. He. should be available again this week.

It was freely rumoured in Napier that the match against Auckland represented. Cooke's last appearance in Raniurly Shield matches for the Bay. How-

ever, when the matter was mentioned to Sole Selector McKenzie, he told the writer that "there was nothing in it." There is a likelihood of the Auckland touring team playing ilanawatu-Horo-whenua on their way home after the Wellington match. The Rugby Union officials in Palmevston North are particularly keen to get a match to help the game along in the widely-scattered area w*ch the double-barrelled name. They are hopeful that it will be possible to arrange a game to be played at Pal■merston North next Monday. A Napier Viewpoint. "Without any of the pomp and fuss of publicity, fine achievements, excursion trains and what-not that filled the atmosphere of the previous shield match, Auckland arrived in Hawke's Bay almost unnoticed (says the Hawke's Bay "Herald"). It was perhaps that fact that made the surprise of their showing in the first spell so thoroughly enjoyable to those to whom a good game of football is more pleasurable than a farce.

Their condition did not last, and the greater strength and weight of the local team told their tale most visibly. -But Auckland hoped for nothing better than to keep the score below that in the Wellington 'game, and as they did so, and as they played a game in the first half that •took"a good deal of the wind out of Hawke's Bay's sails, they will go away well contented.

Those who ask -foT anything , better than the play of both sides in the first half, and in the first few minutes of the second, will have to wait a long t'me and to travel a long way before they get their wishes fulfilled. At the latter end of the gume, when solo efforts

against an exhausted opposition replaced the dash * and thunder of the former i magrificent team work, play became less k enjoyable.

The terrific speed and dash of the Auckland forwards was a treat to watch, and their fast following in the loose and their quicik penetration to the local backs whenever a scrum broke up kept the Bay thinking hard. One noticeable effect of it was that, so far as 1 can remember, not one passing rush the backs ever engaged every link in the chain, and such attacks were speedily broken up by the visitors' smart and determined tackling and subsequent dribbling through. If anything apart from their lack of condition beat Auckland, it was the unruffled coolness and wearing effect of Nepia's play. He was like an evil fate hanging over the heads of the Aucklanders, and the desperation he caused them by his accuracy and persistence in driving their attacks back, and in upsetting their splendid and powerful attacks, was in no small degree their undoing. Taken all round, it was a first-rate game. Hawke's Bay were too well conditioned and too clever and knowing to do anything but win with comparative ease, and a team that has had the luck to keep its personnel intact for so long could hardly be expected not to play something a bit too good for most of the other teams. POLLARD CUP. THE GAMES ON SATURDAY. Grammar and Grafton played four periods of uninteresting football at Eden Park on Saturday, and the final scores of 11 —6 in favour of Old Boys fairly represented the difference between the two teams. There were occasionnl flashes of brilliance, but play on the whole was scrappy and well below senior standard. Monteith and Williams put in several smart runs, but the rearguard combination was not effective, and their opportunities were limited. The best item of the day was Grammar's first score, in which practically the whole of the backs handled the ball, some of them more than once, before Monteith scored.

It was naturally expected that Marists would beat Suburbs, and, although their margin of points at the finish, 19—13, was not impressive, there was never any doubt about the issue. There was not a great deal of difference amongst the forwards, both sides playing very ragged football, but the Tykes' rearguard was much too good for the opposition. As was the case when they played Ellerslie, Marists were slow to get going, u nd for the first twenty minutes there was little difference between the two teams. A feature of the .game was the splendid work of Gray, the Suburbs' fullback. He can scarcely be described as brilliant, yet with his "back to the wall" during the greater part of, the game, he showed himself the essence of coolness and reliability—surely the ultimate test of a goodgoalkeeper. If caught in possession he would neatly dodge under and between his opponents, emerging on the other side as calmly as a swimmer who has dived under a breaker.

The. result of the Manukau-Shore-match—a draw—was something of a-sur-prise, it being generally expected that the Devonport fifteen, who not only won the B division honours but also walloped. Graf ton in. the match to decide, which team would pTay in. the A division next season, would add another scalp to their belt. Manukau, however, made the pace from the start, and until near the end of the third quarter held a six-point lead. Then Shore, who had their crack winger down with the "flu," and several players away with the reps., gave a taste of their best, and equalled up the figures. But their final efforts to add the points that meant victory were met half-way, end there was no alteration in the scores before fulltime. Since the commencement of the Pollard Cup contest v Manukau have won all their, games, their successes including a well deserved win against College Rifles in last • Saturday's game it was the Manukau forward division, which was minus the bustling Brimble, that made chief bid for victory, their backs showing but little combination. A SPECTACULAR GAME. Surprisingly good combination was shown by the Auckland B team in their match with South Auckland at Eden Park. The local team avenged their lief eat of the previous Saturday in a fast, spectacular and open game, and the display at*times reached a high standard. Better combination in the first spell gave Auckland a fifteen-point lead, and it was not until the last session that the-visitors showed any real combined work. In fact, until the last quarter, thie Auckland combination outclassed the visitors. For a ream that had had only one run together, the Aucklanders gave a display that must have pleased even the most blase critics. Kight "p till the last session, they threw the leather about in a manner that plainly had the visitors puzzled; and had it not

ei-n for the deadly tackling of the South Aucklanders, even bigger figures would have appeared opposite Auckland's name on the score board. The dashing play of the South Auckland forwards was attractive, and even when Auckland began to tire towards the finish, the visiting forwards kept up a strong and fast offensive.

The Auckland three-quarter line—D. Reid, Stuart and Johnson —was always dangerous on attack, but* in defensive work they were inclined to be weak. Palmer (half), Hamilton and Wilson (five-eighths) were a clever trio, who were always in the limelight. Palmer played a great game behind the winning pack and he made many good openings. In a tight corner, too, he was always dependable. The forwards were a hard working pack, with Lynch, Solomon and Stewart showing out just a little bit moie than the others.

Very little praise can be given for the combination of the South Auckland backs. Their movements always Broke down before they had gone very far, and except for an occasional individual burst, they spent a quiet day. There is a lot to be said in favour of the visiting forwards. They were ever on the ball, and their dribbling rushes were good to watch. In the last session they had matters practically their own way. SOUTH AUCKLAND UNION. After a break of a fortnight, due to representative games, the South Auckland Rughy Union's Inter sub union competitions will be resumed on Saturday next Fixtures and referees are as follows:— Senior.—Waiuku v. Walkare at Wniukn, Mr. 3. Reynolds: Manukau v. Pukekohe at Panaknra. Mr. "W. J. Taylor.

Junior. —Pukekohe v. Franklin at Pukekohe, Mr. A. Alexander.

The Pukekohe senior team is as underWillie, S. Crotty. J. Bishop. J. MaoPnerson J. Wood, A. Linehan, J. Wrifcht Wes. Plcydell. K. Fulton. Q. Dazeley. S. Marshall R Crotty, L. Wilson, E. Fell and N. Crisp. Tleservea: A. Needham, W. Crosbie, H. May, and fH. Harllck.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. Three members of the Auckland Gramma* School's ■ senior fifteen— Gillett, Fraser, and Scarborough— played their first football at the Taka"puna public school. A proud record for a primary school.

The Manukau junior rep. team {ravelled to Tuakau on Saturday last and met the Franklin junior rep. team Franklin won by 8 to 4, after an uninteresting game.

One of the attractions in the city on Saturday will be the visit 'of the Tukapa club team from New Plymouth, to , play Marist Old Boys at Eden Park. Tukapa is in the running for the Taranaki club championship. Marists' will be without the services of Loft, Wright, S~ Hadley and Casey, who are on tour with the Auckland team. AUCKLAND V. MANAWATU. Negotiations are in progress which may result in the Auckland touring team playing Manawatu at Palmerston North next Monday on the way back from Wellington. The decision rests with Mr. C. Anderson, the team's manager, who will make his decision on the fitness of the players, after consultation with them.