RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 120, 24 May 1927, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

GOOD CLUB STANDARD.

GAME ON THE UP GRADE

SATURDAY'S PLAV REVIEWED

Only one team now retains an unbeaten record for the season to date in the Auckland top-grade club competition Ponsonby. On the form shown 011 Saturday a standard was set by Pongonby that showed the team's position to be thoroughly merited. Versatility gnd team piay are the dominant features of Ponsonby's game, and there are few jflnb teams in the country -who get the game value out of their playing strength as does this side. At the same time it }s pleasing to note that Ponsonby is regularly kept extended by the o'ther teams, indicating that the local club standard is on the up grade. An ex-Aucklander. writing from Sydney recently, mentions having had" a talk with Sir Henry Braddon," who retailed his visit to New Zealand some iime back when he was the guest of honour at Eden Park, and kicked off at the chief football match. Incidentally Sir Henry stated that he was very nervous for fear he should spoil the show with a poor kick-off. F. Lamb, who was a forward in the N.S. Wales team that toured New Zealand in 1901, was a through passenger by the Niagara yesterday from Honolulu, where he had been spending a holiday. * ~ i Whiteside Stories. An old Rugby enthusiast contribute* toother Whiteside storv. It was at the the Auckland team was tourint* in the South, and followers of the game •eongregated at the sporting rendezvous i of those days, Tilly's tobacconist shop pn Queen Street, where progress reports *>f the Auckland-Canterbury match were coming through bv private telegram. ■The game was -well advanced without any score having been gained bv either side, when there arrived a telegram which read "Look out! Whiteside's taken his boots off." At once there was • buzz of excitement among the throng at Tilly's shop, for one of Whiteside's aoted characteristics was his desperate jeagerness -when things were not goinf pght, and one of his mannerisms was jio take off his boots when about to take a necfe-or-nothing chance. Ric*ht on the heels of this telegraphed danger signal of Whiteside's came another wire scored."

It was this trait of over-eagerness that proved his undoing in the game Stoddart's team. Early in the fame he tried to bring off a favourite trick of dashing up to a gap in the line-out and, in a flying leap, intercepting the ball for a surprise dash. One of the English halves, Anderton. was on the alert and his tackle of WhiteSide, whiJe the latter was in the air resulted in a twisting of the Aucklander's kpee ana ankle on on© leg, which, put lum out of the rest of the game. Apropos Mr. Collis 1 claim of Bob's big cricket hit for 8 runs being a local reCO / d ' l iT : RH : An &*' Of Epsom, writes that he thinks there is a mistake. T was scorer for Parnell," he writes, when they were only first juniors m a match which I believe was against Waitemata, played on the Domain cricket ground : just in line with and opposite the Newmarket end of the pavilion, when the late W. Gardiner {captain) hit a leg ball right over to the old stonewall dividing the Outer Domain. Strange to say his partner ■t the time was the late Bob Whiteside. They ran nine runs for the hit, and it took three fieldsmen to chase and return the ball." LUCK AGAINST MARISTS. It was a case in this game of three rounds in favour of Grammar and one in which Mansts held the upper hand. The struggle, curtailed through lateness of the teams in taking the field, was fast and open, far from one-sided, but lacking in the finish that marked the later game. The run of luck certainly went against Marists, though in the closing •tages they fell away from their form «f the third spell. Cornthwaite, though file presented one try with a miss-kick [ played solidly at full for Tykes. Loft f . Was starved on the wing, and'had to rely •n hi# individualism for the openings he Blade, one of which certainly deserved » score. Stuart, at centre, was outstanding among the backs, but he, too, Was handicapped by the failure of the jive-eighths line, where movement after fttovement broke down through fault v Handling or through hanging on too long. It was in defence alone that Stoupe showed to advantage. The pack was •olid in the tight work, but the whites * had the heels of them, breaking more quickly and using their pace to harrv the inside backs. Singleton did all that was asked at fall, and did it coolly. Badeley showed glimpses of his old form, cutting in brilliantly at times, only to find himself unsupported. Hook was better on attack than when defending, and his try was the result of clever side-stepping combined with pace. Cornes was consistent as rover, and in fast following up found a keen supporter in Potter. Batty was much less in the picture than usual, and the white pack felt decidedly the absence of Knight, who injured his leg on the previous Saturdav.

GRAFTON'S GOOD WIN. Not really brilliant, yet entirely satis 5 fying, was the contest between Grafton and College Rifles on Saturday. There was scarcely a dull moment durmg the game for the sides were very* evenly matched. Moreover, it was purely}' * case of Grafton forwards versus College Rifles backs. With Sheen and' Johnson at their best, and well supported in the three-quarter line College Rifles were always dangerous Many of their passing bouts were a treat to watch. On more than one occasion they traversed almost the ful length of "the field, beating their, opponents by sheer cleverness and speed, but always there was som«{ Graftonian who couldn't be fooled ani ®aved the situation. In this lock as Grafton fullback was very sound N An unlucky feature of the game from the Rifles point of view was failure as a goal kicker. One of his *as a conversion right in front of the] posts. Rifles scored three tries, not one of which was converted, to say nothing of opportunities from penalties. On the other side Stevenson kicked three goals for Grafton, one a conversion, and the other two from penalties. The losers scored three tries, the winners two. Wilson at fullback was not fielding well on the day, though he put in some good li*e kicks". If the Grafton back division suffereo aomewhat by comparison with thehj **a« s y opponents, their forwards quite Up the difference, for they played a j

vigorous tireless game. Grafton made the p ay close, and in this they were wise. *" °j °. r a moment did they slow down, and with the exception of the first ten minutes, when they seemed to give many chances, their collaring was excellent. Lnder the circumstances the role played by the Grafton backs was chiefly restricted to defensive 'work, and both in fielding, tackling, and kicking tnev did all that was required. Ruru was given few chances, bu* at a critical stage with the score nine all in the final spell, he got possession and fairly beat the opposing backs with a characteristic run that brought victory to his side. DAZZLING "PONY" FLYERS. Saturday was a day when the Ponsonby backs could do nothing wrong: a day, also, when the North Shore backs could do nothing right. It was a' dazzling exhibition of the code that the champion team gave at Eden Park. The forwards opened up the game in great style and gave their fast and clever backs every opportunity, and with whirlwind attacks the blue and black rearguard left the bewildered Shore backs wondering which way they had gone. Shore spent a long time gueasing. Perhaps they are still wondering. They ha\e no need to, for they must realise that they were beaten by a more experienced team who know the finer points of the game and who know how to make every post a winning post. Whenever there was only the slightest suggestion of an opening, the Pony fivers were through in a flash. They found two weak links m the Shore chain in Berghan

and Mouatt. Berridge and Cammick left them standing nearly every time, but it is just doubtful whether anybody could have stopped the smashing attacks of the blue and black backs on Saturday. Johnston, the Shore full-back, was the man in the Shore side who made anything like an effort to block the lightning rushes. Time after time he went down to his man and it was seldom that he missed. Without Johnston there is no doubt that Shore would have iiled off the field with even a bigger score against them. Johnston is a young player who will make a name for himself if properly handled. He makes few mistakes now, and in the hands of a capable coach he should develop into a first-class full-back. It was a treat to watch the Ponsonby back machine. It worked accurately nearly every time. Out from the "scrum McManus would shoot the ball. On it would fly, through the safe hands of Berridge. Cammick and Lucas, to the wings (Hook and \/oods). Away they would go, and when they were blocked, infield again would come the leather. Lucas and Co. were always there to

carry on. Even when they were defending and the backs were behind their own goal-line, they threw the ball about. If there was one Ponsonby star who shon>? a little brighter than any of the others in a sparkling firmament of backs it was Cammick. He scored two great tries. The Ponsonby forwards were too good for the Shore pack. In the tight work there was never a doubt as to who reigned, yet in the loose there were two Shore men. who were always dangerous. They were Solonian and Jackson, a pair who got through a tremendous amount of work. Solonian, who got a rep. cap last year, is a fine type of forward and is a great leader for a willing, though raw pack. Coaching in the finer points of the game and a knowledge of how to make use of an opening ij all that the promoted Shore team needs. They certainly have good material.

SENIOR B SECTION,

Under ideal conditions the match between Marist B and Manukau at Onehunga was well up to expectations, and it was a treat to see the ball handled by the Manukau backs, who gave easily their best exhibition this season. Play was very fast for the greater part of the game, with Manukau always on the attack. Marist B's backs were very patchy, and Henry. Earlly and Broderick bore the brunt of the attack. Their forwards were slightly overshadowed by the opposing van, but worked well led by Malloy. Te Paa. at full, gave a faultless exhibition for the winners, his handling of the ball being brilliant. A new recruit in N. Lipscombe, on the wing, was very sound, and his two tries were beauties; he also is a powerful kicker. Rata and Amouhanga, the five-eighths, worked well together; the former is the making of a fine player, and he was always the pivot of the attack. Pert, at half, worked in a tradesmanlike manner, and fed' the speedy backs well. Kahu was the shining light of the forwards, and used his weight to great advantage. Taylor, Brimble and Satherley were at times seen to advantage in the forward rushes. Tramways, who have improved in form since the beginning of the season, held the upper hand right through the game against Otahuhu. Hargreaves (Tramways) was unfortunate several times, once breaking clean away from a melee in midfield, only to be outpaced and caught just on the line. He played an excellent game throughout, as did McKoy, the Tramways full-back, who in addition to maintaining a sound defence, treated the crowd to some excellent linekicking. Keenan, centre-threequarter for the "Trammies," played bright football, and made several spectacular dashes. Brady, the Otahuhu half, also played well, pending the ball out smartly to his backs, who, however, did not make the best of the chances. Boag, Higgle ton and Keenan each scored tries for Tramways, McKoy converting all three. Hargraves kicked a penalty goal. For Otahuhu Heath and Brady scored tries, and Roberts converted one.

Technical Old Boy. made sport of nmniiig up a total of 25 points. r"* r * opening the Old Boys of the game, and never looked like losing. Faster and quicker to seixe any opportunities that came t ir _T ay ' the Teciu »«rt backs displayed a handy combination which should win ' qrate a few matches before the end ot the season. Newton, on the other Hand, were disappointing, although occasional flashes of individual brilliancy showed that there are a number of useful players in the fifteen. The outstanding player in the Old Boys' team was Keane, who scored 16 points, securing four tries and converting two. From the opening whistle he was after the ball and fully deserved his success. He would do well, however, to remember that there is sometimes a man outside him to whom he may pass. If they continue to improve "their game, the greens should be well up at the end of the competition. City were victorious against Suburbs m their game played on the Avondale Racecourse before a large number of spectators. The game was plaved at a fast pace all through, and was" a reallv good display by these B division teams. City were first to open up the scoring account, Jacobs, at full back, dropping a beautiful goal a few minutes after the commencement of the game. Suburbs tried hard to equalise, and some fine work was put in by Long and McLeod, but the defence was sound. Citv worked down-field, their backs combining well until Turner, for Suburbs, intercepted and after a fine solo effort was grassed a few yards from the goal line. City came back again, and got their back's moving, and after all of them handling, Cornega, on the wing, scored in the corner, the kick failing. Suburbs carried play to City's twentyfive by some really fine plav, but thev do not seem to be able to finish off their good work. City were now taking a very good share of the game, and from a scrum at half-way their half got the ball from the scrum and set his backs going in a nice movement, which ended in Ellis scoring in the corner, the kick again failing. Suburbs were not to be denied, and Long, A. Forsyth and Letcher took play down field to City's twenty-five by a nice piece of dribbling but Jacobs, the City full-back, gained possession and placed a nice line kick near half-way From the line-out Citv secured, and their half again set the backs in motion, but Horell, who was playing a great game for Suburbs, halted the advance. Then Wilkinson gained I possession and scored.

Barnes and Fell again took plav to Suburbs twenty-five, where, from an infringement, the ball was put over the bar. A little later another penalty goal was added, three more points for Citv who won 19 to nil. Th« outstanding players for City were Barnes and Fell in tiie forwards, with Jacobs, Marks and Heard in the backs. For Suburbs, A. Forsyth, Long and MeLeod shone out in the forwards, with Horell and Turner most prominent in the backs. In a fast forward struggle Waitemata proved too strong for Ellerslie. who failed to cross their opponents' line, though Cohen's boot brought them six paints from penalties. Waugh. Fletcher, and Frost gave the Waitemata side an 11 point lead at half-time, but the second spell was much more even, though V ercoe added another unconverted trv.

MANUKAU FOOTBALL.

Senior*.—Hnnua 11. brat Papakura 3 Drury 14. drew with Clevedon 14 Juniors— Papakura 8. drew with Hunua 8; Clevedon 13, beat Clevedon 3.