RUGBY LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 245, 17 October 1927, Page 14

RUGBY LEAGUE.

NORTHERN UNION CUP.

A SURPRISE WIN. DEFEAT OF AUCKLAND. TRIUMPH OF SOUTH AUCKLAND. Flushed with a big win over Buller, the Auckland team took tin. field in high spirits on Saturday, but they struck a much more tenacious opposition in the men from the Waikato, the country players making a successful challenge for the Northern Union Clip, and winning strictly on merit. It was a bright, rventful game of kaleidoscopic changes, Ihe result being in the balance until near the end, when the South Aucklanders, who never wavered, definitely established their superiority. In the forwards the visitors excelled. The Auckland hacks were spectacular, but their play was very faulty, and lack of finish at crucial moments was a feature. A crowd of about 5000 spectators was quite, enthusiastic at the fight the visitors put up, and cheered them to the echo. In 1923 South Auckland won ♦he blue riband of the League world. 'Thus does history repeat itself. The teams were:— Auckland (blue and white).—Fullback, Dufty; three-quarters, Hardgrave, List, Wilson; five-eighths, Wetherill, Urewther; half-back, Webb; forwards, Ruby, Payne, Dixon, O'Brien, Hutt, Hall. South Auckland (red, white and blue). —Full-back, Whorsky; three-quarters, S. Ray nor, Everest, S. Miki; five-eighths, W. Miki, McDonald; half-back, Graham; forwards, Jones, Cronin, Jackways, Farrell, Stephenson, Tinims. Referee, Mr. Bull. The better team won, and the scores vcro a true reflection of the play in a game that was brilliant in patches only, spectacular movements often being marred when the psychological moment arrived for the finishing touches to be applied. On the day the South Auckland forwards outclassed the opposing sextet, while their backs as individualists ran straight and strong, although a Jack of combination was in evidence. On the other hand, the Auckland backs threw the ball about in care-free fashion, but the handling was often faulty, and the defence of the Waikato men was Loth swift, and sound. Right through the game resolved itself into a duel between tho South -Auckland forwards and the Auckland backs, and the truism that the better forwards will win a match for their side was once more exemplified. Without detracting in any way from the South Aucklanders' achievement, it might be said in passing that the display of the city players was disappointing, in that it was so faulty. The home team was weakened by tho fact that it took the field without a recognised hooker, and, to make matters worse, when one of the forwards was injured and had to come off, a five-eighths was the only reserve on the ground to replace him. Iho game was not long in progress before tho city bocks realised that they were up against a difficult proposition. The general form was fair only, while Crewthcr, who was tried as five eighths, fell a long way short-of the Gregory plane. Of the seven List was the most convincing for all round play. Wilson again displayed dazzling pace, and a bewildering sidestep, but Dufty, at fullback, was patchy indeed, and although some of his work was good, he occasionally, when under pressure, was a long way from being convincing. The South Auckland team was well served by Raynor at fullback, who was cool and resourceful. In their individual ways, and principally in solo attacks', S. Miki, Everest and Whorsky all shone. McDonald showed initiative in the fiveeighths line, while both Graham and Smith, who appeared in turn at halfback, played well. Timms, who played for the North Island, was the best forward on the ground, and had splendid support from the rest of the pack, Farrell being perhaps the most impressive of tho others.

The game was an illustration of steamroller tactics aided and abetted by individual backs who seized every chance when a scoring movement was in sight. Elun, dash and mobility, triumphed over the pretty-passing game that the Auckland backs offered as a counter-move, and in the face of incessant and irresistible hammering, the Auckland defence was often a thing of shreds and patches. A sporting Auckland crowd was quite jubilant as the result of the game, and the Waikato men, in addition to getting vocal recognition of all their scores, being cheering to echo as they came off the field wearing the broad smile of victory. Visitors Score First. Raynor opened the scoring by landing a penalty goal for Waikato from tliirty-llve yards out. Passing by the Auckland backs sent Wilson behind the posts, and hard running by List added another try, neither of which were converted. A run by Jackways and Timms saw the latter score, Raynor c"Mrerting, with the result the result at halt-time were: South Auckland 7 Auckland » 5°r r,y ' n SOCO,K I half another try & '•#£&£V "" s, ° Timms again' across w ■?*** BaW <i» »M& n iS: 1 0 jL» w,u a" "• T' MeDon.iUl, sent the visitors further ahead and ■ great solo try bv Everp.i , ." scores 21-9. Auckland raC aid Seagar scored, but the visitor. ! drew away, Whorsky scoring converting one, making the final scored Auckland Auckland V.p

JUNIOR REPS. A better understanding of the fine points of tlie code enabled the Auckland junior representatives to defeat South Auckland Juniors bv 15 points to nil. Practically continuous possession of the ball gave the home team unlimited opportunities, but although the ball was thrown about freely, the handling was often faulty. At the end of the first half Auckland led by 0 points to nil, tries by Davis (2) and Stevens (1). " ' Early in the second half Bissett started in his own twenty-five, threaded hi 3 way through the Waikato backs, and finished a big run by scoring behind the posts. The city players maintained the attack, Turner getting another try close to the posts. Near the end the South Auckland forwards carried the play across the Auckland line, but failed to score, and time came with the scores: — Auckland J5 South Auckland q