RUGBY LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 106, 7 May 1928, Page 13

RUGBY LEAGUE.

DEBUT OF WAR I ST. DEFEATED BY RICHMOND. NARROW VICTORY FDR SHORE. PONSONBY- BEATJ CITY. Merrily revolved the at Carlaw Park on Saturday* afternoon, a gathering of 6000 spectators puttjng in an appearance to samplte a delectable League menu of three senior matches. Chief interest centred in tfhe meeting of Richmond and Marist, in. a game that was the popular conception of the code —pulsating, brilliant and eventful, marked throughout by the rapid ebb and flow of play which nnfkes the League game the fascinating and magnetic spectacle that it is. Both tanmß with collaborative play rose -on occasions to dazzling heights, but in the end maroon triumphed ovpr green. "T,he club partisanship which was such a 1 great feature of old Auckland football was evident in the City-Pom=|rmby game, in which the Ponies by a fairly wide margin. Both bealms had their purple patches in the Deaenport-Newton game, but good team xwoijc by the Shore inside backs paved the W7 to conquest, although it was a majjjin of but a single point. RICHMOND .AOAIN. Richmond began to terry the greens from the outset with a great burst of collective speed, and Davis three time* in succession gat his backs; away, although they were unable to penetrate the Marlst defence. Down at the Mnrlst end a free came to Richmond. Tatar** took the shot from out near the side»ltne, and amid en•nsiasm sent the ball calling between the losts. Richmond 2. Maadbt 0. Then Richmond went further ahead. From a mid Held set scrum Davis sent tp "Prentice, to Wheaton. to Taylor. The centre cut through brilliantly, handed to Wheaton, to son. and the latter sailed in unopposad, the climax to clever constructive play, rapid, clean handling and incWlve dash with the honours to Taylor, who gave the perfect touch to the movement at the right moment. Taylor converted. Ri«t*mond 7, Marlst 0. The game wti only two minutes' old in the second half when the Richmond score got another fillip. Taylor steering across a prettv angle goal frowi a penalty In the Marlst twenty-five. RJfchmond 0. Marist 0. In a burst of whirlwlad play at the Marlst corner Wheaton passq<l on the blind to H. Stewart, who struggled across at the flag. Richmond 12. Marist 0. Richmond began t» outplay Marl*, and launched Incessant attacks. Swift ''as hurt when making k final dash and had to come off, but a JUDment later Prentice dummied the greens' Sislde backs, and sent Jen kin son in at the flag. Richmond •• • 1 5 Marist 0 Richmond were attacking when the end came. SINGLE POINT MARGIN. It was half an hour behind time before the senior curtaimrafaer teams, Newton and Devonport. lined o«t. A scrum broke up in a swirl of plaj* and Hayden dived across to score. Dufty Kicked a beautiful angle goal. Newton 5, Devonport 0. Devonport caifle away in a Drllllant passing run. Ruby to Seagar, to Preston, to Beattle, but the >3«wton defence held. Both teems were throwing the ball about in lively fashion and the game was surging from end to end. A high kick by Herewini saw two of the backs In turn fail to clear, and Henry,, coming up fast, gathered the ball and diveH across to score. -Newton 8, Devonport 0. From a set scrum on the Newton line Cleaver whipped the ball away, the Shore Inside backs handled brilliantly, aod in the end .1.. Scott raced on a short diagonal line and dived through a tiLcfcle by Hardgrave to score wide out. Newton, 8; Devonport. Kicking obliquely from the It: scrum, Clearer sent the blacks ir On the line jHwnt got the ball a Scott, to Preston, the latter sail wide out. Nwrton 8. Devonport When the tqams turned round Shore were in the ascendancy. Preston made a great opening, Beattie improved It with trenchant dash, and Saxnn trailed perfectly Into position to flash across and put the seasiders in the lead. 'Devonport, 9; Nesvton. 8. Devonport began to outplay Newton. Cleaver got the ball away Beattie with a brilliant straight dash cut the Newton defence to ribbons, and L. Scott was In perfect alignment to gather the pass and cross by the posts. Seagar missel an easy conversion chance. Devonport, 12; Newton, 8. The game developed Into Intermittent sortie and retreat, both teams Mattering their supporters, but failed to display the necessary Dnish when the chance came. Lightning side-stepping by Hardgrave stranded a trio of the Shore and a wide pass sent Murray In at tl>e flag. Devonport, 12 ; Newton, 11. , PONIES DOWN CITY. As In their game with Devonport the previous week, City faded out in the second spell of their match with Ponsonby, played on Carhufr Park No. 2 on Saturday. The teams were on level terms at the interval, but in ttje end Ponies ran out victors to the tune of J9 to 6. In the first stanza City wene hard put to it to keep their line intact, bfit a fine solo effort by Perry paved the way for them to draw first blood. After beating several opponents he sent a pass in to liverson, who got over for an unconverted try. Just before the spell Ponies equalised the scores, Goodley scoring following a loose melee on the enemy's last line.

WltWn a minute of the change over PnniM scored, Peck ham ducking round the blind »ide from n heated scrim near the cornea K. Pock ham's kick failed. Six minntißH later Fagan raced over under the posts as a result of a concerted parsing bout, and T. Peck bam raised the flags. The Ponies maintained the pressure, aad another of their passing rushes let Payne over In a handy position. T. Peekham again goaled. After. a period of play, T. Pertham -wo-rked the blind s»ide with Rchofield, Thompson and Payne, and the big forward registered his second try of the Just on time a wild pass by Tangier let Lawrence in for City, nnd Wet he rail mlsFed an easy chance to goal. The linal scores read : Ponsonfoy 19 City y Mr. P. Rogers refereed. JUNIOR RESULTS. SENIOR B. Mangere 8, beat Kingsland 5. Athletics 12, drew with Parnell 12. Point Chevalier 5, drew with Otahuhu 5. SECOND GRADE. Newton 16, beat Richmond 2. Remuera 34, beat Mangere 2. THIRD GRADE. Richmond 3, beat Glen Eden 0. Parnell 6, beat Ponsonby 0. THIRD INTERMEDIATE. Poin't Chevalier 8, beat Newmarket 0. City 42, beat New Lynn 0. Richmond 27, beat Ponsonby 5. FOURTH GRADE. City 7, beat Akarana 2. , Richmond 10, beat Devonport 5. SIXTH GRADE. Pt. Chevalier B 12, beat Richmond B 0. Akarana 2, beat Marlsts 0. Kingsland 0, beat Devonport 0. Devonport B 3, beat Akarana B 0. GAMES IN THE SOUTH. CHRISTCHURCH. Marist 14, beat Hornby 5. Sydenham 4, beat Walmarie 3. Addlngton 21, beat Woolston 6. DUNEDIN. Christian Bros. Old Boys 12, beat Athlatic 0.