PLAY IN THE WET.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 172, 23 July 1929, Page 14

PLAY IN THE WET.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERS,

FONSONBY AND 'VARSITY.

HOW THE TEAMS STAND

Played on quagmircd grounds, Saturday's Rugby produced games of slip and scramble. Eden Park, a. spectacle of almost liquid mud, was in such a shocking condition that all games had to be postponed there, and the only senior match played was that between University and Marist at the Showgrounds. The game, a "left-over" from the first round, resulted in a comparatively easy win for University, who came out winners 15 to nil. Two senior grade games in the Auckland secondary schools' competition were played, King's College beating Takapuna Grammar, and Auckland Grammar beating Sacred Heart. Played as a curtain-raiser to the senior game at the Showgrounds, the annual meeting of Mount Albert Grammar and Hamilton High School provided an interesting and evenly-contested game. The match was typical of secondary school football, open and fast, with any amount of lively incident, one of the biggest features of the meeting of the old rivals being the determined and brilliant tackling of both sides. Territorially, Mount Albert had slightly the better of the play in the first spell, but in the second it was a game of alternating fortunes, first one side and then the other holding a definite advantage. Probably the most outstanding player on the field was Fletcher,...the. Mount Albert- full-back, who gave an admirable exhibition. His work may have been made easy by reason of the fact that the Hamilton backs almost . invariably kicked too hard, but that was no discredit, for he proved that he was equal to any emergency, deftly meeting all attacks. In the face of fierce onslaughts he went down at the feet of the oncoming Hamilton forwards, never faltering.

Both three-quarter lines were fast, had frill, but not finish. McConnachie was a big offender on the Mount Albert side, and on several occasions he spoilt promising' attacks by throwing a poor pass to his wings. In any case, it was hardly a day for accurate passing rushes, and both sides are to be commended for the really fine wet weather football"they played. There are several players of promise among the Hamilton boys, Westwater and Snodgrass standing out among the backs, and Anderson and Duxfield among the forwards. Westwater's try was a finished piece of work, and was one of the gems of the whole match.. • The positions of the senior "teams are as follow: : — ' Pts. Ch. r. W. •!,. D. P. A. Pts. Ponsonby ... 12 10 2 — 21f> 105 20 University ..12,10 2 —196 71 20 :;ramiiiai- 0.8. 12 7 3 2 151 101 1G Training Col. 12 7 4 1 169 105 15 City '.. 12 5 5 2 104 104 12 Manukau .... 12 . 5 fi 1 110 130 11 I'echnical 0.8. 12 4 S — 113 139 8 Marist ...... 12 :; 7 2 46 114 8 College Rifles 12 2 8 '2 81175 6 Grafton 12. 2 10 — 89 234 4