THAMES SWAMPED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 164, 14 July 1930, Page 12

THAMES SWAMPED.

FEAST OF TRY-GETTING. LOCALS PILE ON 40 POIPJTS. GAME NO REAL TEST. In their second gallon of the season An d<l ami's Rugby representative swanked Thames to tlic tune oE 4i) points to ,3 at Eden Park on Saturday. Played before a crowd of about 7000, the game was too one-sided to be greatly interesting, and when' the visitors scored their lone try in the final quarter many of the spectators were on their way home. For the first Jive minutes or so. there was nothing much between the teams and it looked as if the gold fielders .might prove capable of fully extending Mr. G-. Nicholson's selected, but it was not to be. The visiting forwards, led by the veteran Lomas, battled hard and willingly, but the backs early showed that they wove no match for the Auckland rearguard. Auckland's first try came as the result' of a movement started by Corner at the scrum. Jamieson and" Haslam handled 'faultlessly, and Lucas shot past Dufty, who appeared more intent on an intercept than on getting his man. This left Lucas and Minns out .in front with only Buchan to pass, and when the centre ran up to the. full-back lio let orit to Minns, who galloped over unopposed, and ran round to the posts. Corner converted. Ragged play followed, and it was not until near the end of the quarter that Hook started an attack on the Mb fliink, which lemlcrl in ! Lucas dribbling over.and scoring oil I he other side, in a position which was too far out for Butler to convert. No sooner had the teams changed round than Auckland added to their tally. Corner opened, up from a scrum and first Has]am and then Lucas'cut in, giving Hook a clear run over to the posts. Corner added the other points. A breakaway by White had Auckland bustled until Butler saved with-a fine mark. Then the blue and white backs again shown! clean heels to the visitor:-, and Lucas, when blocked, by Budian, sent Minn;; over for his. second try. Butler missed. Before the breather Lucas showed tluweakness of the defence by racing through to score. Corner added the trimmings and the board read Auckland :-l, Thames 0." - ■

Piling on the Score. Tim ill cs were hopelessly beaten when ltey trudged out for the third spell, and fc was only a matter of a few minutes lefoye they were desperately defending gain. .After Minus had been stopped right at the corner flag a weak attempt to dear went into MeWilliain*' arms and the All Black bumped his way through. Corner again converted. Almost iin-» mediately Corner set his hacks galloping once more, and this time it was* Hook who scored. Butler's attempt at goal was in vain. Auckland shut oil' steam for the remainder of the quarter, but soon after the final change Solomon dived 'for an unconverted try after- a scramble over the Thames line. Enjoying the pieijic, the locals came with another hack movement, and Hook was able to cross and run round behind the posts' for Corner to convert. Then came a surprise, Arthur bust]ing the defence and Dufty scoring a try for Thames, which Winder failed to convert. There was only one more try before the truce, and this went to the credit of Batty.- The kick failed, and the match (?) gilded Auckland -10, Thames 3.. It was unfortunate that the team from Thames proved so unequal to the task of extending the Auckland fifteen. AVliat was most needed was a ding-dong match, but the Thamesitos had no dong with which to reply to the locals ding. Auckland, have undoubtedly a. great pack, but, generally speaking, it is only when the reading of the score board necessitates it that they give of their absolute best. With sio danger of defeat there are one or two of the pack who contend themselves with, occasional shinin; efforts and leave the hard work to tin res't. So it was oa Saturday, hut wliei the pack did get in full cry they swqr the opposition before them, tougl fighters though the Thames' forward' were. The backs got the ball time am time again, and the formation adopts by .the, visiting rearguard allowed then ample room in which to work.

Lucas on His Game. Butler had a fairly easy 'afternoon, although what work he had to do lie dis satisfactorily enough. Lucas, in the centre of the three-quarter line, was right, on Jiis .game,, and it was he who most often'showed up the .weakness of .the Thames defenee. His straight running lent thrust .-to the attack, and there were times' wheii his vis-a-vis was left standing.-.-.Three or four of Auckland's tries were made easy as the result of fine openings by the centre. Minns was in fine galloping form, although there was an occasion when he would probably have scored had he elected to clap oil all speed and go for the corner instead of passing infield. Hook played a good game, arid .when he was 'bottled" up always attempted to switch the attack over to the other flank. Despite the fact that they were seldom seeing the ball the Thames backs insisted on'standnig deep, and this gave the five-'eiVliths Jamieson and Haslam, plenty of time to get moving. Although there were times" when they ran, across.field'they gave the three-quarters as much of the ball as they wanted, and there were few, dropped passes. All eyes were on Haslam but for him the -game Was" no real test llis one., handed passing did not find favour with the crowd.

On occasions,' howe^r.'Haslam'showed a strong-oat ,in. , Corner, behind t'Jie serum, was as lively-as over, hut there were some who'thought that he did too much the ball. '..Doubtless the .fact that lie was getting away with it, encouraged him .to take .liberties. In shots, at goal from anywiierc near in front, the. youngest All-Black was deadly. Solomon was not as prominent as usual. Palmer.and Hadley got the ball from ihe scrums, and Fin.layson. McWillJams ami Batty kept going all the time.' The work of Kuigiit ibrotliorfi was more spasmodic.

When a team is beaten ,by ■!() points no groat praise ran bo h'eaj.ied on it. I names wen- outchiFscd, and that is , nil there is to it. The times that the backs got the ball were so few Uiat it was impossible to gauge their worth. Buchan, the full-back, handled well, but his kickIn.- was weak. Dufty showed good penetrating ability at the start, and one would have liked him to get more of the ball m order to test Lucas. The forwards, led by Lomas, (battled, sternly against .a heavier and more experienced »ct,and it was largely due to their good nphill fight that the game did not become a farce. ,

GRADE GAMES. SKCOXD GKADR 'I'nninki 0, liont City •'!. Jiurist 10. bent Trinity Colleen 5. College Kines -'■), beat: V.M.C.A. .'!. University •'!, beat Royal Naval Reserve 0. I Ponsonby (i. beat Training College 0. Technical 18, beat l';miell 3. THIRD GKApia OL'EX. North Shore :.!, beat Ilowick- 0. Penrose) 20, v. Thames Junior Ue;>s. .';. THIRD GHADIO INTERMEDIATE. •C.rainiiiar boat Koyal Naval Reserve by default. (Iral'l oil <;. beat North Shore 0. Northcoto IM. beat Krleu 0. City n>. beat Ponsonhy 0," MariKl: 8. lieat Suburbs •'!. Technical 30, beat Xorthcoto 8. Y.M.C.A. .11. beat Marathon •'.!. Grammar J'» 28. boat Colleen Rifles 0. Xiniiukiui 11, beat Training College 3. FOURTH (iRADK. Eden <i, beat Otahuhu ". Tonsouby 0, beat Y.M.C.A. 0. Penrose' (.1, drew Willi Maiitikau (>. 'I'ecluiieal bea.t Eden J! by default. Marathon 12, beat North Shore (!. FIFTH GRADE. Mavist beat Grain'mar by dnl'ault. .M.antikau 32, beat Eden 11. Teehnieitl beat Ponsonby by default. SIXTH GItADK. .Suburb? 1-'. beat Ponsorlby 11. North Shore 5, beat Teelinical 0. otahuhu (I; heal: Mnmikan l>. Kden 11. heal: I'annnire 10. I'aniell -10. heat Northcote 0. SEVENTH GUADK. Olahuliu- Id, beat Mnrist 0. Suburbs in, beat Kden '■'■■ . SECONDARY SCHOOLS. SKNIOR GRAPE. Mount Albert Grammar :i~, heal Takaminsi (irununar ".. King's College 11, heat Huered Heart: "!l. GAMES IN PROVINCE. TAUKANGA. .Torrtan ('up Finul.—lluinini 1.1, he.it ('adeli! r>. ■ Juniors. — The Rest 13, beat Athletic 11. TAI'MAKI'Xni. A thiol lu Mi. heal, Tutnoarunul 8. IJARGAVITVLK. Diirgnville '.). drew with United 0. ■Imiior.—-Darjritville (>, heal Itntnvui '!. Third Grade. —Durgavllle. 17, beat. Ku.iwai 0. TK AROIIA. To Aroha I.">, beat Ifauraki I'lains S. For tho winners Hudson and Mul.wvv snired Iries. aiid both were converted by McLaren, and lapsey scored a try. For Iho losers Wright scored and llcdley converted, and Jledley kicked a penalty goal. Third Grade.—City 8, drew with H>>t Springs S:

TK I'UKK. Te Hiiriintii Aii.-inui Shield. -Te Puke (holders) (!. beat OpoHlci 0. Wi Kneiiii scored a Iry aiKl.Diuv kicked ' a penally goal. CAMBRIDGE, Fiulay Cup.—AVaila 22. beat Cambridge (holders) '.). Waipa had iniieh Hie better of play .in the first half, and at lialf-tlmn led by Hi |o (i. l''or the visitors tries were scored by Wilkes, Hlliolt, Kay. and Bell, ami C. Totlard kicked two penally goals and cdnverted a Iry. Kay also converted n try for the losers. H. Shaw scored and Williams and X. Morse kicked penally goals. Mr. A. C. Wafkins (Hamilton) rel'erecd. Juniors. —United C, drew with Malan;:i r>; Hautapn 22, heat Mutangi "«>; Kaipaki IS, heal: Tauwhare 0. Third grade.—High School (i, beat Leamington 0. HAMILTON., Hamilton 22. beat; Hotorua 11. Marist S, beat City 0. Old Boys (Hamilton) ■■'> beat Cambridge :'.. DAKGAVILI7R Seniors.—Xorlberii Star S. beat Public Works IJ; Kuiiwai 14, beat; Southern -">. W HA K ATAXIC. a Wliakatane 11. drew with I'aroa 11. Second Grade.—Whakalane drew with Paroa 11. Third Graile.—Wliakatane 22. beat. Wainiar.a 11. TAFUOA. Waihi (i, beat L'aeroa 5. HAMILTON. Marist 80, beat Wbakav.iiaUa Maoris D. Second Grade.—High School 8, heal Ktiaktir; , . .">. OTOKOHANGA. Junior IJeps.—OloryJianga <S, drew with Maniapoto S. JIATAMATA. Seniors.—Mataniatii 22. beat Walton fi. Patelere ',), beat I'utaruru (V. Second Grade.—Wanlville 0, .beat Old Boys l>; llinuera 13, beat Malamata 0. Third Gra.de.—Matamala ;;, heal Will toil 0; l'atotere 15, beat Putaruru i>.

, GAMES IN SOUTH. ! , TIMARU. ; Star 0 boat Zingari 0. Old Boys 20 beat Waihi ."i. Teinuka 20 heat Celtic ;;. ' MASTERTOX. ' Cnrterton 40 heat Red Star 10. I Old Boys 13 beat Masterlou t). 1 PAIIIATUA. Athletic 5 beat Konini ;5, and won the championship... .PALMERSTOX NORTH. Kia Ton 11 heat Old Boys S. United 14 beat Peilding Old Boys 0. NEW PLYMOUTH. Clifton 30, beat Okato 0. Tuknpa o, beat Star 0. Old Boys 5, beat, Stratford 3. luglewcjod S, beat Celtic 0. HAWERA. Paponga .''., drew with Olcalawa .'!. llawera 13, beat Athletic 0. Waimate 20, heat, EltJiam 13. Opunakc 15, beat Patea 0. WJCLLINGTOX. Ilutfc 22, heat l'otone 8. Eastbourne 21, beat Marists 8. University 11, beat Atliletie .'!. Poneke 21, drew with Oriental 2.1. Senior B. —Wellington 02, beat Miramar 0; Old Boys 11, beat University 0; Oriental 22, beat Porirua 0. ' CIIRISTCHURCH. There was a surprise in club Rugli.v when Chrisl church, who were' running level with Old, Boys in the championship, went down' to 'Varsity. In a great game, the students out-played the opposition, and won by 1-i to 11. Old Boys nre now a point ahead, with M.erivale and Cliristchurch. equal, in second place. 'Varsity 1-1.; , beat Cliristchureii 11. Old Boys !), beat Linwood 3\; Mori vale 14, beat Sydenham 0. Albion 20, beat Technical 0. dune'dix. 'Varsity A 10, bent Alhambra 6. Pirates 12, beat Southern 11. Kaikorai 15, beat 'Varsity B 3. Union 10, beat Dunedin 3. Taieri », boat Zingari 0. INVERCARGILL. . Galbraith Shield:—Final: Star 1-1, lieat Pirates 11; liiycrcarglll -stS, beat Wa'ikiwi 0. Invcrcargill winy flic championship.' WAXGANUI. VVanganui A 11, boat Taihripe, 0. Wiinganul B 1.1, beat AVainuiarua ~>. , ' ' ' ■ -J PRIMARY SCHOOLS' REPS. ■ Teams for the final trial at Eden-Par!; on Wednesday, commencing at 2.SOJ p.m.. are :— A Tenm. —Riirtrins, Dyer. Coyle. McGregor, Bain. Hastings, Mitchell, Greenwood. Kroiifi'ld. Boyle, Brown, lliisled: Knijrhf. Fe-iitiifi. B Team. — I'ulnuin. Martin. Patrick, Wilkins. Camaclian, Mason, Morris, Hnsiield, Batty, Brown, Whit com be.. Ginu, Knock, Coyle. Vicary. " Reserves: Both teams.- Sutton, White. Tuck.