RUGBY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 12

RUGBY.

AUCKLAND HONOURS. CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY GRAMMAR PRANCE THHOUGH MARIST. EXD OF FIRST ROUND. Saturday's football brought to a close the first round of the Auckland Rugby Union's senior championship competition, and the results have left Grammar and ■ Ponsonby on equal terms at the top of the ladder. Second round matches should produce plenty of exciting football, in view of the fact that the three leading teams are remarkably equal in strength. The big match of the day between Grammar and Marist attracted a large crowd to Eden Park, and after a devastating second spell display Grammar romped away from Marist to "win by 28 points to 11. It was a game of two distinct phases, vvith some brilliant flashes in the second spell. There were no surprise results in the other matches. Two big secondary school games were also played. The old rivals, Auckland Grammar School and King's College, met at Middlemore, and Grammar "won fey 16 points to 3. Mount Albert Grammar had a runaway win over Hamilton High School by 2G points to nil. True to tradition, the King's-Grammar game was fast and open, and the Grammar backs dominated the play in the first half. It -was a case of the blue and gold rearguard against King's forwards, and in the first half, when the ball -was dry, the Grammar backs piled on 13 points and managed to hold that lead; after the spell, when the ball was slippery, King's forwards came into prominence, and though the game lost some of its openness, the pace was maintained. The other secondary school game, Mount Albert Grammar-Hamilton High School, played as a curtain-raiser at Eden Park, was, for the most part, a drab affair, and. the football was well below the usual high, secondary school standard. Results were:— Grammar Old Boys, 28; Marist, 11. Ponsonby, 13; Technical Old Boys, 8. Training College, 11; College Rifles, 6. University, 8; Graf ton, 3. Manukau, 21; City, 8. The following table shows the positions of the senior teams:—

EVEN ALL THROUGH.Even all through ■wag the game between Ponsonby and Technical Old Boys, played at Eden Park. Ponsonbj- vroti, but their margin was only five points, and they might-easily-have- been beaten, the final score being 13—8.

Five minutes after the start Ponsonby went into the lead as the result of a good try by Solomon, converted by Jamieson. Technical then quickened their pace, and the alertness of D. Keane let him snap up the ball near the Ponsonby line and slip over for a try. He converted himself and the teams were level again. The greens lost no time in returning to the attack, and when a Ponsonby player was penalised for throwing the ball into touch D. Keane landed a fine penalty goal. Encouraged by their success Technical kept at It, and it was not until almost the end of the spell that the blues came into the picture again. With the half-time whistle about to sound Solomon again got the ball near the Technical line, and he sailed clean through the defence for his second try. Jamieson got a correct sight on the posts with his kick, with the result that Ponsonby were two points up. In the second spell Technical made a brave effort to wipe off the small deficit, but all their trying went for nothing, and in the last few minutes of the game Ponsonby made their position sure ■with a try by Carter.

To D. Keane fell the honour of scoring all of Technical's eight points. He was always right up with the play, and did more than anyone else in the side in an effort to pull the game out of the fire. Harris and Turbott were outstanding among the backs, the first named beating Solomon on several occasions. All the forwards worked well. Nelson was probably a little keener than the others, but there were times when his enthusiasm got him offside.

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The outstanding player on the field was Solomon. The, .Ponsonby skipper surely set a good example to iis team by his tireless hunting. When he gets moving Solomon is an extremely difficult man to stop, and Technical learnt this to their, cost on Saturday. In scoring both his tries Solomon just tucked the ball into his side and bustled straight through to the green's line. R. Hook made his first appearance for the season, and got through the game without making any serious mistakes at full-back. The three-quarters received few opportunities. Cammick also reappeared in the Ponsonby side, but he and Jamieson did not provide the fireworks with which they have delighted their supporters in past seasons, although Jamieson was very nippy and took a lot of watching. Frankham, behind the scrum, was seen in several good runs. Bunting and Palmer worked hard among the forwards.

ANOTHER WIN FOR TRAINING COLLEGE. With little difference between the teams, Training College had to thank full-back Da vies' trusty boot for most of the points that gave them victory over College Rifles by 11 points to 6. Only once did Collegians cross the opposition line, while Rifles score comprised two unconverted tries, i Some of the spectators got the idea that Training College had slipped badly after their great game the previous Saturday i but this was by no means the case. The Collegians played as well as a gusty cross wind and a determined opposition would let them. The dark blues set a hot pace from the commencement. They usually got the ball from the scrum and when it went to the opposition they stopped passing movements by quick following through and deadly tackling. Quite early in the game Kirk shot the ball smartly out to his backs. "VVarrea broke through on the blind sido, and passed to Albrecbt, who handed the ball to Walker for an easy try. Hallewell failed with the kick. It was at this stage that Davies showed his reliability by notching two goals in quick succession from penalties. The kick liad to be tukcn well back and at a sharp angle. A troublesome wind was blowing but. the Collegians' full chose a momentary lull aud landed the ball clean through the middle of the uprights. A few moments iator irojn virtually the name spot he repeated the performance to the cheers of admiring spectators. Kifl.es continued to press and witb play still in the opposition twenty-five Hallewell short-punted. Davies just missed the ball, and Albrecht, who had followed through fast, secured possession. He was downed, but Donald was handy, and scrambled over to equalise the scores. Th , - , hick at goal failed ju.st as half-time souuded.

The eecoiid spell continued as in the flret, both aides playing a hard game with little advantage to either. Davicß' well-directed line kicks saved his team a lot of running about, and took the sting from the Rifles' persistent onslaughts. From loose play amongst the forwards a long ground kick boat the Rifles backs, and Webster, followin? up last, touched down near the posts. T).,vl(t" goalcd. qwaining College 11, College Rifles 6.

For Rifles Dickey shaped very well at full-!"ick and F. HaUrvett Bt flve-eightha ■jrag in capital t*>zm.

BRILLIANT GRAMMAR BACKS.

The first spell, honours even; the second, a Grammar whirlwind, which overwhelmed, scattered and shattered the Marist defence like paper boats 011 a wind-swept lake — that, in a word, was the Grammar-Marist clash, played on No. 1, Eden Park, Just after the start of the second spell, the Grammar forwards got a strangle hold on the game, and the backs, finding a gaping hole in the defence, pranced and gambolled through to clap on 20 points. Grammar ran up their hightest score of the season. It was their sound scrummaging and excellent combined play, in which forwards and backs worked in delightful unison, that was responsible for their smashing win. The Marist defence was riddled. Fortunes fluctuated until half-time, and when the teams left the field at the interval Afnrisf \vf>rp thmp. points up. Until then neither side had held any real territorial advantage, Marist had given as much as they had taken, and it looked as though (hey might hold the heavier Gr a in ma r pack. But shortly after the second half had started, the Grammar forwards took complete command. Their play took on a new glow, and they started a series of grim attacks under which the Marist defence soon wilted. In the iirst half the Grammar backs had played as units distrait; they stood too close together, gave themselves little room to work in, and there was no design in their play. It was a different story in the second. Generously fed from the base of the scrum by Corner, they played dazzling, football, and completely shaded their opponents by shock tactics. Time after time the three-quarter line raced in full cry for the goal line, and it says much for the quick and correct work of the inside backs that the wings always had plenty of room in which to manoeuvre. Five golden tries were scored by the Grammar wings—three by Hutchinson and two by Buckley. Their play was good to watch. Corner revelled in the number of opportunities that came his way, and planned some clever openings, although occasionally he impaired his play by running too far with the ball. Quickly fed, the men outside him gave a brilliant display that ranks among the best seen on the park this season. Macindoe and Bell, the two fiveeighths, played excellent football. That is obvious from the fact that their wings scored five treis. Macindoe's hard, fast and straight running was one of the brightest features of the Grammar attack, while Bell's pace often allowed him to handle the ball twice in a passing rush, thus making the way easy for the wings. Buckley and Hutehinson showed plenty of determination, and they had so much pace that often they were able to run round their opposites. This was the result of the ball travelling fast along the line to the wings.

There were one or two passengers among the Grammar forwards in the first spell, the only two who worked honestly and consistently being the Battys. Somebody must "have told the pack some home truths at half-time. They worked as a combined force, and one of their best was A. Knight, who showed just what he can do.

Marist backs were quite as dangerous lot in the first spell, when their forwards were feeding them with the ball, and in attack, Smith, their centre, showed himself to be quite a versatile centre with plenty of pace. The Hadley trio were the leaders of the pack in the first half, and were just as determined in defence in the second spell. .But in the last forty minutes, Marist always looked an inferior side, fighting hard and hopelessly against a problem that was too big for them. MANUKAU TOO STRONG.

. After being five jxrints up at half-time, City failed to keep Manukau within bounds at the Showgrounds on Saturday afternoon, and the latter piled on the ipoints in the second half, eventually winning by 21 to 8. City did not score during the last term. Manukau can owe their victory to the fact that they had more combination than their opponents. Also the forwards were strong enough to secure a majority of the ball, and -the speedy black backs made capital out of every opportunity which went their way. The two Stuart brothers were again the 'leading backs on the field, the younger ■being the better of the two. C, Stewart sells the dummy beautifully, and lie completely hoaxed the opposition on several occasions. He was inclined to wander a ■bit when he got through, and' lack of support caused such movenients to break down. Johnson, Wishart, Kaa and McCormick were the best of a good hunch of forwards, and McPherson roved well. Both of City's tries were the result of opportunism. Stehr was responsible for the first. Intercepting, he rah the full .length of the field, sho,rt-punted past Turei, and beat him in the race for the ball. The second score was started by Babbage, and Turei was too slow to get out of trouble. Stehr brought him down on the line, and it was easy for a forward to score. Berridge and Stehr were the best of the City backs, and the forwards worked; well against heavy odds. LITTLE IN IT. Eight points to three is a clean-cut win, but there was hardly the five points difference in the actual play of the University and Grafton teams, and an ounce of luck to either side would have entered up considerably altered scores. 'Varsity deserved their win, not bcause they did more attacking than the black and whites, but their handling of the ball was the more accurate, notwithstanding they only scored one try. In the matter of scoring chances Grafton had most opportunities, but. not only was the giving and taking of passes faulty, but there was not sufficient straight running and an almost total absence of the inside backs endeavouring to cut a man out, which is the most important factor in a scoring movement among backs in any team. Man for man doesn't often get very far, but if the first or second five-eighths can cut an opponent then he gives his side a man over and the defence is in trouble, This is just what Grafton's backs did. not do, or even attempt, and though they saw most of the ball, the nest use was not made of it. Perhaps it was as well that play was tight, both sets of forwards battling hard from whistle to bell. It was an even break between them and while the Grafton pack had a shade the better of the tussle in the early stages, the 'Varsity men were going the stronger at the end. It was a good game solid all the way, the line of each side being crossed once, but two goals to 'Varsity gave them a win, for which they had to work hard.

GRADE GAMES. SENIOR B. Parnell 9, beat Eden 3. Marathon 27, beat University B 10. SECOND GRADE. University A 8, beat Marist 6. /College Rifles 3, drew with Tamaki 3. . Panmure 5, beat City 0. . Ponsonby Colts 22, beat Trinity College 0. Newton 19, beat Parnell 5. Grammar Colts 58, beat Northcote 0. R.N.R. 9, beat University 80. Tech. 0.8. 3, drew with Training Col. 3. Grafton 8, beat Manurewa 3. THIRD GRADE. Panmure 9, beat Mount Roskill 3. University 5, drew with North Shore 5. Oratia 12, beat Technical 0.8. 3. Howick 11, beat Suburbs 6. * THIRD GRADE. INTERMEDIATE. Northcote 3, drew with Dilworth 0.8. 3.. Technical 0.8. 8, beat Grammar B 5. Manukau A 5, beat University 0. Training College A 14, beat North Shore 3 Training College B 11, beat R.N.R. 6. Manukau. B 23, beat Eden 0. Graft« 25, beat Y.M.C.A. 0. FOURTH GRADE. Eden beat Marist by default. Otahuhu 9, beat Grammar 3. Papatoetoe 10, beat Technical 0.8. 0. Manukau 12, beat Northcote 5. Parnell 10, beat Newton 3. Ellerslie 18, beat Suburbs 6. Ponsonby 48, beat Tamaki 0.« FIFTH GRADE. • Technical O.K. 14, beat Northcote- 5. Manukau 6, beat Otahuhu 5. Suburbs 30, b~it Panmure 0. SIXTH GRADE. Ponsonby 11, beat Suburbs 3. Technical 0.8. 8, beat Marist 0. Northcote 24, beat Manukau 0. JUNIOR BOYS. SENIOR. Mount Roskill 3, drew with Bllerslie 3. INTERMEDIATE. Parnell 9, boat Northcote 0. Suburbs beat Otahuhu by default, JUNIOR. Grafton 24, beat City ft, .. 4 , r .

SECONDARY SCHOOLS,

SENIOR. Mount Albert Grammar 26, beat Hamiltop Hit.'h School 0. Grammar IG, beat King's College 3. Sacred Heart 20,' beat Takapuna 3. .. THIRD GRADE. Grammar A 31, beat Sacred Heart B 0. Sacred Heart A 5, beat Takapuna Grammar 3. FOURTH GRADE. Technical College <>, beat Auckland Grammar A3. . _ , Sacred Heart B 13, beat Technical College 0. FIFTH GRADE. Sacred Heart A 31, beat Takapuna A3. Sacred Heart B 24, beat Mount Albert C U SIXTH GRADE. Mount Albert A 24, beat Sacred Heart 3. GAMES IN THE PROVINCE. PAEROA. Paeroa 6, beat Ngatea 0; West S, beat East 6; High School 15, beat West 3. THAMES. College Old Boys 0, beat Physical Trainin§uniors.—College Old Boys 3, drew with Physical Training 3. WAIUKU. City 23, beat Waiplpi 6. Otaua won by default from Aka AUa. City and Otaua meet on Saturday next to decide the championship. Juniors.—Waipipi 3, beat City 0. Waipipl wins the junior championship. FRAXKLIN. Tuakau 0, drew with Pukekawa 0, Kohanga 6, beat Pokeno 0. Clevedon 11, beat Bombay 7. Juniors. —Kohaugo. 3, beat Pokeno 0; St. Stephen's 6, beat Onewhero 3; Bombay 25, beat Clevedon 0; Pukekawa won by default from Tuakau. . ~._,. Third Grade.—Tuakau 41, beat Bombay ° MORRINSVILLE. Kereone 3, beat Terriers 0. Waitoa 6, beat United 8. Juniors. — Terriers 3, beat Waitoa 0, Kereone 18, beat Springdale 5; United 21, beat Te Puninga 0. Third Grade.—Terriers 26, beat Kereone °" Schools.—Morrinsville Higb. School 22, beat Hamilton 'Marist 0. Ramblers 6, beat United 3. PUKEKOHB. Juniors. — High School 8. beat Patumahoe 3; Old Boys 12, beat Ramblers 0, Wesley College 5, beat White Star d. Third Grade.—High School 0, drew with Wesley College 0. TAUPIRI. TE KUITI. Representative match: Maniapoto 6, drew Wi^c? tO s r ide a Xed a try and a penalty goal. Conditions were bad. TE PUKE. United 6, beat Huiraal 3. Papamoa 3, beat Maketu 0. Points in competition now are: Papamoa 0, United 8, Maketu 6, Huimai 1. Permission has been granted by the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union for Tauranga to play the Thames representatives at Tauranga on July' 11. TE TEKO. Te Huririui Apanui Memorial Shield: Rangitaki (holders) 9, beat Opotiki 3. TAURANGA. Te Puna 8, beat Matakana 6. Cadets 12, beat Huimai 5. Athletics 6, beat The Mount 3. Junior. —Athletics 5, beat School 3; Te Puna 6, beat Huimai 3. HAMILTON. Frankton 8, beat Marist 5. Old Boys 11, beat Technical 6. HUNTLY. Taupiri 6, beat Kenown 0. ' Waikarc 12, beat Eastern 0. Juniors. —Huntly 9,' beat Rangirirl 6. Third Grade. —Huntly 3, beat Huntly H.S. 0; Ngaruawahla 3, drew with Taupiri * " " ' Primary Schools.—Huntly 3, drew with Taupiri 3;. Eakaumanga 12, beat Ngaruawahia.3. WHANGAREI. Senior.—City 6, beat Horahora 3. Waterman and Winstaniley scored for City and H. Martin scored for Horanora. Junior. —Whakapara 6, beat Horahora 3. Third Grade. —Qneraihi 6, beat Horahora 3. OPOTIKI. The Opotiki Rugby representatives played Rangitaiki, holders of the HurunuiApanui Shield, on Saturday at Te Teko, but after a hard game were defeated by 9 points to 3. Playing at Opotiki for the Bay of Plenty Hij|h School championship, Opotiki romped over Whakatane by 45 points to 0. CAMBRIDGE. United 10, beat Hautapu 8. Tauwhar'e 20, beat Karapiro 3. Juniors. —Hautapu 8, beat Tauwhare 3; United 0, drew with Leamington 0. Third Grade. —United 11, beat Matangl 3; Leamington 6, beat High School 0. TE AWAMUTU. Kihikihi 14, drew with Pirongia 14. Te Awamutu 9, beat Waikeria 3. Puketotara defaulted to Rovers. Juniors.—Ngutunui 9, beat Te Awamutu 8; Rovers 12, beat Owairaka 3; Kihikihi defaulted to Ohaupo. Third Grade.—Te Awamutu 15, beat High School 0; Rovers 8, beat Pirongia 0. WAIHI. Seniors. —Athletic 6, beat Mataura 5. Juniors. —Mataura 15, beat Athletic A 3. Third Grade. —High School 3, beat Waikino 0. GAMES IN THE SOUTH. WANGAXUI. i Kaierau C, beat Ratana 0. Tech. Old Boys 0, drew with Marist 0. Old Boys 3, drew with Pirates 3. NAPIER. Marist 17, boat Old Boys 11. Hastings Old Boys 5, beat Tech. 0.8. 0. TAIHAPE. United 9, drew with Huia 9. - Pirates 13, beat Old Boys 3. MASTERTON. Red Star 14, beat Masterton 6. For Red Star tries were scored by Kilpatrick, Corrlg, F. Clarke and B. Clarke, one of which F. Clarke converted. For Masterton Roff kicked a penalty goal and Baker scored a try. HASTINGS. Hastings 37, beat Celtic 7. Pirates 31, beat Tamatea 8. PALMERSTON NORTH. United 7, beat Kaitoa 0. Feilding 9, beat Feilding Old Boys 8. Massey College 12, beat P.N. Old Boys 11 " WELLINGTON. Wellington 19, beat University 14. Eastbourne 26, beat Berhampore 6. Hutt 14, beat Oriental 6. Marist 14, beat Athletic 5. Old Boys 13, beat Petone 10. Poneke 47, beat Miramar 0. Senior B.—St. Patrick's Old Boys 24, beat 'Johnsonville 11; Training College 10, beat College Old Boys 8; Hutt 19, beat Porirua 9. CHRISTCHURCH . Merivale 10, beat 'Varsity 9. Syaenham 17, beat Athletic 3. Albion 14, beat Old Boys 6. Chrlstchurch 18, beat Linwood 13. TIMA.RU. Star 6, beat Temuka 5. Celtic 6, beat Waihi 0. Old Boys 47, beat Zingari 0 DUNEDIN. Kaikorai 17, beat 'Varsity A 5. Alhambra 13, beat 'Varsity B 3. Zingari 6, beat Union 3. Pirates 18, beat Taieri 9. . Southern 17, beat Dunediin 3. ; THAMES REP. TEAM. THAMES, this day. The following ha e been selected to represent Thames against Morrinsville on Saturday at Thames: —fi. Buchan (fullback), L. White.' L. Adams, F. McMahori, T. Dufty, L. Edwards, R, Wedder (half), W. Pollock, G. Pollock, A. Darragh, J. Strange, C. Abraham, K. Strange, .W. Percy, G. Percy. XNTEB-COIriLEGIATE MATCH. ST. BEDIMS BEATS CHRIST'S COLLEGE. CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday. In *he annual Rugby match yesterday the St. Bede's College team beat Christ's College toy g .points toy*?v

Pts. Ch. „ P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. Ponsonby .; 9 7 2 — 97 63 14 Grammar ..9 7 2 — 123 55 14 University .. 9 6 3 — 102 58 12 Mariet 9 4 3 2 76 64 10 Training Col. 9 4 4 1 75 78 9 Manukau ., 9 3 3 3 58 60 9 Technical ..9 3 4 2 67 83 8 Coll Rifles ..9 3 5 1 62 84 7 Graf ton ... 9 2 6 1 47 83 5 City 9 — 7 2 44 107 2'