RICHMOND'S EARLY BREAK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 202, 27 August 1934, Page 13

RICHMOND'S EARLY BREAK.

Going ?nto their work with snap--nml nlan from the outset. Richmond found their early leewn.y of points aginst Ponsonby of considerable value in the later stages, when the blues were showing their best form The run of j'lny in a game that was 'really brilliant for the state nl the ground was fairly reflected by 21—-W in favour of the championship winners, who, however, (lid not stay the distance quite as well as usual. IXowevor, they made the piny initially, and their magnificent cohesion fore and aft produced the reward that stood thorn in good stead. Without the services of Milicicli they did not have a monopoly of the ball from the scrums. Rroadhoad also was missing from the pack. The substitutes respectively were Lennio and' Metcalfe. C. Satherley played a towering game, well supported by Telford, Jenkinson and Lawless, though the lastmentioned was prone to stray offside in his eagerness. The l'onsonby scrum was an unusually good one. and Davis showed capacity to hook the ball. Brown, lilood and McLeay were splendid ruckers, and Ilutt was t'ho outstanding forward of the match. Besides delving into the close forays, he anticipated the trend of moves, and his sure passes to inside backs were frequent. His thrilling try was a repetition of one witnessed earlier in the season. Rush played a surprisingly good game at half-back, and in the opun disclosed pace. lUley stamped himself as the blossoming representative five-eighths, and his performance was marred only by a tendency to hold the ball a little too much, and thereby del.-iy the speed of transfers to his wingers. lie was caught a little too much In possession. Nevertheless, his play was versatile and constructive, and he was abetted by Stockley, who Is also reliable on defence. Kay, at centre, is another fine performer, and l'onsonby has two rising wingers in Whorskey (a newcomer) and .Tones. Each has a different style, and is the right type. Whorskey Is well fitted for good company. These threequarters wore a match for Mincham and McNeil, to whom chances did not come as usual, in spite of a clever centre display by ffletchor. Prentice and J. Satherley went well together, but the inside back tactics were hardly sharp enough. Bert Cooke was quite at home at full-back, and averted some awkward situations for his side. His vls-a-vis, Lewis, a promoted Junior, shaped creditably in his first trial, lie has the physique, kicking power and temperament. Judged on their form, Ponsonby will be trenchant bidders for the Phelan Shield, with Newton their most formidable opponents.