LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 195, 19 August 1935, Page 13

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

INTER-ISLAND GAME. NORTH SCRAPE HOME. SOUTH'S FINE DISPLAY. The North Island Rugby League representatives retained Hie Courtney Silver Football on Saturday, when, in the presence of a good wet-day crowd, they defeated the elect of the South Island by the narrow margin of 19 points to 18 in the annual inter-Island engagement. Although the conditions underfoot were anything but favourable to bright football, the teams gave a superlative display and kept the spectators swaying with excitement right up to the last minute, when the Southerners were swarming their opponents' line without let-up in an effort to reduce the one point deficit. The clial- . Jengers for the trophy revealed themselves as the best side the South Island has got together since the 1929 combination, and with a trifle more luck they would jiave carried the day. But for a gift try, which was converted too, early in the game, they would have emerged the victors instead of the vanquished. It was not jneant to be, and they had to be content with the knowledge that they had played a rattling good game, and the result might easily have been the other way. Fine South Forwards. Where the South Island team excelled was in the forwards —as tine a sixtet as has been seen on Carlaw Park since the Englishmen were this way. True, they lacked the understanding with their backs that was the saving grace of the Auckland ruckmen, but when they got going with the ball at toe they were like an avalanche descending on the opposition. They won a large pex'centage of the scrums, controlled the ball once they had won it when they willed to do 60, and raided with elan and dash. They gave the North Island inside backs a torrid time on defence, and time and again nipped in the bud movements that would have developed dangerously by fast breaking away from the set scrums. It was definitely their day, and had it not been for the fact that their opponents' backs were a shade too nippy for them they would have piloted their side to victory. The exhibition of rugged forward play as played by • the visitors must have gladdened the hearts of the New Zealand selectors, who have ! the task of choosing the thirteen to meet . the Australians next month. la the southerners they have any amount of , material to work upon—men with brains i and brawn who just require a few rough edges knocked off their play to make them J the equal of any forwards which the ; North Island can field. The challengers' . backs were solid, but not brilliant. Their • game was of the orthodox type, and they i exhibited few of the frills to which Car- i law Park fans are accustomed. Individually 1 they acquitted themselves well, and their ' defence was of the rock-like variety. Appreciation of positional play and lack > of ability to cover up when Cooke and , company got down to earnest business were definite weaknesses. There was, too, an absence of polish at the business end. ' Standeven impressed at full-back, and is a player of considerable promise. He tackled solidly, fielded the ball cleanly and got excellent length and direction on to j his kicking. Logie was the most impres- ! give of the three-quarter line, showing 1 pace and dash, and keeping a watchful j eye on his speedy and tricky vis-a-vis, ' Mincham. Amos at second five-eighth has • been seen to better advantage, but he < had, perhaps, the most difficult role on the field to fill, in marking Cooke and W. Tittleton, the Northern centre string ' alternately. He got through a wealth of ' solid work on defence, but rarely made ! openings for his supports. McCarthy, the scrum half, had a field day, but apart from getting more than his share of the ; ball he was the equal to Powell, the North Island half-back. ; ' Prentice in Form. Powell has played better games. Pren- • iice, at first five-eighth, had much to : contend with as the result of the fast- ; breaking Southern forwards, but he ; emerged with laurels thick upon hi: i. < His passes were usually well directed and I his defence was excellent. Just what a : tower of strength he is was proved in the ' dying stages when he repulsed attack sfter attack with 6olid defensive play. .Cooke was not at the peak of his form, ] but improved as the game progressed and was responsible for many of his side's points. He shared honours with Tittie- : ton as the best back on the ground. Tittleton got through a. great deal of : honest work and with a bit more experi- ' ence in good company would develop into « brilliant back- Mincham was not as ' impressive as usual and Brown on the '. opposite wing did all that could be expected of him with limited opportuni- j ties. He covered up many a flaw in the winners' defence and showed his usual \ dash'and unselfishness on the move. N. ; Campbell, the custodian, has played better games, but he showed that he is return- I mg to his best form. Summed up, the North Island backs were the invaders' [ superiors and to them must go the bulk of the credit for the victory. Owing to the ball rarely coming from the scrums, they had to make their openings by other means. When opportunity knocked at the door, however, they usually made the most of it and it was their little extra speed and resource that gave the North Island a. lead which they were able to hold till the end. Every one of the South 1 Island forwards played splendidly, but j Serra was perhaps the shining star. His ] best supports were Glynn, Anderson and j the veteran Calder, who retains his form £ year after, year in remarkable fashion. _ The North Island sextet were shaded in ] most departments except in the loose, but 1 those who showed up for honest, hard t toil from bell to bell were Hutt, Satherley, j Large and Laird. ( j The Play Desoribed. J The first score did not come till mid- \ •way through the first spell and then it j was a gift. for the North Island, Hutt charging down a kick by Amos and diving 1 for a try. Satherley converted. It was : not long before the South had equalised, Serra completing a passing bout and Amos finding the "props." Then Powell chimed in twice to a North Island passing rush and finally scored wide out. Satherley's kick missed. North Island forged further to the front when Cooke and Hutt in passing mood penetrated deeply to send Brown over in the corner. Satherley again missed and the half-time j 6Core was: ' North Island -- n I South Island 5 \ Immediately after the change over a s devastating South Island forward rush culminated in Glynn surging across, for Young to add the trimmings. The pace was now on and after some hectic exchanges the South Island defence was caught napping, Cooke ■finishing off I another passing rush by circling under J the posts. Satherley goaled and North d led 15—10. Twice in quick succession the -\ South Island forwards swept all before r them, tries coming the way of Serra and e McNeight, Young converting the first try. v With the South Island now leading 18—16 it was still anybody's game and the crowd roared their encouragement to the players. North rose to the occasion, Prentice cutting through to send Cooke racing over again. Campbell's kick went astray, and North Island survived desperate attempts t by their opponents to P«H the game out a of the fire. The game ended* t North Island 19 J South Island 18 * Mr. M. Wetherill was referee. J k AUSTRALIAN VISIT. The decision of the Auckland ami New Zealand Leagues on Saturday not to select or announce teams at present, owing to | details of the Australian tour dates not | being finalised will be generally approved. > This will give quite a number of players Tet more time to strike better form, anil I perhaps qualify for the sides that will be a coached for next month's programme which 1 way be of special interest to all North Island Leagues, if the Australians are to f land at Wellington for their opening match. On the other hann it is possible that the Kangaroos may yet be seen in the Soutß. , l Island. ' c

IMPRESSIVE TRIAL MATCH. Much to the delight of early patrons on Saturday, the curtain-raiser between the Auckland A and B teams was a line display, am! a fitting prelude to the interIsland game that followed. Generally speaking, trial games are not successful, or rather, attractive, but the two fides which stepped out on this occasion provider! a game that proved a most agreeable exception. It was fast and open all the way, and the team-work and handling of the greasy ball were of high stamlard. Both sets of backs were seen in some clever and sparkling moves, supported by good forwards. GRADE GAMES. SENIOR RESERVE FINAL. Marist 3, beat Richmond 0. SECOND GRADE. Ponsonby 2, beat R.V. 0. THIRD GRADE. Manukau 5, beat City 2. Otahuhu 5, beat Akarana 3, Ellerslie S, beat Green Lane 5. FOURTH GRADE. Richmond 0, beat Point Chevalier A 6. Newton 0, beat Mount Albert 5. Glcnora 15, beat Ponsonby 0. FIFTH GRADE. Richmond B 14, beat Papakura 2. Richmond A 6. beat Devonport 2. SIXTH GRADE. City 9, beat Devonport 0. GAMES IN THE SOUTH. NEW PLYMOUTH. Ponsonby Juniors 25, beat Taranaki Juniors 0. CHRISTCIIURCH. Addington 0, beat Sydenham 3. • Hornby 10, beat New Brighton 13. liuru 13, beat Waimairi 10.