PLAY AND PLAYERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 96, 26 April 1938, Page 19

PLAY AND PLAYERS.

A'bilit.v to handle a vet ball well and exploit the passing same gnvp Manukau a his: advantage over Marist, and victory for rhr. former was of a definite nature In the second half of the game Mnnukau kept firming ahead. All the way through the match was a desperate struggle between the respective forward divisions, the tacklincr was very tiery. and occasional methods employed were not above reproach In some respects the forward play was on Ihe lines of that seen at Carlaw Tark in when an English team played New Zealand.

The Manukau'backs showed very colourful combination ar times, and the "handling at the inside men, was clean and effective Mnhima showed speed and initiative behind tHe pack, R. Chase and Brouphton played soundly, while on the wings T. »'nase and Wilson showed' flue enterprise. Most of the scoring play went Wilson's way, and he gave a very impressive exhibition o£ clean handling and speed. And

behind them Hpmi played one of his best games, kicking a wonderful length and never teintr at fault. J. Brndrich charged for the Marist line every chance he got. and at the mil of on? spectacular, boundins run. got there, to score. In combinative work (lie Marlet back* difl not essay much, and from a set serum the ball scarcely ever reached' the three-.quartrr.-s. (Jlove'r, at ■ full-back, put up a splendid ilnfenc game, and (laslam's deadly tacklins saved his wide mi many occasion*. Midzolpy made sunn; brilliant .dashp* on the wins. ".'.Anderson. Breed and Woods struggled .' hard fur a 10.-t cause right to the cud. City Good Showing. •" Two matches and two wins has proved that City has one. of the best teams in the competition, and In defeating I'onsonhy with sustained attack in the closing singes they put up u very tine performance. Despite the loss of Donald and Matnirn. two of their best forwards of Inst season, City have got a Htrong pack tngr.fher. villi an exceptional forward in H. McCarthy, player m Mcl'herson, who comes from Rnfnruii. Uata is showing great form at eentre-three-(|iiarter. with a consistent soundness that, is making him invaluable to his side. Ponson'by Jitid FUley in their backs en Srtfnrday. hut they wr.re without Kay find Blar-k. Srhroeder. the King Country fullback, made iin impressive showing, and with his ability as n goal-kicker should rfmedy a weakness that was evident ill the previous match which Ponsunby pluycd.

Last Minute Try. Shore's win over Mount Albert was popular with the crowd, as the fnriw-r had wine difficulty at the start of tin; season in iretrinz n tenm together. Can.ljnin. the Sydney player, has made a big difference, to the. team, anil ills cleverness lit alternating tlie ]ii,:v according to the n"e<is of the moment is an nbject lesson to ofh'-.r players. He zave a very plucky exhibition against Mount Albert, and received some hard knocks. Hack in his ~ld place at wing threo-(|unrier [~ Scot I g"t a characteristic try. th- result of stn.ii:.' running when :i ehancp came, while at full-bark J. Smith gave n perfect exhibition of safe fielding anil well-directed kicking. Kuwter is a KOort forward, and Mclntosh was always up in I lie play. Th» M'lunt Albert forward* played •olidly and wrJI. Walker made good eft..its to open up the play, but his supporting harks in allaek playe.l as units. .Near the '•rid Mount Albert appeared to have it winning chance, but 1.. Si-otfs last minute try definitely swung the match iu Ihe other direciion. One-point Difference. A preasy hall and a heavy ground made Playing conditions in the Richmond-New-ton match difficult and it was anvbodys same right to the end. Yet It was an achievement on the part of Newton to hold flip winning point, at Ihe moment when thinj.y really counted. They played us n tfnm and strenuously held on to every advantage Hint they got. Nev.ton have n great fnrwnril In McXcluhf anil a good pair ■ n (;inder= and N'alhan. Their re.il *fren =th in their bm-ks wm In the combination that has been built up between the hrotllPrs Wilfred and I'. Rrlinhle, wilTl n lively, i;. light. three-f|iinrter line, and a Bf'orl full-biM-k in Kendall, tvlin is rapidly pleking- u)i Hie liner points of u game that is new lo biiii. Willi Kichinoud it was n i. - H«e of heing unable to give their best under tlie conditions I hut I hey met wilh IV-rlev. r>evine and Mcl.cod were good forwnrds. and f'urnell and tlii- Tittleton brothers played good wet weather football.