PROMOTED TEAMS JOIN LEADER

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 148, 26 June 1939, Page 13

PROMOTED TEAMS JOIN LEADER

LADDER SHAKES.

RUGBY SURPRISES.

OTAHUHU DOWN MARIST.

GRAFTON BEATEN BY SHORE.

Betore enthusiastic home-ground crowds Otahuhu and North Shore downed the strong Marist and Grafton respectively to provide unexpected features m Saturday's Rugby games. The most sanguine Otahuhu supporters could scarcely have hoped beforehand that their senior htteen hiiiiM upset the leaders, and North Shore ■•PI»P-|«'Pd to tnce heavy odds when they took the held against Grafton.

Sivi.t mtrr-passing between backs and forwards, and a whirlwind burst by Suburb-, in he final minutes, made the main Men Park came between Ponsonby an I Suburbs a pageant of thrills The fourth In.-i. division game resulted in a win tor (.laminar, who beat Training Lollcyr. easily. "

Before Saturday's names, 6000 R ( . K b v players mi grounds all over Auckland stood a lull minute in silent tribute to tlio memory ot the Into Mr. T. W Maben secretary of the Auckland Rutcby *L"nion' who died last week. ' Results of first division games: Otahuhu 13, beat Marist 10; North Shore 16, beat Grafton 9; Suburbs 8, drew with Ponsonby 8; Grammar 18, beat Training College 3. The positions of the teams are:

SPECTACULAR EIGHT-ALL DRAW. Suburb* showed In the main game tba/t their successful attack on Grammar Old Hoys last week wag definitely not a flash lu the pan. From rn« start they swept nwny with the speedy inter-passing which characterised last week's display, and Ponsonihy were quick tt> realise that their way would not be easy. The game could scarcely be called a model of tactics, hut It produced many patches of bright football and toward the end the crowd was constantly on Its feet—sometimes in a frenzy of excitement.

Ponsonby led 5—3 at half-time, but odds had been even. In the second spell the balance fell evenly from side to side. Ponsonby soon scored and for some time seemed clearly on top, but in the last quarter Suburbs' forward started breaking through tlw> loose and the backs and forwards combined In some highly spectacular chain-passing which finally brought a brilliant try to R. Lc Long. This brought the game tu an .s all draw.

Against heavy opposition, Suburbs' forwards were forced to play loose, for Ponsonby had most of the success In the tight work. Again the pack ulsfe-ed as a unit, with no player particularly outstanding. Outstanding feature of the Ponsonby forward -work was the return to form of H. Bond, who played with a dash reminiscent of his best work last season. Carson, Kvans, Johnson and Fraser were prominent in most of the rushes.

D. Brady was again the guiding star of Suburbs' attack. His display was marked by clever anticipation, a keen eye for the gap and steady support of the rest of the line. Margison, the centre was a little uncertain, hut sometimes swept through urllliaiitly ; Green wag an effective link between D. Brady and his half-back brother, C. Brady, who was again sound behind a park which had difficulty In getting the ball. Underwood played another enterprising full-back game. Except for Hadllwell, who cleared from some tight corners at full-back, the Ponsonby backs did not distinguish themselves Individually, and their passing was often rough. Grant, the wing, was the biggest thorn In the Suburbs' defence, and Coughlan, centre, wag another who ran bard and straight. The Ponsonby backs, with Bond booking consistently, had more chances to shine than the Suburbs line, but did not take advantage of their opportunities. Ponsonby's points came from tries by Evans and Grant, Halllwell converting one. Le Long scored for Suburbs, Underwood converted and Thorn kicked a penalty.

SHORE'S SURPRISE PACKET. Playing on their own ground. North Shore defeated Gnifton convincingly by 10 points to U ut'ter a fast game In which the superb tackling and the tine condition of the local fifteen were deciding factors. Urafton were without their regular fullback, Blue, and .Sherlock replaced the hulfback, Moore, who went up to live-eighths to mi Mander's place, while "Johnny" Dick was on the aide line resting an Injured ankle. These defections and consequent rearrangement* weakened Grafton's attack but do not. detract from Shore's win, which was thoroughly deserved. In the scrums Shore more than held their own and in combined dribbling rushes were quite as successful. Most of the scoring on both sides came from forward bursts. There wus plenty of open play, but most of the back movements were stopped In the early stages.; .Shore were the lirst to score and were never headed. At half time the board showed a lead of 8 to ti and a converted try early fn the second half made their position fairly secure. Grafton made desperate efforts In the final stages, with the captain, H. F. McLean, using every football art to turn the tide. Grafton's former full-back, Frank Paton, who now plays for Shore, was at the top of his form and time and again he sent Grafton buck with line-kicks that saved his side just when they needed a breather. For the winners, Jessup, Sheehan and Goodacre each scored tries. Two were converted by Slyfleld, Who also kicked a goal from a penalty. For Grafton, Anderion and Pearman each scored a try and McLean goaled from a penalty.

OTAHUHU'S GREAT WIN. While there were a few of the Otahuhu Club officials who were fairly confident that their side was going to extend the Mnrurt team, the majority of locul Rugby followers expected a defeat at Sturges I'ark on Saturday. Played In a flue sporting spirit, the game readied great heights, Otahuhu winning by 13 points to 10. The home side's forwards, who were much lighter than the Marist pack, played grand football, bustling their opponent* wsntlcMly. and this was n big factor In Marlst's defeat. Every Otahuhu player marked his man and did his tackling well, and it wns only us the result of two errors that Mnriat scored. For the" winners little more need be aald than that they rose to great height* and Played magnificent football, every man flolng his bit. with Hedge and Pearson the outstanding bucks on the ground. Opposed to Curtayne, Hedge wm the lietter tactician In attack, defence and speed. learson's defensive work, and his classical try stamped him as one of the outstanding centre three-quarters In Auckland. Priest In line-outs, and Heuth. in attack and defence, wore the pick of the forwards. For Marlst, W. Hare at full-lmck was a tower of strength to his aide. His taking or the ball and long-flange kicks were outstanding. F. Cooney, behind the scrum, and L. Curtayne and J. Molloy were the best of the backs, with Bailey, Moffltt and McGrory showing up In the forwards. For Otahuhu Gilflllan. Pearson and Mustey scored trie*. Hedge and Pearson converting. Marlst's score came from bth J** l1 '? * dA Mosntt, Han converting

GRAMMAR 00 WELL. Grammar's forward! ware too solid (or Training College, and, despite a gallant effort to run the opposition off their feet, the latter had to adroit defeat by 18 points ™ 8. Th« Grammar backs, too, were more certain nnd crlsper in their attack than usual, Gilmorc being especially prominent «t tlrnt nvo-cljrhth, while Tapper played n Hrst-clti** gnme nt full-back. Swain vnrlr<| his piny with Judgment, and waa a constant source of trouble to the opposition. Grammar finished the first spell with three trU'M on, two ronrerted, to nil. »nd "(Inert another try In the second half, in which period the Training College insdc persistent rallies, back and forward, Jii«t failing to get across the Grammar line. Their only success was a penalty goal by Delamore who waa more than usually prominent In his attacking play throughout the rl- . The consistent iUceem Of Grammar |ii the scrums gave themierery Opportunity, of which they aralled" themselTes.

'VARSITY'S SUCCESS. \ be l ter combination University nad thi'HJ? their movements. again with a by T»\ c „ k i?,' D V i 5 80n and Thornton Thoußh i„„«S u u na had the of the hookL.S °* f ormer A" Black \V. E. Hadlev thcv the monopoly of the half, and the tv??*' tfA I ' a »«"on, full-back, went wen ke of Tb t o hP t0 ? " nd , C * wk^eil we« the nest or the forwards. Constance «nrf T^n^To^?*- 10 * '«« £. "or fVrwart ro'hel Mcfn,,e " was P"»l»ent in \riy""i rß,t £ B v PoinU oam e from tries by r.-u-- .P«*o«roujth, Thornton and Coone/ wk I 1 (11 converting three. Hadley, Freak« and Lawson scored for Takapuna * reaKes

SACRED HEART STILL. Saturday's secondary schools Hmrhv matches left Sacred still ahead fte surprise of the day being Mount Alberf". draw with King's College Alberts School, and kept the colleges lead in the secondary schools competition. ° tbe tw ™ "3* «* t"? Points were divided between raire. captain and centre who con\ B ene,l h V ine V* 1 ?' » nd S <> r "»»°». Who concerted three of the tries. w. i laky at the stnrt . the Sacred Heart backs soon came Into their own and imSkm Bed f a «" a con >bln« ti <>'> that will try the year-series. BeCOndary Bch ° ol «"de i/ this Peterson's scores all came from orthodox movements, his speed and deceptive run proving too mucl/for Takapuna Fail's trie* were somewhat different « B / t,« the result of brilliant incisive play For" Takapuna Winiata and Patrick started w,?/ P, rom »« ,B « movements, but all rou ,!d Sacred Heart outplayed them. Kin""- \ti aU l e ~ » ene aflons marked the rf > Albert , matcn ' the » nal «™re game S * air Jndi <- a «°n of the Auckland Grammar's main misfortune in their game against Technical, was the Vs" 2£-i.t • " k| PP < ' r - Fnng. who went off with 1 J! nd ls un»kely to play for AM t?le l>o'nts-the y sco?e was i_'-3 to Grammar—were scored In tih<. second half, hut In the final stales Tech' nical had Grammar badly rattled.

3 SECOND GRADE. Auckland A 18, beat Otahuhu A 0. THIRD GRADE. b Sacred Heart A 18, beat Mount Albert King's 14, beat Sacred Heart B 6. FOURTH GRADE. o Sacred Heart A 12, beat Mount Albert A Sacred Heart B 18, beat Auckland D 5. Auckland A 16, beat Technical A 3.FIFTH GRADE. Mount Albert C 12, beat Auckland D 3. Sacred Heart A 6. beat Mount Albert A 3 Takapuna 10. beat Sacred Heart B 6. SIXTH GRADE. Mount Albert C 5, beat Auckland C 3. Sacred Heart A 10, beat Otahuhu 9. Takapuna 33, beat Sacred Heart B 0. SEVENTH GRADE. Sacred Heart 33, beat St. Peters B 0.

*JAMES m PROVINCE. TAUMARUNUI. Taumarunui sub-union reps. 8, beat Ohura sub-union reps. 5. PUKEKOHE. Bombay 11. beat Wanderer* 6. Juniors.r—Huimai 9, beat Bombay 6; Wesley College 1%, beat Colts 0; Wanderers «■ beat Otaua 0. Thirds. —Wesley College 23, beat Wanderers 4. Secondary Schools.—Senior: St. Stephen's 8, beat Pukekohe Tech. High 6. Second : Pukekohe T.H.S. 15, beat St. Stephen'a 5. Primary Schools Seven-aside.—Pirates drew with Nomads, no score. MANUKAU SUB-UNION. Drury 11, beat Papakura 6. Clevedon 24. beat Manurewa 6. Karaka 12, beat Kingseat 0. Juniors.—cievedon 9. beat Drury 0 • Manurewa 17, beat Karaka 3. GAMES IN SOUTH. CHRISTCHURCH. Athletic 19. beat Southern 16. Technical 19. beat Air Ffcrce 12. Linwood 18, beat Merivale 10. 'Varsity 12, beat Old Boys 3. WELLINGTON. Wellington 13, beat Eastbourne 9. University 8, beat Petone 7. Poneke *4, beat Marist 3. Oriental 9. drew with St. Patrick's 9. Athletic 2«, beat Hutt e. Johnsonville 9, beat Old Boys 5. DUNEDIN. Kaikorai 10, beat University A 3. Southern 17, beat Alhambra 5. University B 15. beat Zlngari 7. Union 9, beat Pirates 8. Dunedln 14, beat Taierl 8.

1'olntH Ch. P. W, L. D. K. A. I'ts Marlal 10 h j - 11,-j wz lrt suburbs Ki 7 1 2 I3ii tin if, otabuhu ....Jo h 2 - i.iy .vj i« Orafton lo 7 3 - 171 80 14 1'omonby jn « 3 1 , 03 u „ jj Grammar . ... 10 H 4 - 120 08 i" North SJhorp . 10 a « 1 80 149 7 Train. College. 10 1 7 1 81 138 0