Another Upset In The League Championship

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 145, 21 June 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

Another Upset In The League Championship

RICHMOND AGAIN DEFEATED

Yll. Albert Gets a Surprise Victory: Mamikau Combination Eclipses Newton: City and Ponsonbv Play a Drawn Game

The Auckland Rugby League's senior championship was cari-ietj. a further stage this afternoon, when the surprise of the day was the defeat of Richmond, the leading team, by Mt. Albert by 13 points to 8. This was the second successive defeat of the leader, and it is now bracketed with North Shore at the head of the points table. In a colourful but ragged game, Manukau defeated Newton by 16 points to 5, Ponsonby and City piayed a drawn match with eight points each, while at Ellerslie North Shore proved too good for Papakura and won by 32 points to 15. HEMI GETS FIVE GOALS FOR MANUKAU TEAM The- teams wore: — .Vrwton: Treitca, Kmiis, Silv;i, Knxlall, lluitnn, Crren, Watkins. Zimmerman, J.' iraliard, Qiiirkn, Kveretl, Gimlcrs, Brady. Mitmil.au: Chase. Butler, Murray, T.ii'ts- < oinlff, 11' i:ii. K. Marl in, Oliver. J.'iiinui, \\ ati'uc, Tlji-w, W. Alarl in, Shilton, l\ci. outstanding event was a long-range jM-ualty l>y Jlenii. but tlie ball, after carrying well, struik the post high up and rebounded outwards. Both teams elected to play an open simc, and the crowd enthused both back divisions in turn opened oul. -V civ (.on backs showed even inter-p!ay in search of its wings, while the Manukau irame was on rapid, unorthodox lines, with reverse and scissor movements. The Newton pack was lighter than the opposing Manukau six. but it played with great speed in the open, and drove hard at the Manukau end. K. Martin shifted the ball oft' the Manukau line, dovetail play between Oliver and Murray made further ground, and next, for a penalty given against Tredca, the Xewton lull-back Ilenii landed a good goal. On open lines the game went along until the Xewton backs got going with si~endid combination. AYntkins snapped a pass out, (Ireoii and Burton did their parts unostentatiously. Kendall in the centre ran hard and straight, and Kmus, trailing in support, got the next pass and. racing on a diagonal line, was across the tryline before the Manukau backs could con- | verge on him. Tredca converted from a i wide angle. ' ! Opportunity was coming fairly evenly to ; both teams, with the Newton back play ; on sound lines, and Manukau retaliating in a very lively way. _ _ j Shilton -rot Manukau into good post- j tion, and Murray gathered a cross kick , cleverly to race over between the posts. 1 Jfemi converted. j The half-time scores were: — Mamikau 7 Newton 5 ( When the second half opened, Ilcmi Kicked a penalty goal to increase the Manukau lead. The play was changeful and eventful, with a raid in which Barnard and Zimmerman led the Newton forwards right to the Manukau try-line, and then brilliant passing carried Manukau right to the Newton end. llenii. with a glorious penalty goal from out by the side-line, sot .Manukau another (\\\> points in Co the lead. The play carried along on fast but ragged lines, and both teams in search of speed were falling into i nor. Forward, it was still a great duel for possession, with the Newton forwards playing the backing-up game well in the loose, with a constant endeavour t-o get their backs going. 'Hie Manukau forwards i "jntcrod with solid play, with its backs playing a free-handling game, which, however. lacked much at timc« in concerted effort. ' fn midfiokl play, Watene broke clear, linked with Oliver, sot the return pass, .Mid then ran in through a broken defence ir, score by the posts. IJenii converted. Now well in the lead. Manukau began to play like a team sure of itself. Oliver was M-nding passes out with celerity, R. Martin and Ilemi were teaming well, and the Manukau three-quarter line was speedy aed colourful. , One of the brightest solo efforts of tlie :.',:me came when Newton hammered its .-ay into the Manukau twenty-five. Watkins sent the ball away sharply from a set serum, but Murray intercepted and broke • •lear. For seventy yards he led the way 11 om hot pursuit, but he could not connect with 11. Martin with a long, low pass, and the Newton try-line was saved. Manukau was hammering at the Newton iwrnty-five when the end came with the linal scores: — Manukau Newton •' Mr. E. l'ope was referee. ★

NORTH SHORE OVERSHADOW! PAPAKURA, 32—15 Although Papakura suffered delc-at by .» mar-in ; >m ihp Kll'crslic Dorr.am. fli"* eninn'rv i«v.;n improved form and played with crrr.i da.'h i:i ih*' I.;ul half. At half-time Shore bad a load of ! i points. Hall-way throM-h this sp» 11 th- 1 Fapakura leant averted ltsch and scored eleven j The Papakura forward?, showed their met Mr from the kick-ofT. earrving play 10 Shore's twenty- i five. .Shore then rallied some ground, but. ollsulc I play gave Mclnnes a chance and b»» raised t\o . points with a lonp-ranue kick. Another penal,v to Papnktira immediately afterwards was laken by Mclnnes from a more cdflicult ancle and he ! was again successful. Team work by the Shore backs sent Papakura back, but the defence was j sound. Two penalties, against Papaku-.i v.r:v j taken by Smith Irom long range. b.ti both kicks j were unsuccessful. The Shore backs agatn . functioned near Papakura's line. Smith srnr out i a reverse pass to Brown, who wen: over for a | good try. which Smith failed to convert. Pinfold. Papakura forward, waj injured and was replaced ! by Burgoyne. Shore were having the best of j the play at thij stage and Peterson scored, t Smith being unsuccessful with the kick, and S'-ott ! failed with a penalty kick a minute later. Another • score came Shore's wa\ when Peterson kicked '■ through and followed up fast. Smith converted. ! With play inside Papakura's twenty-five. Brown l intercepted a pass ui?d scored an easy try. which ! Smith converted from a wide angle. "i rom a : forward movement Peterson went over for his j third try and the half-time y-trorc was: North Shore 19 Papakura* 4 When the teams changed over Peterson. wi:h j weight and speed. went through for Ins fourth I try. which Smith convened. Hoskin. centre j three-Quarter for Papakura. v. as playing ;i rrcat j game. His chance, came when he made a beau- 1 tiful run and when tackled sent Halsev over I for Mclnnes to convert. Good play by the ' Papakura forwards put Shore hard on the defence. S White was unlucky to lose possession w hen close ! to Shore's line. Papakura was now playing with ; inspired hope. Hoskin and llalsey being always ! prominent in the back Lne. The Papakura tack- j ling improved, but Peterson proved a hard man i to bring down. lie forced his way over the line j on two occasions, but. the tries were not. allowed i owing to forward passes. A rush by 1 the Papakura forwards ended in Keats going ! over near the corner for a great try, which i Mclnnes failed to convert. Again the Papakura • forwards swept through the Shore defcnce. The : backs joined in and Smith, taking a clean > pas 3, scored near the corner. Mclnr.cs failed i with the kick. Shore sent Papakura back, and McArthur scored. Smith failing with the kick. 1 In the last few minutes Peterson scored near j the posts, lits fifth try. Smith converted, and the ' end was: j North Shore 3'2 i Papakura 15 j Mr. N. Kelly was referee. ★ MT. ALBERT TOO SOLID FOR RICHMOND SIDE Mount Albert was the second team in this season's competition to record a sensational v.in over Richmond, the grade leaders, its success was well ' deserved. Richmond was actually outclassed- by a , more solid side. Spoiling tactics stood Well" to Mount Albert. Mount Albert, opened in great style against the I champions, and early in the game Hichmond looked a beaten side. Good play from the base of the scrum by Clements, saw Montague and Mc- . ; Innarney gain useful ground. So far it was all in j favour of Mount Albert. From some bright back : play, Mclnnarney intercepted, raced to the Rich- ' mond twenty-five, where he sent it on to Cowley. : and the centre raced into a perfect scoring position. Clements converted. Mount Albert 5. liich- i mond 0. A few minutes later, Clemens s, 1 with a dummy pass, go: over the Richmond line, j Mount Albert 8. Richmond 0. The crowd got some excitement out of the game, when Mount Albert ! forged further ahead, the result of a good try by ' Iletherington. Clements converted, and Richmond 1 was 13 points behind, a position the champions i have not occupied for many years. The half-time I score was: Mount Albert 13 \ Richmond 0 j Mount Albert still held the ad van tage following 1 th 3 change-over, and it was surprising that the j Richmond backs were not reorganised. Scloman i and Tittleton, the more thrusttul backs, should i have been moved closer to the scrum. Soioman : was wasted at full-back. The Mount Albert backs 1 continued to play a spoiling game, and each time i the defence proved sound. Tristram, playing a fine game, headed the Mount Albert, forwards in a sweeping offensive, which was stopped by Soioman. Hucker was prominent in another forward rush, which completely rattled Richmond. At this stage, Soioman moved up to five-eighths, and the Richmond captain, made a nice opening, passed to Tittleton, who sent Savers racing over for a try. Webb fa lied to convert. Mount Albert 13. Richmond 3. Richmond did belter in the final five minutes, and Crookall scored a try. Webo converted, and the game ended: Mount Albert 13 I Richmond 8 I Mr. J. Hawkes was referee. i

CITY FORWARDS HOLD THE PONSONBY BACKS City forwards infused plenty of dash into their nlay and after several determined efforts, Jackson and H Matalra had Tonsonby close to the try-line. Bright back nlay saw J. Oould snap up In PonRonby's territory, and race goilwards. passing nicely to Bureoyne. who opened City s account. Clarke missed with the kick. City. 3: Ponsonby. 0. I'lny again favoured City, and although Ponsonby got chanccs. their passing was very wild. The Ponsonby hacks, too. did a lot of unnecessary kicking. Prom a set scrum. Grottc raced round the blind side and scorcd. Clarke converted. City, 8; Fonsonby. 0. t Riley made a bright run well Into the City twenty-five. and passed to Kay. rhe ball then went to McMhihis. but Clarke saved with a fine tackle. From a good dash by Laird and Gee. Ponsonby had City busy, and Dunning snapped up to score near the posts. Kay converted, and the half-time score was:— City 8 Ponsonby a Ponsonby attacked strongly in the second half, and Riley burst, through the centre, well supported by McManus and Kay. The latter sent the ball on to Laird, but a wild pass to Dunning cost Ponsor.by a possible try. City still had a scrum advantage. In an endeavour to get the lead, Ponsonby opened out with lively raiding play, and the ball was thrown about with freedom. City accepted the challenge, and struck back in a lively way at every chnnce that offered. Kay made an opening 1 , sent to Rfl?y, to Carr. find the Ponsonby wing, with resolute running, went over at the flag to level the scores. It was even going thence on. the strong play of the City forwards, with Jackson and Find later outstanding, proving a check to the spirited Interplay of the Ponsonby bucks. The end came with the scores still level. Ponsonby a City . .. 8 Mr. j Jones was referee.