Anckland Rugby Reps Win Last Game Of Season

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 229, 27 September 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

Anckland Rugby Reps Win Last Game Of Season

SOUTH AUCKLAND BEATEN 19-11

Visitors in the Lead at Half-time: Home

Side Turns Scale in Last Stages: Splendid

Loose Play by Loser's Pack

FOUR TRIES TO PETERSON: AN EASY WIN FOR COLTS In the curtain-raieer the Auckland Colts easily beat Thames by 34 pointte to 3. Peterson, the Auckland wing, scored four tries. Playing with the wind Auckland Colts 'had the advantage in the early stages, the 'backs combining better than the apposition. From one good rearguard attack, in w'hieh playere came into the movement ■twice in reverse passing, Petereon, wing, scored in a handy position. Soreneon failed with the kick. The visiting forwards were breaking away in loose rushes, but the Thames 'backs could not follow up these ■attacks successfully, •di rough lack of combination. Auckland's backs were getting plenty of tihe ball, and once McLean, wing, was stopped near the line by Burrett, the Thames full-fback, witfh a fine tackle. Auckland maintained the attack, and when the forwards broke through Noble kicked past the full-back, Peterson following on to score his second try. Soreneon'e kick from a handy position went wide. A minute later Witheridge. the Auckland ili a If, slipped round the side oi a scrum on t'he line and touched down fairly wide out. Soreneon failed at goal. Next Peterson ended another attack with hie third try, racing over at the corner flag. This time Soreneon landed a fine goal. Before the interval McLean, Auckland wing, scored a try and Sorensom kicked a penalty goal. Auckland led at half-time toy 20 points to nil. Early in the second spell Peterson scored hie fourth try near the corner from a back attack, Sorenson failing wi-tili the kick. Thames rallied for a snort period, but Auckland was soon over again, Noble racing across. Sorenson failed to goal. Faire and Brady also added tries for Auckand, Sorenson converting one. C. Hoekdnge scored a try for Thames. In the closing stages fhe playere were hampered iby a rain squall. The final score was:— Auckland 34 Thames 3 Mr. L. H. Briggis was referee. * THIRD GRADE TITLE WON BY GRAMMAR Considerable interest was taken in the final of he third grade championship played at GrlbbleHirst Park, and there was a large attendance. The Grammar team wore mourning bands as a tribute to Sub-Lieutenant D. Simmons, a former senior player of the club, whose death while serving with the Fleet Air Arm was advised by the Admiralty to-day. Grammar was the first to attack and drove down to North Shore's twenty-five, where Bean bad an unsuccessful attempt at a penalty. A long clearing kick put Shore on the attack and B. Sutcliffe landed a penalty goal. Keen, hard forward struggles continued, the high wind spoiling efforts to open up the play. The game was .Interesting and even, however. A hard, driving shower just before half-time made conditions more difficult for the players. Attempts by Grammar to let the ball out in the early stages of the second spell were frustrated by the fast-breaking tactics of the opposng forwards, who were allowed a lot of latitude. The Shore forwards, playing more as a pack, also had the superiority In the tight and lineouts. With a sudden burst of energy Grammar now took the initlaUve and attacked spiritedly. putting on eight points In almost as many minutes. A series of back attacks first resulted n Leach scoring In the corner. The pressure was kept up and Bayliss (five-eighth) cut in neatly , to score between the posts. Bean raised the flags with his kick and the final whistle sounded with the score: Grammar Old Boys 8 North Shore 3 Mr. J. C. Eagles was referee.

The Rugby season was brought to a close this afternoon when a fast and bright game was played between Auckland and South Auckland at Eden Park, which resulted in a win for Auckland by 19 points to 11. The visitors played surprisingly well against strong opposition, and with the advantage of a fairly strong wind in the first spell led at the interval by 11 points to 8. They failed to add to their score in the second half, while Auckland registered 11 points. In spite of Auckland's advantage in the set scrums the South forwards played splendidly in the loose and the backs gave them fine assistance. It was only in the last 15 minutes that Auckland gained the lead and added another try just prior to time. The match provided a fitting ending to a most successful season, and there was a good attendance. The teams were:— Auckland: C. Kingstone, R.* le Long, A. Wiles'(captain), E. Boggs, J. Margison, R. Brinsden. D. Hewitt, D. Pike, A. Jdhneon, J. Gilmour, K. Ladbrook, Q. CaiwkrweH, L. Cameron, C. Don, D. Mills. South Auckland: P. Kewish, D. Koni, F. 1/oug.hrin, J. Dunn, M. Hihira, L. Bright, £. Miller, A. Shipman, J. Dean, E.; Ponntley, A. Rogers, A. Marshall, C. .MeJsaac, R. Conroy, E. Reynolds. Scnjth won the toss and played with the*iwind, the forwards, led by A. Rogers, rusninjr play to Auckland territory where Rogers opened the score with a fine kick

from a penalty well out. A wild paee by Miller let the Auckland forwards through, but the South pack drove 'back to the twenty-five. Here Brinsden eet hie backs

in motion and Margieon made a fine opening. Although the attack broke down, Tkm gathered possession and sent on to Bogge who outpaced the opposition from ■haft-way to score at the corner. The angle was. too difficfllt for Kingstone and ■fchierscore was level.

PJay wae bright and open with the Auckland bodice opening out and the vieiting rearguard getting quickly to their men. At other times the South backs in posseseiojx tried the short kick, but Kingatone w» always on the alert. Auckland went into.'the lead when Margieon broke through and- although he held posseeeioji too long, Mulh gathered and eent Wilae over by thjrpoete. Kingetone easily converted. «he South pack was going well in the loadfe, their miehee frequently eaihing good ffrwnd. Koni stopped an Auckland rueh in~aplendid style and South went to the attack. The ball was kicked across the Koi&noufch and A. Rogers, although he a,fjpeared_ well offside, gathered possession airfl. dashed over near the poets. The scorer converted and the score was again level.

South maintained the attack and the ibacrks. went smoothly into action. The •baJI came out to Dunn, who beat Kingebrjne, but Brinsden eaved a certain try with a fine tackle near the line. The South pa«k continued to worry Auckland in-■tfhe loose until Brineden went through qujdkly to Kewish, who tackled him safely. The- visiting backs, too, were playing well, a weakness being in the five-eighths, who were letting their opponents through at times with high tackling. ftogera ihad a chance to place his team irv-tront from a ipenaJty in a likely poeiti<—, Wβ kick going wide. South was ha*WR the better of th« territorial exthageee and when the backs went into action Duwn fended off le Long and eentrekiofayl, Conroy eventually scoring from, the loose. Bright missed the kick from a handy position. Led by Gilmour, the Arafldand forwards went away and Don and Ladbxook joined in, Kewish, saving well and driving Auckland back to the bw«nty-five. The Auckland pack was n<S«r livening up and pressing the visitors hard. Hihira, South second fiveeightb, wae injured and was replaced by Thomeon. Half-time came with the f>core: Z South Awekk'nd 11

- Auiekland

.Auckland went to the attack on the re—jmiption, the forwards rudhing ,play to the South twenty-five where v a free-fciek relieved. South was quickly back, aided by a good run by Dunn. When play swung to the other wing Koni was held up over tihe line. South kept at it and attack and counter-attack among- the forwards followed quickly. Sound tackling was holding up 'both back lines. Pountney made a fine breakaway in the loose which took play to the Auckland line and again the home forwards retrieved the position with a strong loose rush which Kewish saved well. Kingetone chimed in an Auckland 'back rush to get near the line where Dunn intercepted to eave a dangerous situation. Auckland had a great chance to acore when the backs set'off, but Wiles threw a bad pass to Bogge, wlho knocked it on \ with a clear field ahead. The South forwarde again came away to be driven Iback by Mamison with a fine kick, and from a penalty at the twenty-five well out Kmgetone equalised the acore Excitement Runs High .Excitement ran high as Thomson twice made fine runs through the defence, beating Kingstone the firet time and being overhauled from behind. South was making desperate efforts to get in front and -Dunn once made a bold bid, being tackled at the corner. It was a, hectic fewminutes for Auckland, w"hoee forwards eventually got the home side out of danger. Although Auckland held the advantage .in the scrums «he baeke were generally -quickly smothered. ißnneden flashed quickly into a South gap and sent on to Don who, however, was overhauled by Koni on the line and a certain try wae eaved. A quick tihrowm from a line-out on the visitors' line caught them on the hop and Don touched down wide out. Kingstone kicked a good goal and Auckland took the lead for the firet,time—five pointe up with 15 minutes to- go.

imimediately Rogers missed a goM~from a ipenaHy from a likely ipoeition ta.Tlhe visitors. South bustled the Auckland ibaoks into errors and play ewunjr u'p ana down at a faet pace. ' Auckland's backs were jroinc into action at every opportunity, but the South countered with thiglr centre-kicks and fast loose forward attaeks. Kingetone had a lot of work ■ "w* 2 nd wae always equal to the occasion* South tried hard to score in the nil2r. stages, but suddenly Kimgetone joined ra-eo Anicfekind iback attack to make a tins,:openine for Bogps. who raced over in a ".l!® n<i y position. Kingstone failed to Mireert, *nd_th* <r*me ended fcdf enniinrte later with the Mere: —Auckland Tβ -South AwfcJend ....'..'.'. 11. '"Mr. D. Friedrickson wae referee.