THE TANK BRIGADE HOLDS AUCKLAND IN SECOND SPELL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 133, 8 June 1942, Page 7

THE TANK BRIGADE HOLDS AUCKLAND IN SECOND SPELL

Auckland carried too many guns for the Tank Brigade when it met and defeated the visitors in the first representative game of the season. With a twogoal lead before the interval, Auckland was at times forced to defend stubbornly in the scoreless second spell in order to keep its goal intact. Another feature of the play after half-time was the strong opposition put up by the Tank rearguard to the many penetrating thrusts of the Auckland forwards.

The first round of the Devonport Shield competition was also decided. Owai Hovers and A.S.C. beat .Mount Eden and Grammar Old Boys respectively in each game by the odd goal in three. Training College beat St. Luke's (3—2), while Wesley ran out winners over University by a similar score.

Buchan's Bright Debut. —A feature of the representative game was the solid defence put up by the backs on both sides. H. Whiteman, Brigade goalkeeper, made some spectacular saves, but on the day T. Dowling, the Auckland custodian, gave a sounder exhibition. The bulk of the defence fell on the right full-backs of both sides, S. Bowden (Tank Brigade) and J. Buclian (Auckland), who Rave displays of stopping and welitlirected clearing. Buchan's debut in big hockey (he was at Grammar School last year) gives promise of greater things in the future. 11. Stewart, another promoted junior, also acquitted himself well, and he appears to have modelled his play on that of his brother, who captained the Auckland team last year. An outstanding feature of the visiting half line was the safe use of the hand used by H. Wham at left-half for slopping the ball. He repeatedly made sure of possession, then sent his forwards back into the attack.

Fast Haiders.—Both sets of forwards adopted the short, sharp thrust for their efforts to penetrate the opposing defence. While the Tank vanguard infused plenty of dash Into Its attack. Coldham (centre) did not seem to hold his line together as well as W. H. Cooper, the Auckland captain. The visiting wing men, D. Crichton and R. Speedy, certainly had the speed, though they lacked finish in getting their centres across at the ripht time. Auckland's inside forwards. W. K. Smiler and G. Da vies (the Auckland Grammar School boy) were always well up with the attack. The latter's score when he collected the ball from a free hit, steadied it, then slammed it into the net, was a gem.

RUGBY UNION

Two trams still remain unbeaten in the Gallaher Shield competition of the Auckland Rugby Union. They are M.T.P. and Air Force (No. 2). Conditions were favourable for fast football, and the series produced some thrilling and clever play. In the principal attraction at Eden Park, C.R.O. defeated A.S.C. by a margin of four points, after holding a similar lead at half-time per medium of a potted goal. On the No. 2 ground M.T.P. was always ahead of Technical Old Boys, to take the honours by five points. At Otahuhu. Manukau and Grafton-Ponsonby played a drawn game, while in the match at Devonport, Garrison just got home against Training College by one point. In the curtain-raiser at Eden Park. Auckland Grammar School, a heavier and superior side all round, gained a runaway victory over Takapuna Grammar by Go points to nil. Senior matches resulted:— C.P.O. 15. beat A.S.C. 11. M.T.P. 14. beat Technical Old Boys 9. Garrison f>, beat Training College 5. Manukau 6, drew with Grafton-Ponsonby 6. Air Force (No. 2) 12. beat Grammar University 8 (friendly match). rotted Goal Decldcs.—A field goal decided the issue between C.R.O. and A.S.C. in a fast and open exhibition, but a draw would have been a better lndfcatfon of the run of the play. C.R.O gained the potted goal in the early stages of the first spell when Payne, first five-eighth, angled nicely for position and sent the leather between the uprights with a good kick. There was plenty of back and forward play by both sides, C.R.O. gaining more of the ball from the scrums and being well served at half-back by Gemming, who got the ball away with swift, long and welldirected passes. On the other hand, A.S.C. was hampered to a large extent by the inability of Moves, half, to send the ball out smartly. Three former Training College backs, Beggs (wing), Faire (centre) and Butler (second five-eighth) shone on the winning side, while among the forwards Cleary and Powell were always in the picture.

Rae's Great Try.—Pearman, first five-eighth, and Rae, second, worked well together for the losers. The former had a gruelling time on defence and made some fine openings. Rae was brilliant in many attacking movements and scored a splendid solo try when he swerved and side-stepped his way clean through the defence. Condon. Hilton and Ladbrooke were prominent in the forward line.

AT CARLAW PARK

There were ideal conditions on Saturday for the continuation of the Auckland Rugby League's senior championship. High scoring ruled in two of the matches, while in a low-scoring match, City-Ota-huhu maintained its position as the League leader. Results were:— Newton-Mount Albert 23, beat Richmond 17. Manukau 21, beat Ponsonby 3. City-Otahuhu 6, beat North ShoreMarist 0. Manukau 18 Up.—Although Ponsonby started in good style against Manukau, the latter soon got going, and at half-time led by 13 points to 5. All the five Manukau tries came from back movements, and Chase converted three of the trfes. Manukau was without Watene, but the weight superiority against the Ponsonby six was evident —so much so. that at times they could pack a five scrum and play an additional man in the backs. In some of the Manukau scoring movements forwards joined with the backs. Martin Plays Well.—Manukau is fortunate in having one of the best full-backs in the code In R. Martin, and against Ponsonby he gave a fine exhibition of positional play. Martin fielded cleanly, placed his kicks with good length and judgment. He has played on occasions In the Inside backs, but his proper position appears definitely to be at full-back, as his defence is extremely sound. Richmond Experiment.—ln a search for better combination in its backs, Richmond tried an experiment against Newton-Mount Albert. Williams played at half, Webb moved to first fiveeighth. McGregor came to second five-eighth. Kimmej was in the centre and McDonald and Davies were on the wings. It was an arrangement which suggested decided possibilities, and gave some of the Richmond attacking work a sharpness which it has not had in earlier matches. Webb was alert in search for openings, and the players outside him had the pace to make the best ol the chances that came their way. Niwa Shows Up.—Playing his best game in Auckland since coming from Taranaki. Niwa, the New-ton-Mount Albert wing three-quarter, accounted for 14 of the combined team's 23 points against Richmond. Showing spsed and deicrmimtion. he got two tries and kicked four goals, one a remarkable try conversion from the edae of the sideline. At the moment Niwa is the most accurate r.oal-kirker in the code. With a little luck he would have landed a couple more goals. Both were ftjote Ssar\ ipor range.