LEAGUE TROPHY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 244, 14 October 1944, Page 2 (Supplement)

LEAGUE TROPHY

Roope Rooster Won By Ponsonby Team: Bright Display Of Clever Football: North

Shore Beaten By Inter-play

Bright football was played at Carlaw Park this afternoon, when, in the final of the Auckland Rugby League's Roope Rooster competition, Ponsonby beat North Shore by 19 points to 13. It was a fast and open game all the way, with the Shore team holding the advantage up to half-time, when it led by 10 points to 3. In the second half Ponsonby concentrated on its traditional inter-play, and its backs, with occasional surprise tactics, showed cohesion, speed and understanding. The Ponsonby wings were given splendid chances, and 16 points were quickly added. The North Shore forwards played in an untiring and dashing way, and near the end a Shore try was added. The wealth of open play made the match an attractive one from the spectators' viewpoint, and some of the passing runs were a glirr-«se of League football at its best.

Ponsonby v. North Shore The teams were:— North Shore: Gamble, Htscock, Read, Cave, Clarke, McArthur, Priest. Hunt, Rutherford, Field, Taylor, Graham, -Mercer. Ponsonby: Littlejohn, Ttoy Nurse, Jordan, Nordgren, Kay, Manley, Black, Mullett, Hadley, Bailey, Hardwick, Hull, Lohenet. The match started with spectacular football, the Ponsonby backs showing speed, and throwing the ball about with freedom. Several set scrums were won by Lohenet, and Black was quick to open up attack. In two moves from the righthand side of the field the speedy Nordgren went in to make the extra back, and as the ball went on Kay showed skill at making the opening before contacting Jordan In the centre. The Shore defence was sound and good, Clarke going in fast to hold the Ponsonby attack, and Gamble, at full-back, disclosing admirable cover defence. There were occasions when the Shore forwards stormed upfield in a resolute way, and Littlejohn, the Ponsonby fullback, won applause for clever clearances. It was fast and attractive football, with each team playing to its backs, but the most chances coming the Ponsonby way, as Ponsonby was still getting possession In the set scrums. There was one nice Shore movement started by McArthur with midfield play, and Clarke, Priest and Cave, moving fast on a lateral line, got the bait to the hardrunning Read on the Shore right wing. The ex-Poverty Bay player went hard and straight until stopped with a good tackle by Nurse. Although Inclined to cluster' at times, the Ponsonby backs played the passing game in an attractive way, and it gave Nordgren chances to show his great pace in wing play. In open play the Shore forwards made a great showing, keeping together and hunting in a hard and tireless wav. Read ran strongly on the Shore wing, •• and then sent the ball Infield to Field, to Graham. The man for Ponsonby was Littlejohn, ' who stayed progress with a clean, hard tackle. It was Ponsonby's turn to have a period of hard defensive play when Shore backs and Shore forwards blended In intensive attack and keen thrust at the Ponsonby try-line. The spectators got excited as play was speeded up, the best work at this stage being done by the forwards of both teams. . , , The first score came to North Shore. From a scrum at the fringe of the Ponsonby twenty-five McArthur cut through the Ponsonby inside backs, drew Littlejohn and passed to send Taylor across to score close to the posts. Clarke converted. North Shore 5. Ponsonby 0. With great dash Shore began to outplay Ponsonby with attack- marked by smoothness and intensive support. In defensive play Nordgren ran across the field and linked with Nurse, and the pair, with inter-play, worked up to the Shore try-line when Nordgren lost the ball when Priest got in a daring diving tackle from behind. Ponsonby held on to its. advantage. When Lohenet heeled from the set scrum Blaclf sent to Manley, to Kay, to Jordan, and the Ponsonby Centre crossed wide to score. North Shore 5, Ponsonby 3. Hiscock,. the speedy Shore left wjng, mads a big run on the left wing, worked infield and passed further Infield to Taylor. The Ponsonby defence was caught out of position, and Taylor raced in for his second try. Clarke converted. The half time score was: North Shore 10 * Ponsonby •» When the teams came on for the second half Fielder replaced Bailey in the PonSonby forwards, the latter having been injured. Nordgren at once came Into the picture with a spectacular run. He worked quicklv through a wide gap before con T verging defence could trap him, veered out sharply to avoid Gamble, the Shore full-back, and then gave an exhibition of speed to circle and score by the posts. Kay converted. North Shore 10, Ponsonby 8 " in a buovant way Ponsonby endeavoured to bridge the gap. The Ponsonby backs worked unitedly, with Kay playing the positional game in a brilliant manner and Jordan, in the centre, handing on good chances to his speedy wingers. Shore met attack with attack as chailcos came. McArthur sent out passes which had the dual merit of good direction and great depth. Clarke and Priest bad a perfect understanding' in the fiveeighth fine, and oil .the wing Read showed speed and determination. It was the great pace of Nordgren which carried Ponsonby into the lead. He raced along the sideline, and. then inpassed to Jordan. With full speed on the

Ponsonby centre gathered his pass, veered out to escape Gamble, and then crossed to score wide amid great enthusiasm on the part of Ponsonby supporters. The shot was too wide for Kay. Ponsonby 11, North Shore 10. Excitement ran high as Shore stormed to the Ponsonby end. where Priest made a good effort to land a field goal. Then Ponsonby went further into the lead. Kay made a good opening with a lateral run, and the ball went via Jordan to Nordgren. The winger broke through a good tackle efTort by Clarke, and then had a clear field to sail in by the flag and score. Kay's conversion kick, from the widest of angles, dropped just under the cross-bar. Ponsonby 14, North Shore 10. With brilliant inter-play the Ponsonby backs held the advantage. Kav and Jordan worked with splendid undersUfnriing in an endeavour to contact Nordgren on the wing. Ponsonby backs opened up with a brilliant handling move, and Kay. with a diagonal run, got the Shore backs out of position. He then reverse-passed to send Jordan in for his third try. Kay converted. Ponsonby 19, North Shore 10. Although it was more a lost cause. Shore played valiantly, with its forwards battling hard in both close and loose play. McArthur continued to throw the ball out well to his supports, but the Shore three-quarter line worked under the shadow of a Ponsonby defence, s which was keen and well planned, the target every time being the man carrying the ball. Gamble, the Shore full-back, went solo to weave a way through the Ponsonby inside backs, but lacked support when he reached Littlejohn, and a good scoring chance was lost. Two hard dashes by Head got play right up to the Ponsonby try-line, and then Graham dived over to score. Ponsonby 19, -North Shore IS. With open play the match went to its close, the final scores being:— I Ponsonby , ]f> North Shore 13 Mr. J. Donovan was referee. ★ NOTES ON THE GAME Goal-kicking Success—C. Riley Wins Painter Trophy Goal kicking often plays a prominent part in the decision of matches, and it Is an art to be cultivated. This season a silver rose bowl was presented by Mr. L. Painter to the player in the senior game to win the most points. The competition, however, was confined to the matches in the second round. The competition closed to-day and the winner of the trophy is C. Riley (Otahuhu). The first three on the list are:— C. Riley (Otahuhu) 22 B. Cranch (Mt. Albert) 18' M. Brockless (Marlst) 1G Riley is a left foot kick, and came into the game three years ago as a senior player. He has shown high-class form at five-eighths, after giving a series of good games as a full-back. Included in the North Shore backs at five-eighth was J. Priest, a former Taranaki Rugby player, who played impressively at five-eighth against Ponsonby. Priest was having only his second game of League. He has a reputation as a good There are few wing-three-quarters seen atr Carlaw Park this season to equal Read, the wrestling champion, who several times this afternoon thrilled the crowd with dashing runs down the touchline. Roy Nurse had a .lob watching this recent recruit to the League code. Darcy Bailey, the consistent Ponsonby forward, played at a disadvantage this afternoon. He retired last Saturday against Mount Albert suffering from a kick which he showed plainly, limping in the first half. Bailey is a former Canterbury Rugby rep. Two tries scored by Taylor (North Shore) in the first half were gems in 20 minutes of fast and open play. Taylor, a forward, not over list, showed speed and resource in following up. He was a former Ellerslie junior, and has a promising future. Combination of two backs often decides matches, and this was in evidence once Kay and Jordon got moving. The former is a brilliant player on attack, and Jordon never misses a chance to trail his "good work. One try later in the second half gave Ponsonby a decided advantage, and the movement dashed North Shore's hopes of winning the Roope Rooster. * JUNIOR GAMES Third Grade. —Newton 12, beat Glenora 10. Special Match.—City Thirds beat City Seniors. Fourth Grade Knock-out Final.—Otahuhu 15, v. Ellersli9.fi.