WEEK-END RUGBY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 228, 21 June 1920, Page 6

WEEK-END RUGBY

ATHLETIC DEFEATED

SELWYN BEATEN BY BERHAMPORE

Ponekcg E; Atliotio, S. Borhampore, 3; Solwyn, 0. Petane, 19; 'Varsity, 3. Oriental, 21; Wellington, 5.

Pino weather again favoured Saturday afternoon's round of Rugby, Anticipating a good game a big. crowd of spectators assembled nt the Athletic Park,' and they were not disappointed, Poneke nn4 Athletic proving an evenly-matched pair. Poneke' proved themselves the slightly better' combination. The contest was marred on account of the last ' fifteen minutes' play being fought out in semidarkness Tho light was so bad that it was impossible for many spectators to follow the game. It is time the union rose to the occasion and started tho matches at least a quarter of an hour earlier for the . midwinter games. As regards the other games, everything happened aB expected, cxcept in so far as the meeting between Selwyn and Berliamporo was concerned. The former team, greatly to the surprise of their supporters, were defeated 1 . A better showing was expected of the fifteen which has shown up, to such good advantage on the Park against the top-rank combinations. The result of the week-end's vlay loaves Poneke and Pctone equal with 12 points each, and Athlctic next in .the running with 10 points. Tho remaining teams aro too far down the ladder to affect tho ultimate result. PONEKE v, ATHLETIC, The Ponekc-Athletic clash drew a large crowd to the Park. The game was closely contested throughout, and the result hung In the balance until tho closing strokes. At half-time the score waß three all, with the odda somewhat in favour of Athletic, and in the second spell Poneke established a lead of throe points, which they maintained to tho end Athletic losU mainly on account of tlxs excellent defenoe nut up by their opponents. Kvery Athletic back when on the attack was invariably a much-marked man-Hall, Byrne, and Brook especially so Thvn again ITalin'a. line-kicking stood Poneke in very good stead, and frequently he converted defence into attack. Another disadvantage which Athletic laboured under was the fact that when tho ball did come out of the oeruyi it fell Into their opponents' hands. If the Poneke hookers did not gain possession, the supporting 1 forwards invariably screwed the scrum. The Athlctic pack also did not follow up so assiduously as tho Ponekfl men The Athtctio backs, however, affected a much better style than the Poneko representatives—it was a treat to ec& them in action. On the whole there was not much to pick and choose between tho two fifteens. Poneko husbanded their strength more than Ath etioi and their extra ounce of stamina clearly tola in thoir favour in the last fifteen minutes of 'tho game. The match, olthough not the best exhibition put up on t tho Park this BCiißon, contained many interesting passages, and particularly in the first half—out in the second spell, it was at times vpry ragged, and the closing stages-' which were fought out in semi-darinieas and a steady drizzle-were little more than a vigorous scramble. Athletic had the better of tho RrEt rouna. and they drew first blood In tho shape of an unconverted trv. Hall (the half-back) picked up on the run, and transferred to Roberts, who turned the leather over to Brook-a magnificent pass. The latter transferred toAdams, who put in a strong run. and touched down. It was not long before Poneke had equalised. Malm found the line well up the field with a great .kick and from the ensuing line-out C. Tilyard led a dribbling rush. Algar then cut in, swooped on the ball, and a run of a few yards enabled him to touch down, Malln failed to convert-a bad miss, boon after M'Caba crossed the Poneke line from a <paas by Boberts. and endeavoured to touch down, but there were too many Red forwards festooning him around the neclt. Before the call of half-time Roberts made a good but -unsuccessful attempt to goal from a penalty. After ohange of ends Poneke, who no longer had the sun in their eyes, Bet up a hot attack, which eventually pore fruit Malin found the lino iu a good position, enabling Slater to score from a forward rush There.was no more scoring. Both sides had one or two attempts to goal from penalties and marks, and tho tide of battle obbed and flowed until towards the close, ■when Ponska ran :all over their opponents. Roberts played great game--his best effort this season He was in splendid form, and was equally at homo whether' attacking or defending. Thomson, tho Athletic full-back, puled off some good saves, and M G«-lio ed up prominently as wing forward. Patoni i\as also conspicuous until we 1 on in thoseoond snell. when ho had to retire on account of the muscles of hit shoulder becoming strained. P. Tilyard was perhaps th? weak Bpot in the Poneke backs, bis work at times being Indecisive. Mr. Simpson was referee.'

ORIENTAL DEFEAT WELLINGTON. At Kilbirnie Oriental defeated Wellington by 21 points to 5. The game was uninteresting. Oriental were stronger in {he back line tlmn Wellington, who their forwards wore much heavier than the Yellows. Oriental wero awarded a freekick in the early stages of the game but Fuller failed with it. Blioirtly aUcr Weillneton pressed, and Fyfle scored. J-iui converted. Oriental now did all thc.pres3ing for a while, and a brilliant piece of individual-play by Avery . r ® a VH®^ In a score. However, a few minutes later thpv were awarded a frcc-kick, and iuller male no mistake., Wellington 6; Onenj till 3. Up and down play followed, and KavrtSiKsirtw ment marked the mldiield play which fol lowed during tho remainder of the first snell : From the start of tho second spell Oriental attacked, and "l 11 whites lieS ton put up a plucky fight the Whites naci the upper hand. Griffiths scored for Oriental from a neat pjece of back play but Fuller failed with tho kick. Fullei made two very good attempts at goal with drop-kicks, but both missed tlws _up rights. Shortly after this a player from cach sido was ordered oil the field. UP and down play which followed resulted 111 Pearce crossing the \ellows line. Fuller 1 converted. Oriental, 16; Wellington, 5. Tho only other try was s/cured by Gr fflths, and Fuller converted. WclUng on s chief fault was that they did not tack up well enough. Matthews, tho'half-back, played a splendid gamo from - start to finish. Fyflo always prominent in the Yellow forwards, while Momtt ond Emerson played the best game for the White forwards. Griffiths was the beet in the back line. Mr. J. S. King was referee.

BERHAMPORE V. SELWYN. The Berhapipore-Selwyn match, played nt Kelburn Park, had a surprising result, for the latter team succumbed by to nil. Selwyn have made a lairly gooit showing throughout the first round, and it was confidently expected that they would win their game on Saturday. Herhamporo are a new team in the senior competition, but they are shaping well, and moro should be heard o£ them lu tho future. On Saturday they had a deoided advantage over Selwyn in the forwards but thlß was due principally to the fact that the Selwyn team was roshunlcd to a considerable extent and a number 01 (ho players were playing out of their usual positions. Berhaniporo woro more auocesel'ul in tho sorums than Selwyn, consequently their backs had more opportunities of handling tho ball. The match was not a particularly fine exhibition, but it was fought out strenuously from start to finish. • The defenßivo work on both Bides was sound in the main,.aiid tho tackling waa mostly sure. Neither side were able to crosß the other'B goal-line, and Berliampore's 3 ppintß came from a penalty-goal kicked by Morrison in the first spell. In both spells play travelled up and down field a good deal, but it was mostly confined to forward rushes. Very seldom did the backs of either side get into uction, although Deelcy, tho Selwyn left wing-three-quarter, put in some excellent work, and had hari luck in not being able to preßS soveral line individual clTorts home successfully. Towardß _ tho end of the game, tho play became exciting as Selwyn tried exceedingly hard to equalise, if not exceed, tip ecorc. But, time after time when it looked as if they mußt get aoross, luck would turn against them. Either players would get thrown out right on the corner-flag, or else a forward pass would noccssitato a scrimmage. Just on tlmo hoavy rain began to fall, and tho light was failing fast. . Mr G. llradley was referee. PETONE v. "VARSITY Tho Potone-'Varsity fixture attracted a largo number of spectators to the Potonc ground, Petono emerging frcm tho contest the victors by 19 pointß to J. The forward divisions fnirly evenly matohed, but in tho back section Petono were easily thu hotter, and 011 fracticully every occasion outclassed their opponents, l'or Petono "Ginger" Nicholls and tho Brothers Ryan played with thnir usual dash, while Klddell, who played a great game at full-back, was 'Varsity's star performer. From tho outset the gamo developed into a tussle between the forward divisions, and for fully a quarter of an hour 'Varsity, assuming the offensive, kept Petono pinned in their own twenty-five. During this period IS. Ryan brought off three very effective saves. From a disjointed movement in front of the Petono goal. Jackson marked, but R. Scott missed an easy goal. I'otono put in some sharp attacks, and at length bogqn to- assort their superiority, From a scufFlo on the

Green lino Nicholls secured, and dived over. No goal resulted. Vetone. 3; 'Varsity, 0. I'etone's second try enmo shortly afterwards, when, from a mark in midfield, J. llyan kicked to the lino. From tho ensuing throw-in Parker obtained possession, and passed to Fitzgerald. Nicholls, Ityan, and Green in turn handled tho leathor, and the last-mentioned player, making a, good opening, transferred to Corner, who crossed the line, and touched down. E. Ryan mado no mistake with tho kick. Petono, 8; 'Tarsity, 0 Petone continued to at.tnck, and at length, from a Bcrura in inidficid, Bond broke away, and commenced a dribbling rush. Assisted by Price and Nichollß, the opposition was eluded, and Bond crowned the eiToit by registering Petone's third try. Byan did not convert. Petone, 11; 'Varsity, 0. After this reverse the Greens livened up "somewhat, and carried nil bnfore them into the l'etone twenty-five. Petono were compelled to seek relief in a force-down, and ■just before the .-pell cloEed tho prettiest piece of combination of the day was performed. 'Varsity tvere attacking in tho Petono twenty-five and were doggedly trying to open lip a scoring account. The Green backs got going, but Ryan intercepted and punted, and the 'Varsity winger, Tccoiving on the lull, centred. Nicholls with a bound obtained possession, and by a sories of dftdges and feints raced down the field, supported by Fitzgerald and Hamilton Upon being spent, he passed to Fitzgerald, who was promptly grassed by Siddellß, but not before the leather had been transferred to Hamilton. The lastnamed had no difficulty in crossing the line. The try was not converted, and the Bpell ended with Petone leading by 14 points. The opening of the sccond half wan attended by heavy showers, and beloie long tho ground became very slippery. Jackson, who had been injured in the fir6t spell, was replaced by Nicol. Petone opened with a stinging attack, and a possible score was lcrt through an infringement. A series of forward attacks in front of the 'Varsity goal made matters uncorn fortable for the Greens, and had it not been for the sound defence of Aitken and Siddell more than one try would have been the outcome. Bond indulged m a solo dribbling movement, and crossed tne Green line. A try was not allowed. Up-and-down-field play ensued for Eomo time Later, while Petone wero pressing hard, Fitzgerald threw ayay a nuro try through pasing to Nicholls on the Green line, when lie should have retained possession and dived over. For some time Siddell was kept busy defending, and in thia connection he accomplished a strenuous task. Tho venuo was changed for a while, when Barker and Aitken started the Green backs going, and play was confined In I'etono territory for some t'me. In the dying stages Petone added another try to their tally From- a. line-out in the Green twonty-flvo llyan obtained possession, and threw out to Nicholls, who punted the leather to Hamilton, and the last named, gathoring in, made a good sprint, ami scored under the posts. ? t^ de 0 d the major points. Petone, JL 8 '* 7, Before the end of tho game Varsity obtained their only fcore. Awarded a nennlty in Muo territory, and a free-charge. R Scott experienced little difficulty in piloting the ball between the uprights. Mr. E. Tregear was referee. Third Class. Wellington College (14) defeated Berhampore (9). ; Marißt Old Boys (11) Hutt (8). Fifth Class. Banks College (12) defeated Oriental (0). Wellington College A (9) defeated BerPetone defeated Scots College points to nil. The scorers wereHollia, Goblc, Lazarus, Wilson, and lliompeon. , Sixth. Olftflß. Petone defeated . Technical Sohool by 42 point to nil. Tries winners wero obtained by Allan (2), Kerr (2), Jowett (2), Brough (2), Dickens Pawson, and Bond, four tries being converted by College A (14) defeated St. Patrick's College A (8). Wellington College B (8) defeated bt. Patrick's College B. _ Poneko (6) defeated Wellington College 0 (3). NORTH AND SOUTH ISL'AND MATCH The great annual event of tho New Zealand Rugby world—tho Inter-island match —will take place at the Athletic Park, on Saturday next, when the two teams got together by the No.th and South Island selectors will meet. This match will provide tho selectors with material for a Domlnion combination shortly to visit Australia, On the Bouthern side. l only Steele and Valentino of the 1919 team have again caught tho selectors' eye. ihe rearguard is particularly brilliant, with men like Steele, Valentine, and Storey. Tho N.Z. Army team is making its influence felt in the match as thero are seven military representatives in. tho north sido (O'Brien, Brown, Cain, Lucas, Moffltt, West, Bcllis), and five in the South (Storey, Ford, Fca. Sandmann and llassell). Mr. A. C. Kitto (Wellington) will be the referee. The box plan for tho reserved stand will be open at Messrs. Howe and Sowman's, 332 Lambton Quay, from to-day, for season ticket-holders, and from Wednesday for the general publio. WELLINGTON ,REPRESENTATIVE TEAM. The following team has been aeleoted to represent Wellington against Wairarapa on Saturday next Full-back, Siddells; three-quarters, Aitken, Byan, M'Arthur; five-eighths, Corner, Byrne; half, Nicholls; wing forward, Fitzgerald; forwards, Hughes, Standen, Wilson, HarkneßS Price, De Clifton, and ii. Shearer. Emergencies:—Backs, Jackson (first), and F. Tilyard (Becoud); forwards, Ryan inrst) and E. Poarco (second).