RUG in LEAGUE CODE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 203, 25 May 1936, Page 13

RUG in LEAGUE CODE

Petone Defeats Central In Fast Game AVIN FOR ST. GEORGE] Phil which was last aud hard unwitnessed when the AVeliington Rugby League’s third series of senior grade championship matches in the first r"tind was played ou Saturday. At Nev. town Park Central played brilliantly •. rhe first half to lead Petone, the chan. ions, by eight points to three at half-tiuo. but could not withstand the torrid attacks Petone launched in the second halt. I’etone won finally by 23 points to 11. At Rugby League Park, Petone, St. George defeated Hutt by 25 points to 8. aud now Juts a lead of two points in the championship competition. The positions of the teams are: —

PETONE EYNISHES FLYST Petone, playing great football ia the second half, overtook and defeated Central by 23 points to 11 at Newtown Park. The teams were :— Petone; J, AValshaw; G. Newton, A. F. Lonergan, J. O'Connor; R, Douglas, S. T. Atkins; S. Coman ;J. Nixon, S. T. Thorpe, S. Dodds, C. M. Fleming, 11. J. McCormack, A. Kreyle. Central: AV. Dixon; King, A. Dixon, AA*. Avenell; L. Merson, Bramble; M. Atkins; L. Mercer, Grenall, Burley, A. Yule, J. Gunn, Berry. Referee: Mr. H. Holmes. A feature of the game was that Petone. won the great majority of the scrums, and this ultimately told in its favour, as Central wilted before the repeated attacks as the game wore ou. Playing against the sun in the first half, however, Central gave its best display of the season to date. The backs threw the ball about with abandon, and the forwards, if they could not hook the leather, set up a torrid chase in the loose. Actually Central deserved to lead by more than 8-3 at half-time. Petone scored soon after the resumption, and from then on there wag little doubt which team would win. Backs

and forwards put new vigour into the game, and a fast rearguard was not slow to profit by several mistakes made by Central. Prominent in the Petone van were S. T. Thorpe, formerly a League player in Auckland, and C. M. Fleming, a new man from the Rugby game in AA'ellington. The team packed a solid scrum, and with J. Coman at half-back its work was turned to the beet advantage. In addition to kicking two goals, Coman was always prominent in the game, and his slick work from the base of the scrum kept the Central inside men busy. S. T. Atkins, five-eighth, was injured early in the game, and was replaced by Kyle. A. F. Juonergan gave a great exhibition of centre play, and scored two fine tries. J. O’Connor, on the wing, was always prominent, and J, AValshaw, at full-back, played his usual steady game. Lonergan and G. Newton, wing, are former Auckland League players. For Central, the star player of the day was A. Dixon, a powerful, straight-run-ning centre three-quarter. L. Merson and the captain, Bramble, in the five-eighth line, formed what must be one of the best combinations in that position in the code in AA’ellington. Both men have pace, and especially in the first half, rose, to great heights. Bramble’s pace took him everywhere on the field, and he frequently handled the ball and. then ran outside the winger to give his back line an extra man. M. Atkins played a good half-back game, aud AV. Dixon, fulliback, fielded well and ran strongly. Of the Central forwards, Yule and J. Gunn were always on th" ball, and until they tired iu the second half every man made the pace a hot one. One of the prettiest movements of the day gave Central its first try, when the ball went out to Merson from the scrum. He made a good opening, and handed ou to Bramble, who collected and went through at top. Another brilliant movement resulted when Merson drew the opposition neatly and sent out a long pass to Dixon for the centre to make it u try all the way, LILBURNE PLAYS AGAIN H. Lilbume led the Hutt team agaiusl St. George at Petone, St. George winning by 25 points to 8. At one stage in the second half St. George had a 19 to nil had, but Hutt rallied under Lilburne’s inspiration and rattled on S points. A feature of the game was that G. Swanberg and J. Jameson each scored thretries for St. George. Swinberg scored shortly after the game began, when A. <)’ Connor reverse passed neatly ,to him. .'•'■pencer and AA'. Large figured in early Hutt attacks. O’Connor kicked two goals for the winners, and K. Mailman scored. For Hutt A*. Hey and Large scored tries, and Lilburne kicked a goal. Mailman's try came following a movement in which L. Simons, Sutton, B, Baily, Jameson and O’Connor handled. AVhen St. George went away to its long lead iu the first half, Lilburne was responsible for solid defensive play for Hutt. Jameson's second try came when he intercepted a pass from Lilburne to Spencer and ran the whole length of the field. IN OTHER CENTRES Auckland: Manukau 16, City 11; Newton 23 Devonport 5; Richmond 23, Marist T 3; Ponsonby 22. Mount Albert 20. Christchurch: /Addington 25 beat Sydenham 10; Hornby 16 beat AVaimari 0.

(Golf on page 15; men’s hockey, basketball, harrier runs on page 18; women’s hockey on page 8.)

St. George .. Be tone 1-. AV. J.. . 3 3 O ,. 3 2 I Points Ch. I). F. A. pts. 0 (53 -10 <5 0 79 31 -4 Central .... .. 3 1 2 0 63 38 2 Hutt . . 3 0 3 (» 20 101 V