RUGBY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 1, 1 July 1912, Page 4

RUGBY.

THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP SECOND ROUND COMMENCES. Oriental (9) v. Wellington (6). Athletic (15) v. St. James (3). Petone (20) v. Poneke (6). Melro'se (11) v. Victoria College (0). Saturday afternoon marked the commencement of the second round in the Rugby senior championship. The weather was bitterly cold, and in consequence the attendance at the various grounds fell to about half the usual number. The Wellington-Oriental game on No. 1 Athletic Park was the most interesting of the series, the ' Oriental players being called on to put forward their best efforts to win. Athletic defeated St. James in a eomewhat ragged game by 15 points to 3, and Poneke and Victoria College were vanquished by Petone -and Melrpse respectively. ORIENTAL (9) v. WELLINGTON (6). In the early stages of this game Orien tal had all the best of matters, and it was not long before the scoring account wats opened, Kinvig kicking a penalty goal. Wellington then woke up, and for about twenty minutes gave Oriental a. very hot time. The yellows' first passing rush resulted In a try, Millard scoring near the coiner. Three all. Thence till no side each team attacked in turn, the play being fast and interesting. Oriental obtained^ the ball in {he scrums, But sound tackling by the Wellington backs nipped most of the passing rubhea in the bud. Oriental attacked hotly alter resuming, and through Bridge failing to, field a, rolling ball, F. M'Lepd scored. Oriental were almost over on two occabions after .this, sound tackling alone saving Wellington. Eventually M'Kenzie made a. fine .dash from hk own twenty-Jives, and placed Wellington on the ofleusivo. From a scrum the ball passed raoidly through the hands of Drake, Wilke6, Grace, Millard, and Lambert, the latter scoring. With honours easy Wellington continued to attack, but, Roberts rxised the eiege, and was instrumental in Wellington's line being again' placed in, danger. A miss-kick by Bridge was. well fielded by O'Brien, whp scored. Oriental 9, Wellington 6. After this Wellington attacked determinedly, but were ramble to notch any moTe points. Mr. A. Neilsen was referee. ATHLETICS (15) v. ST. JAMES (3). Athletic met St. James on No. 2 ground at Athletic Park. .The game, though sternly contested right through, could briefly be described as a strenuous A'thletio attack and a St. James plucky defence. After sustained Athletic efforts Murphy, in a scramble over the St. James line, scored first try for his sid9, E. Roberts converting. .s—o. This was the only score at half-time. Afterwards Heketa relieved St. James from pressure* with a long line-kick, , and Cook, gaining possession, raced in • and touched down. No goal resulted. > Murphy then scored again for Athletic, and Evenson converted with a splendid kick. Gosling, fifteen minutes later, registered Athletics third try, and E. Roberts kicked the goal. Athletic 15, St. James 3. This was how the ' game stood at the finish, Mr. H. , Card was referee. PETONE- (20) BEATS PONEKE (6). There was not very much in the game at Petone for Poneke, for. the locals, though some of them made a lot of mistakes in the first spell, easily held the teds, who were in the main too slow. The weather was not exactly congenial, nor the ground in good order for any, sort of game, aild the fixture finished in the_ dusk., The score —-20 to 6— might easily have lef£ a larger margin in the winners' favour. There was very little brilliant football, .though the Petone backs at times were inclined to toss the, ball about. ' Nunn potted ' a splendid goal for Petone, narrowly missed with another, while J. Ryan landed a pretty field goal, but unfortunately he had gone ou'» over the side line. B. Ryan scored, two tries for the winners, one being an especially fine effort. Parker also scored for the winners. M'Farlane converted several- of the tries. Morris and Elliott scored for Poneke, try, being converted. Towards the end of the day's play Sotheran retired 4 after sustaining heaa injuries in a collision. The referee (Mr. W. J, Meredith) had occasion to caution Morris (Poneke) and Dent (Petone) for tripping, arjd Ashton {Petone) for playing the man. JUNIOR St. John's (31) beat Victoria College (3). Roe (3), Hill (2), Fawcett, Dallas, Martin, and Forsyth scored tries, • Fawcett and Andrew each ' converting one. Longhurst scored for the losers. Petone (53), beat Poneke (0). Melrose (4) defeated .St. Jamea (3). M'Enerney scored for St. James and Parker potted a goal for Melroße. Wellington (15) beat Southern (0). THIRD GRADE. Oriental beat Marist by 21 to nil. Benton (2), M'Comisky, King, and Meredith scored tries. .Watson converted two tries and also kicked a penalty goal. Selwyn (11) beat St. James (6). Tries for Selwyn were obtained by Cooper, Acroad, and Wellman. Petone (9) beat Exchange (6). The Southern-WadestoWn game resulted in a, draw. Wadestown led by 8 to 0 in the first fcpell, but Southern managed to make a "draw. Hayes and M'Coll scored tries, and Little kicked a penalty and converted one try. Waiwetu (9) beat Wellington (0). FOURTH GRADE. Petone (10) defeated Old Boys (0). At Johnsonville the local fifteen defeated Oriental by 9 poinU to 6. Tries for the winners were secured by C. Ralston, D. Morgan, and R. M'Farlane. FIFTH GRADE.' Poneke defeated Athletic after a close game, and Melrose badly defeated Oriental. ' SIXTH GRADE. Petone A (21) defeated Poneke (0). Petone B won by default from Athletic. \