SATURDAY'S GAMES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 8, 10 July 1922, Page 4

SATURDAY'S GAMES

'VARSITY AND BERHAMPORE DRAW

WELLINGTON'S FIRST WIN. Marist 28 v. Athletic 3. 'Varsity 8 v. Berhampore 8. Petone 32. v. Selwyn 11. Poneke 17 v. Oriental 3. , ■Wellington 12 v. Old Boys 8. Saturday, with its counter-attractions elsewhere, was an off day in senior championship Rugby, and the match at the Park—Marist v. Athletic—drew under 3000 people. The day, otherwise, was excellent for playing the game— weather good and turf dry. Marist defeated Athletic in a second spell game by 28 to 3. 'Varsity drew with Berhampore—B all. Wellington scored their first win of the season by defeating Old Boys, 12-8. Poneke easily beat Oriental 17 to 3, and Petone disposed of Selwyn by 32 to 11. The order in tho championship list remains generally unaltered. Poneke are in tho lead with 19 points for their 11 matches; Petone are next with 17 points; then Marist 16. University and Berhampore are 13 points each. Athletic are 12, Oriental 8, Old Boys 6, Selwyn 4, and Wellington 2. MARIST ONCE MORE. Marist continued their uninterrupted career o£ success by defeating Athletic at Athietio Park on Saturday by 28 points to 3. In the first spell the game was fairly even, Marist leading by 3 points ofily, playing against the wind. Athletic made quite a good showing, and there was litfclg indication at half-time of the debacle that was to take place in the second spell. With the wind, the Blue forwards had quite held their own, and the score against the side was merely a penalty goal to nil. They had been quite close to scoring themselves, and only a want of finish in the back division robbed them of points. Nor did Marist appear to be placing up to form. Altogether' there was1 not .much at this point to:; entertain .the spectators, who were not over-numerous for eucb. a line footballing day. ' It.was a different story in the final half of the game. Marist on. the resumption quickly got into their stride, and, breaking ■- down the opposition of the tired Blue forwards, began.to pile up the points, at a great pace. ' The game improved as time went on, and the closing stages were brilliant, with the Green backs handling the ball.'with great dash and precision, and. scoring. toy after try. Athietio were run off their • legs,- but just before time, woke up to, a sudden spasm, and a splendid' effort down the touchline ended in a great try. The whistle went for.time with the kick at goal still in flight.

The teani3 wera:—Athletic : Brook; Bullard, Gibson, Hoaking; M'Cab'e, Slitton; Brunsell; M'Carlie; Swain, Osborne, Hall, Ryan, Duncan, Guy, Christie. Marist; Griff en;, Tancred, Mahoney, Creed; Murphy, Markham; M'Leary; Connop; M'Rae, Boyce, Troy, Hopkins, P. Sullivan, Crotty, B. Sullivan.

The first spell produced comparatively poor football on both, sidqs. Passes were wretchedly given and taken, and. no movement of backs or forwards.achieved, any definite result in points. So far as the offensive was concerned, Athletic, with a fresh northerly breeze in their favour, had rather the better of things, though the Marist defence "was too good tr let them score. M'Cabe made, a, very fine attempt at goal from a penaltykickawarded against Connop for playing the ball off the ground. Murphy had better luck with a penalty given '.the Greens in the Athletic quarter and landed a good goal—Marist 3, Athletic 0, at halftime. . ' "'

The game Had not been re-started a minute before Manet, now with the wind behind them, opened a series of linecrossings. .Athletic had forced from the kick-off,, .the '■. kick out 'from the twenty-five was weak, and M'Cleary, Retting possession, set his backs moving, with the result that Tancred crossed the line, at the corner. Murphy kicked a magnificent goal from'the touchline, allowing for the wind, 'perfectly. Marist. 8;. Athletic, 0. Athletic followed ufi the kick from, half-way with a .fine forward rush which reached the Marist line, : but an attempt to paes back war defeated,' and the Greens relieved. Bnllard made a good ran on the other side of the field, but was unsupported, and finished in touch, thrown out by Murphy. Still attacking^ Athletic" had one golden chance of a score."The defence was crowded,to;one side,for a line-out, and Brunsell, getting possession from his forwards, swung the ball out well to Sutton, who transferred as quickly to M'Cabe. The five-eighth was' almost directly in front of goal, close in. It was an ideal chance to pot, and M'Cabe potted and missed badly. It was Athletics last real effort at attack until just before the end of the game. Meanwhile Marist began to run all over their opponents. Crotty scored at the corner from a forward rush, Murphy failing to convert. 11-0. Throwing the.ball about freely, and with accuracy, 'Marist continued to attack, Connop, Murphy, Mahoney, and Tancred all showing up well. In the continued pressure on'Hhe Athletic line,. Connop got over near the posts from the ruck. Murphy failed with an easy kick. 14-0. Brilliant passing rushes, in which all the Green backs took creditable part, followed, and Ma-honey might have got over on his own had not M'Cabe overhauled] him from behind. Brook displayed considerable resource and skill in defence, but he wae not well supported. A clean bit of passing between Murphy, Markham, Mahoney, and Creed ended in the j latter running in and round by the posts. Murphy converted. 19-0. "Within a few minutes Griffen carried the score into the twenties by a mighty , dropped aoal which soared far above the posts. 23-0. It was now nearing the end of the ■game, and the Mariet backs were surpassing themselves. Oiib rush went right from M'Cleary to Tancred on, one wing, and then back from Tancred across to Creed on the other side. Creed was stopped just short of the line. Marist were not to be denied. Again the ball came infield and travelled to Mahoney, who made a neat cut-in, and, when tackled, passed to Tancred. The winger eluded the remainine opposition and ran in and behind, Murphy converted. 28-0. Then came Athletics one nnd' only try;-. A'brilliant pieco of work down the line by Hosking was supported by Gibson, who1 beat the-opposition and scored a fine try at the corner. M'Cabe's kick failed as tlie whistle blew for time. Marist. 28: Athletic, 3. Mr. A. C. Kitto was referee. PONEKE DEFEAT ORIENTAL. Playing at the Basin Reserve, Poneke were successful .over Oriental by 17 points to 3. The. mutch was of a fairly interesting character. Following were the teams :—.'■ Poneke : Ohristophei'soi). Tunninston, ■B; Algar, iU'Arthm-, J.■ Tilyard, P.'Tilyard,, J. Shearer, Calcina.i, Slater, Bocker, Kennedy, M'Dona,kl, Pn.rsV,e. Oriental: Holey, .S«ott, ■ Griffiths, Heap, Adams, Riggs* «*■ QUoluist, Brown,

Thorn, King, Muir, Mottitt, Matthews, Pringie, Scott.' * ifonek© Jricked off, and, Oriental ware forced back.to their own end, Ohristophierson had a penalty kick, which was a, poor attempt, and then the Oriental lot-wards attacked, B<rown and Matthews being well to the fore. M'Arthur picked up, but could make no headway. The Oriental forwards were doing good work, but were forced back to them- own end. Her© exciting work tooJc place, and Algar. very nearly got through, but Riggs caved the situation. In the Oriental'twenty-five, F. Tilyard picked up, andi transfer? between that player, J. Shearer, Kennedy, and ' Tnnnington ended in the last-named getting across at the corner. Chiistopherson failed with the kick. Poneke, 3; Oriental, nil. Play was of a fairly even character, the factor telling in Poneke's favour particularly being the good tackling. Biggs made s great break-away from Ma own. twenty-five, but was downed by Ghristopheraon just after crossing half-way. Poneke again attacked, and a forward rush «ided in Kennedy getting over. Chris topherson converted. Poneko 8, Oriental, nil. Oriental were defending fa- a. considerable time, until Adams made a briilliant dash from half-way well into the Poneke twenty-five. There his uareer ended, and the whistle sounded a few minutes luter. Shortly after the interval, Oriental were unfortunate to lose tho services of Moffitt, whose right thumb was hurt, and pJay had hardly resumed when Oriental were ca/ught napping in front of their own goal, and a brief rush, ended in J. Tilyard beating all opposition and getting in. Christopherson's kick , was eucoessful. Poneke, 13; Oriental, nil. Carroll replaced Moffitt at this stage. Kennedy led'a Poneke rush for a good distance up field, and then there was some fast work amongst tho Poneke backs in the Oriental twenty's five, which terminated in J. Tilyard potting a beautiful goal. Poneke, 17 j Oriental, nil. In the closing stages the play became more interesting than it had been. Kennedy made,a good run' up field, but Oriental got ths ball, anal Gilchrist and Adams did .their share of the handling. Ohristopherson savadi a, fierce rush, by kicking to the lino, hut a moment later Gilchrist dashed, across near the posts. Adams made a miserable attempt at goaling. Poneke, 17; .Oriental, 3. There was no further score. Mi. R. T. Bailey, was. Teferee.