LOCAL RUGBY

Evening Post, Volume 55, Issue 55, 3 September 1923, Page 2

LOCAL RUGBY

THE OLD RIVALS

PONEKE BEAT PETONE

FOR NATIONAL MUTUAL CUP.

Under other circumstances the meeting of Poneke and Petone. on the football field might have created more interest than it did at Athletic Park on Saturday, as, for instance, if Athletic had beaten Petone the previous Saturday ,and on the issue of the match, Poneke-Petone, depended the senior championship. Petone's decisive^ win against Athletic robbed the later fixture of its special importance, for Petone had already, on the strength of their lead of five points; been declared senior champions for 1923. But Petone- and Poneke can never meet even in a friendly game' without the traditional rivalry intervening, and to this on Saturday was added the guerdon of the match—the National Mutual Life Cup —and so both sides were out to win.

The weather in the early morning was ali that could be desired, but a southerly squall sprang up after noon, with drenching,rain, and the ground was very heavy when the game opened. Ths two curtain-raiser* played across field did not tend to improve the surface either- Knowing that the senior chain-" pionship did not enter into the stakes, and, seeing the sort of day it was— though rain held off mostly during actual play—the public did not roll up as it ususally does to such a contest. Neither, grandstand nor western bank were at all full. It might have been thought that on', such a day and under such conditions the game would have been, a slogging forward struggle, without those bright incidents of handling the ball which spectators love to wit ness. On the contrary, play furnished an agreeable disappointment; it wn an extraordinarily fast game for the ground, and Petone at least handled the ball with remarkable precision. Unfortunately they lost the services of one of their essential backs when, just before half-time, Corner was ordered off ths field for obstruction of a kind the referee deemed it impossible to overlook. . ■ • ;

Unfortunately, also, the referea gave a goal for a kick which the line umpires signalled as under the bar. The .mistake was admitted afterward, *but could not be rectified. This made the score 3-3 at half-time. Poneke scored m the first minutes of the second spell. Petone put in most gallant efforts to redeem their position, and held Peneke penned up for minutes together,' but •in vain. The suburban team tired, and Poneks went away in the last few minutes and scored a final try, "which was converted, malting the score—Poneke 11, Petone 3. -..

Petone, minus the services of H. E. Nicholls (at Christchuvch) and " Doc." Nicholls (injured last week), nevertheless put up much the better back game. Rodger, at half, proved a worthy disciple of " Ginger ". Nicholls in clean, if somewhat leisurely, passing out to his backs. Graham also was worthy of his place. The Poneke backs were patchy, H. Tilyard^ being the -most consistent. E. King, once a.prominent figure in the old Poneke fifteen, was back again, anol performed quite satisfactorily. The teams were:—. . ,

Petone.—Riddell; Cowie, E. Ryan, Graham; Corner, M. Nicholls; Rodger; Fitzgerald; R. Ryan, Thomas, Dickens, Love, Haddock, A. Parker, Albert Parker. . . • :

Poneke.—Wright-; Tunnington, King, Algar; H. Tilyard, Gibsonj Hall; Wilson ; Calcinai, Booker, J. Shearer, Tynan, Slater, S. Shearer, Brown. Petone won the toss and chose to play with the wind, which was fresh. The typical characteristics of the two sides quickly showed themselves. Pe^ tone _soon started their passing game, the ball, travelling cleanly and well till it reached Ryan,' who developed a bad habit of turning infield again without giving his wing a chance. Poneke tried passing, but the team: was not equal to it, and it v.-a 3 left to' the sterling Poneke forwards to make most of the headway, _ when' the chance came. Pctone, however, certainly had the best of it. Fitzgerald was nearly over first, being held up'-on the line, and then Cowie, . when Wright misfielded, also came' close to it in a dive over a tackle. Mark Nicholls had a penalty kick at goal, and drove straight and true, but the ball hit the- crossbar. .Next time Poneke were penalised in the scrum a little closer in Mark made no mistake, and sent the ball clear between the posts. • Petone 3, Poneke 0.

_Poneke now took,up the attack, and King had two fruitless shots of goal from a penalty,: no charge being given on the first attempt. He had two further vain attempts later, hut seemed to have lost his former cunning. Petone were compelled to force after a tricky- run of King's nearly caught them napping. It was just about this time that Corner was sent off the field for obstructing a. player on the ground. Hs had apparently been cautioned before. Poneke's next penalty was allotted to Sid Shearer, and the' kick, though goad, went "•under the bar. The referee thought the umpires signalled a goal, and gave it. Half-time went with the scores 3-3.

Poneke scored immediately after the kick-off in the- second spell. Tunnington took a pass from King, and galloped. round. in his own style to touch down in a good , position. S. Shearer failed with the kick. 6-3.'

Ashton had replaced R. Ryan in the 'forwards, and Fitzgerald took Corner's place. Petone then assumed the aggressive, and a fine passing rush came out to Thomas on the wing. D. Algar tackled him _ just in time, and was badly shaken in the process. . Petone pressed hard, and were so far up that Riddell was enabled' to attempt a pot at moderate range,- he failed. .The Blues' passing rushes swept this «de and that in the attempt to find-an opening. All in vain. Love came through, and Parker was nearly over from a close-in: scrum. „■ Poneke were penalised on a line-out a few yards out,' and Mark Nicholls took a shot at,goal with the kick. It was a. splendid attempt and looked like going over, when a little gust of wind-carried the ball" inches astray at the finish. Still the backs attacked, and only the stout defence of Poneke kept them out. H. Tilyard was conspicuous in good saves. Albert Parker and Thomas were nearly over, and in the effort Parker's shoulder was wrenched and he had to leave the field. Cornaga jumped in, and the rear division was again ■ altered. Petone commenced to tire a little now after most strenuous efforts, and this was Poneke's chance to get further ahead. They gained ground steadily, and from a dropping kick which Riddell failed to take, missing badly, Booker scooped up and got over. Gibson kicked a fine goal. Poneke 11, Petono 3. The end came soon afterwards, with Petone the losers, but it was an honourable defeatt just as Poneke's victory was creditable.

Air. E,. S. Hylton wag refsres,