FINAL CLUB CONTEST

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 64, 13 September 1926, Page 15

FINAL CLUB CONTEST

ATHLETIC WIN CHALLENGE

MATCH

TOO SOLID FOR 'VARSITY.

Any doubt about the superiority of •Uhletie over University was settled at Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon, when champions and runners-up met to settle the question of guardianship ot the National Mutual Life Challenge Cup until next year. On the previous baturday, Athletic had been successful, though University were the main aggressors, la the challenge cup match Athletic gained a clear-cut victory, having a territorial advantage in both spells and giving a performance much better in quality than that by University. No team iv the competition iias trained harder than Athletic, and this strict attention to practice was again reflected in the performance last Saturday. At half-time the outlook was all in favour of University, who had struggled against the strong northerly wind throughout the first spell and were only three points down. With the wind a big factor, the students came back for the second spell with a rosy chance of success. But they disappointed. The sting was out of their play, and except for some bursts, generally solo, they showed little sign of the form which carried them to second place on the championship. True, they had a strenuous task in the first spell, and it may have been that this took too much out of them. They certainly gave the impression of being more or less a spent force. Athletic, on the other hand, played more solidly than ever, the forwards going particularly well and the backs supporting with quite an amount of heady play. It was indeed a meritorious performance on Athletic, part, the more so when it is considered that the champions were not infrequently penalised. Svenson, in the absence of Porter, again captained' Athletic. He. intimated, before the game... that it would probably be his last. The University team on- Saturday, was weakened by the absence of Mackenzie and Walpole, both on the injured list. The game attracted a big crowd, about seven thousand, ■ and as a result the new grandstand fund will receive another acceptable lift.

Although they had first use of the wind, Athletic did not make any great headway, j They were, of course," often on the often- ! sive, but time an"d again tiiey were called to a halt. There were occasions, too, when the champions were defending hard. 'Varsity played up well at times, and were generally sound on defence. The spell produced only one score—an unconverted try by Tait for Athletic. This was the result of a neat passing bout. With the change-over, 'Varsity's turn at scoring was expected to come quickly. The students, however, were slow to move, and they had to meet a further reverse. Athletic played a solid, hustling game, and ere long, they had forged further ahead, Pope scoring a try which Svenson converted. 8-0. The champions continued to dominate the play, although University made some «how towards improving their position. The first effort was a surprise packet, Maekay "potting" a goal from out near the touch-line. Then Baldwin finished off a series of rushes by scoring a try. The kick by Noble-Adams was charged down. 8-7. These events stirred Athletic to greater effort, and appearing again in a series of solid advances they made their position secure. Another try was added, this time by Tyree, and that made the final score: Athletic 11, 'Varsity 7. Mr. A, C. Kitto was the referee.