FIRST GAMES THIS YEAR

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 83, 9 April 1928, Page 15

FIRST GAMES THIS YEAR

MATCHES AT ATHLETIC PAEK i Although there was nothing very sparkling about them, the three matches played at Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon between Wellington teams and fifteens fr6in other centres provided good enter* ;tainment for several hundred spectators. They were the first matches on' the Park this season, and fast, dashing play throughout -was hardly to be expected. There were- times, however, when some good rearguard work was witnessed, and a number of the. local players showed that 4 hey would be in very fair trim for the commencement of the inter-club games on 28th April. The ground was hard, but .the light showers which fell during the afternoon made the leather somewhat elusive towards the finish.. " Ponoke, who were opposed by Grey- : town, suffered a big defeat, but the gamewas not altogether as one-sided as the score would suggest. The Wellington Club's, fifteen proved too good for the Christehurch Club's team, and Marist were successful in winning the Spillane Cup from the Wangamii Marist fifteen. . ■ ,\ WELLINGTON v. CHRISTCHURCH. The Christehurch team was unable to score against Wellington, who put ou "J5 points. A number of the Wellington players showed lip quite well, and provided some bright interludes. This season the Wellington Club will have two members away with the All Blacks in South Africa, but it haa some new players who arc expected to perform creditably. F. D. Kilby will be a notable absentee, but in Julian, the young player who filled the position behind the scrum on Saturday, the club has a balf-bacli who shows distinct promise. Wellington wore not long in getting into their stride, and the backs handled well in several good passing bouts. By halftimfl Wellington had registered 1(3 points: Julian (2), "Pryde, and Thornton scored tries, one of which Wiis' converted by Morgan .and another by Webb. . The visitors went close to scoring several times early in the second spell, but there were no loopholes in Wellington's defence, and they were sent back on the defensive. Wellington's next points came from , a try by Hill, who finished off a short passing bout from a serum in the Christchurch twetty-five. There was no conversion. Wellington 19, Christehurch 0. The game became somewhat ragged in the concluding stages, but Wellington still held the upper hand, and before time was Rounded added two more unconverted tries by Thornton and Morgan, making the fina) score—Wellington 23, Christehurch 0. SPILLANE CUP MATCH. By defeating the Wanganui Marist team by 14 points to 0, the Wellington Marist fifteen won the Spillane Cup. Wellington Marists assumed the offensive from the kick off and soon broke tbrough tlie opposition, L. Reid topping off a good .run with a try, which was not converted. The' score was quickly added to when Dermehy obtained a try for Griffin to convert. Play continued in Wanganui territory, where Graham, the speedy, winger, snapped up the leather from a clearing effort and raced over to further improve the local team's position with a good try. There was no conversion. Wanganui Marists then took a bigger part in attacking movements, but, although they had their opponents in some tight corners at times, they were unable to open their account before half-time. Resuming "nfter'tbe interval, Wanganui forced mattors, and Fitzgibbon got across the line for « try. There was no conversion. The visitors kept up the pressure, and from n free kick Puti landed a good goal. Wellington Marists 11, Wanganui Marists 6. :Play fluctuated a good deal for a time, but just before the final whistle Wallace added an unconverted try for the local Marists, who thus won by 14 points to 6. PONEKE V. GREYTOWN. 1 Poneke had to admit defeat to Greytown by a big margin. The Greytown team, which included several players of note, carried' too many,'guns for theT'oneko fifteen, and won by .41 points to 11... Tho game was open throughout, and there were some good passing bouts, patti<m\orly by the visitors' backs, who showed ■smart .pace and handled well.