RUGBY LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 19263, 31 May 1926, Page 4

RUGBY LEAGUE

POSITION OF TEAMS.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS v. KAIKORAI. There was some interesting play right from the kick-off, the Christian Brothers’ hacks throwing the ball about with great freedom. AA 7 alker clung to the leather a little too long, and a likely opportunity for the Greens went n-begging. Cusack, who was showing good form, dashed over a little later at th§ corner. Bennett's- kick, which was a splendid effort, failed to add the extra points. Kaikorai took a turn at attacking, hut it was shortlived, as the nippy Green backs raced down to the other end, where Quinn missed a chance of adding a try to the tally hy failing to gather m the leather. Cusack came into the picture again with a heady run, and forced his way over in a good position. His kick went, over. Fitzgerald was prominent in a Green forward movement, an effort which was finished off by a fine passing movement, but a force-down stayed off trouble momentarily. Christian Brothers were persistent, though a tendency on the part of one or two of the ' players to imagine that the leather belonged to them was responsible for a number of good movements breaking down almost on the line. Cusack scored again at the corner after a period of strenuous play in Kaikorai’s twenty-five. The kick missed. Christian Brothers, who were showing great improvement on their earlier displays, proved irresistible, and another score quickly came their way. this time Blackledge breaking through to ground the ball under the posts. Bennett’s kick added a couple. P.lay was more even for the remaining few minutes of the. spell. Crossan notching a brace from a free kiek. The spell ended; Christian Brothers 16. Kaikorai 2.

Kaikorai set up a hot attack at the commencement, of the second round, hut the hacks mulled at crucial moments, and the Greens cleared. Cusack lq;oke away again, and, sidestepping half his opponents, raced over and converted. The hill team came hack again, where Looffler had an unsuccessful shot at goal. The attackers were, soon dispersed when the heavier Green forwards came into action, and Quinn brought his side’s tally to two dozen with a nice try. The kick struck the cross-bar. There was a bright spot of fast, open play, in which the Kaikorai backs showed to better advantage than they had been doing, but their inability to finish off the attack added no grist to the mill. Just before time Cusack scored his fifth try, the same player kicking a , fine goal. Final:— Christian Brothers ... ... 29 Kaikorai 2 Sir Underwood was referee. PACIFIC v. ATHLETIC. On a sodden ground on the Oval Pacific and Athletic treated the spectators to a fast game, in which the Athletic hacks had the hotter. Athletic won by 17 points to B, the scorers for the Bine and Yellows being M‘Kay, Webber, Thomas, M'llroy, and Vorrath, Morris converting one try. The 3 points for Pacific came from an unconverted try by Davy. The Athletic pack was the heavier. and, getting the ball from the scrum the majority of times, gave the back line chances to score. Final;— Athletic ... 17 Pacific 3 CITY v. KATTANGATA.

City scored within two minutes of the opening of the proceedings, a splendid passing movement nonplussing their opponents, Connolly dashing over the lino after the hall had boon handled by all the hacks. Clydesdale’s kick missed. City returned to the offensive, but J. Crook, Kaitangafa’s full-back, transferred play past halfway with a hefty kick. Connolly and Cameron were showing up prominently in some sprightly passing movements. The miners, however, were making a splendid fight of it, the backs handling the ball with more precision than , previously, being well supported by a hustling sextet of forwards, who were repeatedly penetrating the defence to City’s twenty-five. Eckholf smartly intercepted an opposilon pass, and, rushing down field, was joined by Cameron and Hunt. Cameron took a good pass, but was grassed before Hunt could got possession, and play hovered about halfway. Cameron was putting in great work, frequently joining in with the hacks. City wore penalised twice in succession, hut Mitchell’s kicks were of the feeblest, and City took play to halfway. Cameron and Eckhoff were noticeable again for some fine individual efforts, hut they were not getting a great deal of assistance from their hacks, who were not handling (he hah so confidently as previously. After M'Cahe made a strenuous effort to get home on his own the bail was handled well by the Kaitangata hacks, Oliver being grassed before, getting into his stride. Play continued to see-saw up and down field, mistakes a-plenty on the part of backs proving costly to both sides. Kaitangata, who were hardly taking advantage of the indifferent' showing of the City hacks, were hemmed in for a time in their own twenty-five, but the heavy vanguard broke right through to halfway, ■where lingers, picking up, made a dash for the line, pursued by a quartet of the opposition. He was grassed just over the twenty-five. Tho next incident of note was when Connolly sprinted down the line. He sent on to M'Cahe, who failed to penetrate very far, and play continued in midfield. Play was extremely interesting, though spoilt to some extent by the mistakes made by both sets of hacks. Half-time ended with the scores : —City 3, Kaitangata 0.

Eckhoff swooped down at the s*art of the second half, and hater Conm.lly got over for City after some good woilc by Eckhoff, Cameron, and Vs ison. The kick went awry. Roth sides showed up in some bright passing n ovements. Oliver being brought down i Her making a j inky run down the line. Eckhoff, Hunt, and Cameron i>a rtimpaled in another City attack, the latter scoring for M'Cahe to goal. Play continued to he fast and spectacular, Kaitangata having a little the better of tho proceedings nf this stage, frequently catching the opposition hacks out of position. Oliver was proving a thorn in the side of the home side, gaining a good deal nf territory with some zig-zag runs. With a little more assistance, ho might have been able to pilo on points for the visitors. City were proving the better stayers, however, P. Hickey putting in some particularly good work in the visitors’ twenty-five. Eventually Hunt scored a well-earned try after obtaining possession from M'Cahe. The latter converted. P. Hickey had an unsuccessful pot at goal, and Hunt scored again after the ball had rebounded from M'Cahe's hack. Eckhoff gathered in the extra points. M'Cahe dashed round the field, and added another try, hut Eckhoff s kick missed this time. Kaitangata. were playing without ani-

nation now, and Hunt just missed getting over, losing the ball on the lino. Just before the final whistle Oliver dashed away to his own line. The final scores were;— City Kaitangata - 0 Mr Devercux was referee, SECOND GRADE. City 8, Pacific 5. Christian Brothers 13, Kaikorai 6, IN OTHER CENTRES CHRISTCHURCH. Marists A 32, Sydenham 3, AVaimairi 8, Marists B 0. Addington 66, AVoolston 15, AUCKLAND. Kingsland 21, Parnell 8. City 33, Grafton 10. Posnonby 10, Richmond 3, Marists 12, Newton 9. OTAQO~v7cANTERBURY The following team has been selected to represent Otago against Canterbury at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday next;— Full-back, E. Watson (City); threequarters—L. Connelly (City), D. M‘Kay (Athletic). P. Hickey (City); five-eighths—J. M’Cab© (City), B. Eckhoff (City); half, R. Cusack (Christian Brothers); forwards—D. Fitzgerald (Christian Brothers), P. Blackledge (Christian Brothers), F. Rogers (Kaitangata), T. O’Connor (Christian Brothers), M. Cameron (City), H. Thomms (Athletic). Emergency hacks —R. Oliver (Kaitangata), B. Jacobs (City) ; emergency forwards D, M‘Rae (Athletic), M. Quinn (Christian Brothers). OTAGO V. WEST COAST In view of the approaching match between Otago and the AA’est Coast -on June 12 the following _ players have been instructed to keep in strict training .'- -Racks D. Crossan, D. Sullivan, AA T . A 7 orrath, AA T . Clydesdale, C. AA 7 nl?h, J. Forrester, Davis; forwards—L. O’Connor, A. Sullivan, F. Hickey, A. Hunt. All the above players are requested to meet at the Caledonian Ground tonight, at 7.30.

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Team.

City _ ... ... 4 4 0 0 137 12 8 Athletic 4 3 0 1 78 18 7 Christian Bros. 4 2 1 1 59 56 5 Kaikorai 4 1 .3 0 9 96 o Kaitangata 4 •1 3 0 25 66 2 Pacific 4 0 4 0 18 91 0