LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 13 May 1935, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

RUNANGA SURPRISE Marist and Ngahere Win The feature of yesterday’s Rugby League games was the surprise defeat of the previously unbeaten Blackball senior team, by Runanga, in one of the hardest and most exciting games of the present season. Conditions were ideal, and in all cases the grounds were in good order, while there were large attendances at all senior games. The results in all games were:— RUNANGA BEAT BLACKBALL. There was a largo crowd at Dunollie to witness the first meeting between Blackball and Runanga seniors for the present season, and they were treated to the best League game seen for several season. It was a thrilling struggle from start to finish, with Blackball doing most of the attacking, and Runanga put up an impregnable defence, and their breaking through to pile up a hvide margin of points, to gain a totally- unexpected victory by 21 points to 3. T7nt.il yesterday, Blackball had not met defeat and Runanga had been well beaten by Marist. the previous Sunday, so that little hope was held out for a Runanga victory. However, they fielded a much-improved team, ami fully deserved their success. They were strengthened by the inclusion of Williams and Crowe in the backs, ami eveTy man was in the position which best suited him. Blackball showed themselves to be a fast combination, but they were disorganised by Hie solid tackling of their opponents, which never gave them a proper chance to got moving. Finding that they could not break through by r mms of their l>aek c ; Bh f -kbnll mn<l n the game tight. bu J still Runanga held them Lack, in some of thp hard

est forward play seen in local games since the old Marist-Runanga struggles of several seasons back. AV. Glynn. R. Morris and Crowe did well ; n the Runanga backs and .1. Glynn, TaPentire and Medlin wore ’ perhaps the best of an even lot of hard-working forwards. J. Dodds, R. Clark am] R Neilson were the pick of the Blackball backs, while .T. ('alder. Perrin and 3lcMahon were the bes 4 ’ of a uniformly good pack. The teams were: — Runanga: Crowe, O’Connell. Speakman. Williams. Manderson, AV. Glvnn. R. Morris, R. Hart., Bolwdon. Tallentiro. Dunn. J. Glvnn. Medlin. Blackball: Bell ,Tno Anderson. AV.

Ritchie, AV. Clark, R. Clark Dodds, R. Neilson. Calder. Sumner. Berrin, McMahon, .T. Anderson. TT. Ritchie. Runanga won the toss, electing to play against the sun. but with, the slope of the ground for the first spell. Blackball soon made things lively, and hooking the ball cleanly from the scrums pressed on the Runanga line. They were driven back however, and wer n penalised in midfield, about 40 yards from their line. Speakman opened Runanga’s account with a great kick.—Runanga 2; Blackball 0 Blackball swept back, and Runanga were penalised twice in quick succession, but both John Anderson and J. Calder failed to turn fairly easy kiek s to account. Blackball continued to hold the territorial advantage, but solid tackling kept them from scoring. Dodds missed another attempt at goal. The game was fast and swilling- the only feature that fended to spoil it being a tendency by the referee to slow it up by over use of the whistle. Runanga took a turn on attack, and after Speakman had lost a great opportunity by retaining posesssion too long, Dunn sent his backs away, for AVilliams to score a fine try in the corner. Speakman failed to convert. —Runanga 5; Blackball 0. The Blackball backs swivng into action, and Dodds got over, only to be recalled for a forward pass However, Calder came through with the ball at toe and John Anderson picked up to score a good try, which he failed to convert.—Runanga 5; Blackball 3. The remainder of the first spell was Runanga’s favour, but there was no further score.

AVith the sun troubling Blackball. Runanga soon had them in difficulties. Dunn sent on to W. Glynn, to Medlin who scored a great try in a good position. Speakman converted.—Runanga 10; Blackball 3. At this s*age Blackball set up a determined offensive, and hammered at the Runanga line for a lengthy period. The tackling on both sides was exceptionally solid, and time and again Blackball players were held up on the line, and Runanga fought them back by inches. AVilliams received an injury and temporarily left the field. Runanga seemed to gain new life from the respite, and broke through. Manderson carried the ball away at his feet, and aftc?’ several of the Blackball forwards had miskickedf, he kicked hard and followed up to score under the posts. Speakman converted. —Runanga 15; Blackball 3. Although in the position of a beaten team, Blackball again hammered at the Runanga line, without avail, and eventually AV. Glynn broke through and handed on to Tallent ire, who short punted. O ’Connell ran up the line to receive, and outdistanced the opposition to score a good try. Speakman’s kick hit the post and bounced back into play.—Runanga IS; Blackball 3. Blackball came back, and several times were almost over. Dodds broke through in- a good position- and sent out to John Anderson, iwho had almost. a clear run in, but O’Connell intercepted and again proved -too fast for the opposition, running over half the length of the field to score well out. Speakman failed to convert. — Runanga. 21; Blackball 3. Blackball held the advantage in t"he closing stages, but Runanga kept them out, and the game ended without any change in the score. ( Mr J. O’Neill was referee.

NGAHERE BEAT PIRATES. At' Wingham Park. Ngahere gave evidence of definite improvement by defeating Pirates by 18 points to 8. There was a good attendance of spectators, and the game was interesting throughout. The teams were:— Pirates: Martyn, Dowling, Phalert, Bushel, Broome, Mundy, Stewart, Dowling. Walker, Halkett (2), Solomon. Anderson. Ngahere: Gibson (4), Gillman. Fox, Merritt, Weir, Farmer, Hempton, Hogg, Donaldson. Lister. Play commenced with a rattle, and the pace wag on until Ihe last few minutes of the second spell, when Pirlates weakened, the loss of two of their players, who retired with injuries, leaving them at the mercy of the

fast-moving Ngahere backs, with J. Weir their star performer. This player gave one of the finest exhibitions of live-eight play yet witnessed on Wingham Park, being at the head of every movement, and keeping his men from kicking the ball. Ngahere resorted to the passing game, and vir tually ran the Pirate rearguard off their legs. Weir was ably assisted by Parmer, Gibson and Merritt in the backs, and Fox, Gillman and Gibson in the forwards. Ngahere are- a very evenly balanced thirteen ami being all young players, are the ones expected to show most improvement. As the season goes on, they should be a big draw card for the League code. Phalert, Mundy and Fowling did yeoman work for the losers in the rearguard, and Walker, llalkett, Fowling, gave of their best' for the fowards, but • on the day, Ngahere were definitely superior. From the kick off the Ngahere fullback returned play to half-way. but a pretty p : cce of passing was spoiled by a knock-on, and Pirates won the serum. Stewart sent on to Broome, to Dowling, but Martyn, coming up to take his pass, was caught in possession. Ngahere won from the play-the-ball and forced Pirates back. Weir snapping up the leather and racing for the corner, only to be overhauled by Mundy on the line, bu', just itoo late to save a try. The try was not converted. Pirates kicked off ami Dowling broke from a tackle to put in a good run to the 25, passing to Halkett, who scored under the posts. Stewart goaled.—Pirates 5; Ngahere 3. Ngahere returned to the attack. and pressed Pirates hard in their 25, where Solomon snapped up from the forwards’ toes and sent on to Broome, to Walker, to Mundy and on to Phalert, who finished off a brilliant movement to score in the corner.—’ Pirates 8; Ngahere 3. Gibson. Farmer and Weir were combining well for Ngahere, and had the Pirates hustled to keep them out. From an infringement by Stewart. Weir raised the flags with a good kick from the side line.—Pirates 8; Ngahere 5. Ngahere were now gaining more confidenceand man for man were playing over the Pirate thirteen. Hogg received, to race down the side line, and when stopped bv Phalert. transferred to Farmer, who scored under the posts. He added the extra points Irmself. — Ngahere 10; Pirates 8. A tweak kick by Martin* from the kick off allowed the Ngahere forwards to show that they wen* a force to be reckoned with. J. Gibson pounced on the leather end sent on to Merritt. to Fox, to Gilmour, who, in racing for the line, put over a splendid scissors pass to Weir. Clapping on the pace, the five-e’-ght made no mistake, and scored in a handy position. He missed the goal. —Ngahere 13; Piratc« 8. Pirates were row showing the result of the fast pace, and Gibson had no trouble to score a gift try under the posts, for Weir to add the extra points.— Ngahere ]8- Pirates 8. From 'his to the finish Pirates hold Ngahere to the centre of the field, hut could not make any 'mpression on the defence, leaving the country team victors of their first senior game on Winghain Park. MARIST WIN EASILY. Maiust; continued on their winning fivav at Taylorville, defeating Brun ner seniors bv the large margin of 47 to 13. The Marist backs func tinned even better than they d'd against Runanga the previous Sunday A. Beban being especially brilliant. The home team, although they held Marist in the early stages, found the speed of the green backs too much for them, and on occasions they broke clean through. A. Beban once ran the whole length of the field, side-step-ping and dodging the opposition to score one of the most brilliant tries vef, seen on the Tavlorville groundDespite the one-sided nature of the scores, the game was good, from the point, of view of the standard of the I football- and kept the spectators interested. Mr F. Bernard was referee. MARIST JUNIORS WIN. Marist juniors scored a rather easy win over Pirates, at Wingham Park. Combination, speed and handling amongst the Marist hacks were the deciding factors in the defeat of the weakened Pirate thirteen. Last year’s captain, B. Casey, again turned out for Marist, and gave them added confidence to play the open game, which suited the conditions and gave them a well-merited victory bv 18 points to 9. KUMARA JUNIORS AGAIN. Kumara juniors continued on their winning way at Blackball, after a hard tussle with the home team. At

half-time the score was 13 Io 12 in favour of Kumara. In the second >|>oll, Kumara, by solid combined play brought their total to 27. while Blackball failed to score. THIRD GRADE. Playing at Wingham Park, Pirate third graders beat Brunner bv 12 points to 5- after one of the best games seen in this grade so far this season. Fast open play was the order and many of the boys in this grade sb.ow distinct promise. At Dunoliie, Runanga thirds defeated Marist by 17 points to nil. Marist commenced with several players short, and although theyj later were at full strength, Runanga gained an early lead which they found im possible to make up, and the home tram scored a clear cut victory. Mr C Purnell was referee. CHRISTCHURCH. May 11. League football results to-day were: Hornbv S, beat AVaimairi 6; Addington SG, beat—Sydenham 2; Linwood 15, beat New Brighton 8. AUCKLAND, May 11. League: Aft. Albert 22, Newton 22: Richmond (champions') beat Devonport 10/9; Ponsonby beat City 39/13. ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP. LONDON, A lav 11. Tn Iho Northern Union championship final, Swinton defeated Warrington by 14 to 3. FASTER PLAY. Leading “All Blacks” and prominent players give great praise to “O.B.” Football boots for the patented feature that protects the feet from studs on all grounds, wet and dry, and avoids “foot-fag. ” You definitely play faster in the “0.8. ” Now supplied in two weights. 23/6 at Sports Depots and Shoe. Shops. If unobtainable write O’Brien and Co., Christchurch, for nearest dealer. 5