FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18222, 16 October 1922, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

UNDER LEAGUE RULES. CHALLENGE SHIELD MATCH. CITY DEFEATS TONGARIRO. FAST AND EXCITING GAME. The second match of the season for the Challenge Shield presented by the New Zealand Rugby Football League for competition by the champion club teams of the various Leagues of the Dominion was played at Carlaw Purk on Saturday between City, of Auckland, and Tongariro, of the King Country. City won by 37 points to 14. The irame was witnessed by a fairly large attendance, the gate receipts totalling £119 Bs. The Tongariro team, which is composed of Maori players drawn from the scattered settlements o:! the King Country, has a fine record in club marches, and on Saturday thoroughly justified its right to challenge for the shield. Notwithstanding that the visitors were without the services of some of their best plftyers they gave a highly creditablo display, and showed a. knowledge of the true League cod© that is rarely manifested Iby the leading club teams playing in the Auckland League competitions. They handled the ball and tackled in great style, and were. always dangerous. The coneluding scores give no indication of the merits of the respective teams. Halfway through the second spell the visitors had the City players fighting for their lives, and to many it iseemed as if the coveted trophy would find a homo in the Kins: Country for the ensuing year. Just as City appeared to be crumplirig under the. sustained attack of the visitors, Wetberall, the City fiveeighths, by brilliant individual efforts turned the tide of the game by scoring two tries in quick succession. Those scores appeared to be the tonic required by. the City backs, who afterwards combined in brilliant style and gradually increased their lead. Though defeated. th« visitors showed somo fine football and eliould develop into a. champion team. ... _, Tfce Run of the Play.

Tli© visitors opened with * passing bout from the kick-off, but Paki retaliated for City with a fine dash down the line- From a. scrum in front of the Tongariro goal the vieitora were penalised, and Crowtner kicked an easy goal. City 2, Tonganro 0. A neat passing bout gained ground for the visitor*, but the City forwards broke awav with * rush to centre. After some forward play Mitchell sent the ball out to the City backs, and Wilson, taking a pass from Wetherall, cut through in great style. He sent a long pass out to Hadley. but the latter failed to take the barr", and a chance to coore wai» lost. A free kick gained ground for the visitors and a forward rush reached the Citv twenty-five. Good, hard play followed, the visitors tackling in fine style and preventing the Citv backs from combining. Eventually Mitchell sent the ball out to Wetherall. who broke through, and, outpacing itui opposition, scored near the comer. G. Davidson failed to convert. City 5. Toncariro o. Almost immediately afterwards the City barks combined in a fine scoring movement. Wilson fielded a long kick at centra and transferred to Wetherall. The latter sent on to B. Davidson, who cut aoross the field and passed to Townsend, who scored. Crowtner failed to convert. City 8, Tonganro 0. Exciting play in midfield followed. City broke awa.jr and Wilson almost dashed through, being tackled in front of the Tongariro goal. Citv made strenuous efforts to pierce the defence, but the Tonganro tackling proved sound. For the visitors, Pau and Thompson broke away and took the ball to centre. A good passing run by the Tonganro backs just failed to score, a knock-on npoiling a fine chance. Keeping up the pressure the visitors were almost over, but Roremoana, after beating the batiks, slip-ned as he swerved, and lost a certain try. The City forwards broke away with the ball at foot, and Mitchell. - picking up, passed to McDermott. who sent on to Mackie. who scored The same player converted. City 13, Tongariro- 0. , Spurred by th* reverse, the visitors played up in fine style. A succession of passing bsuts kept City penned and Springall, picking up. dashed over and scored. Takirau failed with the shot at goal. Citv 13. Tongariro 8. After a period of midfield, t>lay the Torwtariro backs again got moving. H. Pau finishing & fine effort by scorine at the corner. Takirau failed to convert. The spell ended with the scores:

City .. .. ~ ~ «. 13 Tongariro .. .. •. .. 6 Upon resuming the visitors broke- away to the City twenty-five, but good work by the City backs drove the invaders back. City were penalised, and Springall had a fruitless shot at goal. Wilson fielded the kick And started a paesing bout. The ball went into play at centre, and M. Pau, making a fine opening., sent on to Taia. who raced behind the City goal- H. Pau converted. City, 13; Tongariro. 11. Play was fast from the kick-out, with the City backs throwing the ball about well. Mitchell sent out to Wetherall, who passed to Wilson-. The latter made ground and s<mt on to B. Davidson. Pakj took the final pass and scored at the corner. Wetherall foiled to convert. City, 16: Tongariro. 11. Good passing by the visiting backs threatened the City line. Several times a breach was almost made in the defence, but good tackling prevented a score. The City forwards eventually cleared with a rush. Play hung in midfield fill the City backs broke away. Paki being sent into touch at the Tongariro twenty-five. A fine counter-rush swept down the field. J. Pine sending the ball into touoh at the corner. From the onsuing scrum Hamu picked up .and dashed over the City line. Springall failed to eonvert. City. 16: Tongariro, 14. • Strenuous play followed the kick-out, both sides throwing the ball about welL The tinkling was sure, however, and neitner side was abhe to get . far. The visitors lost a fine chance through Thompson failing to take a pass. Then B. Davidson made ground with a bustling run. He was tackled and the ball went out to Paki, who passed to Wetherall, the latter scoring at the corner. Crowther failed to convert. City. 19: minutes Wetherall, taking a, pa*s from Mitchell, broke through the opposition and scored behind the posts. Mackie .converted. City. 24: Tonwriro. 14. Hard play in midfield followed neither Bide beinc able to combine effectively. The Pau brothers. Taia, and Rereraoana were responsible for some fine work, and were continually dangerous. Eventually the City back* tnrned defence into attack,, and Fata. B. Davidson, and Wilson combining in a fine nm. the last-named scored at the corner. B. Davidson failed to convert. City. ■27 Tongariro, 14. , . ~ The City backs, were much m evidence during the remaining few minutes of play, B Davidson srorin* two tries, which were converted by Hawkes and Mackie respectively. The game thus ended with the scores: City ?? Tonganro ■ • • ** .

JUNIOR GAMES. Second Grade.—Manukau and. Mangere played a draw, neither side scoring-

MORRISON SHIELD. The final game for the Morrison Shield was contested at Carlaw Park on Saturday between the Herax!) team and a team from the Combined Printers. After a, close and exoitimr same the Herald won by 5 Points to 0. C Wiggins, scored a try and converted it for the winners. , THE RUGBY GAME JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVES. A match was played on Saturday between the Auckland junior representatives-and a St. Heliers-Kohimarama combined team. The junior representatives won by 6 points to 0 after a fairly even contest. CADET CHALLENGE MATCH. The challenge match between the 24th and 25th Mount Eden Cadet Companies that was fixed to be played at Avondale on Saturday was won by the 24th Company by default. TRADES MATCH AT HAMILTON. [BS TELEGRAPH. —OWN COBRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON. Saturday. At Rugby yesterday Printera beat Grocers by 14 to 3. THAMES CUP FINAL. WON BY THE CITY CLUB. [BT TBL»OBAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES, Saturday. The final match {or the season was played to-day between the City and College Old coys' Clubs and resulted in a win for Cjty by 11 to 6. City thus wins the Rugby Union Cup by 1 point.