RUGBY FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19455, 11 October 1926, Page 15

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

GRAMMAR WINS CHARITY CUP PONSONBY'S FIRST REAL DEFEAT ] ELEVEN POINTS TO SIX. Tho unexpected occurred at. the ShowJrrounds on Saturday when Grammar Old .Boys, runners-tip iv the club championship, defeated Ponsonby, the senior champions, in the match for (he Charity Cup. by II points to G. Ponsonby represented by a -weakened team, had been beaten several -times in tho Pollard Cup competition, including a. sensational one-point victory bv University before Ponsonby's ranks had been seriously thinned. However. Saturday's loss was the first- suffered by i> fullyjepresenjativo Ponsonby fifteen this season. The weather resolved tho game into a forward battle. Tho packs were evenly niatchd and gavo a splendid exhibition. Tho Ponfonby backs also tried to open up tho Same as. much as possible, but Grammar played an effective spoiling game, a policy -which largely accounted for tho team's success. Quickly running on two tries. Ponsonby appeared to have the game well within its grasp when tho first ouarter ended. There after, however. Grammar played with greater dash and spirit, and attacked coring ouit.e three-quarters of tho remainder of the game. 'A crowd of about '2OOO watched tho game. Although tho Charity Cup was at. Ffake. tho proceeds of tho match were not. in aid of charity,, a game for that purpose having been staged about, two months ago. Tho opening stages of the gamo were in •favour of Grammar. Monteith made a swift run down tho side-line. but was checked in time, and Ponsonby cleared. Hook led a looso rush to Grammar's line, but ho could not get the ball nnd Grammar forced. Then Cammick cut through prettily and Lucas scored well out. Mc.Williams' kick failed. Ponsonby, 3; Grammar. 0. Cammick was prominent again, but his Tmss a few yards from tho line was not accepted. Again the Ponsonby backs opened out, but Lucas failed to field a high pass when ho had only to fall over tho lino to scoro. The first, quarter ended with Ponsonby leading by 3 r>oints to 0. Early in the second spell Knight, left wing-threequarfer for Ponsonby, broke away nnd ran round to scoro behind the posts. McMamis missed an easy kick. Ponsonby, C: Grammar. 0. The Grammar forwards pressed hotly in Ponsonby"? line, and Knight almost scored, but Grammar was penalised. Ponsonby bad to force a minuto later. Once more the Grammar forwards swept- to Ponsonby's line and Batty was unlucky to miss scoring. Perseverance was rewarded shortly afterwards, however, when Knight swept, up the ball and made an irresistible run for the line. Badeley'a kick missed. Ponsonby, C Gramnrar, 3. The Grammar forwards were infusing splendid dash into their play. Batty being continually conspicuous. A kick by Lucas rebounded from a Grammar man and Batty slipped through for a good try, which Badeley converted. Half-time sounded shortly afterwards with the scores: Grammar, 3; Ponsonby, G. Ponsonby forced the play on resuming nnd Grammar had a spell on defence. Onco Hogg crossed the line, but was recalled for offside play. Then Cammick made a dazzling run through, but was caught right on tho line, and he lost tho ball. Exciting moments followed as Ponsonby, both backs and forwards, broke away in a sparkling burst of passing, but tho movement was stayed by a bad... pass. , Grammar raised tho siege, and a dribbling rush carried play into Ponsonby's quarter. Badeley, with a splendid kick, kept Grammar on. the attack and tho goal posts shooK as the Grammar forwards tried to crash their way across Ponsonby made a sudden attack* and Badeley was found wanting, (Jrammar being lucky to force down Grammar, however, returned to the attack, ftrid hammered away at the Ponsonby line. Grammar still led by 8 points to b at the end of the third quarter. Tho O-rammar forwards swept down to tho Tonsonby line after the final change over, and Ponsonby passed back to save, 1' rom a scrum under the posts McMairua#cleared well. The Grammar backs were doing etiective spoiling work and Diamond was lucky to force after Grammar had broken through. Then Cornes burst through well, cut in prettily, and atfer n strong run nas.sed to Ifwersen. who completed a splendid movement. with a try. Badeley's kick missed. Grammar, 11; Ponsonby, 6. Grammar was playing the last ct.in.tcr with the advantage of a stiff breeze and continued to do tho greater portion of the attacking. Bevendge and Cammick raised the hopes of Ponsonby's supporters with a good passing rush, but. tne advantage was not pushed home, and fimo sounded with the score-s: Grammar, 11: Ponsonby, THIPD INTERMEDIATE GRADE. The third intermediate grade is now the o;ilv Rugby competition still uncompleted. Parnell has won tho. A section, and Gra.ton and Ponsonby met in the semi-final or tne B section on Saturday. Grafton won by 3 points (an unconverted try) to 0, after a splendid wet-weather game, in which both sides threw the ball about attractively. CAME AT ROTORUA. VICTORY FOR AUCKLAND TEAM. TELEGRAPH. —OWN* CORRESPONDENT.] ROTORUA, Sunday. I»i a Rugby match yesterday the Auckland Marist Brothers senior team defeated a Rotorua team by 19 points to I'2. Great interest was taken .in tho game, it nein# the first match against an Auckland team for some time. The teams were:— Marist. Brothers.—Cornthwaite. Lott, Prankiln. Walsh. Bradanovich. Mwro. Kirk. Butler. Maher. Scott, ..Keary, Noakca, Conrtenay, Nicholson. Brodick. Kotorua.—Hinton, Papune, Harrison, Whakane. ,J. Morris, Watkins. 1 nomas, Royal, P&rakuka, Mason, Honehone, Wallace, Peacock, Kichards, Barry. Rotorua won the toss and played against the wind. In the first ten mmutes the game was even, players keeping the ball at their feet. Bradanovich scored from a pass by Butler and a goal resulted Rotorua was awarded a free kick and Royal landed a goal. From a line-out ! Auckland secured the ball and passed back, but quick work on Rotorua s part kept the game in Auckland's twenty-five. Irom a scrum at the corner Kotorua got the ball, but it was' too greasy. All. Auckland player then got away and ran right, through the opposing team, when flonehone, coming up fast, stopped him. Play kept, in midfield until just on halftime, when Maher got possession and passed to Courtenay, who got a try be-. tween the posts. Bradanovich convortmg. Auckland. 10: Rotorua. 3. On resuming play was even lor a time. Rotorua then got, away with the ball at their feet, and only good play by Auckland stopped what seemed a. certain score Richards for Rotorua was prominent. Kotorua kept Auckland defending in their twentyfive. A rush on Auckland's part, saw them over, only to be brought back for offside plav". Auckland afeain got busy and i crossed the line. The try was disallowed. The game continued to be a strenuous one until the last quarter Walsh got, going and potted a goal. Auckland agairi scored and Bradanovich converted.. The heme team followed up well and Mason scored. Royal's kick falling short. A good rally on Rotorua's part secured another try. but Morrison's kick failed. Prom a foiward rush Barry got the hall and scored the fins! try, which was not converted Auckland, 10: Kotorua, 12. THE TAUT! ANO A UNION. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. TAURANGA. Saturday. A large number of footballers and supporters of the Rugby game attended a social function at Mount Matinganui, when Mr. J. A. Jordan, president of the Tanning,". Rugby Union, presented A. T. Doidge, captain of the Mount Matinganui Club, with the Oliver Cup. This cup was won by the Mount, team in the junior competition. A medal for the best back in the team was presented to A. Doidge. and a. medal for tfio best, forward to J. Thompson. GAME AT TAURANGA. [tit TELEGRAM. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] - TAURANGA, Saturday. A Rugby match, was played here this afternoon between a team composed ot Public Works Department employees and one from the Matata district. Rain fell throughout the gK-me and tho play was H practically confined to forwards. Victory went tn the Tauranga team by f> points to 3 Tries for Tauranga were registered by Bishopriek nnd Parsons. Black scored for Matata.

MANUKAU V. PATUMAHOE. A friendly game between tho Manukau Rovers senior team and Patumahoe was plsyed at. Onehunga on Saturday, a keenly contested game ending in Manukau's favour by 1G points, to 11. Both sides, especially in the sec&nd half, gave attractive displays of open Rugby. Manukau led by 5 points to 0 at half-time, and added 3 more points early in tho second spell. Rallying well, the Waikato team evened the scores at 8 all. Manukau appeared to b;- in better condition and again took the lend with two more tries, one of which was cot:verted. In the dying stages of the game the visitors added an unconverted try, making tho final scores: Manukau, 16; I'atumahoe, 11. CHURCH TEAMS AT PLAY. A Rugby football match between W.Y.M.I, and tho Methodist -Bible Class Union was played at the Outer Domain on Saturday, W.Y.M.I. won by 1G points (threo tries, two converted, and a penalty goal) to 8 (two fries, one converted). TUAKAU ODDFELLOWS WIN. [Bl- TF.I.EG ft A Ptl. —OWN" CORRESPONDENT. I TUAKAU. Saturday. A Rugby match between teams representing the Paeron and Tuaknu Oddfellows was played here this afternoon. Tuakau won by 11 to 3. AS SOP! AT lON FOOTBA lh. TWO INTERESTING GAMES. PLAY UNDER DIFFICULTIES. / Two interesting Association football matches were played at Blandford Park on Saturday, when there was a fair attendance of spectators. The wet weather made good football difficult, but what the Knmes lacked in science was compensated for by the exciting run of play. Swanson and 8 Onehunga met in the final of the third grade knock-out competition, Swanson winning by threo nvials to one. Swanson played with more finish, and toward the close Onehunga was almost constantly on tho defence. The business houses representative team played a drawn gamo. against the Auckland junior representative team, the score being two gonls'eacli. The juniors scored first as the result of good work by Drew and Pugh. A misunderstanding between Baker and Neesham gave Drew his chance and he shot a good goali Macdonald equalised the scores after Low had made a run and centred. The business houses team showing clever combination, pressed hotly and Guthrie beat. Craxton on a well-placed corner by Low. , Business Houses led by two goals to one at the interval. The juniors opened the second half with an attack on the left, and Griffiths narrowly missed with a long shot. Following midfield play Drew essayed a long shot,. Hardy only partially saved and Holmes ran in to score the equalising goal. Business houses fought uardv to regain the lead. Guthrie at close range sent, in a shot which went just ovor the bar. There was no further scoring, and the game ended with honours even. JUNIOR COMPETITIONS. Sixth Grade.—Comrades A. 4, beat Belmont, 1. Seventh Grade.— Comrades A. 1. beat Y.M.C.A., 0..