RUGBY FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19625, 2 May 1927, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

OPENING OF THE SEASON. EASY WIN FOR PONSONBY. CLOSE SCORES IN OTHER GAMES. The opening of tho 1927 Rugby season in Auckland on Saturday could not have taken place under better conditions. It was an ideal day for football, and the playing areas were in fine order after the recent rain. Considering that it was the first round of matches, somo bright flashes of play vero witnessed in some games, although for long periods the standard displayed was dull and uninteresting. ® Fonsonby, last season's champion team, showed good form in running up a large score against College Rifles, gaining tho biggest margin of points in thg day's play. Training College, although beaten by Grammar Old Boys, made a fairly good showing for a first appearance in the senior A ranks. Both Marist and University were extended in defeating North Shore, and Grafton respectively in closescoring games. Following are tho results of senior A matches: — Fonsonby, 28, v. College Rifles, 5. Grammar Old Boys, 11, v. Training College, 3. Marist, 14, v. North Shore, 32. University, 11, v. Grafton, 8." FONSONBY SCORES WELL. Superior team-work and the ability to take udvantago of its opponents' mistakes enabled Ponsonby to detent College Rifles by 28 points to 5. Flay for a good part of. the game was confined to tho forwards, although, at times, both sets of backs executed some pretty passing rushes. Both sides opened by bringing tho rearguards into action. Ponsonby gaining the most advantage. Pelham tried a "gruober'' kick, which was charged down. A host of College Rifles forwards was on tho mark and. dribbling over. Teapo pounced on the ball. Gillespie converted with a good kick. McManua obtained possession from a scrum and dummied several of tho opposition to make a good opening, but a forward pass spoiled the movement, Ponsonby kept up the attack and after a loose rush. Woods picked up and dashed over at the corner flag. Short converted with a fine kick. The first quarter ended with the scores:— College Rifles. 5: Ponsonby. 5. A minute after the second quarter had commenced Johnson received a knock on tho shoulder and a stoppago was called. Up and down play followed, and once College Rifles had an opportunity from a penalty, but Wilson's kick fell short. Then Pilling made a dash down tho touch-line, bis pass going astray. Johnson cut in nicely and went within an ace of scoring, being brought down inches from the line. Ponsonby soon carried play back and, when in a good utlackiriE position, off-side play nullified its efforts. Several Ponsonby rearguard passing bouts were spoiled through selfish play, but eventually Lucas went ouiside the wing-threequarter and ran right round. Short easily converted. At half-time the score was:—Ponsonby, 10; College Rifles. 5. A bright _ dash by Sheen was a feature of the opening stages after half-time. Sheen went into first, five-eighths. Johnson to necond and Wilson to fullback. Lucas broke through brilliantly and, after running strongly, kicked over Wilson's head. Tonkin gathered the ball on the bounce and ran round behind the posts unopposed. Short again converted. Immediately afterwards, in another rush. Cammick cut in and transferred to Tonkin, who raced in at the corner. Short failed with the kick. Play continued, to be bright, both sides throwing the ball about in good style. PonBonby. however, displayed more finish to its movements. Another passing rush saw Fleet take the ball from Lucas and race behind the posts. Short a ided the major points. McCarthy went off injured toward the end of this spell, which ended with the score:—Ponsonby, 23; College Rifles, -5. Ponsonby always held tha advantage in the fourth quarter, and Lucas notched another try. which Short converted. College Rifles had a greftt opportunity to score m one oocasion, but were badly fooled by Lucas. The game ended with tho score:— Ponsonby, 28: College Rifles, 5. A ra'gged display. Eleven points to three fairly represents the difference between the scores in the Grammar Old Boys-Training College match, which was played as a curtain-raiser at Eden Park. Play at no period was of a high standard, Matheson being responsible for the only bright patches by commencing good movements, which generally went begging through mishandling. Dropped passes and knock-ons occurred with monotonous regularity. Bagged and uninteresting play marked the opening stages. The only score in the first quarter was a try by Hook. From loose plav in midfield McCarthy shot the bailout to Hook, who cut in and side-stepped the fullback to scoro under the posts. Singleton converted.—Grammar Old Boys. 5; Training College, 0. After somo indecisive kicking in the eecond quarter. Matheson obtained possession. _ and, making a good run, beat the opposition by a _ reverse pas,s to Anderson. The ball went in again to Foote. out to Matheson and then oil to Kelly, wing-three-quarter, for a fine try. Matheson failed to convert. At half-time the score was:— Grammar Old Brys. 5: Training College. 3. Play in the third quarter continued to bo •omewhat ragged.. attempts to open Hip the play by either side being smothered by quick breaking up by the forwards. Then the Training Collego rearguard came away in a pretty passing bout, and Matheson almost scored. After keeping up the pressure Training College was thrown on the defensive bv a breakaway by Williams. He passed to Wheelan, who lost possession, but Knight dribbled on to score wide out. Singleton failed with the kick. The third quarter ended with the score: —Grammar Old Boys. S: Training College. 3. Immediately on onening the fourth quarter Ba!ty caught tho fullback in possession right under the costs, and parsing by tne Grammar, rearguard saw Williams go over in a bright dash. Singleton's kick ■w*s poor. Grammar attacked for almont >he remainder of the spell, but there was ii(> further score, tho result being:—Grammar Old Boys, 11: Training College, 3. HARROW WIN FOR UNIVERSITY. Bright bursts of play, in which fortunes fluctuated freely, marked match at die Show Grounds, in which University de>feated Grafton by 11 points to 8. Jhe »oore reflected fairly accurately the difference between tho teams. University led throughout, but a final rally by Grafton left tho issue in doubt until tho end. University made njoro use of its backs, opening up the game whenever possible. Grafion's strength was ill the pack, although tne backs shone out in several good movements. There was more combination .in tho University team, however, and the students blso had the run of luck in extricating themselves from awkward positions. Grafton swept to the attack early in the Kanie. Harg reaves leading the forwards m n spirited rush that fully tested tho University defence. The University backs then opened out in several promising movements, but Olsen's passing was at fault, and the wing men. Freeman and McLeod e<ich lost chances of scoring. Miller marked and attempted a kick at goal from the sideline. The ball fell slightly short. but Mathias dashed in to score. Butler's kick failed and tho, quarter ended with the «core:—University. 3: Grafton. 0. Tho Grafton forwards resumed in, .fine style, sweeping play right to tho University line. Three penalty kicks, all. from fair positions, wero not turned to account. The University forwards retaliated with ;> spirited attack, Brooker leading a loose rush in which the backs joined in. and a bright passing bout ended in Jenkin dashing across. Butler's kick failed. Short or afterwards Ruru initiated a movement whu'h swept through tho University ranks ana glided in Lawrence flooring under the posts. Lawrence goaled, making the hali-tmie score:—University. 6: Grafton. 5. F.arlv in the third quarter University 'nfreased its lead. The ball went trom the forwards to the backs, and Olsen and McLeod had only Locke, the Grafton fullback, to beat. McLeod scored at the corner and Butler kicked a fine poal. The remainder »f the quarter was in , Grafton a favour. Lawrence missed a ridiculously eany kick in front of the posts, the ball not rising. The Grafton forwards attacked hotly, lence and Farmer both Deing unlucky to miss scoring. C'ashmore. who played a solid game "throughout, brought relief to University after a strenuous tnssle. and "the third quarter ended _with the score: "University. 1] : Grafton, 5. . University strove hard at the beginning of the fin.il snell to increase its lea"I. t reeman and McLeod each made spirited bids •for tries, but wero stopped short o. success, The came became stragglv. huv a fast pace wa.'i maintained. In the dyin„ stages the Grafton forwards launched a 3oose rush, which ended in Mi:pro scoring. Lawrence's kick missed. Gratton ated the remaining few minutes oi plaj. ' m could not score again, and the game aide . —•University, 11: Grafton. 8AN EXCITING FINISH. Korlh Shore, playing its fcrat the senior A grade, was defeated bj Mama Wll points to 32 at Devonport. x ■ same wis keenly contested throughout and had an exciting fiuish. Marist sconut. - » «>nniujr try in tho dying B.aeea of t'aine.

Early in the Kama North Shore was twice penalised, but, Stewart failed with both kicks. From a scrum in • midfield North Shore attacked and Holmes dashed through for a try. Reid failed to convert. Marist made repeated efforts to break away, but tho tackling of the North Shore backs checked them. The first quarter ended with tho score:—North Shore, 3; Marist, 0. Piay was fairly even at the commenceliiejit, of the neat quarter. From a scrum StAip© secured the ball and passed to Wright, who returned it. enabling Stoupe to force down. Loft converted. with a siilendid kick. Just before half-time Loft increased the visitors' total by kicking a penalty goal, making the score :~Marist. 8; North Shore, 3. A brilliant break-through by Loft early in the third quarter resulted in another try for Ma ist, *but it was not converted. From that stago North Shore's play showed a considerable improvement, and Marist was kept on tho defence. Johnson dropped a tine field goal, and Reid scored unopposed near the posts, Johnson converting. This gave North Shore a lead of l l > points to 11 at the close of the third quarter. Marist recaptured the lead in the final quarter, Loft scoring another try. The kick at goal rebounded from the posts. Excitement was keen in the closing stages, but neither side could increase its total, and the final score was:—Marist, 11: North Shore. 12. SENIOR B GRADE. City defeated University B in a hardfought game at Eden Park by 18 points to 8. For the winners. Fell, Heard, Barnes and Jacobs scored tries and Jacobs kicked two penalty goals. Dickson scored a try far the losers, Stehr converting, aad Lamb kicked a penalty goal. Technical College Old Boys defeated Tramways in an open and interesting game by I<> pouits to 3. For Technical Miller (2). McMiken and Ainsley scored tries, two of which were converted by Keane. McKay kicked a goal from a penalty for Tramways. Superior combination in the back division enabled Manukau to beat Nev.-ton, at Onehunga, by 19 points to 0. Tries were scored by Albion (2), Denize, Rata and Lipsconibe. tho latter converting two.