RUGBY FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19957, 28 May 1928, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. GRAMMAR DEFEATED BY CITY. UNIVERSITY BEATS MANUKAU. The fifth series of matches in the Auckland Rugby Union's senior championship was played on Saturday. The weather whs very cold, a biting easterly blowing all the afternoon. About four o'clock a drizzling rain set in, and the second spells of the later games were played with a wet ball. This was the first occasion this season when wet conditions prevailed. In a close game on No. 1 ground at Eden Park at 1.30 p.m., the improving City team created a surprise by narrowly defeating Grammar Old Boys whose forwards did not play with the same dash as in the previous week. The succeeding game between University and Manukau was also very keenly contested, University winning by reason of the fact that the backs had more finish than their opponents. On No. 2 ground Ponsonby scored an easy win over College Rifles. With its full team in the field again, except Jeffries, Marist defeated Grafton comfortably on No. 3 ground. Following upon its vacation Training College put up a good fight at North Shore, succumbing to the home team by the narrow margin of a penalty goal. Following are the results of the matches:— City, 11, Grammar Old Boys, 10. University, 11 Manukau, 6. Ponsonby, 25, College Rifles, 6. Marist, 16, Grafton, 8. North Shore, 3, Training Coliege, 0. The following table shows the positions cf the teams to date Points. <;hp. Team. W. L. D. F. Ag._ Pts. Ponsonby . .. 5 University ..311 09 47 7 Marist .. -.. 3 2 109 109 37 6 City .. .. 3 2 Grammar 0.8. ..221 51 57 5 Manukau .. ..22 Grafton . . .. 1 3 1 53 81 3 Korth Shore -..13 1 3G 52 3 Training Col. •.» 1 3 College Rifles .. 1 4 CITY V. GRAMMAR. Grammar Old Boys monopolised play at •the start of the game against City. The forwards took the ball dcwnfiela, and it wa* sent out by Menzies to tne clicks, OWa scoring between the posts. P. Skelton converted. Soon afterwards Grammar increased its early lead. At the end of _a fine passing rush Olsen cut infield. He passed to McCarthy, who sent on to P. Skelton, who scored between the posts and converted his try. Grammar continued to attack, but fine defensive worn by Jacobs and Kerr-Taylor saved any further score. Playing with the wind. City showed considerable improvement in the second epell. Fell all but scored after an opening by Jacobs. Grammar returned, and a magnificent tackle bv Kerr-Taylor brought down Olsen after Skelton had made a fine opening. Then City attacked, and McElwain ran strongly for the line, jugglinii with the ball, but dropped it when he had а. clear field. However, CrooK kicked through and C. Fletcher dived ever. His kick struck the upright. Several glaring instances of offside play passed unnoticed, but just before half-time Potter was penalised. and C. Fletcher missed an easy kick. Grammar pressed at the opening of the second half, but City was playing well against the wind. Crook cut through and passed to Ilwerson. who made a brilliant opening:, only to see McElwain drop a pass. Xear the end of the spell Grf-mmar was penalised, and Herd kicked a goal, reducing Grammar's lea dto four points Ihe final spell opened with the City backs and forwards throwing t' r, e ball about and driving Grammar's lead to four points. J he After o proloneed attack. Bell, who had been playing fine football, dived over at the corner. All depended oil the kick, and Herd, with a magnificent, goal from the sideline. placed City a point ahead. Grammar made several attacks, but City had the better of the spell, the game ending with City winning by 11 points to 10. Mr. C. "Webb was referee. UNIVERSITY V. MANUKAU. The game opened in lively fashion. Jlanukau had the assistance of the wind, and the first ten minutes play took place in University's territory. Rata and \\ atene had shots at goal for Manukau from a penalty and mark respectively. A fine run by Macintosh took play to nearly haltwav. and in a succeeding passing bout the international was well tackled by Falwasser. The Manukau forwards returned, and in a passing rush Watene handed to Falwasser, but the latter was ruled offside. Sturmey and Falwasser both had fruitless shots lrom penalties. When a Manukau passing rush broke down, X. C. Jenkin picked tip ana dashed through. He was hau.ed down near the line, but the forwards dribbled the ball over, and J. .Tenkin scored. N. C. Jenkin converted. Soon after the teams changed ends N. C. Jenkin again broke through. He was obstructed, but missed the penalty shot, the ball rolling just as he kicked it. Macintosh made a strong run. and got within a few yards of the goal, but a scrum penalty gave Manukau_ relief. Blakey. the University fullback, injured his knee, and hnd to retire, being replaced by Bush. Half-time was called with the •cores: University. 5; Manukau, , Manukau attacked on resuming but bad passing and fumbling lost ground. Bush made a fine clearance. i;nd then the University forwards, headed by Black, made a great dribbling run. Linton narrowly missed a try. but Black, who wan handy fell on the ball. Bush made a good attempt at. goal from a difficult .angle. It whj Manukau'o turn now. Watene kicked high into an op.m space, and, following up last, he beat. Bush to the ball. A loose rush developed, and Housham scored at the corner Rata failed at goal. The Manukau back division had undergone a slight Alteration. Falwasser came in from tho iiring to second five-eighths, Sturmey moving out to centre, and Watene to the wing. This made an improvement in the back combination. Albon narrowly missed a try, being pushed into touch a couple of yards from the corner. A scrum followed the line-out,, and Golding took the .ball over near the corner. Rata's kick failed. There was a difference of but a* the teams changed over for the final 20 minutes. Sturmey missed a penalty shot, the ball falling beneath the bar. Minns dribbled through, but Falwasser saved with a brTTliant run. in which he beat three or four opponents. Manukau was making strenuous efforts to rain the le_ad. Falwssner kicked the ball past Bush, but the fullback, with the assistance of Macintosh, got to the ball in time to check the rush. Watene was penalised for tackling n, player ■without the hall, and Bush kicked a fine goal from wide out beyond the twenty-nve. Harris, the Mantikau fullback, retired w'tn a leg injury ehortlv before time was called wiht the scores: University, 11; ManukflU, б. Mr. G. Peace was referee. MARIST V. GRAFTON. Driving rain marred the game between Marist and Grafton, which, in the early stages, gave promise of being a spectacular encounter. Play was very fast, both sides attacking in turn, until good handling by the' Marist back 3 saw Johnson score in the corner. The kick failed. Finlayson and Wanoa led the Grafton forwards in a counter-attack, and from a line-out in the Marist twenty-five Hargreaves sent out a long pass. Turei gathered the ball well and Bcored. The kick failed, and tne ncores were level. Pitiful attempts at tackling by the Grafton backs saw Marist regain the lead in the second spell. Loft and Johnson both scored ridiculously easy tries by running right through the Grafton defence, Stewart converted Johnson's try and gave Marist a lead of eight points. It was left to the Grafton forwards to ret.alifife, and just before half-time Noakea and Finlayson bustled Cornthwaite. Finlayson secured the ball and dashed over. Paewai Soaled, and Marist led. il—B. On resumption, heavy rain caused the game to degenerate into a forward scramble with individual efforts by the backs. Wright was playing a fine game behind the Marist scrum. Twice Turei nearly scored for Grafton, but Marist returned to the attack when Loft, kicked through and Stoupe followed up fast to score. Peters kicked an easy goal. From then on the Grafton forwards made strenuous efforts to score, but the Marist defence was eciufil to the occasion, and the game ended with Maruit victorious by 16 points to 8. Mr. F. E. Sutherland was referee. PONSONBY Y. COLLEGE RIFLES. College Rifles attacked immediately, and had Ponsonby penned in its twenty-five. Wilson nearly went over, and a penalty immediately afterwards saw the same player miss an easy kick., Ponsonby carried play back, and R. Hcok obtained poaand flashed over the line. The kick failed. Ponsonby was monopolising the flay, the backs attacking repeatedly. amieson intercepted and scored between the posts, converting his try. McCartlmy ppened up play at half-way and Charlea fin-

ished the movement by scoring wide out. The kick failed. The Ponsonby forwards came away with the ball at their feet, sweeping right over College Rifles' line, where Corleti dived for the ball and scored. A good kick by Berridge foil short. Halftime was called with the scores: Ponsonby, 14; College Rifles, 0. Immediately after resumption of play the Ponsonby backs swung into action, every player handling the ball cleanly. Jamieson eventually finished off the movement by 6coring in the corner. The kick failed. College Rifles now took a hand, aud from a loose scrum on the line S. Soutar forced his way across. Wilson failed with a good kick. Ponsonby attacked once more, and McCarlliny scored. Jamieson kicked a good goal from wide out. In tho dying stages of the game Webber shot over from a syds. scrum, mak ing the College Rifles' total 6. Fleet retaliated for Ponsonby. and the game ended; Ponsonby, .25; College Rifles, C. Captain J. G. C. Wales was referee. NORTH SHORE'S FIRSX WIN. In a happy-go-lucky game, which did not have any material bearing on the senior championship, North Shore, playing on its own ground, defeated Training College by 3 points, a penalty goal, to 0. Both teams were below strength, and the game was bright without being brilliant. The first quarter revealed little difference between the teams, the stiff wind causing play to fluctuate rapidly from end to end of the field. Once Butler, the Training College fullback, set his backs going in a promising movement, which Holmes intercepted, but he failed to turn tho opportunity into points by in-passing when he had a royal chance to score himself. The students staged another bright passing bout toward the close of the quarter, but a forward pass near the line robbed them of a score. There was no score when the teams changed over. A spirited attack by the home 'earn had Training College in difficulties, and Lynch actu i/lly crossed the line, but play was recalled for a prior infringement. Then Stokes took a penalty kick in a good position and goajed. A minute later D'Authreau had the chance to kick another goal for North Shore, but he threw the opportunity to tho winds by attempting a short punt for a try. Just before half-time Graham brought the visitors to the attack, but a pass miscarried. The interval came with North Shore leading by 3 points to 0. A rain squall which raged for the greater part .of the second half made the ground treacherous. The Training College backe made determined efforts to break through. Hill being prominent in one or two bright movements. Butler was doing good Raving work, and North Shore could not get past him. In the final quarter Graham burst through, the referee mipsing a forward pass, and crossed between the posts, but three North Shore tacklers prevented him from grounding the hall. In the five-yards scrum which followed North Shore cleared. Training College dominated the dying stages of the game, but could not break through the defence, and the whistle blew with the scores: North Shore, 3: Tnining College, 0. Mr. J. Sweeney was referee. LOWER GRADE RESULTS. Following are the results of games in the lower grades:— Senior B Grade.—Tramways, 19. Newton. 5; Technical Old Boys, 15, Suburbs, 13; H.M.S. Dunedin won by default from University. Second Grade.—City Council. 29. Manukau, 6; Ponsonby. 20, Hauraki, 3; Grammar, 12, Parnell, 6: Marist, 15, University B, 7; Grafton, 6, Eden. 0. Third Grade.—College Rifles, 15, Kohimarama A, 0; Ponsonby, 11, Otahuhu, 3; Kingsland. 5, Marathon, 3; Kohimarama B, 3, St. Heliers, 0; Newton, 16. Grafton. 3; Parnell, 26. Marathon, 6; Suburbs, 24. Edendale. 3; Grammar, 19. Eden, 10; Penrose, 6. North Shore. 5; Eden, 36, Grafton, 0; University, 8. Papatoetoe, 6; North Shore, 14. H.M.S. Dunedin, 5. Fourth Grade.—Dilworth, 9. City, 3; Kingsland. 12, Penrose, 6; Marist, 30. Marathon. 5; Manukau. 0. Technical Old Boys, 0; Grafton, 14, North Shore, 0: Suburbs, 9, Manurewa, 0; Eden. 26, Parnell, 3; Ponsonby. 12, Post and Telegraph, 0; Technical Old Boys, 0. Manukau, 0. Fifth Grade.—Suburbs. 11, City, 0. Sixth Grade.—Ponsonby, 31, Suburbs, 0; Kingsland. 11, Marathon, 0; Papatoetoe,' 9, Ellerslie. 0. Seventh Grade.—Manukau. 17, Eden, 3; Kohimarama, 8, Parnell, 3; Otahuhu, 6, North Shore B. 0; Marist. 6, Manukau, 5; Marist, 15. North Shore. 3.