SATURDAY'S RUGBY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21231, 11 July 1932, Page 12

SATURDAY'S RUGBY.

DEFEAT 01 UNIVERSITY.

grammar increases lead.

PONSONBY SUFFERS REVERSE. PLAY AFFECTED BY WEATHER. Tho conditions prevailing on Saturday afternoon were not conducive to attlactivo football. Heavy rain fell incessantly throughout the afternoon, making the grounds regular quagmires, and the ball was very difficult to control. Hay was mostly of a forward nature and the teams with the strongest packs prevailed in practically every instance. It was a miserable day for both spectators and players and the majority of the latter came off the ground chilled to the bone. But for the fact that it could not afford to miss a Saturday the Auckland Rugby Union would no doubt have postponed its matches. Tho big surprise of the day was the success of Training College over sonby. The winning team's forwards played with plenty oi dash in tho loose. The defeat of Ponsonby has left Grammar with a good lead of three points over Ponsonby, and it will now bo hard to beat for championship honours. The game on the oval between Grammar and University was quite bright in patches—that was when the ball was away from tho mud pools on tho stand side of the ground. Whenever the ball landed in these places, however, the play became nothing more than a mud scramble. It was a day of individual rather than combined effort, and a few of the players stood out for splendid work. Outstanding Forwards.

Barker and Drake, two of University's forwards, revelled in the heavy going and they both played equal to anything seen on a similar ground for many a long day. They were the two outstanding forward? of the match. Carter and Mulvihill both played fine games in the University back division. They went down gallantly to the- Grammar forward rushes, and but for their fine defence the score would no doubt have been greater. Butler was also solid at second fiveeighths. The threequarter line did not get many opportunities. Milliken displayed plenty of dash and anxiety to get into it. Bush's kicking was of great service to his side, but his handling was not so accurate as usual. This could be accounted for by the slippery nature of the ball.

Matheson played a sound game at fullback for Grammar, although at times he was a little too deliberate, and was_ fortunate to get out of tight, corners in the manner he did. Macindoe was the most impressive of the backs. His quickness off the mark and his straight running caused him to be closely watched. He made one splendid run through the opposition, which resulted in a try that he would have scored himself with a little luck. Weir was very sound at halfback. Evidence of bad temper was displayed by more than one of the forwards. One member of the team who has played enough football to_ know better should realise that it is quite legal for a back to go down and stop a rush and that it is not in accordance with the rules of the game or with tiue sportsmanship to attempt to kick such player off the ball. Knight was a source of continual worry to the University five-eighths, as he was always nearer them than to the Gtammar scrum. Adapted to Conditions. The fact that its forwards played consistently as a pack was chiefly responsible for Training College's somewhat unexpected victory over Ponsonby on No. . 2 ground at Eden Park. Ponsonby was beaten by a team which succeeded in adapting itself to bad playing conditions and which did not make tactical mistakes at critcal stages. All the Training College forwards deserve credit for the manner in. which they stuck resolutely to their task. They kept together well and showed an appreciation of the virtue of keeping the ball at their feet. There was not a weak forward in the pack on the day, and Webber, Baildon and Mars were frequently . outstanding. The backs, too,, showed plenty of adaptability and, generally speaking, their tactics lay in the direction of short individual dashes and well-placed kicking. Crossman and Townsend were excellent tinder the conditions and, although there was practically 110 combined work, the threequarters showed up well on occasiQiis. The Ponsonby forwards were more spasmodic in their efforts. They did not keep together as well as the Training Collego pack, and frequently lost chances through kicking too hard. It was certainly not a day for the Ponsonby backs, and they did not improve matters by their efforts to play a passing game. Fraser, however, played soundly at fullback, and McManus did some sterling defensive work.

Element of Surprise.

An element of surprise was associated with the defeat of Technical Old Boys by Grafton, a team having a minor position on tho championship table. Grafton fully deserved its victory. At no time was there any doubt as to its superiority, for play was confined to Technical territory for tho greater part of the game. Because of the state of the ground, the game, marked by a good deal of aimless action on both sides, was a drab display of Rugby. The Grafton forwards kept in touch with one another better than tho Technical pack did, and these tactics formed the main factor in their success. Fraser was a tireless worker and he received steady support from Wilberg and Finlayson. As was to bo expected, there were few passing movements among the backs, but for individual effort, Larsen, the half, and Halls, second five-eighths, were outstanding. At fullback, Moore made a good showing. Although they were bettered by the opposing' vanguard, the Technical forwards played vigorously throughout the match. ' .Blow, D. Keane and Hardley invariably took prominent part in attacks. The play of tho centre, Fletcher, a Manawatu representative, who was making his first, appearance with Technical, was closely watched by the team's supporters. Fletcher received very few opportunities, but by one or two of his actions 110 showed that ho has unusual ability, and that he should be an asset to tho team.

Loose Rushing Tactics. While College Rifles triumphed over Otahuhu by two points, a draw would have been a truer reflex of the game. Both sides adopted loose, rushing tactics to suit the adverse conditions and" only on rare occasions was the ball handled" in combined movements. Pearson and Petersen mado big efforts in solo runs to effect scores for Otahuhu, and for College Rifles Albrecht and Pierce led many counter-runs. The packs were evenly matched, with Otahuhu slightly superior in the loose. Arnold gave a great display in strong breaking rushes and was ably backed by Logan and Cox. For College Rifles Williams kept close contact with the ball and was well supported by Stone and Donald. With the field at the Show Grounds a morass in the continuous heavy rain it was inevitable that the MaristManukau game would not be marked by any notable work in the backs Time lost through injuries and when the ambulance man and the refereo ministered to eyes blinded with nni'l greatly delayed the match. The smothering tactics of the forwards usually prevented an opposing back getling into his stride, and so most movements were done by the backs and forwards in concert with the ball at toe. In the backs Heazlewood kicked well under the conditions and Sargeant and O. Stuart also impressed, while for Marisfc Toye gave a hardworking and outstanding performance.