RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22724, 10 May 1937, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP decision of third series large SCORE BY GRAFTON The third series of matches in the first round of the Auckland Hugby Union's senior championship was played on Saturday. The grounds were soft, but, apart from occasional light showers, tho weather was lino. The majority of the games were closely contested, and large attendances of spectators witnessed fast and attractive footbitll. Although Grafton scored another runaway victory in defeating Training Collego by 36 points to 11 in the main fixture at Eden Park, the game was not so one-sided as the score indicates. The Training College pack harried the opposition incessantly with powerful 16ose rushes, and it was only the speed and cleverness of the Grafton inside backs and the weakness on defence of their opposing numbers which enabled Grafton to score consistently. University defeated Grammar in the curtain-raiser by six points to nil. It was a dull and uninteresting match, the play being largely of a scrambling nature. Xortli Shore put up another

fine performance on its home ground, being narrowly defeated by Marist by 25 to 18. Marist led at half-time by 14 to 3, but North Shore had the better of the second spell, making great efforts to gain the lead. Manukait maintained an early lead against College Ixilles at the Show Grounds, and finally won by 14 to 8. : after a close forward struggle. Ponsonby was too solid for Technical at Sturges Park, Otahulni, winning by 20 points to 9. Ponsonby led by 15 to 3 at the interval, but tho Technical forwards held the opposition in the ' second spell, when the Ponsonby defence was sererely tested. Following were the results:— Grafton, "36; Training College, 11. University, 6; Grammar, 0. Marist, v'2o; North Shore, 18. Manukau, 14; College Rifles, 8. Ponsonby 20; Technical, 9. Otakuhu, a bye.