THE FOOTBALL SEASON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23021, 26 April 1938, Page 18

THE FOOTBALL SEASON

RUGBY'S OPENING CLUB GALA AFTERNOON CONTESTS AT EDEN PARK SUCCESS FOR NORTH SHORE PONSONBY DEFEATS GRAMMAR Although the opening of the Rugby football season was not favoured by fine weather, both stands at Eden laik were full for the club gala day on Saturday afternoon and the sales of tickets by the various clubs is expected to yield a satisfactory return for distribution. In both matches on No. 1 ground the teams were rearranged at the interval. Steady rain fell at the outset of the first game and the ground became sodden and the ball greasy. Matches were also played at Onehunga, Otahuhu and Northcote. SPEEDY BACKS WINNER'S SOUND COMBINATION There was little between Ponsonby and Grammar in the main attraction on the Eden Park oval, the former winning, B—fa. grammar's backs were fast, but the better combination of the opposing rearguard was the Stair factor. Many.of the movementHwee snoiled by the conditions and, although tlie pC was willing, it was for the most I art ragged. The forwards, however, were in some good attacking rushes. , , | The Ponsonby halfback, Broad, srioyus 1 penetrative ability, but he was ' lent to send on to his. supports. D. Soloni n was the most enterprising back on the fieut was verv steady without bt-int, brilliant and Nelson filled the fullback position admirably. Grant playeda sound on the wins. Carson, P. Solomon, Bond, JLvans and Battv were prominent in the forwards. One of the fastest hack lines in Auck and thte year will be that of Grammar wh ch hn«i fr \ F inlayson and D. b lett on ine wines There was a slight lack of combination on Saturday and if can be remedied it will make the rearguard formidab e. Blancn field, a promoted juniori peeunicd tlio fu I llbatk position for the first mlfandacqu.Ued him cpif well The forwards all worked wen, wiui Don, C Brown and Kerr-Taylor perhaps the for Ponsonbv were scored by D. Solomon and while Grant converted one. Freakcs scored a try for Grammar aim Turner kicked a penalty goal. Mr R. K. Hayhow was referee.

NORTH SHORE IMPROVES

WHILLANS AN ACQUISITION

That North Shore will be a force to be reckoned with throughout (he season was the impression gained by its performance on Saturday when t beat Marist in the curtain raiser game at Eden Park by 13 porn s to 8. Speed m the rearguard. J'", 1 hl ness in the pack, were factors largely ton tributiug to the fifteens success. A former Canterbury representative, D. Whillans in the North Shore forwards was prominent in dribbling rushes in particular, ... ..I , vus irenerallv sound in all other departmentsother forwards who played well were Mathieson. Exeler. Cunningham. (astaign and Thorpe. The mainstay of the chiill not because, he scored 10 of his team s 13 points, but on account of his unselfishness in combined attack. tnr Bare who last season played fullback ror Training College, delighted with his kicking for Marist, and Curt ay ne. was seen in some pvrellont movements. Marist s main strength lay in its forwards .who were spr ing m iffht nlav where Sullivan shone. McGrory left the field injured toward the end of the points camo from a try. a i.nnnitv coal and a conversion b.\ Marsnau and a try by Mathieson. Carroll and McHugh each scored ,a try for Marist, while nar converted one. . Dr. L. H. Briggs was referee.

MANY PLAYERS TRIED CONTEST AT OTAHUHU Otahuhu beat University at Sturges Park bv o points to 3. The sodden ball and slippery ground were responsible for many mistakes and back play especially was not spectacular. Both teams took the opportunity to make frequent changes and gave all their Pli Lanev i "lie Otago representative hooker, turned out for Otahuhu and secured a large share of the ball. Cochrane, at second fiveeighths, and Halliwell, at fullback, were safe ° n A dC fine "display, was gi v ™ P ® t t er ®°" tr a e t fullback for University. Martin, at centre, and Kirkland, on the ring wing, were thrustful on attack, while good service was given by Edwards at halt. Foreman. Drake and "oKbiEK iris «d coniertctl by V cl" came from a penalty goal kukeu oy na Mr. D E. G. Cichero was referee.

KILLEEN PROMINENT GRAFTON BEATS MANUKAU Grafton defeated Manukau hyllpointsto 3 after an uninteresting gan c at WaiUaU Park. The season was formally opened b.> the muvor of Onehunera, Mr. J. l ark, who kicked off ' Kain fell continuously throughout the match For the winners Pearman (2) and Hull scored tries, one of which was converted by McLean. Manukau's only points came from a & b en, P a e t Pl fuliback for Grafton, playul an excellent game throughout, his side reneatedlv while Moore, at halfback, and Pearman; five-eighths, macle.no Hull and Roderick were the pick of the forwards. For Manukau Littlejohn. fullback, t. and Lund, live-eighths, and I carte and lep per (forwards) were prominent. SECOND ; DIVISION GAMES ANNUAL FLETCHER CUP MATCH The annual Rugby contest between, the senior second di\ision teams of the lakapuria and Northcote Clubs for the Fletcher Cup, played at Stafford Park, Northcote, on Saturday afternoon, resulted in a.win for Takapuna, captained by M. Corner, by 13 uoints to 8. Tries were scored f° r Takaouna bv A. Smith and S. Gunmen, both being converted by M. Hook, who also .kicked a penalty goal. Tor Northcote tries were scored by H. Williams and J. Anchor. IEarlly converting one. ... In the early match on No. 3 ground at Eden I'ark. Kden beat Parnell by 11 points to 5. Bcnnet scored a try for Eden, Ktraclian converted and kicked two tenuity goals For Parnell Darrow scored » try which was converted by Hurling. Technical Old Boys heat Training, Collego by II points to fa in the match o« No. 3 ground at Eden Park. Byerlcy and Speight each scored a try for Technical, while Houshain converted one and Mchcn7.if kicked a penalty goal. Clarke and Rodgers crossed ror Training College. Suburbs beat College Rifles by 1» points to nil on Eden Park No 2 ground. Ladbrook (2), Clemens, Hiscock and Margison scored tries, while Marcison and 1 home eacli converted one.

NORTH AUCKLAND UNION SUGGESTED ALL BLACK TOUR [l''R()M OUR OWN CORRKST'ONDENTj WHANG AREI, Monduy The balance-sheet submitted to the animal meeting of the North Auckland Rugby Union showed it to be in a sounder financial position than at the, end of the previous Officers elected were:—Patron, Mr. A. E. Harding; president, Mr. L. J. Brake; vicepresidents, presidents of all affiliated unions; secretary, Mr. L. Morgan: treasure. Mr If. E. G. Smith; auditor, Mr. W. A. Given: resident delegate to New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr. A. C. Kitto; delegates to annual meeting of New Zealand Rugny Union, Messrs. L. J. Brake. J. Finlayson: selector. Mr. K. Ifwerson; northern zone advisory selector, Mr. J. Julian; southern zone advisory selector, Mr. D. Stewart; management committee, delegates from all afliliated unions; emergency committee, resident delegates with president and secretary. The delegates were instructed to support the following motions that are to come tiefore the New Zealand Union's annual meeting:— "That an All Black team he chosen in 103{> and engaged in a tour of New Zealnnd, playing ten to twelve matches, excluding the four centres, and. that, the team tie accompanied on this tour by the New Zealand selector or selectors." "That the following be added to the Ranlurly Shield rules:—'Should the holder of the shield be defeated in any challenge match and any challenge match arranged with tho then holder be not played, all such challenge matches shall be treated as having been arranged with the

subsequent holdei and may be played during the current season and at such time as shall be mutually agreed between the union* concerned; failing any such agreement it shall be fixed by the council of the £>ew Zealand Union.'" The delegates were also authorised to discuss with the New Zealand Union the position regarding broadcasting international matches when played in the North, 'ihe North Auckland Union considered that the Springbok match played at Whangarei should have been broadcast.

COUNTRY CONTESTS FIRST SERIES OF GAMES The Rugby football season opened in some centres of the Auckland Province on Saturday afternoon. The following results were forwarded by correspondents of the Herald: — Whangarei.—Old Boys, (i (tries by Whiteman and Johnston), City, 3 (penalty goal by Callaghan); Hikurangi, 25 (tries h.v Cunningham, Codling, 2, Gibson, HutchiiiMrs, two conversions by Martin, penalty goal by Cunningham), Kamo, (). Senior B: Pipiwai beat County United; Whatatiri. ti, Manaia, 3. Juniors: Onerahi, l. r >, Hprahora 0; Old Boys, (>, Waikiekie, 0. Third grade: Onerahi. 11, Horahora, 0; Central. 1 it, Whatatiri, 0; Old Boys, 8, High School, Fourth grade: High School A, Kamo, 0; High School B, 3, Hikurangi, 0. Te Awamutu. —Rugby of a high standard for the beginning of the season was witnessed at Albert Park, Te Awamutu, on Saturday, when the senior, junior and third grade teams of the Te Awamutu Club met corresponding teams from the Hamilton Technical Old Boys' Club. Te Awamutu had victories in each grade, the senior team winning by 11 points to 10. the junior by 13 points to 0, and the third grade by 13 points to 3, Thames.- —Seniors: Old Boys, 23, Huimai, 0. Juniors: Physical Training. 9, fiamblers. 6.

Tauranga.—Seniors: Katikati, 13, Cadets 3. Juniors: Katikati, !>. Cadets, fi.

SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIPS , [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] Christchurch. —The senior championship was commenced on soft, muddy grounds. Results: University, 10, Technical, 12; Lin wood; 12, Athletic, 10; Snnnyside, !), Air Force, :t; Sydenham, Si, Christchiirch, 3; Merivale. 5, Old Boys, :t. Dunedin. —Southern, IS, Alhambra, 0; University A, 25. Union, ft; Taieri, 9, Dunedin, 5; Zingari. Ift,i University B, !>; Kaikorai, 10, Pirates, 9. Invercargill.—-Old Boys, 17, Blues, 8; Pirates, is. Star. 8; Maris!, 19, Bluff, 10. FOOTBALL RUNNING RACES Following were the results of the Manukau Rovers Hugby Football Club's 100 yds championships held at Waikaraka Park on Saturday:—Senior: L. Schubert, I; R. Cheater, 2; S. Mclntyre. ft. Intermediate: A. Angus, 1; .T. Taylor, 2. Junior boys: R. Thompson and J. Woods, dead-heat, 1; C. Woods, ft. DARGAVILLE CLUB [BY TEIjKG itaph—owx correspondent] DA IK! AVILLE, Monday The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Dargaville Kugby Football Club: —Patron, Mr. A. H. Class; president, Mr. R. W. Cuthbert; vice-presidents. 21 were elected; secretary, Mr. K. Billing; delegates to the Northern Wairoa Rugby Union, Messrs A. H. Vennell, B. D. Could; selectors, Messrs. B. D. Could, N. M. Robinson (sen.), C AVebb (jun.), J. Parore (third grade; committee, Messrs. A. H. Tr ennell, J. Parore, B. D. Gould, S. L. Spanhake and senior and junior captains.