RUGBY HONOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23116, 15 August 1938, Page 14

RUGBY HONOURS

PONSONBY IN LEAD POSITION OF TECHNICAL TRAINING COLLEGE'S DEFEAT NORTH SHORE BEATS GRAFTON With two more series of matches yet to lie decided in t lie Auckland I' uidiv Union's senior competition for tlif; Gallalior Shield. Ponsonby and 'loclinieal. after Sat unlay's contests, arc the only teams in tlu* running for 1110 final honours. Ponsonby now has 20 points, with Technical two points behind. Marist is next with To points. Four teams —Training College, Grammar, Grafton and North Shore —have 14 points each, while Manukau still has seven.

As a mark of respect to the late Mr. J. Arneil, who was vice-patmu of the Auckland Rugby Union, teams observed one minute's silence before their matches. Black arm bands were worn bv players of the Ponsonby Club, of which Mr. Arneil was a life-member. Ho also held various offices with the club.

Training College was a depleted side when it took the field against Pensonbv at the Show Grounds, and the latter was successful, although tho students made determined efforts toward the finish. Down by 18 points to nil at tho interval, Technical College managed to reduce t,hc final margin to 12 by scoring ]4 points in the second spell. North Shore's performance in beating tho sturdy Grafton fifteen by 16 9 was magnificent."The winner was down six points soon after half-time and the issue did not seem in doubt until North Shore gained a converted try, which brought it within a point of Grafton. Two more tries for North Shore, one converted, gave tho team victory by six points. Grammar's aggressiveness was effectively counteracted by strong defence on tho part of Technical in the game played at Papakura, where a faiily large number of spectators turned out to see those two Auckland club teams in action. Grammar was perhaps a little unlucky to go down. Marist proved too strong for Manukau at Onehunga and scored a comfortablo win by 16 points. 'J lie game was ragged and, with Marist showing a definite superiority, there was little interesting play from the spectators viewpoint. The results were as follows: Ponsonby, 26; Training College, 14. North Shore, 16; Grafton. 9. Technical, 1-1; Grammar, 13. Marist, 22; Manukau, 0.

PROMISING FULLBACK

TRAINING COLLEGE PLAYER | Although handicapped by the absence of thrco regular members of its team, 1 raining Collfgo made a good showing against the championship leader, Ponsonb.v, at the Show Grounds. It attacked for the first half of the opening spell, but was unable to finish off movements, due to a weakness in the sub.sti* tuto five-eighths. The passing and handling were poor and it was mostly from mistakes by the Training College backs, combined wiln feeble tackling efforts on the part of some of them, that enabled Ponsonby not only to dear its line, hut to counter-attack and Ton so n by CS lctl at the interval b >'^ po f \ r 'jf to nil, and, with the Training College fullback, Clark, limping badly with an aiik.c injurv, it then appeared that its total wo "'*| he added to very materially in the second spell The young and vigorous Training Colic""' team, however, did better after the interval, putting on 11 points to its oppon""ponsonby was fortunate in being awarded its first try about midway through the first j ,i ball was knockeil on two or , three yard's short of the goal-line. The sec- i md try was awarded to Grant although | Moses appeared to touch down with two .<ien , holding him. If the iHtter d'd nQ force thc j ball then a drop-out should have been ordered at the twenty-five, as the ball rolled forward from Moses' hands. I" 11 0 " 1 of no trv being scored tins constituted a knock-on in goal and Grant should not have been favoured with a try In spite of theso reverses the 1 raining Coliege p'ayers did not lose heart and they trfed hard all tlio way through, bounder i tackling would have brought the final scores j nearer than they were I onsonby Proyit c again that one of the secrets of 1 °, n " tinned successes isi the ability ot i s ai » to turn to profit mistakes made bj their of fonv . irdg had a .keen tu-slo. Pon son by had a greater share of the. ball up to tlio time Bond went off injured in the second spell. Johnson then took up the fosit ion of hooker and Kerr-1 aylor went on as emergency. The Ponsonby backs showed , | better understanding and combination than , ' tTeir opponents. Although lie threw an oi(.i- ---| sional erratic pass, Chisholm was nmcy, he- j I hind the scrum. 1). Solomon and Donaldson I made many good openings, which ablv gained a lot of ground, if not actually leading to the scoring of tries. Plenty of ! speed was exhibited by the three-quarter line, ; but Nelson, the. fullback, was not up to his usual form. This v.as no doubt due to (he fact that he had not had a game for a I month on account of injury. ! \ n outstanding exhibition of line kicking i was given by Clark, the Training College ! fullback. Rarely did lie waste a foot of the ■ 'ine space available lo hi:n. On one occai sion, from a free kick a couple of yards i from his own goal-line, he found touch almost I at half-way—an effort which won him un--1 stinted applause. This was but one of many ; reallv fine efforts, however. Clark also dei nionstiated his ability as a goal kicker, as ! ho put over two penalty shots and converted i one try, thereby scoring eight points for lus I side Tie plaved under difficulties for more I than three parts ot the game und gave a I I plucky and distinctly promising exhibition, pile the halfback, and Uoskins, wingthreer.uarter, were two other backs to de- - rnonstratc knowledge of tlio finer points of the game, Thornton, a l!)-ycar-old youth, was one of the. best forwards on the ground. He was in everything, but excelled on the line-out and m following up. He appears to have a bright future ahead of bin. Tries for Ponsonby were scored by Hatty, 1 Grant, Kanisay, Bond, D. Solomon :uul Don- ' aldson. The latter converted four tries. , Sanders and McMillan stored for training ! (College. Clark comviited ono try and kicked two penalty goals. Mr. D. Frederickson was referee.

NORTH SHORE'S WIN DEFEAT OF GRAFTON SIDE In the curtain-raiser match at the Show Grounds oval. North Shore beat Grafton by Hi points to 0. The game was for the most part ragged, North Shore showing loose and unfinished back movements. Gmrton held the advantage in the first spell, and at halftime led 0 -3. Grafton outplayed the opposition in everv department in the first spell 'and was unlucky not to add more to its l °The Grafton pack was the heavier, and, with Pnssmore hooking. bad its own way In the sot- scrums, being also superior on the

line-outs. I , , { e trie" coming from fast a start, all .t U' l,lrl J. (lefenc£ , to ribbons, movements which cut tn. Korth Shore However in J'VrXnST team work col-' rallied v . a,,i1, ! t1 -V nl i'rclv toward the end of Ui(f C illatch, 1 °wliile account ?SS> tl, Shore's forwards did p ur ! beyond him. Jn the , hc ball ""f'y *; n LvcJ from second fivesecond spell l "' wa- jjcKinley came in flrtSirSK n iß r.re»» mistake ol outstanding back, five-eighths, was ".. ~ sllorc forwards On the whoe, 11 Unir mcks particularly played bettor than i • • prominent !„ the second f« ,c 11 " I,ll ''ffc^ctive dribbling in following up . noticeable and ffiis Sked' well. Cossill and Exler played back JTor lb. second'' flve-eigHis hancdhn^jj"" g? Jn other. which were unlucky not to rts wns jn . jured K amMhi? aJ I '^^^^utstandinlr! in cvid;(Mice. . l r j ps wcre scored by I'or x .»t|ii McKinlev (—). Marshall con■™lS" ,»- Miindprs nn'l Prpnlico (3) scored unconverted tries for Grafton. Mr. T. 11. Wiggs was referee.

GRAMMAR UNFORTUNATE TECHNICAL'S SOUND DEFENCE \bilitv of the Technical defence to check attacks with sound tackling was a big factor in its win over Grammar in the game at Papakura. Local enthusiasts were pven a opportunity of seeing a good display of Ancksidering the firm state of Ihe ground and 1,1 llad V the "issue been Ui. alone; Technical the £1'»» n I fuVl of' C incit 1 cut. r/riimmar nearly touched down in the firs! Grammar did all in its pow no n. "\VaK- ! tide of fortune in the second spell, I staffe sold a good dummy and made 40 y and soon afterwards B. Brown ran over but the trv was disallowed. It was onl> in ine last niinute that the deficit was reduced to one point when King kicked a penalty goal. Had King been successful with an casysliot awarded in the first minute of the game, the result may have been different. Technical gained a good share of the ba from (Ik; scrums, but was beaten in the Ii - outs more often than not. Otherwise there was little to choose between the packs. King, at fullback lor Grammar, kicked accurately, except for one or two lapses. His fielding was a feature of the game. Not once did ho mishandle, and on occasions he made openings, vacating his position to run through. Spiltal demonstrated that he has undoubted speed, but the fact that he was well kept in check by K. Byerley closed the attack from that nuarler. Frequently the side had to rely on Finlayson to do the work of a wing, so effectively was Spittal marked. Not even the hitter's speed aided him to avoid Byerley's low, clean tackles. Swain sent well-directed passes from the base of the Grammar scrum. ITe slipped round the side on occasions, at the same time appreciating his supports. Cato was a sound tactician at second five-eighths, but wasstaffe inside him sometimes fumbled the ball, although he could generally he relied upon. Mackenzie was safe at fullback for 1 echnical. In clearing he placed the ball so as to give his forwards access to it, and found touch with some nice kicks. The Byerley brothers, who occupied the wing positions, were both sound tacklers. Sutherland and Me Ada in played well at five-eighths, while \mos was very sound at halfback. I ' Lockingtnn and Kvans were the pick or the | Grammar pack. They gave a good all-round displav and were especially prominent on the I line-out. A. Brown was aggressive in the Of the Technical forwards, Montgomery showed up on the line-out and Guy acquitted himself well both in tho loose and the tight. R. Byerlev scored a try for technical. Amos converting and also kicking three penalty goals. Flett and A. Brown scored tries for Grammar. Kmc couvcrted both and kicked a penalty goal. Mr. G. Peace was referee.

NUMEROUS PENALTIES MARIST BEATS MANUKAU In a match conspicuous for an abnormal number of Tree kicks awarded equally to both bides. Manukau was conipletely outclassed b.v Marist at Waikaraka Park. Marist showed superiority in all departments, notwithstanding much patchy play on both sides, especially in llifi earlier stages of tho game. Flare's accurate goal-kicking accounted for no fewer than .13 of (he 22 points scored bv Marist, and his contribution included three penalty coals, while Manukau's score of six was confined to Iwo penalty goals kicked oj fVoiii tho kick-off it. was apparent that the teams were unevenly matched. Hare kicked a penalty goal early, and then from a forward passing rush, in which Molloy and McGrnry were conspicuous, Bailey crossed at the corner. Pressing Marist hard in tho hitter's twenty-five, McLean and W. Smith dribbled the ball over the line, but Curtayne deprived them of a try. Still on the defensive, Marist developed a forward rush, winch Pepper stopped and passed to Schubert on the wing, out the latter was brought down after a brilliant run. The first spell ended: Marist. 0: Manukau, 0. Upon resuming Bell-Booth broke awa> and after a fine run crossed between the posts. Hare converted. Marist's back division was now playing good Bugby. A penalty goal kicked bv Way (rave Manukau its first score. Marist's assumption of tho offensive gave Manukau another free kick. Way made » meritorious attempt from nearly half-way, the ball striking the bar. In the next minute, however, he registered his second penultv goal. Then Rare sent an easy penalty shot ov.'r. Although Manukau's play was improving. Hare kicked his third penalty goal after a scrum infringement. Accurate scissors passing by L. Cooney, Curtayne and Mollov enabled Bell-Booth to'cross and the try was converted by Hare. The game ended: | Marist, 'J'-!; Manukau. <s. Mr. .T. G. C. "Wales was referee.

SECOND DIVISION GAMES | A depleted Otahuhii team was no match Tor I'Miiversity in the second division game at St urges Park on Saturday, and the visitors won by 'J'.' points to nil. Otahuliu had only seven of its regular side on tho field, tho other players being juniors. University scored ail its points in the first spell. Eden beat College .Rifles by IX. points to nil in (ho match at Oribblc-Hirst Park. RESULTS IN LOWER GRADES Second Grade.—Grafton, 23. Manukau, 5; Eden won from Otahuhii by default; University A. .11, Technical, 0; Grammar A, 23, University Colls, <>. Third Grade. —Manukau Colts. 9, Otahuliu, fi; Ponsonbv, it. College Pities. (5; .Northcote IS North Shore. 3: Suburbs, 2., Taiuaki, 3; Technical. IT. Manukau, J. Intermediate Grade. — reehnual, .!. Uakapuua, <>: Takapnua Colls. 17, Manukau A,, 0; Ponsonby, University, Collep:o .nines, i>B. arammar. 0; Suburbs. *27. Marist, 11. Fourth Grade.—Manukau Colts, 1., Otahuliu. -*i: Technical, (i. Eden. ■>; North Shore, 11, Takapuna. 3; Suburbs, 28, St.. Georges, (> " Fifth Grade. —Parnell, 13. Manukau, 3. Sixth Grade. —Otahuliu, 21, Marist, 3; I Eden, 12. Takapuna, .<>. m . I Secondary Schools. —-lb l r«l grade: Technical 3. Takapuna, 0. Sixth grade: Mount I Albert 3, Sacred Heart, 3; Takapuna B. .», | Technical B. 0. Seventh grade: Mount Albert, Junior' Bovs'.----Senior grade: Marist, <), Manukau «! Suburbs. 11, Waitemata, o. K"to'^ Er S«.. '• si: George's <>; Takapuna, 11. Marist. 0. Junior grade: Newton. 21, Suburbs, 0. Colts grade: Takapuna, 3, Eden, 3.