RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24603, 7 June 1943, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP MARIST TEAM IN LEAD The Auckland .Rugby Union's senior championship competition was continued on Saturday afternoon. The earlier matches were played under good conditions, but steady rain commenced to fall shortly after three o'clock, making the grounds heavy and the ball greasy and difficult to handle. There was only a moderate attendance at Eden Park. The main game at headquarters was between Maris! and Army and a fast and interesting contest was witnessed. But for the rain, there is no doubt this would have been a very fine exhibition. There was no score in the first spell and Marist eventually won by 11 points to 3. This success places Marist in the lead for the championship. Manukau, which previously shared the lead with Marist, played a drawn game with Technical Old Boys oil Xo. 3 ground, and thus the team is now one point behind Marist. The Manukau players wore crepe armbands in memory of the late Captain Cyril Pepper, a former member of the club's senior fifteen and an Auckland and New Zealand representative. The pace at which the main game opened indicated that the Marist and Army teams were going to provide a thrilling' exhibition of fast, open Rugby. The rain spoiled these prospects, although the players of both sides made gallant efforts to throw the ball about. Army had the heavier set of forwards and should have prevailed under the conditions, especially as they secured possession in the majority of the scrums. The Army inside backs, however, were too slow off the mark and were easily smothered by their opponents who received able assistance from the fast breakaway forwards. 'The light \farist pack proved very mobile, its fast following up harassing the opposing backs. The Marist hack line displayed good combination and trickiness and would have kept the Army very busy on a dry ground Following were the results:—Marist, 11 (tries by Dunbar and O'Brien and penalty goal by Sorenson). Army. 3 (try by Vorrath); Garrison. 30 (tries by Donald, 2, Hedge, Evans, Galley, Atkins and Gunning, Hedge converting three and Gibbons kicking a penally goal), M.T.P., S (tries by Mayes and Mitchell, ihe latter converting his own try); Manukau, S, (try by Sievwright, converted by Boryer, who also kicked a .penalty goal). Technical Old Boys, 8 (try by Montgomery, converted by Sharplin, who also kicked a penalty goal); Navy, 5 (try by Thompson, converted by Barry), Grafton-Pon-sonby, 3 (try by Rosser). Second Division.—Suburbs. 12, District School. 3; R.X.Z.A.F.. 11. Eden. 0; Training College, lf>, Otahuhu, 0; Takapuna. 32, Air Force Xo. 2. 3; Grammar Old Boys. 6, Air Force Xo. 1. 0. Secondary Schools. —Auckland Grammar. 9, Mount Albert Grammar, 9; Takapuna Grammar, 3, King's College, 3; Sacred Heart College, 1.5, Technical College, 3.

CANTERBURY BEATS BULLER (P.A.) WESTPORT, Sunday The Canterbury-Buller representative Rutrbv match was played at Victoria Square yesterday afternoon, and was won by Canterbury by 13 points to •">. Heavy rain fell overnight and yesterday morning, making the ball greasy to handle. The Buller forwards were the better pack, but the Canterbury backs outclassed tne local men. Tries were scored for Canterbury by Cochrane (2) and Herman, two being converted by Callanan. Dalziel scored for Buller, Xicholson converting. THE LEAGUE CODE DEFEAT OF CITY TEAM City's run of success in the .Auckland Rugby League's championship was checked at Carlaw Park on Saturday afternoon, when Mount Albert gained a surprise victory. City had previously won five successive games There was heavy rain most of the afternoon, and tnis was against spectacular football. Play in the main game was hard all the way and Mount Albert owed its success to bustling tactics right from the kick-off. A try, which •was converted, was scored within two minutes of the start. The tactics of Mount Albert's lighter set of forwards, in keeping the ball on the ground, gave, them an advantage. The City backs took a lone time to settle down, being hampered by the conditions. Good defence by Mount Albert was fe feature of the first spell, which ended: Mount .Albert. 5, City, 3. The Mount Albert backs gave the better display early in the second spell and Clement did splendid work at half-back. Orotte. the City captain, made a mistake with a -weak clearing kick and Cowley touched down for a try. The City forwards dominated the play in the last 20 minutes and several times went close to scoring. However. Mount Albert hung on desperately and its opponents could not break through. Had the City forwards taken more control of the ball in the loose the team may have won.

•In a bright curtain-raiser, Marist nut up a really good game against the heavier Maniikan team. It was only the good work of the individual Manukau players that won the match Results were: Mount Albert. (trie*, hv Clements and Cowley, and penalty goal by Cranch). City, 3 (try by Mataira): Manukau, 10 (tries by Thompson and Murray and two penalty goals by Butler). Marist, 5 (try by Ransri and penalty goal by Brockliss); Otahnhu. 10 (two tries by Wellm. Riley converting one and kicking a penalty goal). Xorth Shore. !> (try by Wjlkie. and three penalty goals by Wait); Xewton 12 (two tries and a penalty goal by Gresorv. one try converted by himself and penalty goal by Delamere\ Ponsonby, 5 (try by Dormer, converted by Webb).

GOLF CONTESTS WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP Although the weather conditions during the week-end were unfavourable, the full programme in connection with the Akarana Golf Club's winter open tournament was carried out. The course was in good condition and this accounted ~for the excellent scores returned. Results to date are:— Open Events. —Linton beat Beckle.v, 4 and 3; Earle beat Wake, 0 and 4; Cullen beat Barker 2 and 1; Walker* beat Bhodes. at the 20th; A. Young beat McKay, 5 and 4; Wyness won from Dickinson by default; E. Young beat Tyndall, 1 up; Merrinston beat Birkenhead, 0 and 5. Second round: Earle beat Linlon, 5 and 4; Cullen beat Walker, 1 up; A. Young boat Wigness, 4 and 3; Merrington beat E. Young. 4 and 3. Akarana Cup.—Rosser beat Pearson, 1 up; Bridgens beat Rogers, at the lHtli; Valentine beat Bray, 4 and 3; Garrard beat McCormiek, 2 and I; Farrell beat Kiely, 2 and 1; Marshall beat Goldfinch, at the 20th; Land beat Gibbs, 3 and 2; Fisher beat Crocker, 3 and 2. Second round: Bridgens beat Rosser, 1 and 2; Valentine heat Garrard. 4 and 3; Marshall beat Farrell, 3 and 1; Land beat Fisher, 2 and 1. _ The finalists in the groups are:—Group No. 1, I? yla ml and Schoen; group Xo. 2. Gibbs and Jaffrey; group Xo. 3, J. Hedley and P. Lowes; group Xo. 4. Rose and Fawcett. i The concurrent events resulted as follows: Best gross score, D. Coyle and J. Linton, 75; best net score. C. Pearson, 89, 18—71; bogey match, J. Frankham, 1 down; medal round, J. Merrington, 79, 7—72. Auckland Club.—Third round of captain's prize: R. ,T. Gillett bea.t G. C. Henderson, 3 and 2; A. S. Gray beat H. X. Eiby, 5 and 3; S. H. Abel beat R. W. G. Anderson, 2 and 1; C. H. Knight beat H. P. Richmond. 5 and 3; G. Mills-Palmer beat B. B. Armstrong 4 and 3; V. E. Masters beat 0. L. Martelli; W. B. Colbeck heat R. W. Steel, 2 and 1 Second round of No 2 s tourney: R. G Sellar beat J. L. Blackmore, 2 and 1; C. I. Nathan beat A. M. Grant; I. C. Horton beat H. W. Hotson; C. X. Jacobsen heat B. C. Jacobs; H. C. Luscombe beat L. J. Leaser, (i and 4; E. J. • Richardson beat J. P. Wildman, 1 up; A. H. Whitcombe beat J. M. Simson. 6 and 4; R A. Wilson beat H. P. Williams, 6 and 4. Bogey competition: C. X. Jacobsen, 4 down. Titirangi,—Slablcford handicap: C. J. Bunting, 33; B. T. Laycock 32; F \ Browne, R. S. Kelly, 31. Otahuhu.—Medal round; P. Anderson, J C. Castle, 71; J. J. Enwright, 73 Castle won on a count-back. ASSOCIATION GAMES In spite of the slippery conditions play in matches in the Auckland Football Associations senior championship competition on Saturday afternoon was of a good standard It was a day of upsets, and the champion ship table has undergone changes Iri tht early game at Blandford Park, Metro-Col lege A had an unexpectedly easy victoo over Xorth Shore, while the B team took the full points from Eastern Suburbs at St Heliers. Ponsonby's victory over Garrison ai Devonport was a surprise, hut Ihe feature of (lie afternoon was the first win of the strengthened Mount Albert Grammar Old Boys B team over Training College al Fowld> Park The main attraction at Blandford Park, between Mount Albert Grammar Old Boys A and Papakura Camp provided fine football. There was no score at half-time, and the game ended in a draw—two goals each. Following were the scores and scorers:--Mount Albert Grammar" Old Boys A, 2 (Rollins. Clark) Papakura Camp. 2 (Valentine, Donaldson); Metro-College A. 5 (Hope-Ede -1 Wiseman), Xorth Shore, 1 (Hodgson); Mount Albert Grammar Old Boys B, 3 (Hadhiw 2, Irvine). Training College, 1 (Elmsly); Comrades, 5 (Mitchell 3, Fleet 2), Air Force, 5 (Sale 2, Everson, Barnett, Caisley); Ponsonby, 3 (Dowler 3), Garrison, 2 (Morgan Xo.ver); Metro-College B. 5. Eastern Suburbs, 4.

CROSSWORD SOLUTION Tht solution of the crossword puzzle published in Saturday's Herald is as follows: — ACROSS.—I Beagle. 7 Bestow. 10 Entrance. 13 Lava. 14 Attend. 15 Drapes. 17 Dried If) Event. '2O Earn. 21 Dacsrer. 23 Die. 21 Litre. 25 Sod. 27 Heating. 28 Ass. .'!(> Glint. 31 Fur. 33 Chases. 35 Dole. 30 Shoot. 38 Homes. 30 Warren. 41 Potent. 42 Ekes 43 Eminence 44 Resent. 45 Tested. DOWN.—I Beaded. 2 Entrains. 3 Attire. I Green. 5 Land. G End. 7 Bed. S Slave. 9 Tapers. 10 Oven. 11 Wasted. 16 Regent, is Patties. 21 Dials. 22 Grins. 24 Locate. 2(i Opulence. 28 Answer. 29 Scores. 31 Foment. 3'2 Rested. 34 Horse. 35 Dotes 37 Hake. 88 Hone. 40 Net. 11 Pit