RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24941, 10 July 1944, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SENIOR COMPETITION TWO LEADING TEAMS WIN The second round of the Auckland Rugby Union s senior championship was continued °n Saturday afternoon, when the players had again a wet ball to handle, although the grounds were in fair order after three fine days prior to Saturday. There was a good attendance at Eden Park, where the meeting of the first fifteens of Auckland Grammar School and King's College was an added attraction. This match invariably draws a hig crowd, but the rain which set in after mid-day no doubt kept many people away. Grammar and King's provided the curtainraiser on tlie oval and it was a very even and interesting contest. Grammar won by 12 points to 8, the margin being a field goal kicked by the Grammar captain, N. Bowden. There was not a great deal in the play territorially and either side could have won.

Manukau and Navy met in the main senior game on the oval, the former winning by 12 points to 3 and thereby retaining its joint lead with Ponsonby. Manukau ied (l-nil at half-time. Ponsonby defeated Technical Old Boys on No. 3 ground at Eden Park by 10 points to nil. Ponsonby was assisted by [•'. bolomon, former Auckland and New Zealand representative, who was recently discharged from the Army after having served in the <M i £ Kust - Marist easily defeated Grammar Old Boys on No. 2 ground bv 20 points to (5, but University just got there against Otahuhu at Sturges Park by the margin of one point, o—B.

lhe match between Manukau and Navy was not very spectacular. The slippery hall was against good back play and not much of this was in evidence. The forwards had a keen tussle and were saved a lot of running about by accurate line-kicking by the backs. Both teams were below strength. Manu- ! without W. Smith, its captain, and Navy without Waldegrave, its best forward, and Barchard. first five-eighths. The only three backs of high class were LittleJohn (fullback) and Dunn (right wing), for Manukau, and James (second five-eighths) for Navy. Littlejohn was very safe, handling the hall cleanly and seldom failing to find the tine. James played an outstanding game. This exWellington back is always in the plav. He loses no time in getting to his feet after a tackle so as to be on hand to rejoin a passing movement or to cover up on defence. His work in the latter respect otf Saturday was an objert lesson. James made two or three fine openings, beating the defence on one occasion and having a clear run to the line. It was only the superior speed of Dunn which enabled the latter to overtake his opponent and thereby prevent the scoring of a try.

The score would have been closer had Navy possessed a goalkicker. The team fielded a new fullback in Ridland, who did some excellent line-kicking. Follow in st were the results:—Maiiukan, 12 (tries by McGregor. Moir and Roryer, the lastnained also kicking a penalty goal), Navy, 3 (try by Leigh); Marist, 20 (tries by Fox, n. N'eary. Gunning and Potier, Sorenson converting one), Grammar Old Bnvs, 6 (try by Railey and penalty goal by Gilmonr); 'Ponsonby, 16 (tries by Donaldson, Coughlan and McKay, Donaldson converting two and kicking a penalty goal), Technical Old Roys, 0; University, 0 (tries by Langham. Nettleton and Stevens), Otahuhu. 8 (tries by Hedge and Gabolency, Hedge converting one); Training College, a bye. Secondary Schools.—Auckland Grammar, 12 'tries by Bowden and Rrownhill, Rowden converting one and also potting a goal), King's College. 8 (try by Hay, who converted and also kicked a penalty goal). Hamilton.—Matches were plalyed In very wet conditions on Saturday. Results:— Rombers. 8, Technical Old Boys, 6; Fighters, 3. Horotiu, 0. WAIKATO-KING COUNTRY DRAW (0.C.) HAMILTON, Sunday The annual Rugby match between the Waikato and King Country representative teams was played at Taumarunui yesterday and resulted in a draw, five points each. Waikato led s—o at half-time, but King Country drew level in the second spell. CANTERBURY BEATS WELLINGTON (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday Faster and snappier in all its back play, Canterbury beat Wellington by 29 points to 6 in the first representative match of the season at Lancaster Park. A record crowd for war years of about 10,000 attended. The conditions were perfect. A remarkable feature of the game was that Canterbury secured the ball from about one scrum in every three, and yet was able to stage far more spectacular and effective back movements than Wellington. One reason for this was a first-rate combination between Hewitt (half), O'Callaghan and Forscutt (five-eighths), and Meates, the young centre, formerly of St. Bede's College. What made brilliant tries possible in every case was the remarkably sure handling. To O'Callaghan goes the credit for 17 of his aide's points. He scored two tries, converted four, and kicked a penalty goal. Canterbury packed a more compact scrum, yet the forwards could not secure a full share of the ball. At the same time, they .had much the better of the closo rucks and line-outs. The scorers for C>interb.ury were O'Callaghan. two tries, foul' and a pen111v goal, Knight, MeatewdcKcnzie and Sellars tries. For Wellington?" Alexander kicked a penalty goal and Morrison scored a try.

REPRESENTATIVE SOCCER In spite of slippery conditions, keen play was witnessed in the two representative Soccer matches between Auckland A and B teams and Combined Services A and B teams at Blanrlford Park on Saturday afternoon. The B teams opened the proceedings and exchanges were fairly oven, but the Auckland defence showed better combination, and the clearances of Holland. Hill and Mathews wpre placed to advantage among the forwards, who made an aggressive line. In the main attraction both goalkeepers, Lambert (Services) and King (Auckland), earned applause for clever saving. Fincham and Speed repelled many Service attacks and with sound understanding with Phillips, Ward and Wallace in the middle line the Auckland forwards were given many opportunities Auckland's lead of two goals at halftime could easily have been reversed on the general plav. In the second spell Services had a little the better of the play and Bell and Boddy showed out with constructive clearances', while Massey delighted the crowd with clever footwork to combine well with Richards and Blackie on the right. Both Maguire and Brown distributed the play nicely, and the Services team was very unlucky not to divide the honours at the final whistle. Following were the scores and scorers:— Auckland A. 2 (Welch, 2), Combined Services A, 1 (Maguire); Auckland B, 4 (Mason, Fannan, Bury. Evans), Combined Services B 0.

SURPRISES IN HOCKEY Rain and heavy grounds prcvent-ed spectacular plav in the first series of the Auckland Hockey Association's Devonport Shield competition on Saturday afternoon at Papaloetoe. Whenuapai surprised by defeating Sonierville (this season's Davis Cup winner) by 5 goals to 3. Grammar Old Boys, playing two short, also surprised by defeating Mount Eden by the odd goal in nine. In the main game, Owai Rovers, for the second time this season, defeated University by 4 goals to 1. Play was very even until Unive/sity was unfortunate in losing A. Moorhead. left fullback, owing to injury, a junior replacing him. For the greater part of the spell, with short-passing and clever stickwork, Owai Rovers maintained pressure on the right, from which the forwards had the University defence demoralised. R. Baker, Rovers' insideleft, scored the team's four goals. Following were the scores and scorers: —Owai Rovers, 4 (R. Baker, 4), University. 1 (A. Warren); Whenuapai, 5 (P. Bade, 2. L. Watson. 2, N. Bedggood). Sonierville, 3 (B. Spicer, 2, X. Stevens); S'o. 1 Port Depot (Auckland), 2 (I. Carruthers, J. Moorhead), St. Luke's, 1 (C Oldham); Grammar Old Boys, fi (G. Lawry, 2, F. Priestly, R. Harold, T. Alison). Mount Eden, 4 (C. Morgan, 2. K. Nairn. W. Chester); Training College, 4 (T. Wyatt, 3, L. Bayly), Wesley-United, 4 (R. Fenton, 2, G. Do'wling, R. Russell).

HARRIER RACING Presbyterian-Baptist. The Presbyterian and Baptist Harrier Clubs held a combined run from the Avondale Baptist Church, over t'/j miles, the results being:— : Racine pack: I. Cunningham (I'.). 1; D. Cain (B.), 2; R. Jngram (P.), 3. Fast pack: G. C. Macrae (P.), J; K. W. Bissett (P.), 2. G. P. Bisset t (P.) 3. Intermediate pack: M. Hayward (B.), 1; B. Hold a way (B.), 2; T. Cowan (P.), 3. Slow pack: J. Maliam (B.), J; S. Bovie (P.), 2; S. Johnson (B.) t 3. Technlcal-Lynndale.— A combined run of the Technical and Lynndale Clubs was held over the Junior and senior championship courses in the Avondale district, the results beitiK: —Slow Junior: G. Norton (L.), B Loiisich (T.). Fast junior: Edward? Cl'.), Wilson Bros. (T.) and Mclnues (Ellerslie). Slow senior: I. Sweetman (E). R. Bigelow IT ), B. Hoffman Hi.). Intermediate, senior: E. Olsen (L.). C. Loiisich (T.), E. Hamlin (L.). J. Steele (T.). Fast senior: R. Long (T.), I. Thomson (L.).

ROAD CYCLING RACES Manukau Amateur Club. —Senior race over 20 miles for the Avondale Cup: S. Lloyd, 2m 30s, 1; I). S. Atllick, llil 30s, 2; J. I. Walker, 1m 30s, 3. Fastest time. V. A. Bills fscr), 52m 20s. Junior race over 10 miles for the President's Cup: B. J. Hewlett, firn, l•, F. Willis, 4m, 2; R. W. deal, 2m I.ls, 3. Fastest time, Cleal, 28m 255. Lynndale Amateur Club.—Unpaced sfnior championship, over 33 miles: J. Hill, scr, I; D. Aushss, 10m, 2; L. Mills, 8m 30s, 3. Fastest time. Hill, lh 3.8 m 10s. Junior unpaced championship, 25 miles: G. Smith, 14m, 1; J. Stevens, scr, 2; R. Hornell, lm, 3. Fastest time, Stevens, lh 15m 3s. Northern Amateur Club.—Result of 20 miles race held in conjunction with the Papatoetoe Club: J. Ludian, 2m, 1; S. Thompson, tin. 2; V. Lowe. 2m. 3. Fastest time. Ludian, 58m 22s Professionals' Event.—The Auckland and Metropolitan Clubs held a 20 miles race which resulted: J. Bicknell, scr. 1; J. H Wade, scr. 2; L. Westcott, scr, 3. Fastest lime, Bicknell, 44m 17s.