RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11251, 1 July 1922, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES SECOND ROUND COMMENCES TO-DAY. This afternoon's series of games will commence tire second round of the senior championship. Something unusual is happening, in that all the matches are being played in and around the city, which may detract in a measure from the attendance at Athletic Dark. Club supporters generally manage to be on the ground where their own particular team is playing, but this aiternoon the general body of the sporting public will be at Athletic Dark, whore the match set down lor decision is between the DETONK AND MARIST first fifteens, and is timed to start at 2.45. Detone, who, with Poneke, are leading for the championship, will not have their full strength in the field, for the simple reason that the brothers Nicholle—Hurry and Mark —will be tilling the half and five-eighth positions respectively in the North Island team in the inter-island match at Auckland this afternoon. Petone, however, will have a strong team in the field, as E. Ryan has returned from Gisborne, and is available. Harold Nicholls will take his brother’s place at half-back, and there is little difference between the pair. As a matter of fact, eome people are inclined to argue that “Doc’" ia better than “Ginger” in the position, but the writer does not subscribe to that contention. The elder brother is a fine defensive player, but he is not so good at making openings as the younger. With the full side available, Petone ia going to experience some little difficulty in selecting its back team. The fifteen that will take the field this afternoon is: Petone.—Full-back, R. Cowie; threequarters, W. Hamilton, M. Corner, and E. Thomas; five-eighths, E. Ryan and W. Udy; half-back, Harold Nicholls; wing forward, Ashton; forwards, Fitzgerald, Pole, Wylie, Parker (2), Priest, and Griffen. Marist, by their defeat of University, have come right into the forefront, and will prove a hard proposi. tion for Petone this afternoon. J. Murphy has received promotion, and joins Markham at five-eighths; but a younger player, and one with a lot more dash in his movements, would have been preferable. Carmody, whose form has not been consistently good, is standing down. The full team is as follows: Full-back, M. Griffen; three-quar-ters, W. Mahoney, A. Tancred, and Creed; five-eighths, Murphy and Markham; half, McCleary; wing forward, Connop; forwards, B. Sullivan, T. Crotty, J. Troy, P. Sulh'van, Boyce, and Mcßae. There was a Griffen who played fullback for the Athletic team one season, and caused a sensation in the first game against Poneke by some wonderful goal-kicking. It was a real “Dufty” performance, but, like the Aucklander, Griffen’s sensation only lasted one Saturday, aiifl he faded right out of the limelight—maybe, this is the same Griffen.