Senior Championship Competitions

NZ Truth, Issue 152, 16 May 1908, Page 3

Senior Championship Competitions

PETONE 13, VICTORIA COLLEGE fI.J At Petoaa. the Petone— Victoria College match was a very interesting encounter. Victoria College, despite, the many mishaps to its players, it having lost since the opening of the season. Lynch and Ulrich, ordered off by the doctors, A. H. Bode broken collaibone, Fell broken nose, and W. Tudhope dislocated shoulder—stood up excellently to the heavier opponents, and gave them many anxious moments. .' ■ '■

College forwards played a fine game m the loose, but wer« beaten badly "for the ball m the scrum. This failure to rain. tne ball gave their • backs little opnortnnity of displaying their attacking abilities.

Potone foi wards were vood m the tight work, but lack their old dash m the> loose. One wonders what will hao*<en when a fast dribbling pack like Athletics laeet them. This writer thinns they will co under. Petone backs had many chances of Bhowin? their attacking skill, but most of their rushes Went right across the field. The rush from which Instone scored his first try was, however. a beauty.

The pleasta? feature of the College back play was their excellent defe*" n the second spell, when the' suburbanites had the wind behind them, they kept the College continually on the defensive, but the latter's backs came through the ordeal well.

In the first spell they tried a few passing- rushes from one of which Hitchinps made a flue dodgy run but nullified tils effort by' savin* a bad pass to G-oodbe-he.re.

Hitchings was the best back on the o-round. and amply justified the Rood reparks T)revioiislv passed on J?is play. HLs tackling was very deadly and his general olav exceilect. Mackley seemed to be expected to score tries innumerable by the Petone sports, but it seemed to be his fate to run into HitcbiEgs every time he received the ball, and he was promptly bowled over. Bode was very sound, and seems to bo getting back to his last season's form. O'Leary, at full, was very safe. (Joodbebere got no chance to show his. pace. College should make every endeavor to get the ball out to him and to do so McMorran, the half, must learn to jriy c short, quick passes to his fiveeiehths. Wilson played with plenty of dash on the wing, and is improving every game. Brosnahan led the forwards m preat style, but lie should remember to leave the ball atone m the scrum. Delamare was tfteat on 'the line-out, where- the winders did not on this occasion forget to feed him

Curtayne seems to be more of a grafter than a showy player, and the sauae remark applies to Robertson. The, colts, Short and Thomas, are full of enerev, and, with a little coachiHg, # will makes fine pair.

On the Petone side, M. Ryan played his usual solid game at full. Instone was. the . best of the three-auarters, and made a;«od [Use of the opportunities ?iven him. 'Mackley was paid too much attention by jHitchings to be of use to his side. J. Ryan was full of tricks at fiveeighths, and several times beat his odponents by his feint to kick. He lost one certain try, however. ttam«h selfishness—a rather unusual thing fon him. At half. Green was at his best—rushstopbing, marking and setting his backs m motion m fine style. Of tfle wingers Harrfhnm was the better, and m the pack, the old siagecs, Ready and Knight outshone their yotm^ er comrades. Petone pack has not the vim and bustle it had when Cross. Wright, and Byrne were there.