AUCKLAND.

NZ Truth, Issue 471, 27 June 1914, Page 11

AUCKLAND.

• ■''.» CITY v. PONSONBY. 'V The second round of. the A.R.U. competitions :was entered into, last: Satur^, day and $thc resul t 1 pf ; th'e two , matches ' played Relives" "to make < t*hQ > struggle f or . tho Uptoorfl'iT>6ro excitbig'; tljani' pver/ The position *9 no\v " thkt> City arid Un|- ; r .versliy" aw^leyef Ith.. the r qrie win' m front of Por^onby/ wh'o Have.yet■t6' p^ay ttfo leaded " '. 7": v *■-■'■ ;■',. v ThOf weatlxer on, Saturday 1 was•threat'oning, but,! outsido one or f tyjro showers,' the I afternoon was fine/ The playing area'at Bden Park was a- long way from good and as play progressed the ground- became sodden and slip-* peryi-with. the result that the play was confined almost- wholly to the for* wards. No. 1 ground was occupied by ' City and Pbnsonby, and: a keen game was ; expected, -the* supporters of 'each teanv being confident of their favorite's abil-; ity to' play rings round the opposing fifteen. And a keen game it turned out, with honors divided, neither side scoring. In their previous matches City have never had any tho best of luck floating about, but their turn came on Saturday when they were fortunate* m being able to claim a "no decisipn." On tho day's play Ponsonby were ttio better side and, time after time, looked like scoring, but there was always something happening to prevent them. This was particularly so m tho second half, when tho blue pack took chargro and kept the game tight. Tho City defonce was wonderful, tho brunt of the work falling to MoflUt, who played by far the best game ou the field. But for him the Ponsonby forwards would certainly have scored more than once. Though tho Btrugglo' was always going on there was not a great deal to excito the spectators, and brilliancy on the part of the backs, that is, speaking of attack, was a dead letter.' MABIST BROS. v. UNIVERSITY. Tho heavy ground stood to University on No. 2 ground, whore they wore better than Mariflt Bros. In this game there was a lot of fine runs by the students, but these wero constantly being Bpolled through the inability of the players to handle tho wet brill. The form shown by the Tykes nvus distinctly disappointing, and fell a lone way bolow their displays m previous games. Tho backs were constantly making mistakes, bo thoy ever so slight, and their form wns too bad to bo true. Though tho students Avon by 8 points to 0, and on tho day's play were entitled to tho honors, they did not have mutters all their own way, and there wore times when tho Ty!;t-s held tho upper hand, but seemed (juUo unable to add the necessary finish to their efforts. Tho second half of the game was full of Interest for tho onI lookers, but though tho teams put In | solid graft, neither could scor<\ and It ! scorned that the students had caught I the Tykes on the hop In. tho first half • when eight points wero rattled up. Tho attraction this afternoon will bo i provided by City and University, and Murist Bros, and College Rifle*. Both matches should provide keen contests. Auckland's contribution to tho New Zealand tcarp Is a utroni? one." In tho backs the Northern province will bo | rt-presunted by Weston, McKonxlo nnd !J. O'Brien, and In tho forwards by ■ Bruce, Downing and Carroll. Th« New Zealand team lo tour Austral^ will leave Wellington for Sydney on Friday, July 3.