GOOD WITH THE BAD

NZ Truth, Issue 1173, 24 May 1928, Page 14

GOOD WITH THE BAD

Ponsonby Blazing Their Trail Through Rugby Forest (From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Representative.) THE public had two rattling good games to see at Eden Park on Saturday,

VARSITY and Grammar opened up as the curtain-raiser, and judging by

..the improved combination among the Grammar team, much good coaching has been given to the whites during the past week. • ■ Varsity did not play up quite to the form of the previous week. There is still the inside weakness, though an effort was ihade to improve this, but it' has to be realized that a club can only use the material available. No doubt the selectors are' using the best .they have. l Bush, at full-back for the students, excelled himself and was certainly an outstanding feature of play. He played a very heady game, doing the right thing at the right time. He has a great football future before him. LOST OPPORTUNITIES Macintosh, who is now being known by the crowd as "The- Flying Scotsman," and "The tin hare" scored . a good g0a1... His play is still of the English orthodox style, though being slowly mended. He does not go up to make or get quick play and loses .some opportunities, thereby. Dickson. -was not. a success.at centre, hanging on too long or kicking when he should have passed. He starves his wings. Minns was not able to show his worth, due to want of ball. . Stotter did one or two fine things — and a great fnany bad ones. Norm. Jenkins was again right on his game. He is a sound and sterling' player, who will be hard to keep out of the big games later on. k Carter fed Jenkins like a Plunket nurse. He is undoubtedly a good half. Keen was on jthe job. As usual, he spoiled many of the Grammar efforts at the right time, though he, at times, did not put the usual pace on. ' Hindenach was good.

-'iiiiittitiiiimiiiiiiiiimimiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Linton is still going on the right way. Li. Schnaeur was a good last line of defence for the Grammar, team. Ohlsen tackles as well as ever,- but is still too,, much inclined .to kick and follow, lie should give some of the others a chance. Jock Hutchinson had the same fault. He was often caught m possession. „ Wilson did some useful things and is improving-. Phil. Skelton played a really fine game. He showed good judgment arid did not overdo the short punt.. Cec. Badeley's knowledge was worth a lot to. his side. He might be hard to keep out of the reps, though there are many ( .youhg promising players who should be given an opportunity. Weir was quite all right behind the pack. He opened up play well. j Roy Schnaeur showed good form and was much m evidence m the forward rushes.- ' . Walter Batty, again showed that there are few;, if any, better forwards m the competition. Cathcart was putting m some solid work when required. ' ' ' . : . NO INDICATION Though Ponsonby beat Graf ton by 34 to 14, the score was no indication of the merits of the losing side. Without detracting from Ponsonby's win, it is quite s certain that luck -was with them. Graf ton have a fine pack now, Donaldson making considerable difference, though it was his first game this season. The weakness is m tackling and m this respect, Ruru and Turehi were the worst. Neither cared to go down to a rush . and rarely made a solid effort to stop a single player on the run. If these two weaknesses could be eliminated the team would be a hard proposition to beat. Ponsonby had probably; one of their hardest defensive garties to date. It is not often that they are called on to stop so many rushes m their own quarter as they had to do on Saturday. Graf ton were the most aggressive side that the blues have yet struck and they were somewhat lucky m not having several scores other than those recorded against them. Dame Fortune was certainly on their side apart from the admitted fact that they played such a fine game. Fergusson, at centre^ was only fair. Laddie played. ", some ;flne stuff, m spasms. No doubt failure on the other wing had its effect m asking him to. do to 6 much. ■; Farmer was right on his game and put m some ..lively bouts.) . ' ■. ' Paewai played br-illian.tly. Had his support from the back been; better, he might tiaV.e pulled the game out of the fire for the' njiagpies. Judge again proved himself behind the scrum. He loses no tin^e m getting the ball away and did one or two rather clever: things. ', ■;.•'' . . Donaldson; showed; up ;iri a favorable light and; with a game or two, lie will improve An Staying •■; power. ' r . \ ■ Angy ;Finlayspn was* ■another ;ror-

[ward to be well m the limelight. He is showing better form every game. Whenever there ,was any work on hand for 'a forward, Wanoa was just where he could do the best. He is a great forward. Hammond showed to better advantage and is evidently striking form. Fraser had plenty to do defending Ponsonby's line and did it well, though he had the breeze with him on many occasions. Jamieson was often bustled by the Graftori forwards and did not handle the ball as well as usual. R. Hook did some nice work, but has been seeri to . better advantage. Cammick was as tricky as ever and despite the opinion of some of the club supporters is improving m his defence work. GATHERING HIS MOSS In attack, Arney Berridge was quite all right, but did not show too much keenness m some of the defence ho was called on to do. His goal-kicking was as good as usual. Conway, who was taking Shorty McManus' place behind the scrum, did not open up too well, but once into his stride, improved vastly. He is handy, but a long way removed from Shorty. • L. Hook is gradually ' moving up and it is expected that he will be tried out at half and then m the pack. So far this season he has occupied all other positions on the field, the latest being that of rover, and he was just as good there as he has been m any of the other many positions. Probably the most versatile player m Auckland. McCartheney put plenty of . ginger into his work, but used little. head. , In whacking the Shore team, College Rifles created somewhat of a surprise. On the play of. the two teams so far

iiimiiiiiiiiiiiimiiimiiiimiiiiiiiiiiii'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinuiininniiiii this season^ .it, looked a good thing for Shore, but the beautiful uncertainty of the game was once more evident. Though the win ' was only, by 10 ttoints to 6, the deciding factor being a potted goal, the winners were certainly entitled to the verdict. On the day's play they were the better side. ; The pleasing feature >of the winners T*:as their improved back play. " This has been poor up to. now ■ and if the improvement .shown : . on.. Saturday can be' maintained and even .improved; the blacks will not; by 'ariy . liieans be on the lower rung of the ladder at the finish of the competition.' I Shore was. only the ghost of a team m play compared with their showing m previous games, .hist what' was wrong is hard to say. -Weaknesses were sticking out like' the quills on a porcupine. . ■ ; Johnston,. the fullback,- was more like a schoolboy . than the sound defensive player that' his previous games have shown. He simply refused to stop anything. • :•• ■ ' ;. : ;■'.■.'.:,;.■■■■• „ ; SIGNIFICANT . ■ .. ■ / . Evidently most- of the Shoreites had a day off, for College Rifles are far from j being a champion side. If Shore stay m the A section this season they will be lucky. So weak was the' inside defence of the team, that Soloman had. to take up the first five-eighths possy. In the front ; there was a little improvement, but not much. City sprang rather a surprise m beating I^arist by 18 points to 9, m a very hard, bright and interesting game. As long as condition lasted, both teams made play very fast and open. Both sides were short of the regular team. In the opening stages it looked as if Marist might have run out winners, but. the work devolving on such a 1 light team as Marist; are, told its tale. The hefty forwards of the City team are hot brilliant, but they keep plugging away all the time, and' the force of weight .tells its tale m the end. Jacob, City's full-back, is still on the improve and „ did some fine things. Crook was'well m the limelight. He is the restless one of the team and never happy unless he is tearing about. Kerr- Taylor made a .good showing, on the wing. . . . : Ellis showed up m patches. Bert Fletcher is. as hard as ever and never spares himself. Looks "a moral for the reps, again. : Cornthwaite was all right. - ; Stoupe still thinks he -has the right to keep possession. 'Time he knew better. ■„.,.. . :.-.,... ■'. ;.w. '. -.- : ■ ... . ; Stuartf played another sterling game. : Billy- Wright had a hard row to hoe behind the scrum with a beaten pack. i Downing and Peters did remarkably well under, existing . circumstances. The rep. team' will.be selected after Saturday's ■ play. The- team are to meet- Waikato on: June 4. From ail appearances so -far there is plenty of good men to select. -It is this year a question of who may be left out; Probably there ■ will be a few Biirprises, :tool ■■..'..-■ .-.-:'. ■;,:'.' ; ■','■;. 'V. ? :. ■-•■ V ' ■-:. •'