SPECTACULAR RUGBY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 407, 16 July 1928, Page 6

SPECTACULAR RUGBY

Manukau’s Great Effort LEADING TEAMS DEFEATED HAD Pottsonby succeeded in snatching one of its: characteristic last-minute victories over Manukau at Eden Park on Saturday it would have proved a keen disappointment to at least 75 per cent, of the large crowd present. Spectators thoroughly appreciated the great effort put up, and the final bell, which gave victory to the young senior club by 18 to 13, was received with a great cheer. Saturday was indeed a day of surprises. Not only were University, the other leading team, defeated, but at Victoria Park Marist also went down to Training College.

DONSONBY was quick off the mark. * The kick off was fielded by Lou l Cook and the “Pony” rover immediately set his backs in motion. It looked as though Ponsonby was going to open its scoring account immediately, but a forward pass pulled up the movement just as Jamieson got clear. As it was, Ponsonby was the first to score, Cammick stab-kicking the ball into a handy gap for Jamieson to snap up and pass to R. Hook *to finish off the movement. At half-time Manukau was leading by a converted try, and from then on it was a case of alternate scoring until in the last few hectic minutes Rata Hashed across to win a memorable game for his side. DETERMINED TACKLING Manukau’s great victory was due solely to the determined tackling of both backs and forwards. The Ponsonby five-eighth line was allowed little opportunity to manoeuvre, con-

siderable attention being paid to both Cammick and Berridge. The Manuka u forwards played a big part in the victory. The pack put in a lot of honest work, and on the day eclipsed their opponents both in the loose and in the tight. Contrary to general expectations the West Coast forwards did not close up in the last quarter. Although some of their heavy men must have been tiring in the concluding stages they did not show it, going' all out right up to the Anal whistle. Although the Manukau backs do not display the same cohesion as the Ponsonbv rearguard they worked splendidly as individuals. Instead of being content to make a tight game of it they showed commendable enterprise in electing to pip y Ponsonby at its own game, and they succeeded very well. FALWASSER UNLUCKY Albert Falwasser was the star man. Thu Maori winger was well on his g;ime, and provided a first-class exhibition of spectacular play. Although responsible for most of the sensational runs of the day he was not lucky enough to notch any points. He was decidedly unlucky on one occasion, when after a good dash down the touchline ho managed to tling himself across the line after he was tackled. Thu tackier, in rolling over, knocked down tho corner flag, and the line umpire, indicating that the Manukau wing had gone out, the try was disallowed. Shortly after the interval Falwasser also produced a dazzling run which took him on a zig-zag course from one twenty-five to the other. He went almost everywhere but outside the gates. He was well supported by Watene, who played a very useful and solid game, and also by Kata and Sturmey, the five-eighths. Sturmey was not quite so prominent as Kata, but in closely marking the opposition he performed valuable service. Byers, who was taken from the reserves to play half-back in the absence of Leneham, gave quite a good exhibition, and shows promise of being quite a useful member. The wing forward, Golding, was always well up with the play, and it was liis enterprise and anticipation that allowed him to take two tries. The pack gave a very honest exhibition and on the day’s play it can well bo said tiiat there was not a shiner in the pack. The hardest workers and the most prominent in the loose were Kahu, Satherly and Brimble. Kahu played a particularly sound game, using his great bulk to splendid advantage in the tight stuff, and on various occasions exhibiting surprising speed in the open. What Falwasser was to Manukau, B. Ilook was to Ponsonby. The Ponsonby rover gave another clever exhibition. H© was always dangerous, and was awarded the signal honour of being about the most closely watched man on tlie side. Nevertheless he was still able to delight the crowd with several clever and spectacular runs. Jamieson and K. Hook exhibited their usual speed and facility for getting through openings, but with their fiveeighth. line closely watched did not get as many as usual. Neither Berridge nor McManus were as good as usual. Palmer. Charles and Bunting were the pick of the pack, which was overshadowed throughout the afternoon. Fraser spoiled a good exhibition of fullback play by a tendency to wait for the bounce. TOUCH AND GO COLLEGIANS JUST WIN SNAPPY GAME WITH MARISTS It was a touch-and-go affair between Training College and Marists, • n nice turf at Victoria Park. The teachers managed to take hold of the t ight end of tho stick in the first half, nd they held it, grim-death, through

a second spell, which was manifestly Marists’. The first quarter and the fourth quarter were strangely similar —with a difference. In the first. Marists were trying to stave off vigorous attacks, and in the fourth the Collegians were defending for dear life against a continuous and desperate striking of the Tyke wings. The game was even, crammed full of incident, and remarkable for the daring throwing about of the leather. The luck broke fairly evenly, and College was just about three points better than the opposition. Both teams were up to strength, the only noticeable absentee being Peterson, of Marists. Starting in with a will, College forwards gave the backs plenty of opoprtunities, with the result that Hill and Mcßae, on the wings, were sprinting with determination at regular intervals. But the man who held his side up was the fullback Butler, a giant in attack, a sure fielder, and a strong kicker. His side-stepping and his heady passing gave College the only try of the maitch, and saved at least three against it. Among the forwards, Stacey, Johnson, and Peacock were hard workers, and hard tacklers. Lawrie, at centrethreequarter, shone out brilliantly in defence in the second half. For Marists, Jeffries, inside fiveeighth, served up some bright tactics in the first half, but later developed a tendency to hold on too long. Stoupe tried hard to make a successful strike. Once he seemed to be able to run home from a pursuing field, but he kicked to centre, evidently doubting his speed. On the other wing, Johnson was not too sure with his hands. He had hard luck when a bounce was too high for him, the way being clear to tho line. Rough passing from the inside spoiled some promising attacks. The forwards made great efforts after the spell. There are few passengers in the pack. RIFIES CARRY TOO MANY GUNS FOR SHORE

After a smart opening, North Shore more or less faded out of the picture in the match against College Rifles on Eden Park on Saturday. There were frequent sallies against Rifles, but the blues held more tricks than the men from Devonport and won honours fore and aft. The win for Rifles by 17 points to 3 was well earned. The halfbacks, Kirk, of Rifles, and Palmer, of North Shore, worked strenuously all through. The Shore man scored the first try of the match by cleverly dashing round the blind side. Kirk impressed by his keenness and he gave his backs frequent opportunities. Wilson, Rifles’ centre threequarter, and McGregor, second five-eighth, were handy men. Five points were won by Wilson’s boot. Donald and Webber, the wingers, gave fair service, and the Rifles backs gave a fair all-round display. Noakes, Gallagher, S. and H. Souter and Warren were consistent in the forwards. CONSISTENT SOLOMON Solomon, Shore’s captain and wingforward, put any amount of vim into his work and harassed the opposing rearguard to no small extent. There is no doubt he is worth his place as rover for Auckland B team against South Auckland on Saturday next. Physique, pace and knowledge of the game are all in his favour. Walsh put in some solid graft as fullback for Shore. D’Authreau* on the wing, and Green five-eighth, were useful, but the Shore backs were not nearly as enterprising as their opponents. Shore has a lot of good talent in the pack, which battled doggedly right through the match. Simpson, Cooper and Paisley figured in most movements, and McCallum also attracted notice. Individualism of a high standard did not feature the game which, though far from perfect from the point of combination, was generally interesting. Shore was unlucky once or twice, but Rifles carried the day with honours. An unnecessary feature of the game was the squabbling among the players. Referee M. V. Kronfeld warned several, besides putting an over-ardent supporter in his place. IFWERSEN BEATS GRAFTON LOSERS DOGGED BY ILL-LUCK i The three hundred odd spectators at the Showgrounds on Saturday were kept on the qui vive during every quarter of the Grafton-City game. The class of Rugby played, though perhaps not first grade, was nevertheless highly spectacular and exciting. City’s victory of six points to three was effected by two good kicks by Karl Ifwersen against a splendid try by Turei. The playing area was in good condition, and, judging by the pace cracked on from the outset, evidently suited both teams admirably. GOAL KICKING WINS Grafton easily played the better football of the two teams, but Dame Fortune had the Indian sign on the magpies and dogged the team throughout the whole game. City, on the other hand, would not have left the field victors had it not been for the good kicking boot of “Iffy.” The red’s back line was a veritable pot pourri of misdirected effort.. The outstanding individual exponents, Ker-Taylor, Hudson and Crook, however, managed to get through a fair amount of work, but their respective solo efforts showed an entire lack of finish. It was not the Ifwersen of a few seasons ago that took the field on Saturday. “Iffy” was a very tired man

soon after the eonsnencement. However, his boot pro*ved decidely useful to his side. BACKS OUT OF FORM From half to fullback, the Grafton defence was sound. In attack the backs did not, as a combination, show those penetrative qualities that they are known to possess. The ttall v;ould be snapped away from the scrum base by young - Judge only to strike a flaw somewhere about the second five or centre, though individually both these positions—Ferguson and Buru—did great work. Turei, though not too good in the bellows on Saturday, did a heap of work and gave th ewatchers a flash of his real self in scoring the only try of the game. Big Wanoa was in great form, and, backed up by Noakes anil .Keary, kept the Grafton vanguard on the move all the time. Fletcher and Fell were the most prominent of the City pack. Both players went hard all the time, and furthermore gave a good display of handling. A pleasing feature of the game was the absence of those forward-butcher-ing, aimless kicks on the part of the backs. What line-kicking there was displayed was exceptionally good, particularly that of Langley. Kerr-Taylor shows promise of developing into n good last-liner if he remembers that a fullback’s job is to play safe when his side is pressed. Handling in his own twenty-five, and not taking advantage of the room available to get in his kick very nearly cost his team a try on two or three occasions. His fielding, however, was perfect. Taking the game all round, it could be called a good exposition for the day. Neither side was at full strength, and the Showground is not the finest Rugby playing field in the football firmament.