By Thirty Points

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 733, 5 August 1929, Page 6

By Thirty Points

RUGBY REPS. HAVE EASY WIN Waikato Outclassed WITH the forwards packing well and hooking cleanly. Auckland Rugby representatives had little difficulty in defeating Waikato in the return match played at Eden Park on Saturday. Thirty points to nil in Auckland’s favour was the score, and it was a fair indication of Auckland’s superiority in both departments. The back division ably supported the efforts of the pack and, despite the heavy going, bright flashes of open play were often seen. Although obviously outclassed, the visiting side strove manfully to lessen the defeat and, due to the efforts of its forwards, the rate of scoring was considerably lessened in the second half.

Although the result of the first representative game at Eden Park this season must prove highly gratifying to Selector V. Meredith, the game itself, and the performances put up by individual members of the pack, must constitute something of a problem when the selection of a pack to meet! Wairarapa in the challenge for the Ranfurly Shield next Saturday is being considered. From the commencement the forwards asserted themselves, carrying play immediately to the Waikato lino with a rush that could not be stemmed. The rear division was backing up well, Lucas, on the left wing, being particularly prominent. It was from his effort that Batty drew first blood. Lucas had received the leather from Bush and with a characteristic run had threaded his way through to within yards of the line. When eventually he was tackled he found Batty handy, and the Grammar forward picked up the pass and with a determined effort hurled himself across for a fine try. Backs and forwards then took turn and turn about in scoring, Anderson, Minns, Batty and Jamieson notching tries before ■ half time sounded with the score 19 —0. 1 In the securing of the last two tries < Lucas played prominent parts, paving the way with tricky runs for both Batty and Jamieson to cross. In the second half Auckland was still dominating the scrums, but the Waikato pack was resisting strongly and at no stage were the members of it easy opponents. However, three more tries came to the Auckland side, Lucas tip-toeing his way through with, the nonchalance of a dancing master for one; Keene dribbling through with a solo effort for another: and Minns, in ' association with Jamieson, taking the lucky last. LUCAS BRILLIANT Despite the big total in Auckland's favour it was by no means monotonous. The forward play on both sides was keen, and added to that were many thrilling and spectacular movements when the Auckland backs got going. Under the conditions in which the game was played the large crowd present had every reason to be satisfied with the fare provided. Lucas gave a taste bf his real I brilliance. Although on the wing he managed to constitute himself the key man of the side. Time and I again when hemmed in he woulc, square up the field with a tricky un and again bring his inside men into the movement with a welltimed in-pass. At least three tries other than his own could be traced directly to his efforts, in addition to many other movements that just failed. On the other wing Minns played his -,ual solid game, the more orthodox xiethods of the speed merchant and -•ucas’s elusiveness combining to constitute a nice variety of- attack. But.er, at fullback, was sound and made ew mistakes. Bush, who completed the centre line, ixade his first appearance as a representative centre. Lining out with fast and wings, he appeared a trifle slow in comparison, but, being a heavily built man, this may have been due to the ground conditions, which probably did not suit him. However, he was never actually behind the play and his positional work was good. It was also evident that he was subordinating his play to that of his wings, as he was sending the ball out in plenty of time to Lucas and Minns. His defensive work was very good. The two live-eighths also appeared content to get the ball away as quickly as possible and attempted few fireworks on their own account. Of the two Jamieson was the most conspicuous. Behind the pack Corner whipped the leather out promptly on all occasions, his performance in the teeth of fastbreaking forwards being very creditable. GOOD SCRUMMING The forwards got down to work very, quickly and with Mr. Meredith’s watchful eye upon them and, no doubt, the Wairarapa trip in their minds, played good honest football. In addition to scrumming and hooking consistently they were always on hand to co-oper-ate up the centre with any back movement going. The two hookers, Hadley and Finlayson, did good service and it appears as if it will be difficult for the selector to separate this pair. On Saturday’s form Finlayson demonstrated his right to .a place in the side to meet Wairarapa. He works tirelessly in tight and loose, and is a very honest type. As a front row man tu> has proved himself on many occasions. With Palmer and McWilliams returning from Australia this week the selector will have ample material from which *-o build a pack. Me-

AVilliams, if available, will have to go in, but it would not be at all surprising if Mr. Meredith shows preference for Finlayson as Hadiey’s partner. On ’ the day’s performance it is indeed hard to .Individualise. Batty had a day out and gave one of his first-class per-

formances, and Anderson was very conspicuous in the rushes, his solo dribbling rush from which he scored being particularly good. A. Knight was a solid performer, participating in most of the tight stuff going. Knight is a forward who obviously plays much better football in rep. games than in club fixtures. With Auckland hooking fairly consistently Keene did not get much opportunity for roving and instead played more of a wing- forward game, at which he proved very effective. His control ot the ball in the loose rushes was particularly good. Thomas, the AVaikato fullback, was the outstanding figure in the visitors’ rearguard. Thomas is a Morrinsville player who won his way into the trial matches played at Wellington before the selection of the South African side. He handles and kicks well and is a difficult man to bustle. Vosper, at centre, was the pick of the threequarter line, with Dalbeth the more promising of the two wings, who however, got few opportunities.

The inability of AVaikato forwards to feed their backs from the scrums also reacted upon the inside men, Fitzger-

aid and Storey, although, the latter at times showed, fair promise. Behind the pack Mitchell gave a good exhibition, although like the others. was

SATURDAY’S STARS LLfCAS (Auckland) and Thomas i (Waikato) were the stars of their respective sides in Saturday’s representative game. Lucas gave

brilliant display at wingthree quarter, and Thomas, at fullback, saved his side time and again.

handicapped considerably through playing behirn a beaten pack.. The visiting- onvards were an even, hard working pack that was outclassed not so much individually but as a combination. Courtney, Holmes and C. Cameron were outstanding. Mr. M. Kronfeld was the referee. POLLARD CUP GAMES MARATHON DEFEATS KINGSLAND STEWART’S GOOD DISPLAY The Marathon team owed its 11 to 3 victory over Kingsland at Victoria Park on Saturday to its industrious wing-forward, Stewart. His penetrating runs accounted for six points. This player was very unlucky in not getting in the B representatives. It will not come as a surprise to ' see Marathon go well up in the Pollard Cup games. i From the start it showed better 1 combination, its pack and backs work- i ing together very successfully. With ! its great superiority in the back divi- ; sion, Marathon was responsible for all the spectacular passing runs, Bishop, Salmon and Bray always being in the picture. The Marathon pack was deeidely j superior in the scrums Savoury, Gif- [ ford and Young shared the honours in i the tight, while Fowler was outstand- j ing in the line out play. The Kings- ! land forwards were inclined to break up too quickly, and allowed their op- j ponents to come through more often | than not. Parket- gave a good exhibi- j tion, and Spiller was also outstand- : ing. Clarke played well for the Kingsland- ! ites, his boot being responsible for the I only three points scored. Hayden was outstanding in the back division, putting in some pretty solo runs. Right throifgh, the game was full of dash, and some first-class football was witnessed by a big crowd of spectators. Mr. T. C. Webb was the referee. SHORE OUTHANDLED j SWIFT MANUKAU BACKS Surprisingly good handling of a slippery ball by Manukau’s backs snatched Korth Shore’s hopes of a win well out of reach in a Pollard Cup match on the Domain. Even without the services for the j day of Falwasser, Kahu and Turei, Manukau senior A presented a sturdy, speedy proposition for Shore, which has fallen on evil times since it went down to senior B ranks. Manukau won well by 22 points to 3, but the main lesson of the game was taught by Shore. The losers’ moderately-sized forwards produced dribbling rushes in the second half which won high enthusiasm from the crowd. Shore’s forwards deserved a try or two for honest work. Beaten in the serums, Shore was kept busy trying to stave oft" Manukau’s backs. Bryers. the winner’s half, played a fine game and, many times, the ball was passed briskly right out to the wingers. Linden, who scored the best try of the game, Albon, Satlierley and E. Brimble, all stood out in Manukau’s backs. Callaghan, D. Hume, Butland and Hooker played good fighting games in Shore’s backs. J. Brimble, Speight, Gregson and Kereopa were a solid quartet in Manukau’s forwards, and the first two were among the steadiest players on the ground. In Shore's forwards. Lynch, the rover, Souter, Newman, Bowyer and Tait Lilia played plubkily. j Manukau’s points were from two i tries by Albon, two by Satherley, one j each by Taylor and Linden, and two i conversions by Bryers. Lynch kicked a penalty for Shore. TECHNICAL’S NARROW WIN GRAFTON WAS UNLUCKY 1 Fourteen a side was the order in the Technical Old Boys-Grafton clash at Eden Park. With the interfering rover absent from both sides, conditions were ideal for backs to develo# and execute movements at will. The only upsetting factor was the extensive patches of boggy, ankle-deep mud, through which the players trudged heavily. Principally through Grafton’s I anxiety to keep the play tight, the game i was of a ragged forward nature, with

occasional bright flashes of passing i and dribbling. It was a keenly-fought j contest over the whole distance, in j which the fortunes of the teams fluc- | tuated considerably. « On the whole Grafton was rather ! unlucky in not, at least, playing the match to a draw, for throughout the second spell, the Magpies’ forwards were predominant, smashing in rush after rush on equally stubborn lines of defence. Quickness of Technical’s backs to j take advantage of mistakes of the | Magpie rearguard, combined with i better combination. was the main 1 reason for the victory of 11 points to I S. The Grafton forwards were inspired ; by the tigerish style in which AA'anoa ; led them. Bustling through the ruck. I ball at toe, dribbling, shouldering opj ponents and tackling determinedly, tho Maori lock was in splendid form. He was ever ready, too, to join in a ! passing bout. He was well backed up !by Swift, who was consistently on the ball in the loose. The backs, as a whole, were very erratic in handling and passing, and were too much inclined to receive the ball standing still. Mackay, at the base of the scrum, played his usual sound game, both on attack and defence. Some bright passing movements were staged by the Technical backs, who handled the greasy ball with considerable skill. Olsen, five-eighths, displayed plenty of dash and judgment, in making scoring openings. The wing threequarter, Common. showed excellent scoring form, registering two good tries after determined runs. The forwards, however, did not work with the same degree of combination that the backs attained, several be- j ing inclined to scouting rather than entering into the hard scrumming, with the result that Grafton secured the ball from the majority of set scrums. Keans was the best of the pack.

LAST-MINUTE RUN

RIFLES DOWN MARIST Battling desperately from the kickoff until “no-side,” College Rifles and Marist produced bright and, at times, spectacular football, considering the conditions, at Eden Park. Only a virtual last-minute effort by Rifles robbed tho Tykes of victory, but the matchwinning movement was such a beautiful exhibition of passing that it deserved to win the game. Both teams concentrated in keeping the gamo fast and open, feeding the ball to the backs at every opportunity, with the result that some particularly smart movements were witnessed. Combining and handling better than Marist, Rifles* backs showed superior form to their opponents, who lacked a five-eighths of penetrative ability. The rival packs were well matched, though* Marist had the advantage in weight, this was evened up by the dash and speed of Rifles’ forwards. Sweeping forward loose dribbling rushes was a feature of both teams’ play. Dodd was in splendid form in j the Rifles’ pack, shining in the loose | and in breaking away from line-outs, i He registered a neat try as a result of i i. well-judged break-away. I Tykes’ forwards entered into the /struggle with intense vigour, which more than accounted for any disadJ vantage in having to field several I juniors to muster a full team. Marshall was the leader of the pack, bej ing particularly prominent in the I loose. Stuart was the bright spot in j the Marist rearguard. His goal-kick-ing was up to its usual high standard, and he contributed six of Tykes’ points with two splendid goals.

SUBURBS SETS PACE AARNELL WAITS TOO LONG On the defensive for the first three spells Parnell cracked on the pace just a little too late to beat Suburbs. It was Suburbs all the time until ' the last spell when the Parnell forwards, headed by Leonard, forced a way down field and hemmed Suburbs vithin the twenty-five, reducing a übstantial lead to five points by the time no side was called. Hardman and Mercier were the bes of the Suburbs forwards. A rattling threequarter line of whom Neeley, centre, and Mcßride, a winger and a newcomer to the team, were the stars, were mainly responsible for Suburbs victory. Thom was a clever five-eighths. Parnell lacked good scoring backs, but the five-eighths, Fausett and Satherly, were an enterprising pair. Mr. A. Mackay was referee. OTAHUHU DEFEATS CITY POOR PLAY AT ONEHUNGA The personnel of the Otahuhu and City teams was an assortment of senior and junior ranks. The standard of play was mediocre in team work most of the time, although the last quarter became a better display of combination. In the early part of the match, work was mainly individual. Barnes, Te Puni and Latta were outstanding among the Otahuhu men. Latta’s kicking was excellent throughout, and he proved a reliable fullback, placing his kicks with judgment, thereby saving his side from many a dangerous position. His follow-ups were always threats to City defenders, and on one occasion he missed getting right through by only a few yards. Lockie gave a good display as halfback. The City men, who wore black and white jerseys on Saturday, were better on attack than defence. This fact was emphasised in the last quarter, J when they allowed no opportunity for : Otahuhu to change from defence to ; offence. On several occasions the City forwards all but crossed. Here again Latta starred for Otahuhu. Both he and Berridge, for City, found placekickirig unprofitable under the sticky conditions. Hart and Ifwerson played good games in the open. In close forward work the “Oats” found Arnold, Ship and Heath valuable, the former also being quick as could be expected in opening out work. The referee’s work'was difficult, as Mr. G. Hancock found neither conditions nor players on their best behaviour. WIN BY DEFAULT j The University team won by default j from Grammar Old Boys on Saturday jin the Pollard Cup game, which was jto have been played at the Showj grounds