LEAGUE RUGBY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16738, 20 May 1922, Page 10

LEAGUE RUGBY.

FIFTH ROUND. The fifth round of the competitions were played to-day with perfect weather conditions prevailing. The expectation of viewing a. fast, spectacular game drew a. large attendance to Sydenham Park. the onlookers witnessed a fine display that, was full of incident throughout. The speed and passing of the Addington backs beat a solid game by the Sydenham forwards, and the tackling by both teams was a feature of the play. Woolston beat tenwood by hard forward play, neither team showing consistency. The results place Addington in the lead for the competition, with Sydenham two points down.

ADDINGTON V. SYDENHAM

,T Sanders commenced play br kicking ofi- against a light breeze, and a oombined rush by the Sydenham forwards smothered McKenzie's return. King, Young and Matthews had play on their oM™“ 18 line. Coomber marking, Matthews had.a kick at goal, the effort falling short. Hern, and King broke away for Sydenham, hut Trudgeon drooped his pass and a chance. Young maintained the Syden ham attack but Watts. Green, and J. Sanders, broke away. King intercepted and reversed play, which was fast and spectacular. Young was brought down close to the Addington line. Matthews dodged through, and sending to Marshall, the latter was grassed on the western suburbs goal line and momentarily knocked out. The Addington forwards, led ny Bench, went through the Sydenham backs, and J. Sanders gathering a pass missed by Smith, scored at the corner. His effort to goal just fell short. King. Matthews and Southam were prominent for Sydenham. From a penalty there was an unsuccessful attempt at goal shortly before half time. The half time score Addington 3; Sydenham nil. A fine rush by the Sydenham forwards restarted play and from a penalty wide out. Matthews’s kick went- to the centre. Young gathered and sending in to King, the latter scored alongside the posts. Matthew'S failed to improve. Smith put in a fine run to the Sydenham twentylive, and with play fast and open, Trudgeon, Matthews and Young, carried the ball to the Addington line, and from a penalty Matthews i>laced a goal. J. Saunders, who was playing a splendid game, returned and breaking clear went to the Sydenham half, where Watts sent out to W. Green, who cut in cleverly and sent to J. Saunders, on to Smith, to score for J. Saunders to goal. The play was fast, and from a passing bout F. Saunders short-kicked. Beating Coomber to the ball he scored wide out. J. Saunders failed to improve. A strong run by McEwen was quickly returned, and Watts, running round, sent to F. Saunders, to score at the.coiner flag. Smith’s kick fell short. Young intercepted an Addington passing rush, and passing to M’Ewen, the latter scored, after a fine run. Matthews failed to goal. A strong passing rush by the Addington backs ended in Rowe bringing J. Saunders down on the Sydenham line as the whistle sounded for time with:— ADDINGTON . . . FOURTEEN SYDENHAM .... EIGHT Referee: Mr W. J. Heslehurst.

WOOLSTON V. LINWOOD.

On their showing last Saturday it was anticipated that Woolston would give Linwood a good game, and they fulfilled the expectation. Their team, which played on the home ground, was a bit faster tham the one that played on the previous Saturday. The ground was in good order. Right from the commencing whistle Woolston put energy into their display, and poor passing and tackling by Linwood saw Woolston within attacking range half a dozen times in the first fifteen minutes. Gregory at full for Linwood displayed his usual judgment in spoiling, but he was only moderately supported. The attempts at line kicking by the defenders were ineffective for the most part. On the wing in the three-quarter line P. Smith was in the picture all the time. Soon after the start he opened Woolston’s account by a try from a loose rush which succeeded by reason of poor tackling, j Smith converted this try. Linwood were being hard pressed at this stage and the | attacking backs engaged in some fairly j brisk, clean bouts of passing. On two J occasions Linwood were penalised, the ; kicks being in easy positions, but the j attempt to convert failed. P. Smith soon got over and scored and followed this up by converting a penalty. Gregory opened an attacking movement for Linwood which bore fruit, N. Harvey, in the threequarter line, scoring. Gregory's attempt to goal went wide. Play hung in midfield for a while till a high punt by a Woolston forward was collected by a Linwood three-quai ter. He fumbled, and C. Stapley hopped into the breach and made the most use of the chance. (Torkin had no difficulty in converting. The half-time score was:— Woolston 12, Linwood 3. , The second half proved much more interesting than the first. Linwood put far more vigour into their play and tried to retrieve their position. The forwards’ display was brightened by better tackling and it was this that put a stop to a dangeious Woolston rush in which Ferris rcarly got over. Gregory for Linwood, and Smith, Main and Ferris for Woolston were about the only ones deserving particular mention, for the teams as a whole would not. or could not, handle the , leather with safety. With a few minutes to go D. Wilson took a neat mark for Woolston in f ront of the goal posts and Smith goaled. The final score was:— WOOLSTON . . FOURTEEN LINWOD .... THREE Mr J. Stevens acted as referee.

JUNIOR CAMES.

SECOND GRADE. Waimairi beat Avon by five to three. Mr F. Smith was referee. Playing at Hornby, Hornby defeated Sydenham by 11 points to 3. For the winners Hamilton, N. Davis and G. Lennox scored tries and F. Horwell kicked a penalty goal. Referee, Mr W. King. THIRD GRADE. Sydenham 38 defeated Federal 3. For the winners the scorers were:—Clegg (2), Vivian (2), Roberts (2), Lane and Pritchard. Harris, D. Morris and Vivian kicked a penalty goal, and Davidson converted three tries. Stanton scored for Federal. Mr Young was referee. Sydenham defeated Federal by 38 points to 3. Mr J. Young was referee. Addington defeated Templeton by 12 points to 8. Mr J. Worrann was referee. Kaiapoi, on their own ground, defeated Woolston by 26 to 4. Mr J. Gibbs was referee. FOURTH GRADJfr At Kaiapoi Sydenham 36 beat Kaiapoi 6. Mr S. Robson refereed. FIFTH GRADE. Heathcote defeated Addington at Heathcote by 8 points to 3. Referee, ’Mr D. M'Crae. Linwood defeated Sydenham at Sydenham Park by 14 points to five. Referee, Mr W. Murray.