RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 227, 25 September 1929, Page 17

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

ELECTRIC LIGHT GAME. TECHNICAL BEAT PONSONBY GOOD SHOWING BY GREENS. Weakened by the absence of star players, especially in the rearguard, from ■which Lucas, Hook and McLeod were missing, the Ponsonby senior team, champions of the season, were severely defeated by Technical Old Boys at an electric light match at Blandford Park last night. There was an attendance of about a thousand spectators. Despite a drizzling rain, which set in shortly after the main game started, play was fast throughout and characterised by a great deal of good work among the backs. Evincing dash and confidence, and handling the ball with much more snap than they have shown in the club matches, Technical Old Boys took the lead from the outset. In ruck, loose and line-out the green forwards were the superior, and only the fact that they controlled the scrums kept Ponsonby with a winning chance for the first half, when Technical led by two tries, got by Turbott and C. Keene as the result of snappy passing at the end of bright forward dashes. In the second half the greens, varying good footwork with smart handling, took the upper hand decisively, after C. Keane had scored his second try "rom a scrum on Ponsonby's line. Harris made a try for Commons, and a dashey run by Cooper added another try. Stacey and D. Keane converted the last two tries. Ponsonby at times rallied and promised well, but invariably lost opportunities by holding too long, quite a new fault for this team. The game, which was bright and full of incident, ended in a win for Technical Old Boys by 19 points to 0. The curtain-raiser between Ponsonby and Technical seconds resulted in a win for Technical by six points to five. McClay scored for Ponsonby and Thomas goaled. Cobb and McMichen kicked penalty goals for the winners.