ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1092, 3 April 1911, Page 7

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

RUGBY FOOTBALL. 'FIRST MATCH OF THE SEASON, ORIENTAL, G; PONEKE, 3. Football "barrackers" lifted their tuneful voices for the first", time this season, at "the Athletic Park on Saturday, when the'Poneke and Oriental senior teams met in a friendly match, with an eye to ■tho aggrandisement of their respective gymnasium funds. A fair amount of popular interest was manifested iu tho encounter, the north bank and the grandstand between them accommodating about a'-thousand spectators. The ground was in;first-class order, but a sultry atmosphere, and occasional gleams of bright sunshine made weather conditions pleasanter for tho onlookers than for the players. There was no wind, but Poneko played in the opening spell with the sun at their backs.

■Oriental kicked off and assumed tho offensive. Inside iivo minutes a scrum was formed within striking distanco of' the P'oneke line. Oriental got the ball, but.(lid not keep it, ami a saving kick got'Poneke out of their immediate difficulties. During tho greater part of the spell Poneko were strictly on. the defensive. The Oriental backs'took" charge of the game, and' easily kept the bulky onposition forwards at bay. They might have, done even better work had they been more!: actively inclined, but very often one would have thought, that the sideline rather than the Poneko goal was their objective. Roberts was almost .the only Oriental back who attempted a etraight run. Still Oriental clearly outmatched their opponents tin tactical skill. Poneko were frequently jammed on their line,.'and several time? had to force. Ev.en'tually Matheson (dipped over to the firstytry of the day. Roberts failed with tho kick. Oriental, 3. Poneko, 0. Once or! twice before the spell ended the Pdneko forwards broke out of bounds, but . Oriental invariably livened up sufficiently to press them back. Shortly before, half-time Chant scored a second , try after the , ball, from a line-out, had been passed right across the field. The kick failed. Oriental, 6; Poneke. 0. : Oriental, instead of having a -walk-over ini,th6 second spell, figured as defenders during the great part of its length. .Play forliii long time was unexciting. Poneke repeatedly got the ball, .bnt could not drive home their attack. The Oriental backs, though playing in defence, still showed superior skill, and. tho Poneko backs failed often to riw to the occasion. Things livened up a little towards the end. Walshe, at half-way, neatly upended an opponent* who stood in his path, and, after a dashing inn, came near 6coring. Roberts entered the argument when the ball changed'hands and carried ■play nearly to the opposite twenty-fivo before lie, in turn, w«nt down. , Poneke had their reward for a tolerably sustained effort, when Tjlvnrd managed to nmke ah- , opening ■at :'■ the Oriental twenty-five, and'enabled the backs to break away. The Oriental defence broke down, and Elliot hod a clear run over near the corner. The extra points were not obtained. Poneke. 3; Oriental, .6. Just before the call of time Oriental again .became assertive, and after some give '■ and take play Perry caW; over the Poneke line, with Walshe nangimr round' his neck, and grounded the ball.- It looked like a try, but the ■referee ordered n. scrum, presumably for r; previous infringement. Morris broke away when play resumed and passed to Walshe. who raced nearly to the (halfway before he was "tackled. Oriental mado another attempt, and M'Bain. got within close touch of the line, but he was pulled down, and Poneke again sallied out into the open. There was no further scoring. ; Mi", J. Jfahoney. was referee.

: «j PETONE'V.JIELEOSE. : As a preliminary. t,o. the.opening of the football season, Vctone met Melroso on their' ground last Saturday. ■ The object ofi-the match-was to obtain funds for both cliibs' gymnasiums. There was an attendance of about 200. ' Melrose, "who. have : a'; lot of young players, commenced with the. sun m their eyes, and pressed ' Petohe. Corson brought relief with a fine kick. Melrose again attacked, and Petone forced: Both teams, who had started at • a great pace, now Settled down to eolid forward play. Again the town team invaded Pctone's ground, and had an unsuccessful attempt at goal., Petone rallied and two or threo passing bouts ensued, from tho loose, T. Price dribbled up, and his brother, E. ■ Price,-.-.who was handy, 'fell, on'the oval. No goal was kicked. Petone 3, Melrose 0. Petone Teturned to 1 the attack, and from a passing bout T. Price got over. MTarland converted. P«tbno 8, Melrosß 0. There was no further score at half-time/ In the second spell both teams were tiring. Petone had . tho best of tho .beginning, Aston being particularly prominent; ho also scored the Blue's third try. Petone 11, Melroso o.■■ Eamsden,' the suburban five-eighth, 'made a fino run, and transferred to. Jas. Ryan,' who touched down. M'Farlano added, the major points. Petono 10, Melroso .0. llelrose,. in tho closing stages, did good work, and- after a forward rush Gilchrist dashed over. Petono IG, MeliTose 3. Shortly after H. Marshall dived over from,the ruck. Petone 10, Melrose 6. Generally spcakin?, the form shown was fair, and considering the hardness of the ground, Price brothers, Astoa.'Jas. Ryan'. andEarasden went well for Petone, and Marshall (2), Gilchrist, Patterson, and Greeks did the best work for Melrose. Mr. Card was the referee.

" /. . . LEVIN SHIELD.. .. .. At Nowtown Parley on' : Saturday tho Wellington Football Club decided tho annual competitions in connection with the Levin Shield. . Tho programme'consisted of goal-kicking, line-kicking, long-distance kicking, passing rushes (teams of four), nnd three- running races. The club mustered about 'lOinembers. The goal-kicking was of poor quality, and none of the players succeeded in kicking rhoro than two goals out of four attempts, and the. line-kicking, with a couple of exceptions, was. also poor. A number of the : competitors scored equal points in the goal-kicking and the other events resulted:— i .... 50 Yards Championship—Lambert, 1 ; Carr, 2; Clark, 3. 100 yards—Lambert, 1; Clark, 2; Eoneyji'e, '3. 200 : yards-Clark, •1; Lambert, 2; M'Sab, 3. Line-kicking—Kirkwood, 1; Weir, 2; Hunt, 3. Long-distance dropkick—L. Bridge, 1; Kirkwood, 2; Hill, 3. Passing rush—D. Bridge's team, 1; L. Bridge's team, 3. Aggregate points for shield—Lambert, Ml: points, 1; Clark, 9J points, '2; L Bridge, Snoints. 3. The shield will bo held for the year bv Lambert. ./.MANAWATU RUGBY UMON.' ' The annual meeting of the Manawatu Rugby Fcotball Union was held on Friday night, most of the clubs in tku union being represented. The president, Mr. E. D.'-Hoben, was in the chair. ■. Three new clubs —Feilding Athletics, High School Old Boys, and Ashhurst.ivdre admitted to the union. The annual report regretted that tho representative team had not been more successful, but attributed its want of success to the very small number of players from which selection could bo niade. A suggestion was thrown out that this could be remedied by combining with Horowhenua Union so far- as outside , matches were concerned. The Manavrahi V Xihion is really the smallest in the Dominion. The balance-sheet showed credit to general account JXS Is. 2d., and to accident insurance account ,£37 3s. lid. The following officers were elected:— Patron, Mr. K. D. Ilobcn; president, Mr. A. N. Gibbons, vice-presidents, Messrs. J. Pawson, 11. F. Gibbon.", and J. Manning; secretary, Mr. W. M'Keime; treasurer, Mr. 11. Jluller; Management Committee, Messrs. Jf. M'Manaway, W. .T. .Tones, C. M'Willinms, 11. Grrathead. F. Pinini, E. D. Hoben, and T. Stubbs; auditors, Messrs, F. Fairbrolher and S. J. Watson; lion, surgeon, Dr. Peach; vice-president, N.Z.U.V.U., .7. Manning; delegates, N.Z.K.F.U., Messrs. F. Pirani and 11. Miillar. Ke\s' by-laws, as drafted by the subcommittee, were, submitted, biit discussion on them were postponed to a future meeting.

REVISION OF RUGBY RULES. OVERSEAS DELEGATES TO BE . INVITED. By Telegraph—Press Association-Oopyrieht London, March 31. Tho English Rugby Union Committeo has decided to invito overseas delegates to attend meetings of tho Rules Subcommittee, and also general committeo meetings, when the. laws of the ganio aro under discussion. ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. ENGLAND V. SCOTLAND. By Telegrauh-I'ress Aseociation-Cosyrieht (Ceo. April 3, 0.15 a.m.) London, April 2. The international Association footbalj mutch between England nnd Scotland resulted in a draw, each side scoring one goal.