CITY RUGBY MATCHES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2517, 19 July 1915, Page 2

CITY RUGBY MATCHES

ATHLETIC STILL LEADS

PETONE BEATEN BY ONE POINT. Owing to the absence of the Expeditionary Forco teams from Wellington, only three senior Rugby matches wero played here on Saturday. The chief of these was between Athletic and Petone, on Athletic Park, and was patronised by a largo crowd, which included a strong contingent from Petone. Great interest was taken in the match. Hie match was close and exciting, and with luck Petone might have won comfortably.. As usual, Athletic made few mistakes; Petono uiado many, and some were very costly errors. Some of thoir most reliable players, also, were considerably below form. Petono wero first to score, Corson obtaining a try, which he failed to convert. Petone, 3; Athletic, 0. Later, Madden potted a goal for Athletic. Athletic, 4; Petono, 3. Athlefcic's next score was in the form of a try by W. Ryan. M'Carlie failed with tlie kick at goal. Athletic, 7; Petone, 3. A good passing rush was responsible for the City team's next addition to their tally. Blackmoro initiated the, attack with a good run, and passed to Madden, wh j sent on to M'Vea. Barry was tho last man to got the leather, and he shot over in tho corner. A. Wilson's attempt to convert failed. Athletic, 10; Petone, 3. M'Carlie scored towards the end of tho spell through following up a long kick by Blackmoro. Athletic, 13; Petone, 3.

■Early in the second spell, Nunn kicked a good penalty goal tor Petone. Athletic, 13; Petone, ~6. A fine passing attack by Petone resulted in Hogan scoring; and Petone's points stood' at 9. At this stage they remained till the closing stages of the match, when a dashing forward rush saw Anslow burst across tho Athletic lino and scoro. The points :were now 13 to 12 in Athletic's favour, and all depended on James Ryan's kick at goal, lie mado a good attempt, but the gale beat him, and tho game was virtually ovor. Athletic had won by a point. Mr. A. C. Kitto was referee.

WELLINGTON AND SELWYN. < During the first spell of the Welling-ton-Selwyn match ,at Lower Hutt, play was even, Wellington having a slight advantage. Twenty minutes after the kick-off, Cullen pounced on the ball, near lialf-way, and raced for Selwyn's line, pill-sued by A. Thomas. Tho latter, however, was outpaced arid Cullen scored in a. good position. Crewes converted, Wellington s—o. Just before half-time an attack by the Selwyn backs resulted in Galvin touching down for Selwyn, Wellington 5—3. In the second spell, Selwyn's attacking became prominent, and after forcing their opponents several times, Fred Cooper added two tries, and Roberts one, against "Wellington, the final score being: Selwyn, 12; Wellington, 5." Mr. J. Baumber was referee.

ORIENTAL AND PONEKE. " Poneke had a good deal the better 'of their encounter with Oriental at Pe-t-one on Saturday afternoon'. The pace was very warm from the outset, but up till. Jialf-timo.' jio .scoro was registered. Poneke, however, put on .twelve mints in tho second half, and Oriental, although struggling hard, could not cross tho lino. Moms and Tilyard scored tries for Poneke, Tilyard converting his effort, whilo Algar potted a goal. • -The ; •game ended': 1 Poneke, 12; Oriental, 0.

IN OTHER CENTRES. ■> .'By T«lesrapli.—Press Association. - T . Auckland, July 18. Rugby results: — .. City beat Marist, 13 to 0; Ponsonby beat Parnell, 9 to 5; College Rifles beat University, 31 to 9.

Wanganui, July 17. The senior Rugby matchej to-aay suited:—

Pirates 13 defeated Wanganui 5, College 26 beat Kaierau 8. Christchurch, July 17. Rugby results:—Merivalo 14, Marists 8; Old Boys 15, Sydenham 13; Linwood 7, Christchurch 3; Albion a bye. Dunedin, July 17, Rugby results:— • Zinga-ri-Richmwid 11, Alhambra 6. Union 6, Kaikorai 3. Southern 3, Port Chalmers nil. The Dunedin-University match .was postponed. -, '