RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 200, 19 May 1919, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SATURDAY'S MATCHES' PONEKE AND ATHLETIC DRAW . _ Great interest was evinced in tho leading match of tho Rugby competition on Saturday—the. contest between Poncke and Athletic ou No. 1 ground Athletic Park Tho ground was in excellent condition; and there wns a very good attendance of tho public. Neither team, was out in full.strength, sickness being principally responsible foV the .absence of several of tho leading players of both Rides: nevertheless, the ■ exhibition given possessed sufficient thrills to* justify the ■ contention that tho spectators got their money's worth. Though there was no score, the!game was clo3oly contested all through, and. right up till, the end the decision, was in doubt. Judging' by tho vpoal enthusiasm of the "barrackors," Poneke had tho support of inoet of tho crowd, but Athletic had a good muster of their followers, too. ATHLETIC (0) V. PONEKE (0). Alhiotio kicked off, and tho Poneke forwards immediately got going, setting up a hot attack; which was stopped hi good stylo by Heley. Play became open following a smart centring kick by Chrielopherson, and the ball changed hands freely. Algar turned- the- tables on a dangerous Athletic - incursion into the -P.on.eke- twenty-five, and tho Blues soon found themselves defending, with all the strcDgth they could comniarid. A scrum near halfway resulted in , the Ponoko cookers getting possession in perfect fashion, .and the • backs • threw the ball about freely, until Boj'co intervened, and interrupted the' movement. >' Up-and-down play followed, in which J. Tilyard end E. Roberts were conspicuous.' Rob.erts was playing a beautitul'game, judg-. ■ ing his line-kicks splendidly. A■ ■ brief epell of open play was followed'by a somewhat protracted series of - hardfought scuffles on the lino-out. L. Roberts ivas doing good work in association with his brother, and his-'display was frequently .the subject of favourable comment. He has the capacity of using his head at a critical nioment; • and he gives promise or developing into a very serviceable five-eighths. Midway through the spell ; Athletic temporarily got the upper hand, aiid attacked with much vigour.l. Tho Blues'gallopod all over 'tho opposing forward division,' and swooped down amid a scene of great excitement on to the lied and Black line. . The tussle near the/ corner was tense, . but Marks saved the situation, and Poneke ultimately took tho offensive. Once-more tho Blues came near to scoring.'' Chesterman picked uj>. near halfway, and careered down the line on his own. His speed Tery nearly, carried him through, but he was pushed.out of bounds near the corner flag. M'Cabe made a great effort to clear from the • throw-in, and forced his way through, but he was collared, and tho pressure was momentarily relieved. The'Blues'were not to bo denied, however, and down they came again ou ; the opposite side of the field. On this occasion they very nearly penetrated the defence, but Morris managed to fall on the ball, with 4nflerson, one of the Bluo- and .Black front rankers, on top of him. Thrill now followed thrill, first Athletio gaining the advantage, then Poneke. ]5, Roberts picked Uβ from the ruck ana tried to break loose; but down he came. The Poneke forwards' wo doing great ■work. Time and again Athletic tried to get their backs going, but without avail, liyan then initiated a dribbling rush,! ana the Blue rear division afterwards got into aotion. • Heley did,some smart following up, but J. Tilyard relieved ■ the pressure by finding the line. Poneke were again put on tho defensive, until-M'Arthur ana Troy broke away. They got perilously closo to Athletic's line, but Troy was collared, and half-time then sounded.

Poneko opened out the play at the beginning of the second Spell, and Athletic we 60on penalised. M'Arthur's attempt with was a. good one, but the ball wont a little wide. In the ensuing play E. Roberts took u good mark, for winch':he was war'nilyapplauded, ahtrthe: Bluos subsequently got; the upper hand. Poneke backs then got possession, ana M'CAbeintercepted a pass, but was penalised for being off-side. Fast play followed, for some time, but neither side found it possible to force a decision. The gams became very open and interesting, and tho excitement at times was extreme. Algar. and M'Artlmr. both enme close to scoring for tho Ked'nnd Blacks, and t» passing rush on the* part of; the Poneke backs was negatived by; M'Cabo intercepting. Poneke gnined the ball in the scrum, and attempted. to open out .the play, but the Blue forwards were >ery alert, and stifled eyery effort on their opponents' part. A great Athletic rush very nearly .terminated successfully, but Poneke's defence was 6ound. The lted ana Blacks set up a "big push," and Bilderbeck, the Athletic .full-back, had . only short notico in which to.boot the leather into touch. Darkness was vapidly setting ill; but neither side slackened their efforts. Poneke backs broke away in a bunch, and Algar made a splendid attempt to pot a goal. ■ With minutes to go it was anybody's game, but E. Eoborts kept cool and found the line repeatedly, thus staving off defeat for Athletic. Poneke were attacking at the finiah, but the whistle blew and the game ended in a draw, there being no score on either eide. Mr. L. Simpson was referee. .

J SELWYN (18) V. ORIENTAL (i). Playing on Aihlctic Park No. 2 Solwyn defeated' Oriental by 18 points to 9. Early in the game Peart, scored for Selwyii, ni'ler following up closely, but Wogan had no luele with the kick. The play became somewhat = loose, and cohesion was lacking on both sides. Pnpps kicked a penalty goal for Oriental, thus equalising the score. Kohika .afterwards scored n try for Selvryn, Hiddiford failing with the kick. The Greens afterwards got going in a passing rush, and M'Kay sent the. ball on to Pearl', who annexed another try, which remained unconverted. ' Selwyn, 9;. Oriental, 3. Before the end of the first spell, Geary added anothor try to the Selwyn total.

On resuming' after the spell] Papps kicked a penalty goal for Oriental. Helwyn, 12; Oriental, f>. Some Oriental players commenced n passing rush/ but .Eastgate intercepted, and broke away. Ko was soon overtaken, and brought down, but Wugan carried on and scored.. There was no goal. Solwyn, .15; Oriental. 6. Shortly beforo the end of the •game Hingston scored a try for Oriental, and Kent crossed over the line for Selwyn, making tbo final score: Selwyn, 18; Oriental, 9. Mr. Halliday was referee. UNIVERSITY!?!)) V. WELLINGTON (6). After a very strenuous contest University succeeded in defeating Wellington , on Duppa Street Park by 10 points to 6. .Right from the outeet University played with determination, which justified their , victory, and had they the advantage of a little more training they would undoubtedly, have compiled a larger score. AVeliington, .however, were not by any means out of if when it came to fast play, and Brookes came to the fore, and compiled Wellington's; first try, which' remained unconverted. This spurred University oh; and they quickly balanced matters when Aitken got dver the Wei-. HncLon line. A beautiful kick gave University the lead. ..University, 5; Wellington, 3. Wellington made a strong attack, but Jaokson and Scott checked the onrush, and play continued up and down the field for some time. Jackson ■ was playing his usual; &o& gymo, and made the -Wellington task hard. Scott was also very conspicuous, and tho chance whioh soon came his way was not neglected. JHo scored easily, and Beard converted. 10-3. Soon after tho resumption of play Wellington forwards made it wry willing, and fast play ensued. »Packer eventually broke through, and registered Wellington's second and last try. The kick failed. University, 10; Wellington, G. Play continued up and down the field, and ended without any alteration in the score. The combined work oi the Wellington team was • by far the best, and. although University has undoubtedly improved-since they first took .the 'field, there .in room for still more'improvement. Mr. Summerhaves, was .the referee.'

Junior. Wellington College 17 v. University 6; Hutt 32 v. Poncke 3. ' ' 'Third Grade. ' Oriental 11 v. Hutt 8; Johnsonville 11 v Selwvn- 0; Athletic 11 v.. Berhampore .0; Railway Battalion 10 v. University 0. Fourth Grade. Wellington Collcgo 12 v. Oriental B 3; Selwyn 1C v. Scots College 3; Hutt 17 v. Mavist Old Boys 11; Petono 30 v. Y.M.C.A., 13; MaßCot 19 v. Banks College 0: Oriental A 31 v) Athletb 5. !.. '■ Fifth Grade. ' Selwyn 10 rv. Wellington College A 3; Petone 12 vi Wellington College B 3; Poneko 18 v. Berhampore 9;, Athletic 9 v. : Oriental (3). - --, ' 1 Sixth Grade. .Technical High School 9 v. Scots Col'lege 5; Wellington College A 18 v. Petone 0., ■ ■ MAORI PIONEER TEAM. -, A WIN OVER HAWKE'S BAY. . .'■ By Telegraph—Prcsß Asßooiatlbn. , ' ■'■ ■, '.' Napier, May 17. The Maori Pioneer Rugby team opened a , tour hero this afternoon with a match, j against Hawke's Bay. There were about three Vthousapd spectators piwent, and the weather was perfect. - Tho ground was vei-v hard. The visitors were officially welcomed by the Mayor (Mr. J. V. Brown),-Mr. B. Tweedie (president of the Returned Soldiers' Association), Mr. AV. ■J. M'Grath (Rugby Union), and Taraniki Te Ua (representing the Native race), who all paid a tribute to the patriotism of the Maoris and. the good work done by them on Gallipoli and in France. x Captain Vercoj, D.5.0., acknowledged the greetings' on behalf of the Pioneers. The match wa« played iii four twenty-minute epells, and the game was fast and exciting throughout.. The visii tore 'were much the heavier team, but the homo':side had plenty of pace, the !'forwards being especially fast, and that invariably smothered 1 the efforts of the visitors to open up the play. The latter . evidenced that once they again strike true form they will be a hard side to beat. Early, in ,the'first spell Findlay (Hawke's -Bey) kicked a fine penalty zoal. Plav was verv eveii. and the score wa.s unaltered'until the last quarter of all hour, when tho Pioneers, per medium of Kingston and Jacob, /'crossed the home - line twice, and the Inttor converted ono of the tries. ' Tho game ended.in a win for the visitors by 8 points to 3.