FIRST LEAGUE GAMES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 188, 6 May 1940, Page 14

FIRST LEAGUE GAMES

Teams Disorganized By Recruiting ST. GEORGE BEAT MIRAMAR As is the ease with nearly all men’s sports, Rugby League football teams. have lost some of the ablest exponents of the game through enlistment, and the teams which played in the first games of the season in Wellington on Saturday were not only without some of their prominent players of recent seasons, but suffered from the fact that those players who did compose the teams were unfamiliar with one another. Results were as follows: — First Grade. St. George 32, Miramar 13. Central 12, Newtown 3. Petone 28, Eastern Suburbs 5. Reserve Grade. Randwick 12, Petone 5. St. George Overrun Miramar. Miramar gave St. George only weak Opposition in their game at Newtown Park, as the score. 32-13, shows. the Miramar club has been seriously weakened by enlistments in the Army, 30 members having joined the Forces, and many of the .players who took the field on Saturday had never played with one another before. An injury during the game re-duced-their numbers by one for the whole of the second spell. The game was a ragged one, and St. George’s win was largely due to their keeping up with the play better than their opponents. The test movement ot the game was the first score for St. George. After the St. George backs had carried’ the ball within the twenty-five, Franldlin picked up the ball after one of his colleagues had dropped J t in a tabkle, and, dodging over the line near the corner, placed the tall behind the goal. Just before .half-time Scott picked the ball u;p in open play near the St. George line and dropped over. O’Connor .having converted Franklin’s try, and Herkt having scored, the score at halftime was: St. George 8, Mirarnar 3. In the first spell it was apparent that St. George were the better team, and in the second spell the game was <1 uite onesided. iSt, George were on Miramar’s end nearly all the time. Hicks gave several Miramar players the slip, sprinting over the line, and later made a nice run and banded to Herkt, who had nothing before ihira, and scored a try. The score within a few minutes of time was 32-3, when Miramar, for the first time in the spell, worked their way to near the St. George line, and Scott and Bristow' obtained tries, both of which Askew converted. For .St. George tries were scored by Franklin, Herkt (2), Hicks, H. Edie (2), Farrell, and Mustchin, and O’Connor converted four. For Miramar tries were scored by Scott (2), and Bristow, and Askew converted two. Referee: Mr. W. Daveis. Central Beat Newtown. In. the early game’ at Newtown Park, Central defeated , Newtown, 12-3. For Central tries were scored iby Broadhead, and J. Cootes, and O’Halloran converted two and kicked a penalty goal. Newtown’s score was a try by Pickering. IN OTHER CENTRES Auckland: Marist 30, Manuktyi 17: Newton ‘2O, I’onson'by O: Richmond 15, North Shore 12; City 13, Mount Albert 6. Christcfiurcli: Sydenham 13, Addington. 5; Waimari 9, Hornby 5: Riecarton 9. Linwood 3.