League Rugby Competitions

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 79, 24 June 1927, Page 11

League Rugby Competitions

Second Round Commences

Review of To-Morrow’s Games

SPECULATION is rife as to whether Ponsonby can hold its place at the top of the League Rugby ladder now that the second round is commencing. The champions have had one or two very close calls, and unless they show better form in this round, they will be hard put to it to hold their position.

Richmond was improving all the time in the first round and last year’s •Rooster Winners” will be still harder beat in this round, as they showed 'ast Saturday that they are an imnroving young: team. Shore is another team which has come on a lot in the Ust few games and even if it does not win the competition will be the means of upsetting some of the leaders. City, which has been defeated in several matches in the first round, is

never beaten till the final whistle, and is likely to beat the best of them when in the humour. Newton, which gave such promise in the beginning of the round has not improved as was expected. At Devonport last Saturday Newton was completely routed in the final stages of the game, but it must be understood that the team was without two of its best forwards, and bad the misfortune to lose two more in the course of the game, which is a big handicap, especially when one of the injured players was Somers, the hooker, which means a lot to the team. Marist has shown good form all through and is running Ponsonby very dose in the lead; in fact, the “Tykes” .hould be in front again this week, neeing that the “Ponies” have the bye, and Marist are down to play Athletic, which is on the bottom of the list, not having won a game in the first round after playing some very close games.

This young team is improving all the time and it will be surprising if they do not show better form in this round. This club took a big risk at the beginning of the season, being of the opinion that after the experience of the New Zealand League team at Home, when all the dissatisfaction was caused by players who had come from other codes, that it was better t.o have a team of young players from the junior, than have dissatisfied players from outside, and many of the other clubs will be doing the same before long. RICHMOND V. NEWTON The game on No. 1 Carlaw Park should be a fairly good game, especially if Newton can get its best team out. Newton will require to be at its best to have any show with Richmond, as this team is good, and even with Newton at its best, it will find it a big proposition to upset this team, especially after Richmond's game last Saturday, when the Maroons were unlucky to have ben defeated. CITY V. DEVONPORT The City-Devonport game which was to have been played at the Shore, has been transferred to No. 2 Carlaw Park and may be a more even and closely contested game than the No. 1 match. Shore is playing good football at present and with City showing signs of coming back, a fairly good game should result with the odds in favour of Shore. MARIST V. ATHLETIC The Marist-Athletic game has been shifted to the Domain, and it is reported that Marist is only too pleased to get off what it considers its ‘‘Hoodoo’ ground. Marist should beat Athletic, as the “Tykes” are a good combination this season, and with a back line that includes the three “All Blacks,” Kirwin, Brisbane, and Gregory. they are going to take a lot of beating from now on.