On the Wing

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 137, 31 August 1927, Page 11

On the Wing

' CHASE FOR ROOPE ROOSTER

League Rugby Jottings

ilflTH the start of the Roope Rooster competition next TT Saturday, the second leg of the League Club season will be entered upon. The chase to capture that much-prized bird promises to keep the fans fully occupied until the touring team returns home and the St. George team from Sydney boves in sight.

„ would be hardly possible to find letter teams than Newton and Ponsonl»' to fisbt out the finish of a rat- , -good competition, as was the ease ,J1I ?g a turday. The most satisfactory fiClor of the match was the fine sporttig spirit in which those two teams (ought desperately for premiership. It ,-jsthe hardest game witnessed at the wasuf headquarters for some time, ~jyet there was no rough or foul play, in the dressing-shed, behind the scenes, _ M p o nies were full of congratulations ... t i, e team from whom they had suff(,red defeat, and this goes still further in giyinS a fl ne sporting atmosphere to the code.

10s 2d; Glebe, £582 6s sd: Balmain. £ooo 4s; North Sydney, £430 6s 7dUniversity, £265 18s lid.

Ellerslie’s Challenge Ihe lowest team in the senior A grade can be challenged by the winners of the senior B grade for replacement. On this rule Ellerslie has challenged Grafton Athletic with the hope of winning its way to the A grade. The match has been set down by the Auckland League for the first available Saturday. Promising Juniors Grafton Athletic are not altogether shining lights in the senior competition, but at the same time they seem, to be able to produce the right stuff in their lower grades. Two of their third grade players, Bissett and Clark have been playing fine football in tlieir grade and have now been given a pleasing bump up by being selected for the junior representative team.

After the Rooster I Devonport has drawn the bye in the opening' round of the Roope Rooster next Saturday. The boys from across dje water will make a strong bid to capture the League’s chanticleer this reason- They did not have the best 1 of luck in some of

their games this year, the North Shore team having had its full share of injuries during the season. With Webb and Dixon away on tour, Alf Scott may be found leading a side which will give any of the teams left behind a run for their money.

* * * After their hard light last week the ponies will be able to take things a little easy next Saturday when they meet Athletic. In all probability Ponsonby will be giving a few of their juniors a try-out. Richmond is expecting to field a good team next Saturday and Prentice and Bass should be seen in tlie lime-light. But, however, on the following Saturday when these two Richmond cracks are on tour in the South the team will be rather on the weak side. Pontonby’s Sick List The Ponsonby seniors have still a few on the sick list. “Dooley” Moore is still in the hospital while Riley, who has been chosen as an Auckland rep. is now in the hospital suffering from diptheria and there is little hope that he will be ready for the Southern tour as he will be six weeks convalescent. Usher, however, who was hurt in the game last week is on his feet again and will soon be ready to take the field.

Either Rugby or League Playing in the Auckland Tramways Rugby team which, by defeating Wellington Tramways by 13 points to six won the Kohn Shield. was C. Gregory, the New Zealand representative League fullback who went to England last year. Gregory was playing as five-eighth, and was responsible for a good deal of spectacular play. The try he scored was a “trimmer.”

For the first 14 series of League Rugby games this season in Sydney, shares of the gate-takings of the various clubs were: South Sydney, £1,723 8s 2d: St. George, £1,346 7s 4d; Western Suburbs, £1,234 Ss 9d; Eastern Suburbs, £706 7s 2d; Newtown, £587