Ponsonby’s Prospects

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 355, 16 May 1928, Page 13

Ponsonby’s Prospects

SENIOR RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP Grafton’s Unexpected Slump A* three matches of the senior championship, Ponsonby “ leads with six points from several other teams that have each had one loss. Last Saturday the Ponsonby bacjts were badly out of s-,ep, and the team aS a whole will need to improve if the processes of last season, when all other teams exchanged lickings while Ponsonby went gaily on, are to be repeated.

shape well as serious T rivals to Ponsonby, but there axe defects among the rearguard which will have to be eliminated. Moreover, University is a notoriously inconsistent team. It may disappoint its supporters against the weakest team in the competition.

Grafton Without Stars Without Paewai the Grafton backs lacked the backbone of their defence, and the effect was revealed in all its disastrous magnitude in the early stages of the match against City. Finding City a much improved team, Grafton appeared to be so surprised that when it recovered a win was out of reach.

Will Grafton Coma Back? A draw with North Shore and a loss to City, hitherto considered among the weak teams of the competition, seem to cancel the effect of Grafton’s im-

pressive opening win over University. But the team will come back. It has fair backs, with occasional brilliance furnished by Ruru and Paewai, and it has a great bunch of forwards, though the pack at present appears to lack heart.

Better Than Tin Hares C. E. W. Macintosh, the new University wing threequarter, would have been better than the tin hares on Saturday if the inside backs could have been persuaded, on the numerous occasions when they had the opportunity, to give him the ball. Instead they seemed determined to starve him. For all his great pace, however, and a diving tackle that thrilled the crowd on Saturday, it is doubtful if Macintosh will measure up to New Zealand standards of international wing threequarter play. So far he has shown that he lacks the essential positional sense.

On the Lists It is interesting to note that both Nepia and Falwasser, according to a statement telegraphed from Auckland recently to the Wellington “Sportsman,” are on the list of prospective converts to the League code. Of Nepia this canard has been circulated so long and so persistently, and with such utter lack of foundation, that at this stage it can be passed over with a chuckle. Nepia is at press it recovering from an attack of double pneumonia, while Falwasser continues*

to turn out for Manukau, though his name was actually on a> Rugby League programme at the start of the season. ...

Side By Side Meanwhile there are welcome Indications that the former rather bitter spirit between the two codes has become a thing of the past. This was manifested by the Rugby Union’s contribution to the Stack benefit fund, and the sporting manner in which the League accepted the donation. As far as Rugby is concerned, there appo-”-s to be no occasion for regret that another code ever started in Auckland. Playing standards have certainly not suffered, as was indicated by the pronounced success of the Auckland representative team last season, while on the other hand a beneb": been the awakening of Rugby men and administrators to a wider appreciation of th,eir responsibilities. Falwasser Again Elusive, spfeedy and clever, Albert Falwasser was again the pivot of the Manukau attack on Saturday. Side-step ping and swerving, he repeatedly carved his way through the College Rifles' defence, only to meet with misfortune on the Blue line. Time after time he got within five yards of his goal, and either lost the ball, passed to one of his supporting backs, who usually waited a few feet offside, or had the tantalising experience of seeing a perfectly good pass fumbled. Nor was It only in attack that the speedy Maori proved his worth. On several occasions it was only his übiquity that extricated the Blacks from the almost hopeless situations into which they were driven by the spirited attacks of the College Rifles’ backs. • » * Lawrie Takes the Eye A feature of the match between Grammar Old Boys and Training College last Saturday was the play of Lawrie, who occupied the position of wing-threequarter for the College side. Frequently during the early part of the game he gave glimpses of good form, but being last to receive the ball, was not allowed to show his best. When he moved into centre-threequarter late in the match, however, the College backs were transformed. The ball came out from the Inside men smartly and every time Lawrie got his pass he raised a gallop which caused his opponents considerable concern. Showing speed and resourcefulness he flashed through twice in a few minutes, and it is safe to say that had he been in the centre position throughout the game, the final score might not have been so much in Grammar’s favour.

Stoupe’s Tackling Marlsts lost a useful man last Saturday, when Stoupe retired with a severe scalp wound, which required four stitches. On coming to Auckland from the Waikato last season, Stoupe acquired a great name as a fast opportunist, but he marred much of his work by selfishness, and is better placed on the wing. It was as a wing threequarter fhat he gave one of the greatest displays of his career, in a match between Hawke’s Bay and the

Waikato, at Dannevirke. Hawke’s Bay amassed a huge total of 60-odd points, but there would have been more but for Stoupe, who was marking Grenside, and anchored the crack winger to such purpose that for once he was unable to score. * * * Varsity Pack on Top The loss of Howard, who had played a great game as rover, was another severe blow to Marists. With Peters and Locke, especially the latter, Howard was the pick of the Marist forwards, but the pack as a whole must have sadly disappointed its admirers. It was overwhelmed by a set of bigger and better men, among whom Hindenach, Linton, Anderson and Colgan were noticeable, the two last doing great line-out work. University is well endowed with forwards, from whom it is difficult to sort out a man weak enough to drop. Possibly this minor difficulty will be overcome by requiring some of the back-rankers to take turns in standing out. * * * Bush Rises Rapidly Bush, the Mount Albert Grammar all-rounder, has made a rapid rise in football. He was at school last year, and has been lifted now into senior Rugby, after a preliminary game or two with the University colts. On Saturday he proved himself with a sound display, which included one or two efforts marked by real brilliance. This youngster, it is interesting to note, had the option of playing a season’s junior Rugby, as a preparation for strenuous football, but took the chance of playing senior at once. Time alone will tell whether he was wise. * # * Schoolboy Prodigies Aucklanders will remember two other schoolboy prodigies, Olsen and McLaren, whose combination when they were at Grammar School was remarkable. They played senior Rugby immediately on leaving school, but hardly lived up to the high promise they had shown earlier, though Olsen is still playing very useful Rugby as fiveeighth for Grammar Old Boys. Another remarkable schoolboy -who did not fulfil his form at school was R. O. Talbot, o f Christ’s College. , , _ Sheen, his partner at school, eventually won much higher honours. H. W. Brown (Taranaki) is another who, having slumped a good deal in the past season or two, appears to be suffering from the effects of being introduced too early to big football.

WAIPA RUGBY UNION ~7 A ? result of inquiries by the Waipa Rugby Union as to the correct method of dealing with notices of motion, a ruling was received from the Mon. George Fowlds, at the meeting of the committee on Monday. Mr. Fowlds was thanked for his assistance. The chairman, Mr. F. Quin, said the draw for the Finlay Cup matches will take place after the end of the month. The Taumarunui Rugby Union advised the Waipa Union that it is promoting a seven-aside tournament on the King’s Birthday, and trusted that clubs in the Waipa Union would take part.

Mr. N. F. Goodall has donated two sets of rep. jerseys to the union. The donor was heartily thanked. Cambridge Union sought a junior representative visit from W-ipa as soon as possible. Permission was granted a junior representative team to visit Auckland, and it was decided to inquire if Eden Club, Auckland, is able to pay a visit to Te Awamutu to play the local junior representatives. It was arranged that club delegates be required to notify placers in their clubs selected for representative honours.