PONSONBY MUD-LARKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 401, 9 July 1928, Page 6

PONSONBY MUD-LARKS

Going Too Heavy for Grammar SOLID RUGBY AT EDEN PARK GOOD football was seen at Eden Park on Saturday, where three evenly-contested games were played. The results, however, still leave Ponsonby and Varsity on equal terms in the senior championship. Marist, who were defeated by Grafton by the difference between a potted goal and a try, lose two more points. The Ponsonby-Grammar game, although mostly a forward struggle, proved interesting, and attracted a good attendance in the stands. A number of enthusiasts, very hardy ones, even braved the weather and watched the game from the embankment throughout a wet and thoroughly miserable afternoon.

The Grammar pack set the pace from the beginning, and for the best part of the first half easily held the upper hand. Several times they were within an ace of scoring, but a heavy ground, made greasy by driving rain which set in as- the players took the field, made handling very difficult. The handling of their backs was poor, and this undoubtedly gave their forwards a lot of unnecessary work. A clean snap-up out of the ruck by Batty, who dived across, put Grammar in the lead shortly after the commencement of the game, but before the half-time whistle sounded a good try by Cammick and a fine kick by Berridge had put Ponsonby in the lead. From then on the Ponies never looked back, the superior handling of their backs and the better condition of their forwards enabled them to run out winners by 16 to 6. Grammar’s 3-2-3 scrum, although pushing Ponsonby in the earlier stages of the game, had nothing on the lighter pack in the second half. The argument that three frontrow men can always beat two was not borne out on Saturday. Pos-. sibly the Grammar front row is not yet versed in the art of this formation, but the fact remains that Palmer and Stichbury got most of the ball. The weight of the Grammar pack was also increased by the inclusion of I>aurie Knight, who made his reappearance alter a long spell from the game. While his condition lasted he was very prominent. Acting, no doubt, on the principle of going while the going was good, he threw his weight solidly into all the tight stuff and also handled well in the open, but before the half-time whistle sounded it was fairly olivious that ho was short of a few gallops. Nevertheless it was a good effort. A few games will soon put him right.

Batty was a tireless worker and he was well supported in the open by A. Knight, who, however, spoilt his game by offside tendencies. Potter and Cathcart were solid working forwards, but the pack as a whole lacked unity. The Grammar backs found the handling very difficult and were slow to move away, much more so than their lighter-footed opponents. Skelton was perhaps the most enterprising: of the lot, although nothing much cam* of it. Badeley was not up to his usual form. HONEST PONY PACK Although he retired at the end of last season Len Righton was persuaded to don the jersey again on Saturday, and he did so with distinction, playing useful and solid game. Palmer and McCarthney were about the best of an honest set of toilers who kept going steadily to gain in the final advantage over a heavier pack. L. Hook again held the roving commission and was mixed up with most of the back movements, as well as following up the forward play consistently throughout the afternoon. McManus appeared to enjoy the heavy going and played a characteristically solid game behind the pack. Cammiek showed up to better advantage than usual and, together with It. Hook, exploited quite a fair turn of speed, despite the heavy going. McLeod, on the wing, also showed a lot of speed in several good runs, but has yet to develop a side step or swerve. At present he is not at all adept in the art of eluding his man. Although decisively beaten Grammar did not give up hope and were again pressing the Ponsonby line when final whistle sounded. With conditions better it would have been a very fine game.