Should Do Better

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 449, 3 September 1928, Page 6

Should Do Better

RUGBY REPS. LACK STING

Auckland’s Narrow Win

RIGHT up till half-time the Rugby representative match between Auckland and North Auckland at Eden Park on Saturday promised to be a very dull affair. It was only after the interval that the Auckland side, infusing more vigour into its play, began to make the game interesting. At half-time Auckland was live points down, but on resuming quickly established a lead and successively staved off desperate attacks by the North Auckland pack to win by one point.

THERE was nothing very inspiring about the exhibition given by the Auckland side in the first half. From the outset the heavy North Auckland forwards asserted themselves strongly several dangerous sorties having been made upon the Auckland line before Gould hurled himself across on the corner for a very fine try. The Auckland attack also appeared to be sadly disorganised, and it was not until Falwasser, the trick-running Maori winger, came into the five-eighth line in a passing movement and out in to beat the opposition and send Finlayson over unopposed, that anything in the nature of back play was witnessed.

Immediately upon resuming after the breather the Auckland forwards set up a hot attack, and with more efficient co-operation on the part of the backs success almost immediately attended their efforts. Olsen, who had replaced Minns on the wing, scoring a good try after every back in the line had handled. Auckland then gained the ascendancy, at one time holding an advantage of nine poits. It was from onward that the North Auckland beks properly got going. Shortland was throwing the leather about in good style, and the light blues were unfortunate on several occasions in not scoring.

PAEWAI’S WEAKNESS From the display given by the Auckland side it is evident that it lacks the sting it possessed earlier in the season. The inclusion of Jeffries fit second five-eighth effected an improvement to the inside play, but it still lacks enterprise: Paewai’s display at fullback served to confirm the opinion previously expreseed in these columns that this player could be beter used at five-eighth. His habit of tipping up his opponents instead of tackling them soundly and stopping them as a fullback should, was responsible for at least one try on Saturday. Paewai obviously is a player that wants keeping up to concert pitch all through a game if he is to show brlliant form. It is evident that he needs more play. Owing to a foot injury Minns did not take the field and was replaced >by Olsen, who made quite a good showing. L. Hook, at centre, showed how useful he would have been in that positon last week. He was constatly making openings, and played his usual sound game. Albert Falwasser was only good in patches, bad handling and weak defence marring several good attacking efforts. At second five-eighths Jeffries played a much better game than he has at half. He created several good openings and kicked with judgment. Jenkins played his usual solid iame, but showed plainly his lack of speed. Carter fed his men well, and was solid on defence.

It was not until the second half that the Auckland pack began to play up to true form. Particularly in concerted work they then showed considerable improvement and were successful in holding the Northern forwards. Cathcart and L. Knight were the star lineout artists, with A. Knight, Batty and Finlayson prominent in the tight and loose play. A. Iynight played a much improved game, and Wanoa was also better than he has been for some time past. TWO GOOD WINGS

North Auckland possesses,two good threequarters in Waterman and Litt. The latter frequently caught the eye. He has the speed and physique necessary for a really good wing man, and should develop into a really useful sort. Matene did a lot of good work at centre, and he was well supported by the inside men, Britland and Ryan. * Although Shortland was hardly as good in his lasS-

ing from the scrum as he was in the Prince of Wales Cup preliminary, he gave a good display in the field, showing a fine sense of anticipation. The Northern forwards were a hefty and very

useful lot. Outstanding among Rika, who played a con-

them was W. :

sistently hard game throughout. Yates was also prominent, particularly in the line-out work, where he performed good service for his side. The two hookers. Gould and Wilkinson and M. Rika were also honest toilers, Wells, who held the roving commisison, was always effective, participating in several scoring movements. POLLARD CUP MATCHES VICTORY MARATHON BEATS PONIES Marathon snatched the game from the fire in a last-minute effort against Ponsonby at Victoria Park on Saturday. The winners have to thank a heavy and willing pack for their victory, as it forced the play throughout and smothered the brightest movements of the Ponsonby rear division. Marathon got a fair proportion of the ball from the scrums, but it was in the loose that the forwards excelled. A weakness among the inside backs prevented Marathon from making much use of its share of the leather and the game resolved itself into a battle between the Ponsonby backs, who, with McManus, Cammick, Jamieson, McLeod and Fraser, were well on form, and the Marathon forwards. Hardley, a third grade player, was responsible for some good work at first five. The two Youngs were the best players among the Marathon backs, and the pack was consistently good. For the winners, Young and D. Young scored tries, the latter converting one and Kilgour the other.

Tries for Ponsonby were scored by McLeod and Whitburn, and Jamieson put over a penalty, the score being: Marathon 10, Ponsonby 9. Mr. W. Lomas was the referee. A FARCE IN FOUR SPASMS MARIST AND TECHNICAL Marist and Technical had a paddle about all to themselves on No. 2 ground at the Showgrounds on Saturday. It was a pitiful display, both teams apparently being stricken with acute ennui. In the third quarter Molloy gained possession and meeting no opposition, strolled over for a try, - putting Tykes three up. Shortly after this “effort” Maine scampered down the line and tacked infield to slip past a weak defence and register a further three points for the double Blues. In the last quarter someone heaved the ball out to Cooper on Technical’s wing and he set sail for the line down a clear paddock. One man chased him, but he scored. * The final whistle broke the monotony without further scores. RIFLES’ GOOD WIN GRAMMAR FIGHTS HARD The oft-expressed opinion that Rugby loses its glamour toward the end of the season' was disproved when College Rifles met and defeated Grammar Old Boys in a splendid exhibition at the Showgrounds on Saturday. Certainly Grammar was not at its normal strength, many of the stronger backs being off the card; nevertheless, the combination pitted against Rifles put up a good showing. Grammar’s downfall was • brought about through lack of cohesion between forwards and backs. KICKED BALL AWAY The Whites hard-wo?king vanguard was plugging up and down the field the whole of the four quarters, to the acompaniment of aimless kicking by its backs. On the other hand, the Rifles’ backs and forwards worked with almost machine-like precision. Fogarty made a welcome reappearance for College and with the Scuiter brothers headed the forwards in""'every rush. KIRK IN FORM Kirk and Wilson were the outstanding backs for the Blues, the latter

playing a sound game at centre. His three tries were great efforts, all coming from good work on the part of his inside backs. Kirk, at half, was executing some decidedly pretty movements from the scrum base. His snap passing and rush stopping earned him a heap of applause and incidentally, paved the way for Wilson’s good work. Donald worked well with Wilson, and was responsible for the last try, which Gillespie converted with a good kick. Skelton, Johnson and Ross kept' things moving for Grammar in the forward division.

THAMES TOO GOOD FOR AUCKLAND B

FAST AND LIVELY GAME (From Our Oxvn Correspondent.) " THAMES, Sunday. Perfect weather, dry ground, and evenly-matched teams favoured the large crowd of football followers at Rhodes’s Park on Saturday afternoon, when Thames defeated Auckland B representatives by 16 to 11. It was an exciting tussle, and the crowd cheered the brilliant passing of the Auckland backs —Mason, Berridge, Skelton, Goodwin and Stoupe. It was only the sure tackling of the home team that frustrated their many attempts to cross the line. Play for the first quarter was in Auckland’s side of half-way. WINDER KICKS WELL A passing bout by W. Pollock, Dufty, Wilcox and Harrison saw Smith race up to receive the ball and dive over at the corner. Winder was not in kicking form, and failed to rise the ball on several occasions in this spell, but later on, made amends by converting two tries and kicking a penalty goal from thp touchline 40 yards out. He was. responsible for seven of the 16 points scored by the winners. Auckland’s last line of defence was the brilliant Watene. He gave a fine exhibition of fullback play. His clean handling, safe kicking and coolness earned him rounds of applause. At the change-over a nice passing thrust, in which Wales, ‘Berridge, Skelton and Goodwin took part, saw the latter go over at the corner. It was Berridge’s off-day, and he failed to convert. He made numerous attempts to send the ball over the bar from penalties. THAMES RISES TO IT The second half saw the blue and black wearers outplay Auckland, and put on a further 13 points. Harrison, who was playing a good game, fielded the ball on the quarter-way line and raced through the opposing backs. When Watene tackled, he sent a nice pass to the ever-handy Smith, who went over to score his second try between the posts. Winder goaled. It was a' fine piece of work by Harrison. The defensive play of Skelton, Berridge, Stoupe and Watene was of high order, their fielding and tackling being perfect. Offside a lay saw Winder goal from near half-way. It was' a great kick. Wilcox and Denize were shining lights in the Thames backs, the former dummying and kicking with judgment, though his passing at times was erratic. Harrison got possession again near the quarter-way line and flashed past the Auckland backs, and with five yards to go gave Darling the ball, the latter going over near the posts. Winder increased the score to 16 points; Auckland 3. AUCKLAND BACKS BRILLIANT The fmal v quarter and the unevenness, of the score roused the Auckland backs, and they played up to representative form, the whole division, including full-back Watene, making repeated thrusts to cross the line. The forwards did their share, and put more dash into their play. From a strenuous melee near the goal Potter emerged with the ball and crossed over. Berridge’s kick again missed. The visitors kept up the attack and Hindenach, securing the ball in midfield, outpaced the opposition, sidestepped Winder and touched down behind the posts. - Berridge kicked his. only goal during the match. There were no further scores, and the gam© ended: Thames 16, Auckland 11. It was a good game to watch—bright football played in a friendly spirit. OUTSTANDING PLAYERS

Winder’s powerful kicking materially helped his side, and his goalkicking won the match. C. Denize, who hails from Coromandel, is a good stamp of a threequarter, and his work was effective; moreover, he possesses plenty of pace.

Wilcox, another Coromandel man, Harrison and Dufty, were the star backs and threw the ball about freely. Harrison was responsible for two tries. Darling, half, was handicapped by playing behind a badly packed scrum. Nevertheless, he sent the ball out to his backs whenever possible.

Moran, winger, played a great defensive game. He had only one opportunity to score and he nearly got there. W. Pollock played a slashing game as rover, and .of a hard-working set of forwards it is hard to individualise, though Strange, Smith, Abraham and Lomas shone out. Hayward passed back from the loose to his rear division time and again. The Auckland threequarter line in the last spell excelled itself and its attacking turns in conjunction with the five-eighths, Berridge and Wales, were spectacular. Stoupe and Goodwin are opportunists, and turned defence into attack repeatedly. Stoupe was the outstanding back on the ground. WATENE PLAYS WELL Watene, at full, was brilliant and made no mistakes. He was cool and resourceful. Mason, half, was nippy, but was sorely troubled by the Thames rover. The Auckland forwards let a better pack, but the work of Hindenach. McDonald, McCarthney and Urr was up to representative standard. Potter, rover, was overshadowed by Pollock, but nipped many a passing bout in the bud.