Exciting Rugby

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 649, 29 April 1929, Page 6

Exciting Rugby

GRAMMAR TOO GOOD FOR PONSONBY Great Forward Battle VARSITY ALSO CRASHES A GREAT game by the Grammar forwards, whose fast. devastating forward rushes smashed the famous Ponsonby scoring machine, provided the chief thrill at Eden Park on Saturday, when the Rugby season opened. By defeating last season’s runners-up by 19 to 8 Grammar Old Boys have set the stage for a decidedly interesting competition.

QNCE again it has been shown that I Ponsonby has one big weakness. The Pony rearguard has never been raJled upon to do much heavy defensive work, and always dictating the trend of the game, has evolved a distinctive type of back—one Which relies more upon elusiveness and guile to extricate himself from a tight comer than solid defensive work. On Satn-' y. when the hefty Grammar forwards smashed their way through the rucks there was little if no attempt to go down on the ball. Obviously it was a class of game the light Pony backs did not relish. “Rush stopping—that’s our weakness new/* should be the Ponsonby slogan for the week. With three All Blacks, McWilliams, *'Ucas and Swain, to be found places for this season Ponsonby had some difficulty in selecting a team—the difficulty being who to leave out. On paper it was a strong side and a strong side it still is. Other clubs may take heart from the defeat administered by Grammar, an event which is going to have a very beneficial effect upon the season’s Rugby, but it must be remembered that the result is no indication of Ponsonby’s real strength. Past history has shown that Ponsonby can be beaten when it can no longer dictate the trend of play. But it takes a good pack of forwards well supported by their backs to do it. AN INSPIRED PACK Such a pack was Grammar on Saturday afternoon. With the exception of T.*. Batty, who has fully justified his inclusion, the pack was no different than that of last season, except in spirit. The two Knights, Walter Batty, Cathcart and Potter were always the makings of a great pack, a fact that has been stressed more than once in these columns, but in their club games something always seemed to be missing. On Saturday they were different men. Inspired by that very fine leader. Laurie Knight, they went about their w'ork with an enthusiasm and earnestness that betokened a definite object in view. A. Knight, who has really never been seen properly extended, tore tirelessly through the ruck throughout what must have been a very strenuous afternoon. Than he and his brother Laurie, who was going wonderfully well at the finish, there were no better forwards on the paddock. Also must be mentioned the splendid performance put up by L. Batty, who has the makings of an excellent forward, and the display of P. Potter, who roved very effectively. A feature of the forward play was the clever wheeling of the Grammar pack after they had hooked. This augurs well for a revival of good honest forward play which has not been seen in Auckland during the past few seasevns- despite what the exponents of the semiback forward type of play may say. Saturday’s exhibition was the result of the coaching of the ex-All Black, A H. Francis, who, no doubt, fully realises how difficult good dribbling is to stop. The two hookers. " U Batty and Skelton were by no means outclassed by their more experienced opponents. They got the ball very cleanly. The Grammar backs took a ' on s time to settle down. Although Skelton and Lewis, the two five-eighths, were sound enough, and at times rose to the occasion well, they were not ah ays as thrustful as their positions demanded. Bell, eentre-threequarter, and Corner, showed great promise. Corner, who is a promoted junior, has good Rugby breeding, his father being in his day a well-known Auckland representative half. There Is plenty of time vet tor the son to follow in his father’s footsteps. Olsen was the best of the two wings, and gave a sound display. backs bottled up Although Lucas was sound and got through a lot of work, he was not allowed to get away with his usual jazz effects. The try he gave Cammick, however, was a beauty, and a typical product of the Lucas football brain. The inside backs. Jamieson and Cammick. were often bottled by the Grammar forwards and inside backs, who refused to give them the whole paddock to run around in as other do. This had a particularly detrimental effect on L. "Hook, who was not allowed much room. Although McWilliams and Swain were not in the foreground of the picture thev both worked hard. McWilliams’s try was a particularly determined effort, and in the best All Black tradition. Bunting played a dashing game, and was well supported bv Righton and Soloman. Mr. F. Sutherland gave his usual good display with the whistle. TECH’S GOOD OPENING MARISTS WELL TROUNCED A Marietta* team that looked very dangerous on paper suffered a severe defeat when Technical Old Boys played their first game in senior A Rugby. Though the game was not particularly interesting, It showed that Technical cannot be taken lightly by any team in the competition. The strength of the team lies mainly in a fine set of attacking backs, of which the brothers Couper. speedy and determined wingers, are the best. Harris, the halfback, is something of a find in a reason where good halves are so scarce, and he feeds his backs well. Passing. as is only to be expected, is a little wild at present. The tackling is also capable of improvement. A solid hard-working pack kept Marists’ redoubtable forwards at bay, and when some of the rough edges are smoothed away, the Greens should be hard to stop. Corlett, Coll, and Nelson, particularly. gra'fted hard, though the lastnamed had to go off shortly after halftime. Marists was a team at sea. The forwards, apart from Hadley and tF otter, were sluggish and ill-trained. The backs combined in tricky movements which were nice to watch, but ;

gained no signal advantage. A bright threequarter line in Johnson, Stuart, and Stoupe did not see much of the ball, and could not settle down, though Johnson showed a fair turn of speed, and Stoupe displayed an occasional flash of the clever play that gained him an Auckland jersey last season. Cornthwaite, Tykes’ regular fullback, was on the line through an injury, and the backs were shuffled about somewhat, Sturmey, who has changed over from Manukau, playing fullback, and then as first five. Wright was not quite as smart as usual behind the scrum. The score, of which Marists’ share was the result of a kick by Stuart, is a fair indication of the play: Technical. 18: Marists, 3. Mr. E. C. Stretton refereed. FALWASSER’S DASH MANUKAU’S BIG WIN CITY DOWN 30—9 If Albie Falwasser keeps up his show of form in the Manukau-City game at Onehunga on Saturday afternoon, he will again be a strong contender for a position in the Auckland representative threequarter line. Spirited runs, keen anticipation— Albie was the Falwasser known in Auckland, Hawke’s Bav. Taranaki, and Maori teams. His I play was responsible in no small way for Manukau’s swamping win by 30 points to 9. It was a great day for the Onehunga people. They were immensely pleased when City . wilted before the Manukau avalanche. A widely reorganised side, City has not yet had the chance to mould properly. So the defeat at the hands of a faster and fitter team was not unexpected. In the first half, in any case, City showed promise of no mean order. Karl Ifwersen started the scoring for City after even play, and he kicked a penalty. A few minutes later, Fletcher dropped a goal from a mark, and City was six up. The lead did not remain long. By the end of the first quarter, T. Brimble had dropped a goal for Manukau, Taylor had scored in dashing fashion, and Watene converted. Then, just before half-time, Falwasser made a splendid opening, and J. Brimble ran across for a try. Watene kicked the goal, and the halftime score was: Manukau, 14; City, G. City resumed briskly, and Allen bullocked a path through a bunch of backs for a try. Back swung Manukau, and Byres broke away, handed to Falwasser, who outran everyone for a fine try. Watene converted. The debacle came in the last quarter. Linden, Manukau’s second fiveeighth, dazzled the crowd with two lightning tries, both unconverted. Just on full-time, Falwasser jinked his way through, and left City standing when he scored the best try of the day. Turei converted this, and the final score was: Manukau, 30; City, 9. There was not a dull moment. City contested every inch of the way, and was not disgraced. TOO MUCH PACE It was simply the superior speed and combination of the Manukau backs —Byres, half, T. Brimble and Linden, five-eighths, Falwasseg, Turei, and Lipscombe, threequarters—that baffled the City men. Manukau’s backs will trouble other teams this season. Falwasser, of course, is the brightest winger, and Turei, ( who was with Grafton last season, is an able centre. Linden was a League man last year, and is an ambitious player. He is partnered with a heady young player, Tommie Brimble. Then Stgye Watene is likely to make a name for himself as a fullback. City’s backs could not get going, The ablest player on the day was Allen, an ex-City Council player. He is a difficult player to tackle, and is a heady centre. Herewini, Newton Leaguer last season, has tynple dash, but he had few chances on Saturday. Arnold Berridge. direct from Ponsonby, has Karl Ifwersen as his partner in the five-eighths line, but the half, Bird, will have to serve them more swiftly. On the wing, the former Thames man, C. Denise, did moderately well, and Kerr-Taylor was handy at fullback. City’s forwards are good scrummers, but Manukau can overshadow them in the loose. For the winners, Taylor, Golding, and J. Brimble played vigorously, and conbined remarkably well with the backs. Satherley was next best. Fletcher was City’s best packman, and he frequently led such able men as Sorrenson and Holt to the attack. City started off with the best intentions in both spells, but could not last the pace. Berridge, Herewini, and Allen strove valiantly for counter-back movements, but there was always a horde of earnest forwards on their heels. Still. City has the material, and the surprise will be if the team does not do something really worth while. Manukau seems likely to improve on the solid success established last season. The team is young and eager. Mr. G. Peace was the referee. GOOD GRAFTON PACK RIFLES RATHER RAGGED NOT A GOOD GAME Expectations of thrilling and brilliant football are rarely ever realised in a first game of the season. The meeting of Grafton and College Rifles at the Showgrounds on Saturday was anything but brilliant, but there were periods of excitement during the game which kept the spectators interested. The play throughout was ragged except for an occasional passing rush,

and a clever solo effort once or twice during the game. Grafton fielded a strong and solidlooking team. A good deal of unnecessary kicking was indulged in by both teams in the first few' minutes, but the players soon settled down to solid w'ork. Grafton carried the attack into the enemy territory and kept the Rifles hemmed in. The backs kept up a good defence and kept Grafton out. Toward the end of the first spell College got possession from a line-out and the ball passed from hand to hand across the field for Webber to dash over in the corner for a good try. This did not suit Grafton at all and solid play took the black and whites down the field, Finnel picking up and evening the score. From a free kick Wilson put Rifles in the lead again, but Grafton came again, the burly Wanoa scoring. The score was six all at the interval. College made efforts to take the lead, but Grafton was equally willing and the game surged from one post to another until a scramble on College’s line gave Finlayson the opportunity of scoring. Wanoa took the kick and converted. In the last spell Grafton confined play practically all the time in College territory and the blues were not given much opportunity of evening the tally. The persistency of Grafton was rewarded when Hammond struggled over for an unconverted try. The score was unaltered at time and the game ended Grafton 14, College Rifles 6. Mr. I>. V. Moore was the referee. The work of the black and white forwards shows that Grafton will again be strong forward, their display at times being distinctly good. Kirk, playing half, and Gillespie, full-back, were the stars of the Rifles rearguard, which, however, did not combine well, the display generally being rather ragged. VARSITY WELL BEATEN TEACHERS’ BRIGHT DISPLAY CHAMPIONS AT SEA As in the first round last season, when it drew with Ponsonby, Training College treated spectators at Eden Park to a bright display when Varsity was well downed by 20 to 11. Much lighter in both forwards and backs, the Training College team ran rings round last year’s champions. The Varsity backs did not strike form and the wingers, Minns and Goo%win, who are Varsity’s greatest towers of strength, were starved by the inside backs. A lethargic pack could do little against the winners’ fastbreaking forwards, who played a great spoiling game, robbing Varsity of the ball when it came out that end of the scrum and turning defence into attack with sudden stabs. Though both teams tired in the second half, College held the ascendancy and closed the game with a final try scored after a great bout of in-and-out passing in which backs and forwards combined to make Varsity look like hacks. Led by Woodroffe, Webb and Blow, the Training College pack played the brightest of open football. They succeeded in gaining more than a fair share of the leather from line-outs, though in scrums Varsity’s weight was apparent. Members of the pack handled remarkably well, however, and their speed hampered the Varsity inside backs sadly. Rae got the ball away smartly and was ably seconded by Weir, who comes to the College from Grammar Old Boys. Mackey played a sound game at second five. The best attacking back on the ground was Lowrie, the centre, who outplayed Mathieson, the Varsity centre, in every department of the game. Lowrie started most of the College rushes. He used a football brain to the best possible advantage. Connolly and Abbott, tricky wingers and both speed merchants, ran rings round the poor defence and were rather unlucky in not making the score even more than it was. Butler was sound at fullback, and the most difficult situations found him cool and resourceful. Varsity's inside backs were the disappointment of the day. Carter was slow behind the scrum and Jenkin and McKay, when they were not caught by the College breakaways, took the leather into the pack with them, which was really the best thing they could do. as the most remarkable feature of Mathieson’s play at centre was the number of passes he dropped. Consequently the wingers were starved. Mathieson was caught several times out of position and Lowrie, the opposing centre, tricked him with but little difficulty. Bush, at fullback, had a busy day, but was not up to his usual form. The Varsity pack did not shine. Even such dependable men as Linton and Anderson were not up to form, and the tackling was weak. Nobody except Keene, who kept well on the ball, seemed to bother about following up and poor condition must be the explanation. Whether the Training College team now fades away, as in past seasons, remains to be seen. Though a bright combination, lack of weight will tell, but it is certain that no team can afford to dismiss the teachers as sec-ond-raters. Mr. F. C. Pauli was referee. SCHOOLBOY ROWERS VICTORY FOR SYDNEY HIGH SYDNEY, Sunday. The final day of the great public schools “head of the river" regatta yesterday was spoiled by cold and choppy water. Great crowds were present. Sydney High School defeated Newington by 3ft. in the final of the eights, and secured the coveted headship. The school also had its fourth win out of five starts. Sydney Grammar School was third. North Shore, which was fourth, lost two of the crew which hadi qualified in an earlier heat through influenza.