League Rugby

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 663, 15 May 1929, Page 13

League Rugby

Notes and Comment.

Gave Devonport a Shock Playing yn their home ground, Ellerslie Leaguers are always reckoned to be a hard team to beat. Although Devon port had a 13-0 load on the Colours at half-time on Saturdav. Ellerslie rose to it in great style in the second session and worried the life out of the Blacks by their vigorous spoiling tactics. It is. however, only fair to Devonport to say that several of the North Shore team were suffering from the prevailing complaint flu. and although they gamely carried on in the first spell they were feeling just about down and out when the end came. Masefield. L. O. Leary ami Coglan wore also badly knocked about during the game. Ellerslie put up a great fight, and it was pleasing indeed to see them doing so well, especially in view of the fact that the racecourse suburb has had a hard battle to maintain its place ir. the grade. Littlewood and Hemingway were in the limelight as usual, but their diminutive halfback. Oliff. attracted attention by the manner in which he made full use of the opportunities given him by a sterling pack of forwards. Ellerslie went for their lives in the second spell, and Alf Scott, veteran leader of the Devonport men. Mas doing three men’s work at the finish to keep the rearguard machinery functioning. Boxer - Footbal !er McCartliney, the big Devonport forward. who was with Ponsonby in Union Rugby last year, is going along steadily in the 13-a-side code. Naturally. he finds things rather different in the new game, but his physical fitness as a boxer stands him in good stead. Incidentally. Seagar was in brilliant form in the Devonport backs on Saturday. It is on the cards that St. George and “Snowy" Dixon may be seen out with Devonport in the big game next Saturday. League fans would welcome their return. St. George is one of the finest hookers in the game in Auckland, and Dixon ought still to have another season or so of football in him ... a fine stamp of forward at his best. League in Wellington The prospects of securing a city playing area for League football in Wellington appear to be bright. At a meeting last week Air. Corcoran stated that ho had interviewed both the Mayor and the director of reserves. The Mayor had assured the league pf his support if re-elected, and had stated that the City Council could not in justice refuse a ground. The director of reserves, Mr. McKenzie, had stated that, on being supplied with the annual report and balancesheet of the centre, -he would place the application before the council with, his favourable recommendation. A Fine Player Ellerslie’s "flyer.” Littlewood. is held in great esteem by local supporters, as was demonstrated in the match at Ellerslie on Saturday. A local player was injured «jnd in the crowd which gathered Littlewood was invisible to spectators on the far side of the field, whereupon the cry arose on all eides. “Ooh. it’s Littlewood.” An audible

sigh of relief was heard when th« player in question moved into mid* field uninjured. Wigan’s Win Wigan, which defeated Dewsbury iri the final of the English Rugby League championship on Saturday, previously won the Lancashire Cup. As a result of their win against Dewsbury they may secure the three important tro-* phics. Game in Christchurch The leaders in the Canterbury Rugby League championship, Addington tS) and Hornby (6) met” on Saturday. when the former side triumphed by five points to two. thus taking a very definite lead in the corn* petition. •Sydenham and Marist. who were pegging level with four championship points each, also met, when Marist inflicted a decisive defeat on their rivals by 18 points to 7. Going Ahead At a meeting in Wellington last week Mr. Martin referred to tho formation of a Marist team which would include some well-known players from other centres, a meeting of employees of Messrs. Hansford and Mills was held in the Wellington Centro rooms last week, when it was decided, to form a Rugby League team. McDonald, the Marist five-eighth, who went off on Saturday. his faco streaming with blood, had the misfortune to stop a boot with his nose, and it will be another week or so before h i is fit to play again. Ho was playing a rattling good game up to the timo he went off and his return to the teait* will be looked forward to bv sun* porters of the Tykes. It is understood

that there is a. big probability of Jinx O’Brien turning out again for tho Greens. A great forward, who will always ba remembered as ono of Enzed’s sheet anchors against visiting teams. the burly Jim Should bo a tower of strength to Marist. • •

A pertinent question*Have '• hd clubs been fully informed of the vul* confining the play-the-ball to •wo players, with tho additional qualification that it mu§t go beyond them be* fore it is fairly in again? City is going great guns at present and it may have a rod in pickle for Devonport on Saturday. So long as its forwards maintain their present form, they will worry any team in ths competition. League fans continue to ask: •‘Where is Duffy?” At the present time this veteran Leaguer has an injured hand and will not be ready to take the field for a while yet. It has been rumoured that he intends to turn out for Ellerslie, but the officials of the Ellerslie Club state they know nothing about this proposed inclusion to their ranks.