TOO GOOD FOR VARSITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 696, 22 June 1929, Page 12

TOO GOOD FOR VARSITY

KEEN BATTLE FOR LEADERSHIP THRILLING MOMENTS IN BIG GAME THERE were thrilling moments in the big Rugby game at Eden Park today when Ponsonby took the lead in the ten jot eompetition by defeating University by 15 to 9. "Varsity started well and led by three points until nearly half time when Ponsonby scored and converted. Prom then on the Ponies never looked back, their back line functioning more easily than that of their opponents. Although the heavy ground mitigated against fast hack play the game was always exciting, keen, spectacular Rugby keeping a large crowd almost continually on its feet in the closing stages of a very evenly contested game.

f Ponsonby v. University I The teams: Ponsonby.—Fraser, R. Hook, Lucas, • *McLeod, Cammick, Jamieson, McMa- . Hus, Soloman, Bishop, Hayward, Edgrars, Gallagher, Bunting, Ashley, JTighton. University.—Bush, Minns. Carter, tioodwin, Stotter, McKay, N. Jenkin, Keene, Robinson. Edwards. Jenkin, Anderson, Linton. Colgan, Clarke. Except for one raid by the Ponnonby forwards into Varsity territory, e*.nd a bright retaliating run by Keith Anderson, play hovered for some time in midfield. Beth sides were overseen. and in the first flush of battle snen keen to show up were hurled down 3ike ninepins. A watery sun threw a glaring light down the field, troubling The Varsity backs a good deal in the 'first quarter. Stotter fielded well, and evading a fiorde of onrushing forwards, opened up beautifully. Goodwin, on the wing, was well tackled by McLeod. Varsity was getting the ball well from the ticrums and the backs were showing promise. Then McLeod broke away with a pretty dash. He got through to- Bush, I>ut that was all, the custodian laying liim on the green with a late tackle. The first quarter ended with honours .Very even. The first try came to Varsity and Stotter paved the way. The ball came from the scrum. and Stotter broke through to finish up his run with an du-pass to Jenkin. who dived across. Kush just missed w'ith the kick: UniJ\ ersity 3, Ponsonby 0. Solomon broke away from the side the scrum in characteristic fashion. and passed out to McLeod. A good <iash by Ponsonby’s speed merchant *nded when he was cleanly tackled by Goodwin a few yards out. The Pony forwards pressed the Varsity line, and Cammick went close with a difficult kick from aji off-side penalty. Lucas was the next to come to Sight, jinking his way through to save Si tight corner in true All Black fashion. Then McLeod flashed into the picture to score a magnificent try. By t oming into the line from the other wing, R. Hook nearly gave Ponsonby s* spare man, but McLeod still bad to beat Bush, and he did it with a burst of speed that left the Varsity custodian standing. Jamieson kicked a fine goal from wide out, making the •half-time score: Ponsonby •• •• •• •• •• •• 5 University 3 Varsity came away with a rush immediately on resuming, and when Lucas missed a running catch, the situation became tense. Wild passing by the Varsity forwards, who tried to open out to the backs instead of going for the line, threw away a certain try. A few minutes later Varsity was away again. The play travelled first down one wing, in to centre, and then out to Goodwin’s wing, who showed his inside men the way to go in a determined dash across the line. Busli failed with the kick: University 6, Ponsonby 5. A great run by Goodwin put the crowd on its feet, but Carter was tackled a few yards out. There was tense forward play near the line and keen excitement became more electrical when Lucas broke through and raced down the paddock. Overhauled by Minns near the opposite twentyfive, Lucas passed to Cammick, who transferred to R. Hook to score. R. Hook converted: Ponsonby 10, University 6. Following the score a large section of the crowd vigorously protested against what it considered was a forward pass from Lucas. The hooting and booing continued while the kick tvas being taken. At this stage McKav was compelled to return with an injured ankle. He was replaced after some delay by Mathieson. In the meantime Bunting had secured for Ponsonby. The ball had crossed the line, and in the welter of men three Varsity men just missed touching down, and Bunting flung himself on the leather to score. R. Hook converted: Ponsonby 15, University 6. Bush had gone up to centre, and he justified the transfer a few minutes

later, when he -whipped the leather out for Minns to score a good try. Bush missed with the kick. There was no further score, no side sounding with the scores: Ponsonby 15 University 9 Mr. E. C. Stretton was the referee. City v. Technical Old Boys The teams: City.—Fletcher. Pa,pish, Farall, Pitcaithley. Slay, Barnes, Holt, Locke, Berridge, Allen, K. ICwerson, R. Ifwerson, Kerr-Taylor, Littlewood, Sorenson. Technical Old Boys.—Ansley, Couper, D. Keane, Common, Haslam, Herbert, Harris, C. Xeajie, Kennerley, Malcolm, Hahn, Corlett, Neilson, Lambert, Call. Referee, Mr. G. Peace. In the match on No. 1 at the Show Grounds this afternoon, Technical kicked off against the sun. a fact which City was not slow to take advantage of. The reds pressed play inside the green twenty-five from the outset. Technical got away with the ball, and when the reds were penalised inside the twenty-five, C. Keane was unlucky to miss an easy penalty. Shortly afterwards the teams changed over for the second quarter, and Technical at once took advantage of the sun, D. Keane making a great run to score the first try of the match. He failed to convert. Technical 3, City 0.

Play was very even until half-time, the scores remaining unaltered.

Following the interval the greens found the effects of the sun minimised by the clouds and were not so handicapped as in the first quarter. City pressed hard, and Tech, was penalised right in front of the posts, for the veteran, Karl Irfwerson, put over a wonderful kick and evened the score: Tech. 0.8. 3, City 3. In the last quarter Tech, was taking advantage of every penalty to try for a gick at goal, but D. Keene seemed to be off form with his boot. The City half started a passing rush toward the end of the game, and Allen got over after a great run down the side-line. The kick failed: City 6. Tech. 0.8. 3. Play was fast and furious up to the final whistle, both teams striving hard for extra points, but the game finished with the score: City 6 Technical 0.8 .. 3 Mr. C. F. Stratford was referee. Grammar v. Marist The teams were: Grammar: Goodacre, Wilson, Bell, Menzies, Olsen, Lewis, Corner, Potter, L. Knight, Schnauer, Cathcart, A. Knight, W. Batty, E. Batty, G. Skelton Marist: Coburn, Walsh. Stuart, Johnson, Cornthwaite, Smith, Wright, Marshall, Cotter, Malloy, Dunne, Hennessy, Henry, Hadley, Carroll. Play was uneventful in the first ten minutes, though the Grammar pack showed up with short passing and determined sorties. Batty was unlucky not to cross on his own, slipping at the crucial moment, but the first try came immediately afterwards when, from an opening made by Lewis, L. Knight crossed under the posts. Corner put over an easy one. Grammar 5, Marist 0. After the change-over play ranged up and down the field, with Grammar gaining what territorial advantage there was. Marist pressed and Cornthwaite moved up from fullback to second five-eighth and was nearly over on his own.

Grammar came back and after continued forays W. Batty crossed. He was called back for an infringement, and Hadley sent the whites back with a good kick. Potter and L. Knight staged the next movement with a bout of in-and-out passing, but the big forward was downed in Tykes’ 25. Grammar attacked again and Coburn punted weakly into Bell’s arms. The Grammar centre dropped a good goal. Grammar 9. Marist 0. Just before half-time Hadley received an injury to his lip andMarist took the field in the second half a man short until Locke went on. Play was ragged in a scoreless third quarter, keen tackling by both sides putting a sudden end to many movements. The quarter ended with Menzies (Grammar) slipping in a dash for the line when only a few feet from his objective. Grammar slowly pushed Tykes back in the third quarter and Wilson slipped down the side-line, in-passing for L. Knight to burst his way over. W. Batty made a poor attempt at converting. Play ended with the score: Grammar 12 Marist 0 Mr. H. Thomas was referee. Training College v College Rifles The teams: ; Rifles: Gillespie. Williams, Wilson, ! Webber. McGregor, Smart. Donald. Kirk. Noakes. Fogarty. Steer, Nicolson, Dod. Stewart, Souter. Training College: Butler, Abbott, Laurie, Connolly, Mackey, Mcßae, Rae, Dobbs, Peacock, Webb Stacey, Blow, Herbert Hodge. Woodroffe. Training College kicked off against the s-un. Play was ragged and even. Abbott was successful with a penalty. Training College, 3: Rifles, 0 H e later missed a more difficult kick. The Training College backs started a neat movement, which was capped by Abbott dashing round to score. The same player converted. S—o. The teams crossed over, and Wilson kicked a great penalty. S—3. Abbott scored again, and his kick went over. 13 —3. Once more the ball went the length of the teachers’ line, and Stacey got the try when Abbott kicked across. Herbert missed. 16—3. Noakes was ordered off for striking Peacock. Rae marked, and succeeded with a great kick. Half-time scores: Training College 16 Rifles 3 Kirk made an opening, and WilI liams put in a great run. Loose play

followed, to be relieved when the ball went from Mcßae to Mackey, to Laurie, to Abbott, who kicked. Gillespie cleared. On several occasions Butler dashed through from behind, but he was not well supported. Woodroffe kicked a penalty. A free kick was awarded teachers, and Abbott hit the post from the sideline. Mcßae cut in, and Laurie scored under the posts. Abbott converted. 24 —3. From a scramble on the Rifles’ line. Peacock got over. Butler missed a difficult shot. 27 —3. Stacey put in a run. and passed to Dobb, who scored. Woodroffe converted. 32—3. Steer broke loose, but was called back. Final score: — Training College 32 College Rifles 3 Referee, Mr. T. C. Webb. Grafton vfl Manukau The teams w'ere: Grafton: Kennedy, Wilson. Ruru, Evans, Liddle, Hamiorali. Mac Kay, Hammondn, Wiley, Siddle, Keary, Kaa, Compton, Cook, Ifargreaves. Manukau: Dykes, Satherly, Turei, Linden, Brimble, Byers, Simmons, French, Laird., J. Brimble, Kahu, McGuire Houshan, Satherly, Ferguson. Shortly after the start, Manukau suffered a severe loss Vviien Linden, the speedy winger, went off with a broken kneecap. He was replaced by Taylor. The game was a. tight forward struggle on a ground that was in places little better than a morass. Grafton missed Finlaj’son and Wanoa. Nobody really looked like scoring until Ruru sprinted for the corner. He stopped to look for someone to pass to, however, instead of diving for the line, and the chance was lost.

Grafton started off at a great pace in the second quarter, and Compton shone out in the pack. Bryers was prominent far bright defensive work. Play surged back, but Grafton again stormed the Manukau line, and Liddle missed an almost certain try by overrunning the ball. Another assault followed, and Evans was over at the corner. Kaa made a good attempt at a difficult kick. Grafton 3, Manukau 0. Ferguson was next to flash into the picture with a good run. Play

was interesting, with the West j Coasters largely on the defensive. Shortly after half-time, Manukau i equalised when French picked up from j the ruck and scored after a jinky run. j Turei missed the kick. Manukau 3, ; Grafton 3. Manukau went to the fore through j the efforts of Taylor, who forced his j way over from a tight scrum beneath I the posts. Turei had no difficulty j with the kick. Manukau S, Grafton S. i There was no further score, the game ending: Manukau 8 Grafton 3 REFEREE HOOTED EDEN PARK DEMONSTRATION Mr. K. C. Stretton, referee in the Ponsonby-University match this afternoon, was the target of a hostile demonstration of unusual magnitude after he had awarded Ponsonby a try which followed a palpable forward pass by Lucas. Lucas had made a sensational interception from the Ponsonby line, and play moved altogether too fast for Mr. Stretton to be in a position to see what happened. There had been dissent from Mr. Stretton’s rulings once or twice earlier, but this incident provoked a loud volume of sustained hooting from all round the ground. At the end of the game there was more hooting, but this time only a few participated. Another unsatisfactory incident occurred when, at a crucial stage of the game, Mathieson, Varsity emergency back, was not ready to take the field when Mackay came off. His team played for some minutes with only 14 men. PAINFUL INJURY RUGBY PLAYER BREAKS KNEE-CAP Playing senior Rugby for Manukau against Grafton at Eden Park this afternoon, C. Linden suffered a painful injury when he broke his knee-cap. He was carried from the ground on a stretcher and taken to the hospital.