League Rugby

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 699, 26 June 1929, Page 15

League Rugby

Notes and Comment.

Next Saturday’s Games Newton v. Ivingsland. Marists v. Ponsonby. Ellerslie. v. Devonport. City v. Richmond. According to the fixture list, it appears that the Ponsonby thirteen is bound to be called upon again to provide the feature game lor next Saturday. It is drawn to meet Marists, and as this side managed to put Richmond away last week, and has displayed a fair standard of play throughout the season, a good game should result. “League Thrills” Under the heading “League Thrills” there appeared elsewhere the reports o£ last Saturday’s senior League games. But last Saturday’s games at Carlaw Park, played in the wet as they were, and resulting in easy wins for Ponsonby and Shore against Newton and Kingsland Athletic respectively, were far from being thrilling. Other games this season have been imbued with excitement, but the same could not be said about Saturday’s games, and such absurd headings as “League Thrills” are misleading to the public. Weight in Scrum Ponsonby was without the services of its hard-grafting forward, Kimberly, in the game against Newton last week. He is away on holiday, and his place in the blue-and-black thirteen was filled by Gardiner. Although it is perhaps not realised by the fans, Gardiner’s scrum play ability is worth a deal to his side. With his 16st 21b in a scrum, lie is of great assistance to hooker Stevens, and it has been murmured that, had Gardiner taken tho field in the game against Shore the previous week, and used his weight to the same advantage as he did last Saturday, the finaJ score may have been somewhat different. Off for England The trio of crack Auckland Leaguers —Lou Hutt, Hardgrave, and Hall, who a.re booked to play for the St. Helens Club in England—are leaving by the Corinthic on Saturday week from Wellington. And there should be a happy, band of Aucklanders on that boat, for in all there will most likely be eight in number. There will be Falwasser, I who is going to play for Wigan; Lou Brown, who is returning, also to play for Wigan; Mr. and Mrs. Lou TTult, Mr. and Mrs. Hardgrave, and Hall; and, rumour has it, Mrs. Hall. Good Threequarters Kingsland-Athletics has two good threequarters in List and Carter. List is, of course, well known to League fans after his exhibitions in representative football, but of Carter not much is known. Tie is a fine stamp of a winger, and, given a few chances, would make a name for himself. In fact, it is quite on the cards that this team would not be fighting for an existence-at the bottom of the championship ladder if it had stronger inside backs capable of getting the best out of List and Carter. Did He Report, ever busy, has it that FurnI ham, who recently made his appearj ance in League forward ranks, has \ played in the Wanganui Rugby reprei sentative tea-m for two seasons past. | Furnham is having unnecessary lau- ; rels piled on his head. He does not I need them, for he is quite a good ] forward. After due investigation, The

Sun has found that the name of Furnham has certainly not been known among Wanganui Rugby men. Country Catches From time to time League teams produce good players from country districts. Marist has one of the best of these arrivals in present play. He is McDonald, the five-eighth, who is putting in useful work under Brisbane’s trained eye. McDonald hails from Arapuni way, but started off the season with bad luck by receiving a nose injury. Since his return he has been playing impressively for the Tykes. One thing he knows is the effect of straight running. Hassan and Brady McDonald's play calls to mind the clever work of two other young Marist backs, Hassan. the half, and Brady, centre or fiveeighth. Both have a full kno\yledge of the game, and followers of the code are watching them closely. Brady’s coolness is a feature of his plaj’. Bad for Richmond Starting off the season in clinking form, Richmond has dropped back perceptibly. One recent factor contributing to the present difficulties of team arrangement was when Prentice, who ranks as one of the . cleverest backs in League, suffered his hand injury. Prentice’s bad luck has been Richmond’s, and the team is learning that novice backs without a leader, while eager enough, are finding the row difficult to hoe. Marist conquered Richmond in the latest game, 11—9, which told a different tale from Richmond's firstround win over the Tykes by 9 points to 8. East Coast Man Another report is that the Fast Coast Maori player, Kingi, may turn out in City’s backs next Saturday. City actually could do with an infusion of new blood in its backs, i Kingi has been a prominent player i in the Motu Kugbv Sub-Union, and i lias made a reputation as a mnner. j He is not a relation of Herbert Kingi, I the Maori All Black half.