League Rugby.

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 753, 28 August 1929, Page 13

League Rugby.

Notes dTid League fans will perhaps enjoy the break from representative football next Saturday, when the Roope Rooster competition will The draw for the first round of the j popular Roope Rooster competition is as follows: Richmond v. Devonport. Ponsonby v. Newton. Nlarists v. Kingsland. Ellerslie v. City. Otago plays Canterbury on August 31. Saturday's Big Game The feature game for Saturday will be provided by Richmond and Devonport, and although the seasiders were far superior to the more youthful Richmond side at the end of the championship competition, .with the latter side strengthened by a few converts from Union Rugby, a good game is bound to result. In past seasons Richmond has staged sensational surprises, and it is quite likely that another is on the cards for Saturday. What Makes Them Come? There has been a sensational number of changes from the Union code to League recently, while previous to tlio recent transfer of Whowell from Soccer to League, the records show only one player who lias made a change in that direction, and that was Knott, who played on the wing for Marist last season. The League game in Auckland offers many attractions to players, to say nothing of the proposed tour of Australia next year by an All Black side, but there seems to be something more than this that is tempting players over, and it may be owing to the rumour at present afloat that professional league is in the air. As yet this is only a rumour, and officials of League Rugby say they know nothing about it. T ransf erred One of Ponsonby’s forward's. Roy Allen, has been granted a transfer to City, for which side he is likely to turn out during the Roope Rooster competition. lie i§ a very able forward, but owing to Ponsonby having so much good material to choose from he was unable to get a place in the side this year. Not Convincing The display given by Canterbury against Auckland last Saturday was far from convincing. But it would not bo correct foi* the-fans to take this Southern team’s exhibition as an indication of the strength of the South Island side which is to meet the North Island at Carlaw Park. Otago and West Coast have some good football material, and this, together with the pick of the Canterbury team which was seen in action last Saturday, would make up a very fair side, well capable of extending the North Islanders. * * * Scored Three Tries To score three tries for Auckland in last Saturday’s game does not make football history, but on the three occasions that the Ponsonby forward, ( Payne, went over, each was the result l of genuine hard forward play. Payne 1 was not always shining in the loose; in fact, along with Pascoe, he was one of the most solid forwards on the field and stands quite a chance of gaining further representative honours. Auckland League is chockfull of loose, racy forwards, and the scouts are out for the true, hardworking solid packmen, prepared t< do the bullocking. Team - Builders Richmond’s team-building activities have attracted attention. With th< two City Rugby players, Arnold Berridge, well-known representative back and Farnall, the forward, and further Albert Whowell, a capture from Soccer, there seems to he an abundance of material for adjustment. In th< Roope Rooster, Richmond will need ar efficient fullback, and there is considerable speculation as to who wil Jill the place vacated by T. ITanlon. As it is, Richmond is a keen youn* team which may surprise more that one side in end-of-season play.

Comment. i Dufty Out Again In an effort to help Kllerslie win its i first match this season. Dufty reap- j peared from temporary obscurity as full back against Point Chevalier on Satur- | day. It was an easy day for him. However. Dufty kicked a fine goal and showed that he still has a keen eve for touch-line kicking. With such a shortage of fullbacks in Auckland Deague, it will be interesting to see if the selectors will try Dufty out again in representative football. Ellersiie v. Point Chevalier The curtain-raiser to the big game last Saturday, when Point Chevalier met the Kllerslie Leaguers in an attempt to wrest senior status from them, was a very dull and uninteresting exhibition of the code. Kllerslie displayed a form which did not go near that entitling it to senior rank, while Point Chevalier, as the winning side of the senior 13 competition, is certainly not ready, according to the form shown, to play senior. Not Reliable Guide One impression, at least, was gained from the disappointing representative game with Canterbury—it was not a match on which a reliable judgment of Auckland’s team play could be gained. That is. against reasonable opposition; but Canterbury,

outraced and. outgeneralled, could not provide that. Still, in the second half the Auckland backs, guided by Delgrosso and Brisbane, linked efficiently enough and no one can quibble a't their efforts to make the game interestTwo players proved themselves in a measure. Shortland, half, shot passes out in the expected manner and dazzled the Canterbury men; Francis, Auckland’s youthful and only forward in the North Island team, showed up again as a racy player. U ncanny There is something uncanny about “Spot” Riley’s style of play. It is not showy, but yet, in every game he pulls off some astoundingly clever moves, sufficient to earn him a place in any representative side. He has not taken the field in recent representative games owing to an injured leg, and the Ponsonby officials are a little "worried that he may not be in trim for the Roope Rooster games.