MANUKAU WINS AGAINST COLLEGE RIFLES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 957, 28 April 1930, Page 6

MANUKAU WINS AGAINST COLLEGE RIFLES

GOOD FIRST-OF-SEASON GAME

For the first match of the season, the College Rifles and Manukau teams played good football. The first half of the game was ragged, and uninteresting, except for some fine individual play. Things brightened up considerably after half-time. Manukau won by 13 points to 10. Pickering was the outstanding player on the ground. His fine kicking not only gave Rifles its total score, but also was the opening of several good opportunities for his side. Linden, in the Manukau threequarter line, played a heady game throughout. Jones, in the next line, was a solid and reliable man. Both teams failed utterly in combined work for some time after the start. Picking-up was slow and fumbling. Passing and handling generally was erratic. Scrumwork was a shambles, and only on two occasions did the ball come out cleanly. The scrums were swinging badly throughout. After the spell, however, the men of each team worked well together, giving a more scientific display, more like real Rugby. With a penalty place-kick and a pot for Rifles against a converted try to Manukau at halftime, good teamwork was essential for either side to pull off the honours. Denize used his position in the threequarter line to good advantage whenever the ball came his way, and his work was an incentive to the Rifle backs. This team was up against it in the last quarter. The Manukau forwards were hard on the attack, with a score of 10 —5 against them, and McGuire dodged across to allow Turei to even the score. This fullback’s kicking was all well judged. An unconverted try to was the deciding score. The reams appeared to be evenly matched, although Manukau showed its superiority in its determined attack for the duration of the last quarter.