Manukau’s Great Effort

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 981, 26 May 1930, Page 8

Manukau’s Great Effort

When a side,lacks combination and general understanding of each other’s play, it has to be prepared to spend a great deal more vain effort than its better-equipped opponents. This was the case with Manukau on Saturday Time and again its forwards pressed hard on the Ponsonby line, only to lose the advantage through overeagerness, bad passing or. more often than not, failure to pass at the right time. It was also the irony of fate That the two deciding tries scored by Ponsonby should have come in the characteristic Ponsonby fashion —from Manukau passing rushes. Both were interception tries, but they cannot bo passed off merely as lucky tries. The opportunities were taken advantage ut. and that is good Rugby. > It can be said, however, that Manukau was decidedly unlucky when Kahu knocked on just as he was about to score, and there was also an element of hard luck when the referee and one line umpire ruled against Turei when he had an attempt at goal. DING-DONG BATTLE The scoring was remarkably even. At half-time the scores were five all, good tries bavins been scored for both sides by Satherley and Jamieson. Shortly after resuming W. Jones scored a brilliant try, which Turei converted, but Solomon then scored and with Cammick converting the scores were again level pegging. This was the position when the hectic last quarter commenced. Then Solomon and Hook scored unconverted tries from interceptions, and Ponsonby was six points up. A magnificent goal kicked by Turei from inside half-way reduced the margin to three, and Manukau was still pressing hard when the final whistle blew. It was a ding-dong battle from start to finish, and although deadly tackling: on the part of the Manukau backs. * kept the Ponsonby backs in check, there were spasms of fast and spectacular play. Ponsonby opened up frequently, but in most instances the rushes crumpled up before the heavy tackling of the West Coast men. DEADLY TACKLING Ponsonby got a fair share of th 3 ball, and whenever it come their way it was quickly shot out by McManusi. Cammick and Jamieson came in for close attention, and were allowed little latitude. Jamieson, whose defence t has improved a great deal, was the best of the Ponsonby insides, and he was well supported by L. Hook, who showed considerable enterprise and who was responsible for the major portion of the attack. "Lucas was not very conspicuous, and with the ex- ; ception of the try he was the means of Solomon scoring, did not contribute a great deal to Ponsonby's success. Fraser, at fullback, played his usual sound game. The star man of the Ponsonby side was Solomon. It is difficult to imagine how many points per average game Solomon is worth to the team. He is a great scoring forward, and is of great assistance to his backs, without getting in the road. Undoubtedly he is far and away the best rover in Auckland, and on present form ranks well up with the best in New Zealand. In the pack Ponsonby had several men who worked particularly well. Palmer. Hayward, Oallaher and Hardie :n particular, but the pack all round did not shojj’ the same dash as the Manukau men. PLAYED WELL Jones and Turei were again the two outstanding backs, not only in the Manukau side, blit also on the paddock. Jones is showing up very well, and it is pleasing to note that his habit of passing downward, as commented upon in these notes last week, has been discontinued. Although carefully watched he was responsible for a fine try when he broke through the opposition to score near the posts. His tackling wa3 very sound. and he r kicked with good judgment. Undoubtedly He has the makings of either a good second or centre, and in either of these positions ne should find a place in the representative side. The imperturbable Turei was a tower of strength. He was coolness personified, and his powerful kicking helped his side out of tight corners time and again. His one mistake of the day was when he was caught out of position when a Manukau passing rush was intercepted by Hook. At the present time Turei is playing as well as any fullback in the competition. Brimble and Stuart were other backs that tackled well, and Bryers behind the scrum, was always a conspicuous figure. Although his style of play differs from that of Solomon’s, in that he is more of the wing-forward type. Pile played a good game as rover for Manukau. As a spoiler he was always dangerous. and he got away with some very fine work in the loose. The forwards were a very fine lot. Satherley made a fine leader and he played a slashing game. Here also is

another man who must command attention. He was well supported by McGuire, who played his usual honest end determined game, and by “Baby” Kahu, who did two men’s work «in the tight and still smiled. J. Brimble. Pepper. Dixon and J. Satherley were also honest packmen. Mr. F. Sutherland ably controlled a game which, although hard, was free of any semblance of rough play*. VARSITY SCORES WELL IN FINAL QUARTER MARIST FADES BADLY With the score three points all and rhe Marist forwards going in great style, University's prospects did not look too bright when half-time was '•ailed in the early match on Eden Park No. 1. Fortunately for the students the Marist pack faded badly in the last spell and Varsity won by 17 points to 3. putting on 11 points in the last quarter. At half-time it looked like anybody’s game with the odds, if anything, on Marist.* The Marist forwards had been pushing • Varsity all over the paddock, but the backs handled the ball as if it. was redhot and good chances went begging. The University backs, however, were equally bad offenders in this direction. Douglas and Edwards were getting the

SPECTACULAR RUGBY BATTLE Ponsonby Scrapes Home ON hard-battling forwards and solid-tackling “backs, and on dash and determination, Manukau supporters based tbeir belief that the West Coast team would triumph over Ponsonby on Saturday. Manukau certainly played like a winning side, and its gallant effort certainly won the admiration of a large crowd if it did not win the game. Two characteristic Ponsonby * tries—snapped up by alert and clever opportunists—did the trick, and the game went to Ponsonby by the narrow margin of 16 points to 13.

ball from the Haclley brothers in a fair share of the scrums, but the backs dropped passes with monotonous regularity. Minns was in good form, but he was badly served by his insides. The Varsity flyer scored two tries, but in neither case was the effort the result of a passing ruch commenced by the inside backs. Minns had to make his own opportunities and his first try was the result of a hard dive from a line-out at the corner. The second try followed a characteristic one-man gallop for tfte line. Milliken, the other Varsity winger, made many of his own opportunities also, but his 'two tries followed short passing by forwards and backs. Milliken was kicking well, too, and converted one try, narrowly missing another. Bracewell was the weakness in the Varsity attack. His passes, particularly to Minns, were wild and lie threw away .some valuable chances. Jenkin was the best of the inside backs and his try was a speedy piece of work. Rae rose to the occasion in the second half, but the busy Marist forwards had him rattled for a time. He made few mistakes on defence. Butler did not let much past as fullback, but had no success as a kick. Loombe, rh© Marist full, also gave a sound exhibition. His line-kicking was not up to Butler’s, but he handled well and was dependable. Cornth'waite played a bright game at centre. He was the Marist fullback last season, but the change in position has been a wise one. Evans was the better of the wingers and Loft impressed as second five-eighth. Johnson, brought in from the wing to first five, is not yet fully used to the change, but should go well with Loft outside and Conway, a dependable half, connecting him with the pack. The Hadley brothers and Locke were the best of a Marist pack that went to pieces in the last 20 minutes. Anderson played a great game as leader of the Varsity van. He was ably assisted by Stacey, and Jolly played an enterprising game' as rover. Mr. G. Peace was referee. GRAMMAR WINS EASILY BY SECOND SPELL EFFORT SPEEDY BACKS BEAT CITY Using their speed to advantage in last following-up and swinging the ball round with greater freedom, Grammar Old Boys combined more effectively in the second spell to gain a decisive victory over City at Eden Park on Saturday by 20 joints to 0. The All Whites’ backs, although Corner fed them with plenty of ball, were cramped in aGtion in the first spell, the inside men infusing little thrust into the rushes. In addition, the City rearguard engaged in very effective spoiling and quick tackling, the fast wings, Wilson and Garlick, being concentrated on in this respect. The City five-eighths, Berridge, and the rover. Holt, were largely responsible for the harassing of the Grammar backs, and several times in the first spell, the former showed up with

bright, penetrating runs. He opened up City’s account in the first five minutes with a good penalty goal, but Weir put Grammar in the lead a few minutes later by potting a goal from right in front of the posts. The opening for Grammar’s next score was smartly made by Weir, who, on receiving from a scrum in City’s 25, Hashed through an opening in good style and handing on to Potter to Knight to score near the posts. Corner kicked an easy goal. Although the spell ended 9 —3 in Grammar’s favour the All Whites’ display was not impressive. The hooking lacked its usual smartness, and the forwards, with the exception of Potter and Knight, clid not infuse the customary vigour into their break-awav work, and frequently overran the ball. The City backs showed plenty of dash when passing movements were opened up. generally by Holt, who, however, crowded his threequarters by running too far.

More open and vigorous tactics were adopted by Grammar in the second term, the forwards combining more effectively with the backs. The third quarter was marked by ‘driving loose rushes by both packs, and for a time City forwards kept their opponents very busy, Holt, Flay and Sorenson standing out prominently for their breaking through the ruck. The All Whites’ superior speed and good following-up, however, soon gave them the upper hand. A passing rush which Corner opened up from a scrum in City’s twenty-five, saw Lewis cross after the leather travelled along the chain. Corner added the extra points. In the final quarter. Weir opened up a pretty movement which sent Bel! flying over near the corner, and a little later the speedy winger Wilson sailed over for another try. A few minutes before time City forwards smashed their way downfield in a desperate sortie, Hardley making a clear break and throwing a wild pass to his backs. Carter, who was following closely, gathered in the leather, and opened up a good rush which Linden capped by scoring an unconverted try wide out. Mr. Kronfeld was referee. RIFLES AND TECHNICAL GET DOWN TO IT VERY FAST, VERY WILLING Willing play characterised the game between College Rifles and Technical Old Boys at the Showgrounds. Several stand-up fights occurred, and two players were ordered off. College Rifles showed again their vastly improved form of the previous

Saturday, when they ran Varsity so close. Taking the offensive from the start, they were the first to score. Technical retaliated and at half-time the teams were three all. Technical took the lead in the second half, but it had its work cut out to withstand the onslaught that Rifles put up toward the end of the game. One Rifles attack failed when C. Keane intercepted smartly and broke awayanother when Souter, leading a great forward rally that should certainly have ended in a try, was forced out at t]je corner. All the players were on the qui vive, and the number of openings made by interceptions almost equalled the ph- - nomenal number of free-kicks. Early in the second half the ball swept down the length of the Technical line, from Harris to Common. Common attempted to pass back to the handilyplaced Haslam, but Fogarty intercepted neatly, saving Rifles. On another occasion Hogg almost got a runaway when he cut in on a pass from McGregor. As regards free-kicks, the nature of the game demanded them. ft was all very rough, and because of one snappy exchange, Neakes (Rifles) and Nelson (Technical) were ordered off. Two of the game’s three scores resulted from penalties, and several shots failed tov the narrowest of margins. Both Pickering and Harris were in good kicking form. Pickering was the outstanding Rifles player, if not the best man on the ground. Besides his kicking, he displayed remarkable dash, time and again penetrating half the Technical team It would be hard to find a better eentrethreequarter. All the blue rearguard showed form, especially McGregor and Kirk. Fogarty was responsible for some good forward efforts, and he was well supported by Dodd, Souter and Nicholson. Harris is a great connecting link for Technical, whose backs were not showing much of their usual cohesion and power. Haslam and Hogg fulfilled their little tasks, but the wingers, Couper and Common, while possessing all their old pace, seemed to lack dash. The forwards got down to things in fine style. C. Keane, Nelson. Rosevear and McMiken were always there. Scoring register: Technical 6 (McMiken, one try. Harris, one penalty). College Rifles, 3 (Pickering, one penalty). Referee: Mr. C. F. Pauli. GRAFTON GOES UNDER FINLAYSON’S FINE FORM Eden Park No. 3 was soggy and the ball was greasy and hard to handle when Training College easily accounted for Grafton by 24 points to 9. The first try came soon after the start, when Stevenson, the Grafton fullback, failed to hold the ball. McFarland came up fast and took it out of Stevenson’s arms to go across for a good try. Bush converted. Grafton then took play to College’s line, hut all to no avail, when Bush fielded the ball and dashed up the line to Stevenson. Tilley took a good pass from Bush to walk across for an easy try. Bush again converted. It was o very fine effort on his part. Training College was attacking when the ball came back to Connolly, who kicked a fine field goal. In the second quarter the same player got the ball in his own twenty-five and ran straight down the touchline for a brilliant try. Bush made no mistake. The second spell was not productive of any good play. McKearney made Training College 24 points up when he ran across for Bush to again convert. Grafton then seemed to wake up and its forwards were keeping Training College busy. The backs, however, had not the finish that Training College had and many chances were lost! Stevenson, in the last quarter, kicked three penalties and made Grafton nine. No further score was added and the game ended with Training College 24. Grafton 9. Undoubtedly the best forward on the ground was Angus Finlayson, the exAll Black. Ho was the leader in every forward rush by Grafton and his work in the line-out was magnificent.

The rest of the Grafton team worked hard bhit, outside of Finlayson. no one was especially worthy of mention. Stevenson, who by his kicking, scored all the points for Grafton, was overshadowed by Bush.

On the Training College side, Bush at fullback played a great game. He converted all four tries scored by his team and, in addition, his run down the line to pave the way for Tilley to score was a nice one. Connolly played very well at centre. He ran threequarters of the length of the field to score one brilliant try and also kicked a fine field goal. In a hard-working pack Hodge played well. One feature of the set scrums was the lifting of the feet by the hookers before the ball had been put in. Both sides did this on every occasion and both were allowed to get away with it. Scoring register:—Training College: McFarland. Tilley. Connolly, McKearney. one try each: Connolly, one field goal: Bush. four conversions—24. Grafton: Stevenson. three penalty goals—9. Mr. W. J. Thompson was the referee.