RIFLES UNLUCKY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 85, 11 April 1929, Page 13

RIFLES UNLUCKY.

College Will Mis* Some of Their Old

Forwards,

Ever a popular club, College Rifles have a happy knack of springing surprises. Not a few times have they lost a whole string of matches and* then startled the critics by putting a win across one of the crack teams. Will the dark blues play the same tricks again? The Rifles this year may be reckoned one of the unluckiest of the senior clubs in that they have lost more than half of their best forwards in Gibson, Cummings, K. Page, H. Souter and Murdoch. Stalwarts, who will be available to continue their service, include K. C. Stewart, who is the honorary secretary of the club, Noakes, Lawn and S. Souter. Dick Fogarty, the veteran of the team, is getting well down the road of year?, but there is chance that he mav again pull on a jersey. Although he is* hardly possessed of the stamina of some of the youngsters he is always in good condition and he has a football brain that is too often lacking among the younger players.

One question that most Rugby enthusiasts have a«ked this season U "Will Sheen play?" It is a point on

[which there is some doubt. Reg. is keen, but a knee, injured half-way through last year's South African tour, may keep him on the sideline. Of last year's backs almost all are again ready for harness, these including Hec. Gillespie, S. Wilson,

Kirk, Goddard, Donald, Webber and McGregor. With the Williams brothers, late of Grammar, and perhaps a promoted junior or two, this lot should contain the makings of a fairly strong back combination, although it will be easier to form an opinion of the side alter Saturday's practice. At present it is expected that four teams will be entered in the competitions.

Although they never looked like getting to the top of the tree in the 1928 championship, the Rifles wound up the season by winning the Pollard Cup and this success may have a beneficial effect this year.