RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 215, 11 September 1929, Page 19

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

CANTERBURY'S RECORD. —_ NOT SO BAD AS"IT LOOKS. REPOORT OF TOURING MANAGES. (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") CHRISTCHURCH, this day. I A first glance at the record of the Canterbury representative Rugby team that has just returned from a North Island tour is far from nattering to the self-esteem of the province. The list seems to indicate that Rugby in this province is much below the standard of Rugby in the North Island. No such view, however, is held by Mr. St. J. J. Dunne, the manager of the Canterbury team. Mr. Dunne attributes the nonsuccess of Canterbury mainly to the action of the union in accepting too many engagements, which had the effect of wearing out the team. "It was foolish to crowd so many matches into the time that was available, and if the union is going to persist in such tours it will have to make provision for a lot more men to travel,- 'he said. "We were disgusted with ourselves aftei the Wairarapa match," said Mr. Dunne. "We should have won the Shield. Even at half-time I was confident of victory. It has to be admitted, though that we gave Wairarapa two easy tries. This was due to our own bad judgment. Cooke plays in patches, but all his patches are effective. The score in the Auckland match (17—6) did not indicate the trend of play." Mr. Dunne went on: "The difference of about a try in Auckland's favour would have been about it. At Auckland Canterbury met the biggest and. heaviest forwards in New Zealand. -The Knight brothers and McWilliams are fine types. In the second spell the Auckland forwards were able to hold the upper hand owing to their greater weight and gruelling scrum work. By" the time the team got to Wellington all the pep had gone out of it." Mr. Dunne referred to the hospitality extended by all the unions to the team members to whom he extended high praise for their pluck and grit and to the fine spirit with which they accepted defeat. CANTERBURY V. WELLINGTON. THE CANTERBURY TEAM. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Canterbury Rugby team to play Wellington to-day is: — Harris, Steel, Hastie, Merritt, Hay, Innes, Mullan, Scrimshaw, Kirkland, Jaggers, Anderson, Robinson, Manchester, Manning and Thompson. Lilburne has not yet fully recovered from his injury. BANDS AT INVERCARGILL. RUGBY AND HOCKEY TEAMS RETURN. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) INVERCAKGILL, Tuesday. The Southland Rugby football team and the Southland ladies' hockey team were accorded a most enthusiastic reception by a large crowd on their return this evening. Three bands were in attendance at the station, and there was a great demonstration wben the train drew, into the platform. ' The teams were taken through the cheering crowds to the rotunda in Post Office Square, where they were officially welcomed by the Mayor, Mr. J. D. Campbell, and officials of the Rugby Union, the Ladies' Hockey Association, and the Boxing Association. SOUTH AUCKLAND AFFAIRS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) PUKEKOHE, this day. At a meeting of the South Auckland Rugby Union yesterday Mr. H. Pleydell was appointed referee for the AucklandSouth Auckland match at Pukekohe on Saturday. It was decided that the play-off between the Waiuku and Pukekohe sub-unions for the South Auckland Union's junior championship shall take place at Pukekohe on Saturday as a curtain-raiser to the match against the Auckland team. Mr. P. A. Hillary and the secretary, Mr. W. J. Short, were deputed to redraft and consolidate the union's rules, the new draft to be submitted to the nest meeting of the union. The president, with Messrs. J. P. Rae and Short were asked to endeavour to arrange a match in Auckland for a third grade representative team from the South Auckland union. The question whether the union should adopt the New Zealand rules of play next season was discussed. It was decided to urge the affiliated sub-unions to express their opinion on the matter, and later to hold a meeting of the South Auckland Union to decide the question. RATANA CUP GAME POSTPONED. TE KUITI, Tuesday. The Ratana Cup match, Maniapoto v. Bay of Plenty, which was to have been played on Thursday next, has been postponed until September 26. MATAMATA REPRESENTATIVES. (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) MATAMATA, this day. The following have been selected to represent Matamata in a representative match against Piako at Matamata on Saturday :—Full-back, J. Stewart; three-quar-ters, C. Fauscetr, J. Vosper, H. Kneebone; five-eighths, S. Egan, J. Davies; half, E. Douglas; rover, A. Story; forwards, J. Stevenson, W. Aoake, D. Simpson, S. Flutey, H. Ensor, W. Syme. Reserves: Backs, G. Campbell, A. Brown; forwards, D. Fraser, B. Brown. This will serve as a trial game for the Peace Cup, for which Piako have the next challenge on Wednesday at Hamilton. THAMES V. TAURANGA. In connection with the representative football match Thames v. Tauranga, to be held at Tauranga on Saturday next, a special train is being run from Thames North to Strand and back. Details are advertised. TAURANGA, Monday. The Tauranga team to play Thames, at Tauranga on Saturday, is as follows:— Full-back. R. J. Phelan; three-quarters, R. Ainsley, H. Kelly, E. lies; five-eighths, G. lies, G. Fanner; half-bact, R. Mirrielees; rover, W. Turner; forwards, C. Cameron, D. Mountfort. T. Tangitu, E. Polley, I. Tangitu, C. Haua, F. Bickers. INTERHOTSE FINAL. MILNE'S AGAINST SARGOOD'S. Lively football should be the order at Eden Park to-morrow afternoon, when teams representing Milne and Choyce and Sargood, Son and Ewen will meet in the final of the Auckland Business Houses' competition. In their first meeting the teams finished with honours even, six points all, and to-morrow's game is expected to be f ~ually as strenuously contested. For this match the Milne and Choyce team will be strengthened by the inclusion of Falwasser. The game will start at 4 o'clock, and a collection will be taken up at the gates in' aid of the St. John Ambulance fund.