RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 144, 20 June 1934, Page 14

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

CLUB PROSPECTS. WHO WILL GO DOWN 1 GOSSIP ON T"V PLAYERS. Oil Saturday the taicful question which has been so troubling Auckland Rugby | followers and Rugby players will be answered and the teams which have been successful in retaining their senior A status will be sparing a little time for sympathy with their less fortunate comrades. The position, however, is still intriguing. Marist and College Rifles are certainties for relegation to the senior B grade, but the identity of the third team is still a matter of doubt. University, Grammar aud Otahuhu are the teams in danger, although the chances appear to be against 'Varsity, which is to meet the competition leaders, Grafton. Should 'Varsity win and Grammar or Otahuhu bo beaten, the third team will still have to be found. Therefore enthusiasts will have plenty to interest them on Saturday. Last Saturday's games again produced some surprises, not so much in results as in features of play. Otahuhu forwards are still scratching their heads in the endeavour to find out just how McLean, of Grafton, took the ball from among 15 other men and left them searching for it while he scored a try. L. Curtayne has been shining in the fiveeighths line for Marists, and his display behind the pack on Saturday stamped him as a player of determination and grit. R. Haslam, Tcehnical's crack back, who has been nursing an injured foot, is expected to bo again assisting his team on Saturday. Unfortunately his partner Murdock received a knock on the leg last Saturday and may not be able to turn out, but if the efforts of Mr. Linden, the club masseur, are of avail both will be donning the green jersey. Although at the bottom of the competition, Marist has some first-class forwards, and the club is finding it difficult to understand why the Auckland selector has only included one man in the A and B representative sides. It is believed that if the selector had seen Fowler and McGrory in action, both would have secured places. George Solomon, the Otahuhu half-back, is showing rapid improvement with every game, and on Saturday he showed surprising ability in place-kicking. Phil Lockie, Stan Halpin and Gordon Bell, of last season's Parnell senior B team, have decided to come out of retirement and give the old team a helping hand in the newly-created senior C section. Manukau is rich in promising forward material. McGuirc is making his name as a hard worker in the second grade team, while in the third open grade team McCarthy is recognised as one of the best front-row men in the division. In the third intermediate grade Larking is a fine leader. W. Bowery, the half-back and captain of the Technical fifth grade team, is making a reputation as a points getter, having registered in every game. Eastern Suburbs third grade team includes two lots .of three brothers, the three Dunnes and the three Slatterys, while another Dunne, but no relation, also plays his part in the side. Manulcau's sh:th grade team suffered the first reverse of the season on Saturday, and they are now equal in the competition with -Eastern Suburbs. Rogers, the Marist full-back, who has been out for three weeks] owing to au injury, is expectcd back in the team, on Saturday and lie should strengthen the defence. R. Harlin, of Otahuhu, has been transferred to Pukckohe and he .will not be able to take part in any more of the red and black attacks this season. H. Jackson, full-back of the Parnell intermediate team, had his kicking boots on on Saturday, converting each of the five tries and drop-kicking a beautiful goal.