Reflections In The Sporting Mirror

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 105, 5 May 1945, Page 5 (Supplement)

Reflections In The Sporting Mirror

\UIDELY regarded as the logical choice as skipper of the New *' Zealand Army team which is to go on tour after the war, Captain C. K. Saxton, capped a fine Rugby career in New Zealand by playing brilliant football overseas. He was easily the outstanding half-back seen in action in the Middle East, although his playing opportunities were restricted for a considerable period while he was serving with the famous New Zealand Long Range Desert Group.

Rejoining the Division, he became attached to a Wellington armoured regiment, for which he turned on some high-class displays. A clever, versatile half, Saxton exploits the dive-pass to fine advantage. In New Zealand, he represented, South Canterbury, Otago and Southland and he was a member of the 1938 All Black side which toured Australia. The 1937 Springboks rated Saxton as the outstanding half-back to oppose them during tiielr Dominion tour. Heavy-weight Forward One of the heavy-weight forwards of the Ponsonby League team is T. S. Mason. He started football at the Whangarei High School and next was a junior representative in the north. In 1938 he played for the Northcote League team and then transferred to the Ponsonby League reserve team, when he showed great promise as a forward of the solid, hard-working type. He has not played football since 1940. Safe in England After having been a prisoner of war in Germany for about three years and a half, Captain A. S. Jamieson, former well-known Auckland Rugby representative, is reported to be safe in England. A particularly fine type of back, Alex Jamieson was a prominent member of the Ponsonby senior fifteen for many years and he succeeded All Black Fred Lucas as skipper of tTTe team. Gaining representative honours in 1928, he was one of the Auckland stalwarts for a number of years and on several occasions he captained the representative fifteen. In 1935 Jamieson played a fine game for Auckland against Wellington and among the Auckland scorers that day were'R. K. Anderson, who later died of wounds in Libya, and Swin Hadley, now a prisoner of war in Germany. Joey Sadler in Blenheim B. S. ("Joey") Sadler, some time Wellington and New Zealand Rugby half-back, whose career came to a premature close when a knee injury put him out of football just before the visit of the 1937 Springboks, is now in business in Blenheim, where he was stationed with the Air Force for a long time. It is likely that a move will be made to have him coach the Opawa first fifteen, but Joey more probably will devote himself to a lower grade side, probably an Old Boys' team. He has always been very keen on handling youngsters. League Hookers' Peregrinations Owing to a flexible transfer rule some of the hookers in the League code have played for various clubs. K. Finlayson, who is hooking for Marist this season, played for that club several seasons ago. He went to Otahuhu, and then to Manukau, and now has returned to Marist. Q. Hughes, who used to hook for City, went to Otahuhu, and this season has transferred to Ponsonby. R. Lohenet, who was the Ponsonby hooker last season, has transferred to City. The latter team had the services last season of B. Leatherbarrow, the New Zealand representative hooker, who went to England with the New Zealand League team in 1939. He has not played this season, but it is expected that he will turn out later. Leatherbarrow has played for both the North Shore and Mount Albert clubs, being a member of the latter team when it won the senior championship in the 1939 season.

P. P. Sharpley Released .. Captain P. F. Sharpley, well-known Hawke's Bay athlete, who has been a prisoner of war in Germany for close on three years, is reported to be safe in England. Sharpley, who represented New Zealand at the Melbourne Centennial Games in 1935 and at the British Empire Games at Sydney in 1938, is a former national hurdles and sprint champion. With S. G. Stenner, New South Wales, he holds the New Zealand record of 15s for the 120 yards hurdles, while his figures of 24 4-5s ior the 220 yards hurdles stand as the Dominion record. One of his finest performances was at the national championships at Napier in 1939 when he won the 100 yards championship in 10 l-ss, defeating the reigning champion, G. Quinn. With the ex-All Black, George Smith, Sharpley shares the honour of being the only New Zealander to win national sprint and hurdle titles. A New Record? Richmond's 70—0 defeat of Newton last Saturday appears to have set a new record. Certainly none of those long associated with the League code can recall such an emphatically onesided game. It ts not uncommon, of course, for two teams to get into the thirties, but for one team to score 70 points against its opponent's none is something that is not likely to be surpassed. Before the season commenced hopes were held of Newton making a better showing than it had in the past couple of seasons. Though the club has quite a roster of potential talent, it is apparent that a good deal of hard training is called for before its representatives can be said to be up to senior standard. Richmond's total, incidentally, was made up as follows: —B. Lowther 23 (three tries, seven conversions); F. Furnell 13 (three tries, two conversions); M. Robertson 9 (three tries); A. Thompson and J. Satherley 6 (two tries each); J. Magill 4 (two conversions); R. Robertson, W. Kinney and P. Ryan 3 (try each).

K. D. Macltae in Form Although Navy was well beaten by Grafton at Eden Park on Saturday, a first-class display was given at five-eighths by K. D. Macßae, former University and Auckland representative. Macßae, who has been overseas for several years, was playing fine football in 1941 when he gained representative honours, and, although his Rugby opportunities have been restricted of recent years, his all-round exhibition last week was particularly promising. And Auckland is badly in need of straight-running, enterprising inside backs. Des Barchard, who played for Auckland last year, was at the base of the Navy scrum but, as his forwards were definitely overshadowed by the opposing pack, he received few chances to show his paces.

Fred Allen Wounded Yet another prominent Rugby player to be reported wounded while serving with the New Zealand Division in Italy is Lieutenant F. R. Allen, who recently played several fine games for the Eighth Army team. A former Canterbury representative, Allen is well-known in Auckland where he appeared for Grammar Old Boys last season after his return from the Pacific. He also skippered the Combined Services team which was defeated by the Auckland representatives at Eden Park and also appeared for the Waikato representatives. Overseas, Allen played for a New Zealand brigade fifteen which defeated the Eighth Army and, when the latter team defeated a strong Air Force combination, he was reported to be one of the best backs on the field.

Services to Rugby The services which Mr. A. C. ("Dolph") Kitto rendered to Rugby as a member of the New Zealand Union for 23 years were recognised last week. On behalf of the North Auckland Union, which "Dolph" represented, the president of the union, Mr. E. V. Phillips, presented him with a smoker's companion and his wife with a silver entree dish. Mr. Phillips' reference to the valuable work done by Mr. Kitto was supplemented by the chairman of the council, Mr. S. S. Dean, and Mr. J. Finlayson (North Auckland) expressed his union's gratitude for what Mr. Kitto had done for them. Mr. Kitto replied on behalf of himself and his wife. Injuries Affect Ponsonby Ponsonby League is one of the hardest-hit teams on the score of injuries, and the latest to suffer a broken rib is Don Mullett, the wellknown forward and champion heavyweight boxer. Mullett will be laid aside for at least two more Saturdays. Last Saturday week R. R. Hull, the Ponsonby captain, sustained a nasty leg injury, and it is taking some time to get well enough to allow him to play. The loss of these two powerful forwards has considerably weakened the scrum. Arthur Way, who received broken ribs in the last practice game, has not yet taken part in a competition match, but hopes to be out this week. The club is also likely to lose its new halfback, W. Brimble, a returned soldier. Whenuapai Impress

Soundest display in the trial Rugby matches last Saturday was turned on by the R.N.Z.A.F. team from Whenuapai, which out-played and out-speeded Ponsonby, runnersup in last year's senior championship. The Air Force back-line was particularly impressive and it represented a source of potential danger whenever in possession. N. Burrett, a former Thames Valley player, who represented the South Island Services last season, went a fine game at centre and was the outstanding back on the field. A big, strong runner with plenty of penetrative ability, Burrett raced across for a brace of good tries. A solid hard-working type of packman, was T. Blomfield, a brother of wrestler "Lofty," who played a lot of good football for Air Force teams in England. Mitchell Joins Ponsonby The Ponsonby League team has been reinforced this season by the inclusion of G. G. Mitchell, the Auckland and New Zealand representative forward. Mitchell played Rugby at the Feilding Agricultural High School, and later, when playing for Feilding Old Boys seniors he gained Manawatu representative honours. He came north in 1937 and joined the Richmond senior League team. In 1939 he was chosen to go to England with the New Zealand League team which returned to the Dominion after playing two matches. Mitchell did not play football last season, but in. the two previous seasons he was a member of the M.T.P. Rugby team. Now 30 years of age, he weighs 15 stone.

Training College Will Improve Fielding an entirely new fifteen, Training College gave a bright display against Ardmore at Eden Park on Saturday. Practically all the players were making their first appearance in senior football and, although on the light side, they impressed as a young side with plenty of possibilities. Kerry, a youth from the King Country, gave a particularly fine display at centre and he looks like being a worthy ''successor to Les Deas. The team will be strengthened by the inclusion of Naivalurua, a Fijian winger, who learnt his Rugby at Wanganui Technical College, where he was the college sprint champion.

Frank Furnell Returns In the Richmond five-eighths line in its match against Newton on Saturday was Frank Furnell, who has not played in Auckland since the 1941 season. Furnell played Rugby at the Mt. Albert Grammar School, and later played in the third grade for College Rifles. In the 1935 season he joined the Richmond League Club, and became one of the leading senior full-backs in Auckland, his best play being up to representative standard. When overseas he played Rugby in the Cairo area at full-back, and made a good impression on the critics. When previously playing for Richmond, Furnell's weight was 11.6, but it has now' gone up to 13.0. Furnell, who is 27 years of age, should have a number of playing years ahead of him.

Promising Athlete's Death Private John O'Sullivan, who has been reported killed in Italy, was a promising athlete. He played Rugby, Soccer and tennis in Auckland, and when at Sacred Heart College was the < fives champion, and runner-up in the lightweight boxing championship. In the 1933 season he represented the Auckland secondary schools at Soccer against Wanganui, and in the 1942 and 1943 seasons he represented Auckland at Rugby in the .third open and third intermediate .grades. He was an exceptional place-kick, and at full-back showed sterling defence.' His form was so goo(,l in the last season he played in Auckland that several teams were anxious to get his services. On going overseas with 1 the armed forces he played Rugby in Cairo, and was chofeen to represent North Island against South Island. Owing to military duties he was not able to play. Jack Best Out Again Jack Best, who went to Britain with the 1935 All Blacks, is going to play Rugby again this season, and in his home province, Marlborough. At the moment he is taking a course at Lincoln College, following service in the Middle East, but his old club. Opawa, expects him back shortly. Best, after the trip to England, was stationed for a while in the Waikato anri played for the combined Wai-karo-King Country team against the Springboks. Later he was in Whakatante, and it was as a Bay of Plenty representative that he appeared in the 1939 trials.