FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19113, 23 September 1927, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. CANTERBURY V. ASHBURTON. To-morrow afternoon will see the last Saturday Rugby match of the season, when Canterbury team, which includes ft lot of ew young players, will meet the Ashburton bounty representatives. This gamo will he ishburton's first appearance on the Oval ince becoming a major union. Although Canterbury B team beat the Ashburtonites ast Saturdav, the former were very lucky 0 score the "majority of their points in the irst half, as they were hard pressed in the ater stages of the game. Dalton, who capains the side, is a solid wing-forward and rood leader, and with Pawson, Seyb, and •'an- the pack should give a good account o£ themselves. Stills, an ex-Canterbury •cnresentative full-back, is still playing, and he well-known It. Carlcton fills the centre-liree-quarter position. . The Canterbury selectors have wisely riven some of the younger promising players 1 trial and-in view of Shield games next sea- e : 'on great interest is being taken in their appearance to-morrow. Neill is full-back, and Hie three-quarter line comprises Ogier, Caldei, ind Hart all players of great promise, llart-s display last Saturday against Otago iuniors proves that ho is a very speedy threequarter. Mardon and Grant are five-eighths, with Million behind the scrum. In the forwards, Fookcs, of 'Varsity, is wing, and this position should suit him. Others in the pack includo T. Robinson* Kearney, Speight, and Cottrell, the last-named a Senior B player who is spoken of as a coming forward. As all the players -will be on their mettle a bright game is anticipated. The curtain-raiser is a novel one, Doing tno final game in the Ladies' Senior A Grade basketball competitions. . The finalists are Sacred Heart and Technical Colleges, who are at present equal in championship poults. This game, which is becoming very popular with the fair sex, will keep spectators interested prior to the Rugby games, and commences at 1.30 p.m. On the south ground, at 1.30 p.m., the Rugby final of the under 17 competition between Merivale A and Technical A takes place Qll the west ground the annual game between Technical Old Boys and .Wailiora commences at 1.30 p.m. Gates open at 1 p.m., and a frequent' tram service will be UIU. RUGBY LEAGUE. TO-MOBROWS GAMES. Owing to an infringement of the rules governing the Thacker Shield by the Hornby Ciub, the League authorities have ordered that the game be re-playod. Consequently Sydenham will again meet the Blacks to-mor-row at Monica Park. As Hornby will bo . minus their fino half-back. Woods, and the well-known forward, WoOdgate, who are to represent the South Island at Auckland, tho game should prove a very close one. In last week's gamo the superior weight of tho Hornby pack completely dominated play in the last ten minutes. Up to then Sydenham had very much tho better of the play, and it was only tho lack of a finishing touch that prevented them from running up a big lead, as they stormed the Hornby line for practically the wholo of tho first half, and were decidedly unlucky on several occasions in not scoring. It was in tho later part of tho second spell that the Blacks came to light, when they had a fresh mail on as a replacement. This is where the infringement occurred, as the rules for tho shield specifically forbade any replacement in the second spell. Sydenham aro keen to beat Hornby, and thus earn the right to, play Marists off in the final, and with Heuclian and Dymond available they will field their strongest thirteen. Hornby, on the other hand, are determined to show that last week's victory was not a "puke, consequently some splendid football should be witnessed. As to-morrow's game wbb to be for the final, it had been decided to make it for iho benefit of injured players, and as many tickets liavo been disposed of, the management have decided to make the fixture the benefit match. Tickets sold, therefore, will secure tho holder's admission to the game to-morrow, and as it 5s hoped to raise a largo sua for tho injured (players a big crowd is looked for, EX-WEST coast team. The Ex-West Coast Club's team to play Limvood, at Linwood Park, to-morrow is:—S. Oakley, R. S. Oakley, J. Wylie, M. Waghorn, - W. Davis, F. Grofski, M. Johnson, S. Snow, W. Quartermain, B. Streeter, E. Wickes, 0. Rogers, J. Jones, T. Roberts. All players to be on the ground at 2.30 p.m. ASSOCIATION. TO-MORROW'S matches. A bright exhibition' of Soccer should be witnessed at English Park to-morrow, on the occasion of the meeting of Nomads and Thistle in the semi-final of the English Cup. Both teams possess several players rich in experience and of proved worjjh, and the game should bo a battle of skill, cunning, and brains from whistle to whistle. It is certain that whatever may be lost by almost general absence of youth and Virility will be more than made up for by the knowledge of the veterans. Notable figures'in the Nomads' ranks Will be McDougall, New Zealand's best goalkeeper at the present time, and Trotter, one of the most^ formidable forwards in the Dominion. Thistle men of renown are Cummins and Bissett, WeareiS of countless Canterbury caps. Previous meetings of these two teams tins season have produced some exhiliratmg displays, and Saturday's contest bids fair to eclips? them all. A novelty attraction, durmg tho football season at least, will be provided by the staging of ft half-mile cycle race, promoted by tho newly-formed Cliristchurch Cycling and Athletic Club. , Th feo heats wiU ie run nil 9K T) m.. and the final at j.io p.m. Good faro'will be submitted for the approval nf nntroria at 1.15, when the Technical A and St. Albans teams taeet in tho semi-final of the Cup". =====