FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20648, 10 September 1932, Page 20

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY UNION. RANFURLY SHIELD. BULLER V. CANTERBURY TO-DAY. Much interest is being taken in Canterbury and on the West Coast in the Banfurly .Shield game, which will be played this afternoon at Lancaster Park between Canterbury and Buller (the .-hsllengers). The prowess of the visiting side has been given wide publicity, and general calculations, based on the fact that Buller recently soundly beat the West Coast, which in turn very nearly wrested the shield from Canterbury, are that the home fifteen will have to fight hard to maintain its right to the Dominion's most valued Rugby trophy. The Buller team will be making its first appearance against Canterbury in a Shield game, and at least 600 supporters from Westport, Greymouth, and Keefton wil! cheer the men in their Haiih with the strongest team which Canterbury can fiold. The unprecedented interest which West Coast people are taking in the challenge is indicated by the fact that over 60 supporters accompanied the players from Westport on Thursday. The majority of those who will arrive in the excursion to-day would have to start their journey last night. A Pine Record. On the West Coast, Buller has established a definite Rugby superiority, and has held the Seddon Shield, the championship trophy competed for among the West Coast provinces— West Coast, Boiler, Marlborough, Nelson, Golden Bay—since 1930. For three years they have remained unbeaten. The province ban always fielded a formidable side of forwards, and matches with tho West Coast fifteen have invariably provided ••lose contests and fine football. Only the itolation of Buller from important and •trong Rugby centres has kept the West Coast sides from being able to display some of this prowess. The Players. , Many of the Buller men have beneiited from instruction given them this season by Mark Nicholls, who coached the team for three weeks. The majority of the backs have long experience. Graham, the full-back, showed at the team practice at Lancaster Park' yesterday that he is a sound place-kick. He can use either foot, handles and tackles well, and his experience in big football includes games against the British team of 1930 and the 1931 Australian side. C. Jones, on the left wing, has played for the province for several years, and u fast and tough. J. Hill, on the 'ight wing, is not so much a scoring man as a sound defensive player, whose ability as a tackier should make him a match for Hart, the fast All Black and Canterbury three-quarter. Hill has been showing brilliant form in his first year as a Buller representative. E. Holder, the centre-three-quarter, played in Christ church this season for the South Island, and later toured Australia with the AH Blacks, earning a reputation for steady play. Against Nelson recently he scored two fino tries. The five-eighths are W. Higgins and D. J. Loder. Higgins is a solid player, not brilliantr by any means, but combines well with Loder, who in regarded as the brains of tb" visitinjr back line. Loder has represented Otago and the New Zealand Universities. nnd plays a dashing, heady jf/tmtf. A. Reid. ths half-back, is plavii( his first season for Buller, and is described at a sound defensive player. The team includes some outstanding forwards, who will certainly Impress Canterbury people, who have not heard a great deal about football on the Coast. W. McNeight is the star forward, and .tuts represented the South Island several tinea. His aggressive play has marked him for some years as one of the best forwards in New Zealand. V. Goodall, another rigorous player, is one of the "lathers" of football in the Buller. He has played League, for New Zealand, and much big Rugby. A powerful and fast men, he sets an active example to tfca team whenever it plays. Doherty, Lowther, and .T. Orman. three promising forwards, are having their first try-out to big Rugby. R. Gilsennan, a mirldlorow man, is a typical hard-working Bul-

ler forward. G. Jack, who plays alongside him, has also played in the League code. The following are the teams: — BULLER. (Cardinal and Blue.) A. Graham. J. Hill, ' E. Holder, C. Jones. W. Higgins, D. S. Loder. A. Reid. W. McNeight, J. Stewart, V. Goodall, S. Lowther, L. Doherty, G. Jack, R. Gilsenan, G. Orman. CANTERBURY. (Red and Black.) A. W. Roberts. W. Brown, C. J. Oliver, G. F. Hart. G. D. Innes, R. Hazlehurst. A. N. Bouterty. J. E. Manchester, R. K. King, G. W. Thompson. G. J. Howell, C. H. Perkins, A. Bowes, W. Pease, A. I. Cottrell. SUMNER CLUB. Following is the team for to-day:— Third Grade v. Linwood, at Lancaster rarK South ground, at 1.15 p.m. Stoneman, Streeter, Morel, Bowman, Peterson, Coleman, Storey, Steel, Thompson, Carpinter, V oice, Trevean, Rutherford, Morel, Christensen, Peterson. NORTHERN UNION. BRITISH RESULTS. (rjtlTBD PEESS ASSOCIATION —B* ELECTBIC TELEGRAPH— COPTBICHT.) LONDON, September .8. The Northern Rugby Union ' football results were as follows: — Barrow 22, Rochdale Hornets 10. Warrington 23, Batley 0. association. WELLINGTON V. CANTERBURY.

The best match seen in Canterbury for some years will be Witnessed at English Park this afternoon between Wellington and Canterbury. Some of the players representing Wellington have great reputations, especially McYean and Barton. The science and stamina displayed by the team that has been sent down will give the public of Christchurch some idea of how the game should be played. However, the Canterbury selectors have chosen a very strong team to oppose them. _ Some of the Canterbury representatives are young players, and a great deal is expected from them. The curtain-raiser will be- a match between the Christchurch Marist Club and the Wellington Marist Club for the Brennan Shield. This should be a hard game, full of exciting incidents. It will commence at 1.45 p.m., and the big match will commence at 3.15 p.m. The Wellington representative team is as follows:—P. McVean (goal), J. Todd and S. Haines (backs), J. McLeod, W. Bird, and W. Hanlon (halfbacks), E. Barton, M. Condon, A. McLeod, J. Kershaw, and D. Craig (forwards); W. Cunningham, reserve. The Canterbury representative team will consist of: —E. Barnes (goal), S. Cawtheray and G. 'Sutherland fbacks), J. Paton, G. Roberts, and A. Walker (half-backs), F. Craggs, D. Sutherland, A. Trotter, A. McMillan, and L. Anstey (forwards); H. Johnson, C. Pickup, G. Smith, and 11. Sloan, reserves.

MATCH IN BRITAIN. ("C KITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BY ELECTBIC TKLBGBAPH— COPY3IGHT ) LONDON, September' 8. In the Englifh Association football competition, southern division, Brentford (2 goals) beat Coventry (1 goal).