RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23412, 20 August 1941, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

♦ SENIOR FINAL ON SEPTEMBER 20

CLOSING ROUNDS OF COMPETITION Unless the concluding rounds of the competition bring complications, the Canterbury Rugby Union’s senior championship will be decided on September 20, it being the union’s intention to play-off the winners of the two sections on that date as a curtain-raiser to the representative game between Canterbury and South Canterbury. On the recommendation of the competitions committee the management committee of the union decided on this course last evening. Whether players in the teams contesting the fatal should be released from the representative side on that day was not discussed. In the first section of the senior competition, Army is the leading team and has a one-point margin over Air Force, New Brighton, and Technical, with University a point behind these three. Army was to have defaulted to Linwood last Saturday, the matches of which were postponed. This week Army will be able to field , a team, although it may be composed largely of territorials.

In the second section, Albion has a halfpoint lead from Athletic. These teams were drawn to meet last Saturday, but their postponed match will now be held over to August 30, as a curtain-raiser to the Canterbury-Otago match, ’as both teams will have a large number of players absent next Saturday* when a Canterbury team drawn from the second section will play Ellesmere. Mr W. Maxwell, on behalf of the competitions committee, recommended that no senior matches be played on August 30 with the exception of the Albion-Athletic fixture. Replying to Mr V. L. Jensen, he said it was not yet known whether it would be necessary to play senior games on' September 13, the date of the Canter-bury-Wellington match. It might be necessary to play-off two leading teams in the first section on that day. The winner of the second section should be found by September 6. When the president (Mr E. V. Phillips) Inquired if the championship final would not make a good finish to the season on September 27, far M. T. Gunderson said there was a suggestion that a Combined Services match should be played on that day. Mr Maxwell added that the committee had a match in view for that day. Competition Closed

The third grade B competition was declared dlosed, with Boys’ High School the winner with 7J points and Technical Old Boys the runner-up with 7. Mr Maxwell said there would be a play-off between the section winners If the teams were willing to play. Speaking of progress in the other grades, Mr Maxwell said the leading teams in the second grade W’ould be drawn together after next Saturday. The under sst 121b grade might be closed after next Saturday, .

Two clubs replied to the union’s inquiry whether it was desired to continue the second section of the senior grade after next Saturday. The Athletic Club stated it was prepared to carry on, but did not want early games as several of its players came from the country. The Merivale Club stated it had lost more than 100 players because of the war, and because of further loss of players making it impossible t° draw on the second and third grade teams, it wished to withdraw after next Saturday.

PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ TOURNAMENT

MATCHES IN CHRISTCHURCH NEXT WEEK

The annual primary schools’ representative Rugby tournament will be played next week In Chrlstphurch by teams representing South Canterbury. Ashburton, North Canterbury, and Canterbury. Each district will send two teams, the weight limit of the senior grade being Bst and that of the junior 6st 71b. The games will be played at Rugby Park on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week, and in each grade each side will play the remaining three teams, the championship going to' the side With the most wins. The tournament has been held on three previous occasions, and it has invariably produced keen matches and a high standard of play. Four matches wUI be played each afternoon at Rugby Park, and the adjoining Malvern Park, the first games beginning at 1.15. , 'V—

CANTERBURY TEAMS W. Harvey (Technical) has been added to the-list of players chosen to train for the Canterbury team to play Otago on September 30. R. Garrett. (Albion) has been chosen to captain' the Canterbury team to play Ellesmere at Lincoln on Saturday. T. C. Knowles (Athletic) has been appointed vice-captain; DRAW FOR SATURDAY The draw is as published for Saturday, August 16. with the following alterations; all matches commence at 2.45 p.m. unless otherwise stated:— First Grade.—Air Force v. Varsity, L.P. oval, 3 p.m.; New Br. v. Tech., Rugby Pk., 3 p.m.; Army v. Lin., Show Gds. 1, 3 p.m.; Wig, v. South., L.P. South, 3 p.m.: Godley Hd. v. Mer., Show Gds. 2, 3 p.m.; ChCh. v. Suhnyslde, Sunnyalde, 2.30 p.m.; Ath. v. Alb., play Saturday, Aug. 30„ L.P. oval, 1:30 p.m. Second Grade.—Trg. Coll. v. Old Boys, 5 J(.P. 1 Third Grade B.—There will be no matches in this grade on Saturday. Fourth Grade A.—New Br. beat Varsity by default. Fourth Grade B.—Chr. Coll. v. Ch.Ch., Chr. Coll cricket gd.; B.H.S. v. Coll., Straven rd.; West H.S. v. Pap. Tech., flayed on July 39; Old Boys v. Trg. Coll., N.P.: Tech., bye. Under 17.—Kaiapoi beat Old Boys by default. Under Bst 71b.—Tech. A beat Old Boys by default. Under 7st.—New Br. v. Beck., Brom. Pk., 1.30; Athl. v. Lin., L.P. oval, 1.30. Under sst 121b.—New Br. V. South B, 6 NJP.. 1.90. , -3 RUGBY LEAGUE DRAW FOR SATURDAY The following Is the Rugby League draw for Saturday:— Seniors.—Tavendale Cup seven-a-slde, at Bradford (if wet Papanui). Entries to be in no later than 12.30- Saturday, 23rd (Williams, Cotton). Syd. v. St. G., W„ at Syd. (Smith). Junior, T.G„ F.G. seven-a-slde, at St. Jos. (Mathle, Thomson, Stuart). H.W.: W. v. R., at Jer. (Thackwell); Ar. v. D,, *at Ar. (Lisle): St. v. S., at S. (Hamberger). L.W.: S. v, St.,, at St, (Thomson); C. v. L., at B. (Williams); A. v-Ar., at L, (Mooar). H.W.: Trial game at St. Jos., Sunday, 1.30 (if wet, L. rooms, Tuesday, 7 p.m.). L.W.: Rep. team—Poinsford, O’Neil,' Whittaker (Ar.), Stapley, Griffith, Soper (C.), Dempsey. Rowe, Hall, Hampton, Knell (A.), Lewis, Murphy, and Ansell (S.), Anderson (L.), Churcher (W.), Carroll (St.). S