ATHLETIC SPORTS GAMES AND PLAYERS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27434, 21 August 1954, Page 9

ATHLETIC SPORTS GAMES AND PLAYERS

Boxing Championships The New Zealand boxing championships will be held at Wellington on September 17 and 18, and Canterbury boxers will fight at the Civic Theatre on Tuesday for the right to represent their province. The form of Canterbury boxers this season is particularly high, and it is not surprising to find likely New Zealand title-winners in B. Dalliesse (heavy-weight), B. Edwards (bantam-weight), R. Mitchell (light-weight), and L. McDougall (middle-weight) winning by default. Canterbury boxers have a wholesome respect for the ability of these young champions, who are likely to go further. Province or Country? If Canterbury beats South Canterbury today and retains the Ranfurly Shield, it will meet, next Saturday, .one of the strongest of all the challenges—from Waikato. Next Saturday, however, is also the day a New Zealand team is to play the New Zealand Maoris, and Mr T. C. Morrison, one of the selectors, has said that the strongest possible New Zealand team will be chosen. Asked yesterday whether Canterbury’s shield team was likely to be affected by the New Zealand-Maoris fixture, the president of the Canterbury Rugby Union--(Mr W. C. Dailey) said that his union had not yet gone into the matter. “I suppose New Zealand comes first,” he said. “I expect Waikato will have players in the New Zealand team, too. However, you cannot make players for the New Zealand team if they are not available or cannot get away. It is a matter for the New Zealand union.” Incidents Recalled “Old Sport” writes as follows: —“The collapse of England’s marathon runner, J. Peters, at the recent Empire Games' at Vancouver recalls a similar happening at the Olympic Games held in London in 1905. When the Italian runner Dorando, • who was first into the stadium, collapsed within 200 yards of the tape, a spectator assisted him to his feet and he staggered over the line »an easy first. He was disqualified because of the assistance. It is pleasing to recall that Dorando was the recipient of a gold cup presented by the King in recognition of his gallant effort. I believe it was the same year that the Otago and New Zealand champion, H. G. Bdrk, competing at the Australasian championships in Sydney, had a somewhat similar experience to Landy in the mile at Vancouver. The competitors were on the mark for the start of the one mile. The gun went and some other competitor stood on Burk’s foot, tearing it badly. He gave the others a 20 yard break, set sail after the bunch, went to the front, as Landy did, and was beaten by two feet. He was unable to run again at the meeting.”

Canterbury’s Backs < Canterbury supporters might be well , satisfied with the representative team’s - record in the first two challenges for the Ranfurly Shield and they have £ every reason to be well pleased with < the work of a very fine pack of for- 1 wards who nave carried the team < through critical stages. Yet there is > cause for reflection on the compara- ’ tively poor form of the backs shown ' in both games. The lack of cohesion ; on attack is the most disturbing factor, 1 for with a feast of the ball from set scrums, line-outs and rucks passing rushes have been singularly few and ' not one orthodox movement from 1 scrum to wing-three-quarters has i brought results. Canterbury forward play appears to be moulded on the : lines of the champion Otago Shield . team, but it should be remembered . that Otago had behind it a very com- : petent back line, including L. Woodhouse, L. S. Haig, J. Kearney, R. El- : vidge, I. Botting, G. Moore and W. , Meates, a team that could be depended upon to operate effectively as occasion demanded. The Canterbury backs ; have worked together often enough ! to have given some ideas of their capal bilities. While forwards pave the way ; for victory backs should provide the . points by concerted play. > The Sawers Cap t The annual match between reprei sentatives. of the North and South ! Island Railways will be played at ’ Rugby Park today, the game commencing at 1.15 p.m. The trophy at stake is the Sawers Cup presented by Mr J. Sawers, a former general manager of New Zealand Railways for competition between all sections erf railway departments. A series of trials have been played between the five unions in the North Island and four in the South 1 and the names of well knownplayers appear in the lists of those. The first game was played at Wellington in 1947 and in turn the annual fixture was held at Napier, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Wellington, Dunedin and - Napier. The following teams have been selected. North Island: E. Ahuahu (Paekakiriki), R. Henderson (New Plymouth), J. Toopi (Auckland), E. Ashton (Wellington), E. Akapita (Ohakune), H. Chase (Taihape), N. “Atkin (Wanganui), G. Stevens (Taumarunui), L. Head (Wanganui), R. Scott (Auckland), P. Smith (Wanganui), C. Wellington (Taumarunui), K. Chadwick (Wanganui). Reserves: forwards, G. Holz (Auckland), G. Ashton (Wellington); backs, U. Whata (Rotorua), J. Wikiana (Taihape). South Island: T, Homan (Otago), Bud Lisle (Christchurch), J. Ackland (Christchurch), J. ' Wilson (Otago), D. Lucas (West Coast). R. H. Waterlarfd (Christchurch), W Collins (Christchurch), M. J. Moffatt (Southland), J. Hunt (Otago), D. M. Adlam (Christchurch), R. Hughes , (Southland), W. Munford (Christchurch), A. Rothraj (Southland), A. Hamilton (Christchurch), D. Atkinson (Southland). Reserves: backs, W. Stirling (Westland), M. Hayes (Southland; forwards, W. L. Loffhagen (Christchurch), R. Inkster (West Coast). Olympic Flame Tentative arrangements to send the 1 Olympic flame from Greece to Australia in 1956 were made with Mr J. Ketseas, a Greek member of the International Olympic Committee, during the recent congress. The initial ceremony of lighting the torch by the sun’s rays will be carried out in Olympia. Relays of runners will carry the flame to Athens, where it is pro- . R? se l to hold a reception. From Athens the flame will be flown to Darwin and from there to Northern Queensland, probably Cairns, where it is ; hoped to start the longest torch relay in Olympic history—2sso miles. The president of the Saar Olympic Committee (Mr Muller) has made a friendly gesture to Melbourne by presenting the organising committee with a miner’s safety lamp. This and another safety lamp, to be provided by the Saar committee, will carry the Olympic flame in the aircraft fryn Athens. 2 Chatham Cup 1 The South~~lsland final of the Chatham Cup competition will be played . at English Park today between Western ‘ (Christchurch), winner of the north- [ em section, and Northern (Dunedin), winner of the southern section. Both ’ teams have a proud record in the Chatham Cup series. Each has re2 presented the South Island in the _ New Zealand final six fimes, but f whereas Northern has failed to win f the trophy, Western has been success--1 ful twice outright, in 1936 and 1945, ; and in 1952 the club was bracketed with North Shore (Auckland) after ; extra time had been played. Northern a has a very strong team. Stephenson, v the goalkeeper, Walsh, outside right. - and W. Berry, centre forward, have - represented New Zealand, and R. Nous. 1 the right back, is considered unlucky - to have missed the trip to Australia i this year after a fine exhibition in the mter- x island game. Western also has a good blending of experienced _ players. J. White, who may play centre t forward, and C. Banham. right half. e have represented New Zealand, and F. 3 Bradley, right back, A. Laffey, centre s half. L. Longmuir, inside right, and y P. inside left, have re1 presented the South Island.

Answers to Correspondents Mac, Greymouth: Yes. At the New Zealand v. South Africa 1937 and New Zealand v. British Isles, 1950. (2) 40,600. The Seddon Shield The West Coast, holder of the Seddon Shield, with only two challenges ahead, should survive the first of them today, by Nelson. After holding the Seddon Shield for a record term, extending into four seasons, the West Coast lost the trophy last year to Bullen The playing area at Rugby Park today is certain to be soft, because of recent heavy rains, but the i West Coast is expected to hold the shield against Nelson, even though the latter is regarded as one of the strongest challenging sides in recent years. The West Coast is stronger than ever j this year. Marlborough’s challenge will | be made on September 4. Full-back Scores 100 Points South Canterbury’s fufl-back, H. ‘ Fairbrother, who will play in the Ran- . furly Shield challenge match against Canterbury today, kicked a penalty goal against Southland on Tuesday and | thus scored 100 points in his 30 appearances for the province. Fairbrother’s total is made up of 23 penalty goals, fourteen conversions, and one dropped goal. Eighty-five of hit points were scored in the 1952 and 1953 seasons, last year being his best, when he recorded 48 points. Fairbrother it a son of a former South Canterbury full-back, D. Fairbrother. 1956 Olympic Games The organising committee has been encouraged by the favourable reception given to its progress report" on preparations for the 1956 Olympic Games by the recent Olympic conferences at Lausanne and Athens. Mr Lewis Luxton, an Australian member of the International Olympic Committee, presented the report to the Athens congress of the committee. Mr Luxton said on his return to Melbourne that the report on progress had been well received, and it had been unanimously agreed that the Melbourne organising committee had made tremendous strides in the last 12 months. “Unfortunately, we shall not be holding the equestrian events, and we are all naturally disappointed,Mr Luxton continued. “Our quarantine laws only allow horses to be imported into Australia after spending six months in quarantine in Great Britain, Ireland, or New Zealand. Few amateur competitors could spare the time or money to take their horses to England for six months and then bring them to Australia in time to acclimatise before the games begin. Therefore, when this matter was fully, debated at Athens, the 1.0. C. wisely. decided * that on this occasion it would be worth while to change t<o of its rules—those requiring all events on the games programme to be held in the chosen city and within a period of 16 consecutive days.”

Waikato Shield Chances The selector of the Waikato representative Rugby team, Mr R. A. Everest, expects the side to make “a very bold showing” in its Ranfurly Shield challenge match against Canterbury next Saturday. He rates the chances of winning the shield at 50-50. Mr Everest said that Waikato was now definitely improving. He had been well pleased by the team's display against Wellington. “At the same time,” Mr Everest said, “I hold the Canterbury team in high regard. Any team which can overcome, as it did last Saturday, a deficiency of 10 points and win by 18-10, is obviously a good side. I consider our match should result in ■ great game.” Russia in Sport Avery Brundage, president of the International Olympic Committee, gave Russian athletics a clean bill of health as far as amateur status was concerned and said that the United States would have to pay more attention to physical culture If it was to beep ahead of he Soviet Union, accorGsng to a message from Moscow to the “New York Times.” Speaking at the conclusion of a fortnight’s visit to the Soviet Union in the course of which he travelled several thousand miles and visited hundreds ,ojE>. athletic fecilittes. Brundage said he was impressed by Russia's sports development. "There to no doubt that with their sports development on such a national scale that we in the United States, with so many automobiles and television sets, wift have to pay more attention to physical culture to keep ahead,” he said. Brun* dage added that he had seen something of Soviet autos and television, n»»t thai In this department the United Statei was way ahead of Russia. 'As far arf athletics go, however, the difference is much narrower and getting doser all the time, he said. < Chataway's Fart * One thing both Bannister and Landy 1 had in common during the breaking was Chris Chataway, a re<W haired British Olympian from Cam* bridge, writes Arthur Dailey in the “New York Times Magazine.” It was Chataway who acted as a mechanical rabbit of sorts for Bannister. It also was Chataway who \flew to Finland in order to assume the indentical rote for Landy, forcing the Australian to even faster time than he had forcod* his fellow Briton. It was Landy who listed the requisites for a record effort —good physical condition, a good track, no wind and mental zip. “I had all foS requisites.” he remarked after .setting his 3.58 record. ‘“From the start of the race, I felt that this was the day. Everything worked perfectly. The track wag in good shape, the air was easy ter breathe and I felt strong and on the offensive.” It’s apparent from Landy*s enthusiasm that he was confronted by no psychological barriers when he Set his record. This didn’t even sound liko the same fellow who’d mournfully remarked in Australia a few months before that “It will be a fluke” if he ran a four-minute mile. Sinn Beats Zuddas After being outboxed for five rounds, the Australian bantam-weight champion, Bobby Sinn (8-61), stopped the Italian, Gianni Zuddas (8-71), in the tenth round at Melbourne Stadiunv Zuddas lost the decision through e badly gashed left eyebrow—the same injury which cost him 4iis first bout with Sinn in Sydney. In the early rounds he had outboxed, outpunched and outmanoeuvred Sinn. It took the hard-punching Australian nine round* to force his way to the front. There . was a hint of hostility between the camps when the two managers quarrelled as Terry Reilly the referee, was giving the boxers instructions. For once the chanting of Italian migrants was drowned by local fans, who kept shouting: “Sinn, Sinn, Sinn.” This was the first time a member of the visiting Italian teamhad been beaten in Melbourne, and the Italian camp lost heavily in betting. Sinn's sustained attack to the body was his main asset, and he was able to stop Zuddas whenever they came to close quarters. Zuddas had obviously been well schooled to avoid head clashes with the bustling Australian champion, but; he was not prepared for the savagery with which Sinn ripped both hands to the body.