Sportsman's Notebook Canterbury Defence Of Hockey Shield Tomorrow

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29221, 3 June 1960, Page 8

Sportsman's Notebook Canterbury Defence Of Hockey Shield Tomorrow

Tomorrow afternoon at Williamson Park, Canterbury will meet Otago to toe upon experienced players. All members of toe team have p ayed in at least one previous ch, '? n match, six have represented New Zealand and two have played for New Zealand Universities. The most interesting aspect of the selection* is the playing of M. McKinnon on the right wmg. There has been no outstanding candidate for this Potion .*« local club hockey, and McKinnon has been playing at insideleft for his club. He has shown considerable development during the last two seasons and is today the most thrustful and skilful forward in Canterbury. In view of the problem of finding an able right wing for the New Zealand team for the Olympic Games. McKinnon’s display will be watched with keen interest, for he might easily prove the solution to that problem. It is to be hoped that toe Canterbury players will succeed in providing him with an adequate supply of toe ball in developing- this most effective channel of attack. Another feature of the team is the shifting of E. Barnes, last year’s provincial centre-half, to right half, and the playing of K. Thomson, of University, to his normal club position at centrehalf. Thomson has proved himself to be easily the best centrehalf in Canterbury this season and is a player of great promise. On form, the Canterbury team should be capable of disposing of Otago without too much difficulty. It possesses a much more experienced side with more skilful and more penetrative forwards. and a defence which appears tp be better organised. However, such advantages must not cause any sense of complacency, for complacency is a total destroyer of concentration and determination.

If Canterbury retains the Shield and loses a number ot leading players to the Olympic team the remaining challenge matches may prove very interesting. Mr Eggle-' ton will have a number of thorny problems to solve in building another side around the remaining players. .> Si * « ! ’» Rugby League After West Coast’s win in Auckland, the selectors have taken no risks in the Auckland side which will travel to the South Island to play West Coast and Canterbury this week-end Seven of the nine backs in toe

Auckland team have repreMMM New Zealand, with W. Sorento* N. Denton, G. Phillips, G. TmSr and T. Hadfield the best-known The other two are M. Patterson and W. Snowden, who to«re4 Australia with the Kiwi side last season. The best-known forward is R. Ackland, a player who hn the distinction of playing for New Zealand as both a back and q forward. Moving into the forwards because of his weight Ackland was an instant success with his clever handling hard running, and solid taekfing Although Canterbury was soundly beaten by West Coast, it should be an improved side in this eame The side which met the Coast was picked after only two club games and was largely expertmental The side has all-round speed and a lot of attention has been given to toe defensive qualities of toe players. The three New Zealand selectors, Messrs C. Siddle, W. Telford, and T. F. McKenzie, will watch Monday’s game to consider players to meet toe French in this season's tests and also for the side which will travel to Bag. land for the World series later ia this year.

a ♦ * Inter-Club Harriers Several major harrier events will take place this week-cbd, including toe Anglican club's five-man block relay on Hobday. This will be decided over a course from the Windsor Golf Club, with each runner doing a lap of a little more than four miles over varied country. Although beaten last week in the open section of the newly-intro-duced relay, decided over six laps of une mile, Olympic is expected to be able to assert its, supremacy again over Christchurch, for it will be a much stronger team. Among the Oiympic runners will be John Macdonald, a former Canterbury • champion, who will be having his first competitive run for his old club since returning to Christchurch from the North hlpnA Olympic will have to fight Mlp for victory, however, for CMfH church Club’s senior OtTOin appears to be improving other clubs such as TechnieafeiM able to call on some of (Mt junior strength. Another JaMK tant event will be the New Isn? land Methodist harrier cnainplafo ships on Saturday. The iuM| Baptist championship is bOM held at Wellington, where fi senior and junior runners trail Christchurch will compete. Pr* byterian runners from Chrisk church will be taking part to tM| New Zealand-wide contest for tM St. Andrew’s Trophy.