Sportsman’s Notebook THIRD RUGBY TEST TO BE HELD AT LANCASTER PARK

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29368, 22 November 1960, Page 19

Sportsman’s Notebook THIRD RUGBY TEST TO BE HELD AT LANCASTER PARK

Three of New Zealand's strongest unions, Canterbury, Auckland and Wellington, will not have matches against the French Rugby team when it tours the Dominion next season, according to the itinerary of the tour, announced in Wellington yesterday by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union.

However, this was , not unexpected as the tour of the French team will be of 13 matches, five of which will be in the South Island.

The three tests will be played in Auckland (July 22), Wellington (August 5), and Canterbury (August 19), which compensates for the Unions in those provinces not being given games. Canterbury has the last test of the series. x South Canterbury has been given a match against the French team at Timaru on August 15— the Wednesday before the third test at Lancaster Park. This will give enthusiasts in Christchurch and Ashburton the opportunity of seeing the visitors in action before the third test.

Long tours impose considerable strain on players and officials. In 1956,. the Springboks played 23 matches, and in 1959 the Lions played 25. If the three top Rugby provinces had been- granted matches against the French team, a short tour would probably prove extremely hard. The itinerary of the French team’s tour is:—

July 5: Arrive Wellington. July 8: Nelson, Marlborough, Golden Bay-Motueka, at Nelson. July 12: Taranaki, at New Plymouth. July 5: Waikato, at Hamilton. July 18: North Auckland, at Whangarei. July 22: First test, at Auckland. July 26: Bay of Plenty, at Rotorua. July 29: New Zealand Maoris, at Palmerston North. August 1: Manawatu, at Palmerston North. August 5: Second test, at Wellington. August 9: Southland, at Invercargill. August 12: Otago, at Dunedin. August 15: South Canterbury, at Timaru. August 19: Third test, at Christchurch. * * * Harness Training The New Zealand representative swimmer, Graham Denn, although not a competitor in the opening carnival, carried out a strenuous course of weight training in the winter to fit him for this season’s programme. Dann attracts great interest in bis train-

ing efforts at the Centennial Pool when he straps himself into a home-made harness attached to the side of the pool and swims strongly in a series of “holdbreath" exercises. This type of training is held overseas and was part of the training of the Australian butterfly swimmer, Neville Hayes, silver medallist at the Rome Olympic Games, ® Auckland Surfing Auckland surfers may have one of their finest seasons. Last Sunday the first championship surfing carnival was held at Red Beach. Both this carnival and the second of the season, to be held at Port Waikato on December 11, are being used as trials for the selection of a representative team to compete against the Australians. An international carnival has been set down for December 24 at Muriwa«. The Australians will also appear at Waihi (December 26). Whakatane (December 27) and Gisborne (December 29). 4t # # Promising Form Although finishing third in a mixed backstroke event at the swimming carnival at the Centennial Pool recently, Sally Pitama showed that she has already reached the form that took her to the national championships last year as her time was .3sec better than her Canterbury title winning swim of last season. She has been dogged by ill-health over the last 12 months, so this time early in the season could mean that she will fulfil the promise she showed five years ago. $ * « Sponsored Cyclists • A decision to sponsor three young cyclists, under 21, on a tour of the Otago-Southland Christmas circuit this season, has been made by the Auckland Amateur Cycling Centre. The secretary of the centre <Mr C. J. Cronk) says the team of three will be chosen on December 7. The Auckland centre also plans to send a full team to (he New Zealand championships. The grass track championships will be at Napier on February 4 and the hard track championships will be at Wanganui on March 9. 10 and 11. » » » Breaststroke Swimmer A newcomer to competitive swimming this year. Christine Hopper, is the best breaststroke prospect in Canterbury for several years. In Hie first section of the 110 yards at a recent carnival, she had a fine race with Helen Armstrong, the present junior champion, for second. Although the judges awarded second to Miss Armstrong, both swimmers recorded the same time of Imin 42.45ec. This was still 6.4 sec outside the Canterbury record for the event, but Miss Hopper obviously has the potential to break this time.