Full Programme Of League

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30768, 4 June 1965, Page 15

Full Programme Of League

(By Our Rugby League Reporter.)

The West Coast 50th Jubilee match between a Canterbury XIII and a West Coast XIII; the trial match at Auckland; the third round of Tavendale Cup matches and the seven-a-side tournament have provided a full weekend of Rugby League. The representative encounter will provide the opportunity for some of the younger players to impress the South Island selectors. Although J. H. Fisher (Canterbury) is the leading contender for the position of South Island hooker, two 18-year-olds, W. P.. Noonan (Canterbury) and P. C. Mason will have an interesting duel on Sunday.

Although Canterbury convincingly won the full representative match earlier this season West Coast will be strengthened by the return of the Kiwis, G. M. Kennedy and C. L. McMaster. The strong forward, A. P. Dennehy, was a surprise omission from the trials and N. Kiely has returned at scrum-half after a season out because of injury. The West Coast pack is a strong one while Canterbury has left out G. H. Turner, I. T. Drayton, E. J. Tavendale and B. T. Barron in an effort to give younger players a trial before the Australian match next week. The match could well be balanced on the performance of players

such as T. Parker, D. A. Condick and R. Mcßeath. While the Coast forwards appear the stronger sextet the Canterbury backs, under the guidance of the experienced P. V. Smith, could worry the home team. Kennedy might cause some problems, particularly if B. Sweetman is a success at stand-off half. On a dry ground Canterbury should have enough penetration to win but the Coast forwards would dominate in the wet. Of the five Canterbury trialists at Auckland, R. S. Irvine and J. L. White have the best chances of playing their way into the Kiwi test teams agaist Australia. How-

ever, to do so they would have to out-play the present Kiwis, W. L. Snowden and H. R. Sinel. At present it is likely that the selectors will choose experienced players for the first test. However, these two and R. F. Neiman, M. H. Mohi and B. W. Langton, now have the opportunity to force their way into the touring team. Hornby could well suffer its first defeat of the season against Christchurch tomorrow. The loss of Neiman, R. O. Moffat (injured) and Lang ton will give the Christchurch back-line more scope to attack. Addington, Linwood and Papanui are other teams expected to win.