WEEK-END SPORT PREVIEW

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31416, 8 July 1967, Page 15

WEEK-END SPORT PREVIEW

The Canterbury soccer and Rugby League competitions both include vital matches today. And the fate of some clubs could be sealed by the result of their matches. Soccer’s championship and relegation battles continue and all four senior games have vital bearings on the Issues at stake. Christchurch City and New Brighton, now the only contenders for the Hurley Shield, are both playing at English Parte, Brighton in the early game against Technical and City in the main fixture with Western. In the first round, Western drew with City after being two goals down, but if City is to have its name engraved on the Hurley Shield for the fourth successive year, it cannot afford even the loss of a point today. Brighton is ‘Only two points behind and in view of Technical’s fluctuating form in recent matches, the seasiders should atone for their failure to beat Rangers last week. There is a dog-eat-dog at-

mosphere about the other two matches, in which the relegation candidates clash. In gravest danger is the bottom club Shamrock, which meets Shirley-Nomada at Riccarton Domain.

Shamrock has five points, Shirley eight, and only one point from this match will make Nomads safe for this season. Shamrock, on the other hand, badly needs another victory, to follow the one it scored over Western last week.

High School Old Boys (six points) and Rangers (seven) meet at Mclntosh Park and this is another do-or-die match for both clubs. Rangers picked up a point from Brighton last week—its first success for nine matches. Two more tomorrow would probably put the team in the clear, but Old Boys need both just as desperately. League With today’s Rugby League matches the last of the tworound series, leading up to the playing of the Semi-finals and finals under the new system, two games will attract more interest than usual. Two teams, Christchurch and Marist, are at present vying for the fourth position, the other three places being

already secured by Addington, Hornby and Papanui. Christchurch has a onepoint lead over Marist but faces the championship leader, Addington, in the main game. Marist meets Papanui so both teams have hard tasks in front of them. With Addington defeated for the first time last Saturday, Christchurch at least can go into its matdi with the knowledge that its opponent is not unbeatable. In recent games Addington’s play has slipped while Christchurch has been going in fits and starts for some time, mixing good displays with others of poor quality. Marist will find that Papanui may not be as easy as Addington was last week and it is hard to see an upset defeat in this matdi. Papanui has a very good back-line and its forwards have been fairly steady. On form it appears that both sides will be beaten, which would allow Christchurch to take the fourth position and enter the semifinals, set down for two weeks’ time. Basketball There seems little chance of any major upsets in the A grade men’s basketball com-

petition, but Old Boys, who overwhelmed Rex last week, could provide a serious threat to the joint leader, YMCA However, if YMCA produces the fine team-work it showed against University A, it should win comfortably. A most pleasing feature of its play has been the improvement shown by young players, such as D. Rattray and M. Clements. They have developed into first-rate A grade players. The Burnham and Y-Boys encounter promises to be one of the closest matches of the day. In recent weeks, although without one of its most prolific scoters, G. Keelty, Burnham has improved considerably and now must be regarded as a force in the lower half of the competition. University A should have little trouble disposing of Rex. Hockey The main hockey match will be between University and Woolston at Bam. Woolston triumphed over University in their first round fixture,' but this time a good deal will depend oh B. Alfiridge (Woolston) being able to contain J. H. Christiansen and set his own forwards on attack. University has more individual skill but the experienced Woolston defence will be difficult to penetrate. Linwood Old Boys are quite capable of causing an upset in their match with Harewood at Williamson Parte, a rapidly improving Selwyn side should test High School Old Boys at Polo 5, and Hagley Old Boys should prove far too strong for Sydenham in the early game at Williamson Park, Scrambles The Christchurch scrambles rider, G. J. Stapleton, will appear at the Pioneer Motor Club’s miniature T.T. meeting tomorrow. He leaves for England on Thursday. Although he has sold his 360 c.c. C.Z., Stapleton could easily scoop the pool tomorrow. He will probably ride a 250 c.c. C.Z. but on the rather tight, flat circuit at Mr S. Ogg’s farm at Tai Tapu, power will not be as Important as usual.