Sodden fields hit sport

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33887, 5 July 1975, Page 46

Sodden fields hit sport

A week of heavy frosts and frequent rain has taken its toll of sporting venues in Christchurch. There will he no lower-grade or junior sport played on Christchurch City Council fields and some senior fixtures are in doubt, while others have been subject to ground changes.

All competition Rugby has been put off. with the exception of matches in the senior grade. And these games, too. might be jeopardised by further bad weather.

“The position is critical.” said the chairman of the Canterbury Rugby Union’s competitions committee (Mr S. E. Husband) yesterday. “If this weather persists there is a grave danger of the senior games being called off.” Mr Husband, the members of his committee, and the union’s president (Mr C. H. J. Rhodes) will hold an emergency meeting at nine o’clock this morning to discuss the situation and reports on the state of the grounds. “Most grounds have taken a fair pounding, and all are partially covered by water,” he said. GAME SWITCHED

The committee has switched the Linwood-Albion game from Middleton Park to Burnside Park, and the Lincoln College-Christchurch match from Lancaster Park south to Rugby Park.

A decision will be made i this evening whether the ' final rounds of the three inter-club golf competitions — for the Woodward, Simon, and Blank cups — will be played tomorrow as scheduled. The three host courses, Waitikiri, Rawhiti, and Waimairi, are all in doubt. The two unbeaten teams, Christchurch and Russley, have been drawn against each other in the Woodward Cup decider at Waitikiri. Should the matches not be held tomorrow, an early meeting of the Canterbury Provincial Golf Association will have to choose between the alternatives of abandoning the round or finding another date.

Should the games be abandoned, Russley will win the trophy because of its better record in individual results. All lower-grade men’s and

junior hockey, soccer and ; Rugby league has been p> -tJponed. and the secretary manager of the Canterbury 'Rugby League (Mr D. G Gaynor) said tha( the preIjmier fixture between Univer- ' sity-United and Addington ; might be transferred from jthe Show Grounds to Sprey;don Domain. i There will be no inter-duo I womens hockey, but no I decision has yet been made Jon the representative games at Malvern. Netball officials, I with the solidity of asphalt I courts, will be having a | look at the weather today J before making any move I Soccer matches below the I southern league qualifying ■ division and secondary school I games have been called off. [ Ground changes in the /league are Technical v. Mosigiel (from English Park to Ensors Road), Shamrock v. Western (from English Park Ito Riccarton Domain) and iWoolston v. Thistle (Invercargill) from Garrick Park to j Burwood Park. In the qualifying section Burndale will Jmeet Tirnaru City and Nojmads United will play University at McFarlane Park