TO-DAY’S SPORTS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 184, 2 May 1931, Page 9

TO-DAY’S SPORTS

Rugby Games Commence WOMEN’S HOCKEY BEGINS This afternoon will see winter ' sports set going in earnest. The Wellington Rugby Union will set its grade champion-, ship competitions going, and women hockey players will also open the season. The second round of the Association football championship will be played, and competitions will be held on all the city and suburban golf courses. , Big Rugby Programme. The Rugby season will start in full swing this afternoon with the opening of the club competitions. Twelve senior games, in all, will be played, divided equally into the senior A and the senior B grades. At Athletic Park, Wellington, which won the “B” competition last year, will meet Poneke, and the match Will undoubtedly attract a good ; deal of -interest from those who have been waiting to see how the “promoted” team will shape against a team which last year was a grade ahead of it. Another excellent match should be that between Eastbourne and Old Boys at Eastbourne. University will play Oriental at Prince of Wales Park Miramar—a really new team to senior A—will meet Berhampore at Newtown Park, Marist will meet Petone at Petone, and Hutt plays Athletic on the Hutt ground.. All these matches are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. The senior B draw is as follows: — Upper Hutt v. Oriental, Maidstone Park; St. Patrick’s Old Boys v. Melrose, Wakefield Park; Training College v. Johnsonville, Johnsonville : Porirua v. Old Boys, Porirua; Selwyn v. Hutt, Kilbirnie No. 1; Onslow v. University, Nairnville. x Association Football.

The second round of the championship will take place to-day. At the Basin Re-, serve Diamonds and Marist will meet on No. 1 ground. The meeting of these , two teams ensures an exciting game. Diamonds defeated Watereiders in the opening game, and Marist will find them a tough proposition. The Marist team has speed and cleverness, and will be hard to defeat, having already defeated last year’s championship wirfners. The defence ,is strong. On No. 2 ground two second division teams, Institute and Island Bay, will be seen in action, and there will be two good curtain-raisers. The other first division games are Thistle v. Seatoiin at the Stadium, Waterside v. Petone, at Petone, and W.Y.M.I. v. Hospital, at Hospital. Golf.

An inter-club match will be played between the Waiwetu and Titahi clubs on the Titahi links to-day. and a match between the lady players of these clubs will be played ° n the Waiwetu course. The qualifying round, sixteen to qualify for stroke play, for the Hushes Memorial competition, will be played' on the Hutt links. A bogey competition will be played on the Shandon links, and the first round of the Lauchlan Junior Cup will he got off during the week-end. . The Shandon Ladies’ Club will play a flag match during the weekend. The ladies of the Mornington qluh will play off for the Sievwright trophy this week-end. „ „ League Football. The League football season will open at 2 o’clock this afternoon on the new ground which has been acquired at, the Winter Show Stadium. The season willbe declared open by Mv. R. McKeon. M.P.. after which two matches will be played, Newtown meeting Old Boys in the early game, and Petone and City taking the field nt 3.15. Both games, is is confidently anticipated, will provide fast and spec? tacular football.

Women’s Hockey. The women’s hockey season will ofikiially open this afternoon, when the first round of championship matches will commence. All the senior A games will be played at Newtown Park. Wenerei and I-liiia. and Ramblers and Old Girls will be the early matches, while at 3 p.m. Hutt meets Training College, and Swifts play ’Varsity. In the senior B grade Karon and Old Girls will play at Karori Park, and Hutt and Swifts at Hutt. The matches at Tanera Crescent will be. Varsity v. Wenerei. and Technical Old Girls v. Ramblers, in the junior A grade, and Ton v. Wenerei and Technical A v. Technical B, in the B division.

Rifle Shooting. The Suburbs and Defence Rifle Club will continue practice at Trentham today at 800 and 900 yards, 10 shots at each range. The I’etone ‘club will fire the final match of the extra short-range handicap series nt Trenthnm to-day, seven shots at 300. 500 arid 600 yards.