RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 269, 10 August 1938, Page 16

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Representative Trial To-day

Wellington : Crisp ; Eastwood, Davies, Knowles; Jones (Athletic), Sargisson; Nolan ; McNicol, Clayton, Hegglun ; Todd, Fraser Smith, Griffen, Gunn; Wales, Public Service: Pollock; Burns, Fulton, L. H. Edwards; Jones (Petone), Veitch; O’Halloran; Thomas (Varsity), Cooper (Athletic), Berry; Foley, Donoghue, Cooper (Wellington), McDonald (Wellington); Cleland. Ranfurly Shield.

'To-day Otago will meet a Canterbury challenge for the Ranfurly Shield. The challengers, wjio were beaten 9-0 by Southland on Saturday, will probably field the same team. In the Otago team M. Hamilton replaces D. Trevatlian at full-back, the latter going to second fiveeighth. L. Werner, who was seen in Wellington last year, replaces W. Reid on one wing. In the Otago pack D. Hamilton, F. Garty, and L. Niven are replaced by G. Spittle, D. Hill and R. Neiper.

Third Test. On Saturday the All Blacks will play the third Test and final match of their Australian tour at Sydney. They will leave for home on Monday night, and arrive at Wellington on August 18, except that the Auckland members may leave on Saturday night. The team is so far unbeaten on the tour, the record of matches being:—Played, 7 ; won. 7 ; points for, 208 ; against, 62. Tiie two Tests have been won 2-1-9 and 20-14. Australia will field the same pack of forwards as in the second Test, but Howard and Dewis in the three-quarters will be replaced by Kelaher, wjio mis been on the injured list, and Hayes. Lewis is injured. To-day's match is against Federal Capital Territory, and will be played at Canberra,

Club Championship. Two more Saturdays of club championship play remain. In the first division the leaders, Petone, will meet Wellington at Petone, and Athletic, two points behind, will play Poneke at Athletic Park. The other fixtures are Hutt v. Johnsonville I Hutt), Old Boys v. Marist (Anderson Park), and Eastbourne v. St. Patrick’s (Eastbourne). British Team.

The British team now touring South Africa will play Natal at Durban on Saturday. The 1928 All Blacks played this fixture at Pietermaritzburg and won 31-

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP Petone’s Grip Strengthend Petone’ts grip on the Wellington senior A first division championship was strengthened by their victory against Poneke on Saturday, although Athletic are of course still in the running. But Petone on the face of it look capable of accounting for Wellington and Johnsonville, the teams they have yet to meet, and with two points in hand they look like the 1938 champions. If they do gain that honour it wilt be a tribute not only to their keen and courageous team-work throughout the season, but also to their strength and solidity as a club. From seniors to the youngest boy, each member is proud of hi& club and of its record. The officials have adopted the policy of feeding the seniors from the lower ranks. How well this has paid is shown by the form of players like Knowles, Symons and others tilm are not long out of the lower grades.

If a play-off does become necessary, Athletic will have to do bett.er than they did against Petone on July 30, or against Old Boys on Saturday. Those two were the team’s worst performances of the season. Apart from individual lapses from form, the team as a whole has in the last two engagements lacked the fire and sparkle which indicate the will to win—a commoner name is “ginger.” In the first quarter the Athletic-Old Boys game had the spectators almost aiseep. the fumbling being extraordinary; but things brightened as the game went on. The best feature was the defence of both sides: although the Old Boys inside backs slumped badly when they bought, such an easy dumrnv from Karsten.

When D. Jones missed an easy-looking field goal. Karsten decided he would show how it was done, and his much longer shql: nearly succeeded. H. Andrews. Old Boys’ also made a grand attempt from a intiij: near the touchline. It was left to G. Reynolds to show (hem. and his snap kick was a clever one.

Teams lower down the first division ladder are now playing for retention in the higher grade, as the two lowest will be demoted to second division at the end of the series. At. rite beginning of the second round Eastbourne and St. Patrick's Old Boys, the leading second division teams, were promoted to first division. with 12 points each.

Only second round points count for this feature of the competition, and these to dale, with tiie first: round and total pohits.. arc as follows:—Petone. 13 (23-1.0): Athletic. 12 (21-9); Old Bovs; 10 (11-1): Wellington. S (17-9)- Hutt S (I_l4’>) ; Poneke,'6 (18-12) ; Eastbourne' 4 (10-12) : Johnsonville, I (0-2) ; St. Patrick’s Old ißo.vj, 2 (11-12); Marist Brothers Old Boys. 3 (7-4). Ileading Scorers. _ The leading scorer,, in 6 < ; iii„i- A first division championship arc as follows: 11 .11. Trapp (Wellington). 3 tries, 14 conversions. 7 penally goals. I field goal. 02 points; 11. L. Baldwin (Wellington College Old Boys), 2 tries, 8 conversions, 1.3 penalty goals, (11 points; J. Jones (Petone), 4 tries, 10 conversions, 7 penalty goals, 2 field goals. 61 points; W. Crisp (Poneke). 7 conversions, 9 penalty goals. 2 field goals, 49 points; J. Fleming (Eastbourne), 2 tries, 5 conversions, 9 penalty goals, 1 field goal. 47 points: E. Todd (St. Patrick's Old Boys), 1 try, 5 conversions. 10 penalty goals, 45 points.

Those with most tries to their credit, nre as follows: 1,. 11. Edwards (Wellington), .13; G. Wales (Athletic), 10; D. .Tones (Athletic), 7; W. Fulton (Wellington), T. Flegglun (Poucke), C). Ware-

FIXTURES OF THE WEEK All Blacks To Play Third Test On Saturday (By Touchlise.) Two strong teams are to meet to-day at Athletic Park, when a team representing the Public Service will meet a team drawn from the other senior players. The game, if favoured by fine weather, will serve as an excellent trial for the Wellington selector, Mr. M. P. Nicholls, who has to find a team to meet Hawke s Bay on Saturday week; if possible, a team that can develop combination and represent tiie union in all its engagements in the next two months. For to-day’s match the | Wellington side cannot be regarded as anymore representative than the Public Service team, which, although a number of the first selection are unavailable, includes just as many players with representative claims. The teams are as follows:—

ham (Marist), R. Williams (Hutt), each 6; N. Burns, A. Wright (Old Boats), T. Liddle (Johnsonville), D. Thomson (.Athletic), each 5.

NEW ZEALAND MAORIS

; Welcome Assured In Fiji I ’ | The New Zealand Maori team, which I was beaten by Wanganui on Saturday and left lor Auckland on (Sunday night, sailed last night for Fiji. .The team is as follows: Full-back, B. Jackson (Hawke’s Bay) ; three-quarters, E. Hohapata (Bay of Plenty). D. Kutia (Poverty Bay), H. Steele (Otago), J. M'urray (Hawke’s Bay), G. Ngaia (Taranaki) ; live-eighths, I. Wi Repa (East Coast), J. Wetere (Taranaki), E. Howell (Bay of Plenty) ; halfback, W. Kuipara (Bay of Plenty) ; forwards, E. Wortlley (North Auckland), J. Deaeh (Poverty Bay), B. Davis (King Country)j A. Kenny (Wellington), Dl Matthews (Wanganui), D. Tuhoro (East Coast), C. White (North Auckland), P. Smith (Hawke's Bay), Mason McDonald (Marlborough). The captain is E. Howell and the vicecaptain Alma Kenny. The managers are S. S. Dean and Harding Leaf. The latter, who lives in North Auckland, is a member of the Maori advisory board and was one of the selectors of the Maori team.

The Suva correspondent of the "New Zealand Herald’’ writes: — | Keen interest on the part of footballers and the public generally is being shown in the visit to Fiji of a Maori football team this month. For some time past the Fijian players have been in steady training, and on the score of condition and speed they will certainly not be inferior to the visiting side. Judging from the list of Maori players and their weights, it would seem that the Fijians will be much lighter, particularly in the forwards, but in a warm climate weight is not always an advantage. Unlike the Polynesian-race, the Fijians rarely carry much weight, but nevertheless arc very muscular and powerfully built, and when they line out their lack of weight will not be apparent. The experiment of trying the natives out in boots has proved fairly successful. 'The natives are accustomed to playing in bare feet, but against booted players this would place them at some disadvantage in scrums and line-outs. For some time the players likely to be selected have been playing and practising in boots, and they manage them much better than was expected. Preparations for the entertainment ot the Maoris are also 'well in hand and those who are fortunate enough to make the trip will find it a most enjoyable experience. Tiie Fijians are very fine hosts and, aided by the European community. particularly the New Zealanders resident in Fiji, they should give their visitors a very enjoyable time.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Decision About To-day’s Game The management committee of the Wellington Rugby Union agreed last night to make a decision at 10 o’clock this morning whether the Wellington v. IJublic Services match would 'be played at Athletic Park this afternoon. The question of elosing the lower grade competitions was held over till next week. A recommendation by the junior advisory committee that the Griffiths memorial competition -be closed on August 13 was approved. The following further recommendations from the junior, advisory committee were approved:—Mr. D. Eckhoff to be manager of the Wellington' junior team to play Wairarapa juniors at Wellington on August 20; Mr. F. Bezzant to be manager of the Wellington third grade team to play Horqwhenua juniors at Horowhenua.

Dower grade city v. suburban matches on September 3 were approved as follows :—Fourth grßtle, early match at Athletic Park; fifth grade, early game at Petone; sixth, grade, early game at Hutt. Colts’ Matches Cancelled. Because of transport difficulties, it was decided to advise the Nelson Rugby Union that the union could not arrange matches betsyeen a Wellington colts’ team and Nelson.» An application by the Primary Schools Union for permission to send a representative team to the annual quadrangular tourney at Palmerston North from August 20 to 24, and for £3O toward the exnemjes. was referred to the schools union for particulars. The Marist Bros. Old Boys club was granted" permission to send a team to play the Waipukurau club on August 20. It was deeiijad to grant £2 toward the expenses of the Hunter Cup tourney at Porirua on September IQ. An applicatiop by the University club for permission for the senior team to play for the National Mutual Challenge Cup was held over. , ’ The Hutt-Taita sixth grade match, wou by the latter 5-0, was awarded to Hutt iyi the ground that Taita included a player over the age limit. The Taita club advised that its team had been short, and the player referred to had inadvertenlty been included. The explanation by the Seatoun club that it had defaulted its match against Taita in the junior third division on July 20 because of a misunderstanding, was received, and forwarded to tiie referees’ association. The club also asked that its junior third division team be withdrawn as injuries and transfers had depleted the team.

It was decided to advise the club to default aS there was only one more playing Saturday.

The Poneke club was granted permission to play the following games:— Fourth A v. fourth B, and fifth A v. fifth B, on August 20: fourth A v. Seatoun. on August 27. It was decided to stipulate that the games be played early. The South Canterbury Rugby Union submitted the names of .three referees for the Wellington-South Canterbury match. Mr. D. K. Murray was accepted. 2’he following transfers were granted: —J. H. Fleming, R. Barlow, and G. A. S. Bennett, Seatoun to Hutt Army. There were present Messrs. Jj_ N. Millard (chairman), H. Murphy, H. B. Simmons.. J. D. King, T. J. King. G. Jackson. j. Moffitt, J. S. King, R. Burke, 11. D. Morgan, Professor E. J. Boyd-Wilson, and the secretary, Air. x\. E. Neilson,