"CUT THROAT" COMPETITION

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 105, 6 May 1933, Page 20

"CUT THROAT" COMPETITION

vj "Dropklck"

COMING EVENTS. May 11—Annual meeting, N.Z.R.U. May 12—Australian University team leaves Sydney for New Zealand. May 13 —Championship matches. May 17—Australian Universities v. Auckland University. May 20 —Championship matches. May 20—Australian Universities v. New Zealand University (first Test), at Auckland. May "l-\ —Australian Universities v. Victu',;ia College, at Wellington. May 27—Championship matches. May 27—Australian Universities v. New Zealand University (second Test), at Duncdin. Juno 3 —Championship matches. Representative fixtures in other centres. June 7-^<A.ustralian Universities v. Canterbury College/at Christehurch. June 9—Australian Universities' team leaves Wellington for Sydney. June 10—Championship matches. Juno 17—Championship matches. June 24 —Championship matches.

The commencement of the championship matches last week has served to whet the public appetite so far as the s'pnior competition is concerned. As was forecasted is these columns the matches proved very even, with only one exception, and future developments will be watched with interest. Competition is likely to prove so keen that already the word "cut-throat" has been used at a management committee meeting when tho selecting of a draw for -a particular Saturday has been under consideration. Tho committee has sometimes been faced with a dilemma in selecting a suitable drawing card for a particular Saturday, while keeping in reserve series calculated to prove exceptionally attractive once the competition has got properly; under way. It has been suggested at the committee table that the draws should be played in tho order in which:they have been set. out and thatrth'e result so obtained would be just as satisfactory under the policy of picking and choosing. It does not appear at the moment that public interest will wane merely because two or three teams may not have an unbroken run of successes. Providing the standard of play is up to requirements —and keen competition is tho best means to that end—the public will follow the matches .with increasing interest if the final result remains in doubt and the issue is open in any particular, match. SHAKING THE TRAVELLING. There is oiie aspect of the drawing tip of fixtures that the committee would bo well advised to watch closely, and that is the matter of grounds. It is a recognised fact that most of the suburban teams are at their best when on their own grounds, although Petone, for instance, generally acquit themselves well at Athletic Park and, while the desirability of playing tho most important games at Athletic Park cannot be lost sight of, city and suburban ■ teams - should, as far as possible, be called upon to do an equal amount of travelling. Tho problem of travelling is a difficult one in the lower grades where there. ,are many players who cannot afford- the expense of travelling to distant grounds and, although there have been complaints, there is little doubt that the committee is to be congratulated on the manner in which the matter has been handled. Acting on the advice of the Junior Advisory Committee, the Management Committee classified the teams early in the season with an eye to restricting travelling as far as possible and, where it has not been able to do this, the travelling will be apportioned out as evenly as possible during the season. SECOND DIVISION RESULTS. Apart from the results in the first division of the senior A grade, the' remarkably close finishes in the second division, in which the A teams of last year met the promoted B teams, should have been a source of satisfaction to those responsible for the division being made. University, Oriental, Berhampore and Miramar all met opponents who proved very hard to beat and there is a distinct possibility that the progress of the competition will find some of the B grade teams displacing their more experienced opponents.

SENIOR MATCHES WILL BE KEEN