RUGBY FOOTBALL

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 53, 31 August 1934, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL

AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON

TOMORROW'S MATCH

The' annual contest' between .Auckland and Wellington iV always recognised as being one of the chief events on the Rugby calendar. It is fortunate that for this year's match, to bo played at Athletic Park tomorrow afternoon, the sides have the services of those.players from the two provinces who were members ■of ■ the New Zealand team which visited Australia this season. These1 players being available, tho- match has- added importance, and should prov-ido a much more satisfactory test than would have been the case had the ranks been depleted. Last year's crushing defeat of Auckland (Wellington won by 37 points to 9) will not soon be .forgotten, and ' the visitors will be keen tomorrow to make Amends. A strong side has been chosen to represent Auckland, but Wellington is also-well equipped to meet the invasion,-and a stirring struggle Should bo :wititesse'd. There is bound to Tie a stern contest between the solid packs, but the play should not be. lacking in brightness, as there are the players on both sides to-exploit. the fast, open game. It is interesting to recall that when Auckland-last played here hi 1932 the New Zealand team.had also just returned from Australia, and that both unions were able- to reinforce with players who had. returned from that trip. On this occasion the? Auckland representatives were T. H. C. Gaughey, M. Corner, F. Solomon, and'the late Bert Palmer. Wellington's representatives were F. D. Kilby, rJ. R. Page, H. R, Pollock, H. T. Lilbume, N. Ball, E. A. Jesscp, H. F.McLe'an, arid E. IV Barry, Wellington Avere f a'Vburit'os on tire day, but the unexpected happened and Auckland won handsomety. Will history repeat itsef? . , ' The teams have been selected as follows: — ■ ■ '■'.-'■■ ■'■"■■.. AUCKLAND. Full-buck: Hcazlewood.' Three-quarters: Kcdgley, Caughey, Curric. Five-eighth.v. Murdoch, Hedge. Half-back: Corner. Forwards: Pepper, lladlcy, Pearce, McLean, Ross, Knight (captain), Bush, and Smith. Other members of the Auckland touring team, which has Mr. G. Nicholson as manager, are: Frankham, Hammond, and Pearson (backs), and McGrory, Loekington, and Bond (forwards). WELLINGTON. Full-back: Pollock. Three-quarters: Fuller, Lilburne, Robins. Five-oighths: Griffiths, Page. Half-back: Kilby (captain). Forwards: Hull, Lambourn, Leahy, Peck, Reid, Barry, Wells, and Dcllabarea. * Emergencies: Sadler, Upehurch, and Nees (backs), and BuUer and Coulston (forwards). ' . Mr. J. King will be the referee. [ The Auckland team is 1o proceed I from Wellington to Gisborne for a match with Poverty Bay on Wednesday, and then goes back to Napier for a match with Hawkc's Bay tomorrow week, this to be for tho Ranfurly Shield if HawkeY Bay still holds the trophy after tomorrow's match with Tarcuiuki.

SOUTHERN TOUR

, -.T,Uo ■following- -Rugby' v players; "have been selected to represent : Wellington, on -the southern- tourj; which commences Jiext week:. —Backs: -Oesswell, -'EurtijRobir.s, (Reesj D.ustin, TJjjcmivch, : |icingdon, .and Sadler.; forwards: Hull, Coulston,- -Loahy,. '-Beet;- Reid,Butler Wells, Roberts, Dellabarca, aud MeNeile. , ThG Wellington members of'the 2s ew Zealand team were not; available, nor were' some other players.

YESTERDAY'S MATCH

CONGESTION AT ENTRANCES

A though the booking .of scats in the. grandstand for the match at Athletic Park yesterday was -confined to two blocks, there was a heavy demand foraccommodation, in the stand,- and this led to congestion at the entrances. Complaints ha>;e..be.eii.made,to '< The Post" that the arrangements for meeting with the rush were open to a good, deal of improvement, and it is suggested .by one of the' complainants that reserved seat ticket-holders, more ' particularly those who arrived within.. a, quarter, of an. hour of the 'starting-, time . of. the match, were, subjected to unnecessary delay and. inconvenience, in gaining admission to the stand. For holders of reserved tickets there was only one entrance, with the-result that a big queue was formed and those in it were in many eases subjected to a longer delay in getting into the stand than those who took their chance-.of gain-i-ng admission by paying at the gates. At least one door, it was stated, was closed. "One would have, expected," the complainant addsj "that the Rugby Union would -have shown a little more consideration. to those who- ;niet •: them in'booking seats early by providing two entrances at.least for 'ticket-hold-ers, some .of whom, although arriving outside the Park in good time/ : missed the preliminaries to the match and the actual start of play." Another Rugby patron also criticised the arrangements made for receiving tiekot-holders and complains that there was evidently an inadequate supply of programmes. Many of ' the players, he states, were new to ' local supporters,: and' it must have been patent to those responsible for the programme , that there \ would be a heavy .demand for. programmes, which represented the only means of ascertaining1 who the players were according to their numbers. On being notified of the complaints, the secretary of the Wellington Bngby Union- (Mr. ■A. E. Neilson) explained that as only -the two-central blocks of the stand were reserved, the usual procedure of providing one enfrran«e -was adopted. The entrance was the same as that' used' by reserved seat -ticket-hold-ers throughout the season. Had the whole.stand...been booked, more entrances would, have been provided, and, in any case, they would have been' some distance from the central blocks.