RUGBY FOOTBALL

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL

MATCH WITH TARANAKI

SELECTION PROBLEM

Aspirants for places in the Wellington Rugby representative team to meet Taranaki in the match at Hawera on the King's Birthday (June 23) will have their final chance tomorrow of winning their way into the team. Wellington College Old Boys and Poneke players are, however, now excluded from consideration, as they will be required for the senior championship match to be played in Wellington on the King's Birthday. This means that Sadler, Baldwin, Griffiths, Hull, Ongley, and possibly others from those two club teams with claims to places will not be seen in action against Taranaki at Hawera. Still, there is quite a wealth of talent offering, with possibly a harder problem now confronting the selector in the choice of five-eighths.

With Sadler not available, it is to be expected that Tindill will be the halfback, eyen though he has been playing as a five-eighth, a position to which he is not nearly so well-suited as at half. Experience, no doubt, will weigh with the selector, but there are some young players who have shown much promise this season and who must be given consideration.

Basing his selection upon the several matches he has seen this season, a correspondent, known as a sound judge, submits the following as a likely team to represent Wellington (all players being available): —Full-back, Crisp; three-quarters, Martyn (largely because of his place-kicking), Hudson, Edwards; five-eighths, Fleming, Baldwin; half, Sadler; forwards, Hull, Lambourn, Leahy or Ongley, Wells, Guy, FraserSmith, Devine, and J. Dellabarca. He agrees, however, that the form of players in matches he has not seen would possibly cause him to alter his selection, and there are many followers of local Rugby who would have little hesitation in altering that selection. END OF FIRST ROUND HOW THE TEAMS STAND Whatever the results of the matches to be played in the Wellington Eugby Union's senior competitions tomorrow, there will be changes on the first division championship ladder for the start of the second round on the following Saturday. For one thing, two more teams will be added to the list of contenders for the championship. The positions of Johnsonville and St. Patrick's College Old Boys will not be affected by tomorrow's results, these two teams having already had sufficient success to win promotion to the top grade. Under the system now in force, they will carry forward points which will place them high on tlje top division ladder for the start of the second round. The senior A grade first division teams face engagements with the following points:—Wellington College Old Boys 10, Athletic 9, Eastbourne 8, Poneke 8, Wellington 6, Petone 5, Hutt 2, and Marist Brothers Old Boys 0. TOMORROW'S MATCHES ATHLETIC AND PONEKE In this season's senior A grade first division Rugby competition Athletic have been taking so prominent a part that they have become popular figures with Athletic Park patrons. Athletic's form has contributed in no small | way to the improved displays of football at headquarters this year, and, with the Blue and Blacks on the main ground again tomorrow afternoon, there is the prospect of something really good in store for those who propose to spend the afternoon all Athletic Park. The more so is this a likelihood because Athletic will be meeting Poneke, a team with the reputation of always being hard to beat. Both teams have really fine forwards who make the going hard and fast, and the two packs should reveal excellent vanguard play, with efficient backs to add to the bright features 4 of what promises to be a keen, interesting, and spectacular match. Play In this event is timed to commence at 3 p.m. Prior to the main game there will be the opportunity of seeing in action two of the best senior A grade second division teams—Johnsonville (unbeaten) and Athletic (who ran up a cricket score last Saturday). This match is to commence at 1.30 p.m.