SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Evening Star, Issue 18259, 26 April 1923, Page 11

SPORTS AND PASTIMES

[From Our English Correspondent.] LONDON, March 7. RUGBY. Eis Majesty King George takes a great interest in football, particularly the Rugby code, and ho again attended the annual match between the Army and Navy teams at Twickenham. As usual, this attracted a big crowd, upwards of 20,000 spectators being present, and they saw one of the best games in the series. During the first half the Naval players did not seem to get going, in spite of the manner the forwards carried the scrums and gained the ball. In consequence, half-time arrived with the soldiers leading by 5 points, whilst, to make matters worse, F. Gilbert, the fullback, dislocated his thumb and retired. It was when reduced to fourteen, uen that the Navy team fairly rose to the occasion, and a smart bit of combination ended in a try, which was converted, so putting the sides on a level footing. Soon after this another excellent bout of passing led to another try, and from that time onwards the Army was really on the defensive. The next dramatic incident was a wonderful try by Lieutenant J. Burnatt, who received the ball via Kershaw end Davies. He was about mid-field at the time, and, making straight for goal, he swerved round Middleton, the Army fullback, and scored, converting the try himself, Ultimately the Navy won by 16 points to 11, the result*Being largely due to the splendid work of the forwards, wiio gave the players behind them lots of chances. It was the twelfth match between the Army and Navy, of which the latter have won ten to two by the Army. The injury to Gilbert will keep him out of England’s team against Scotland. There are four changes, T. M. Holliday, of Cumberland, at full-back, and H. M. Locks, of Birkenhead Park, centre three-quarter, being the new caps. St. Bartholomew’s Hospital beat St. Thomas’s by 8 points to 0 in the semifinal of the Hospital’s Cup, and so qualified to meet the powerful Guy's team. _Uith several noted South African players in the latter side, it is not expected that the holders will have to give up the trophy, but Bart’s may be depended to make a fight of it. The success of Plymouth Argylo over Blackheath by 14 points to 9 and the 19 points to 0 victory of Guy’s Hospital when meeting Birkenhead were other big fixtures on Saturday.

Newport continues along the path of victory by beating Cardiff by 16 points ta 3, a. win discounted by injuries to two of .the Cardiff men.

SOCCER. With no F.A. Cup ties to claim attention, followers of tho Association game were able to concentrate on tho many big League fixtures at tho week-end. The downfall of Sunderland when visiting Sheffield United has made the prospects of Liverpool in the first division look much better. Sunderland had not lost a League match since November 4, but the long season is telling a tale. Sheffield 1 United appears to be playing great football, as instanced by wins over Liverpool (F.A. Cup tie) and Sunderland, bo that the Yorkshire Club will have many supporters for the fourth round of the Cup. Liverpool managed to take both points when at home to Bolton, the score being 2 goals to 0. This leaves Liverpool with 47 points for thirty matches, a lead of 4 points over Sunderland 1 , a very useful advantage at this stage of the season. Newcastle comes third, a fine win by 5 goals to 1 when at home to the Blackburn team on Saturday advancing the club. West Bromwich Albion accomplished a good performance by scoring four times when visiting Nottingham Forest, the borne team failing to net the ball. It delighted Southern sportsmen to see the fine form of Tottenham Hotspur when at homo to Manchester City, the match being won by 5 goals to 1. This speaks well for the Spurs’ prospects when called on to play in -the fourth round of the F.A. Cup next Saturday, Chelsea could only draw (1-1) when receiving Cardiff City, whilst Arsenal went (under (2-0) when visiting Middlesfcorough. Oldham secured welcome points by beating their Everton visitors by a goal to nil, but the dub still remains at the bottom bf the list, and looks to be in a dangerous position, Nottingham Forest, Stoke, end Birmingham are other clubs at the wrong end of the list, and thus in danger of going down to the second divisi-lr. —lnternational Fray.— Tho international match between ScotJand and Ireland' at Belfast on Saturday drew a crowd of 30,000 spectators. The home side put up a much better fight than had been anticipated, and in the end only lost by a goal to nil. Wilson scored for Scotland l when the second half was well advanced, and, as the score conveys, tlie defence on both sides was excellent, Scotland now claims thirty wins of the series to two by Ireland, with three draws. England and Wales had a splendid struggle in the international at Cardiff this week, the fixture* attracting 20,000 spectators. The score was one goal all at the interval, but soon after England gained the lead and kept it until the last few seconds of the match, when a hot attack enabled Wales to draw level. Carr, a forward. was knocked out near tho end, and his absence had something to do with the result. HOCKEY. Hockey has made great strides in Britain, and though the climate does not permit of the fast game on ice, there are many followers of this fine pastime as played on turf. Saturday’s international between Ireland and Scotland at Banbridge, near Belfast, provided something of a surprise, tho Scots winning by two goals to nil, a change from the three reverses in the other matches since the war. Still Ireland lias had much the better of the series to date, having won thirteen to Scotland’s three, with one drawn game. LACROSSE. The intervarsity lacrosse match on Saturday gave Oxford a chance to even things up a bit on this season’s-fixtures between the two universities. Cambridge pedfed in the Rugby and Association patches and also at hockey, but Oxford decisively won the cross-country, and have now added' the lacrosse fixture- to the list. The Cambridge men opened tho scoring, but after this it was all Oxford, U. C. Wansborough in particular being very successful in his efforts, scoring seven of the eighteen goals registered by the Dark Bines. Cambridge scored three limes, and to went under badly. Oxford also just heal Hampstead by 7 goals to 6 in the final of the Southern Flags, which represents tho championship of the South. This entitles the Dark Blues to oppose the Northern champions •for the Iroquois Cup, the fixture being ■cheduled for March 24. BILLIARDS. The amateur championship has provided Borne very interesting play and given us a new champion. The nineteen-year-old player, R. T. Turner, of Coventry, did so weR in his various heats that he had a atrong following for the semi-final against J. Graham-Symes (the holder). Unfortunately, he was overawed by the occasion, and could not show his proper form at tho opening session. In consequence the holder got away, and he led by 571 when tho third session- commenced. Turner then found hia real form, and reduced his rival’s lead to just over 200. _ He could not get on terms, however, being beaten at the finish by 465 points. This left Graham-Symes to meet W. P. M'Leodt of Middlesboro', in the final, the game pair as Inst year. It proved a splendid game, M’Leod commencing the final day’s play with a lead of 159. The holder made a big effort, and averaged 34Jj for the session; but M’Leod did_ slightly better, his average for each visit being Such form has never previously been soon by two amateurs in the championship, and it shows that they are making headway. The men showed signs of the strain In the evening, smaller breaks being the order; and ultimately M’Leod won by 133 points, so making up for his disappointj pent last year.

The now champion is an electroplater by trade, and, though his play may not be so attractive ns that of Graham-cymes, he is a fine player. • The Newman v. Smith, duel la proving a keen one. Throughout the sixth game there was never many points difference, the end coming on Saturday, with **7l' man claiming an advantage of but 400. Each man has now won three games, the aggregate (on which the issue will bo decided 1 ) giving Smith the small lead ot 100 points. Thus the seventh and final game will indeed be a real test. . Newman has the biggest break ot tno series to his credit, this being, 972, ns against 751 by Smith. ATHLETICS. Saturday was another busy day for cross-country runners. The Scottish National title was at issue at Bothwell Castle, near Edinburgh, where A. M. Wright, of the Clydesdale Harriers, beat 225 rivals, the team honors going to Greenock West Park. The Welsh championship claimed attention at Cwmbran, where Newport again won the team championship, and also supplied the individual winner in E. J. Edwards. . The big event near London was the Territorial Array championship. In the absence ot A. H. Dare, runner-up in the recent Southern race, the victory went to J. N. Ovinglon, of the sth Battalion, London Regiment. Old sportsmen may recall that the winner's father was prominent a quarter of a century ago, and was good at anything from the sprint to ten miles.

E. D. Mountain) the half-mile champion, was a competitor, and he finished seventh in a field of 134. The team race proved a very easy thing for the sth London, which unit won with 41 points, to the 169 by the 2nd Cavalry Division Signals. CAMBRIDGE RUNNERS.

W. R. Seagrovo was again seen to advantage in the final of the Cambridge intercollego relays. Ills fine half-mile just enabled Clare College to win tho two miles (four relays at 880yds). Ho also ran well in a two miles team rrfco directly afterwards, but was unable to reproduce hia usual fast finish, T. C. Books, of Christ’s beating him by 20yds in 9min 56seo. Six men finished inside lOmin, ll&oc, which suggests that the stayers at Cambridge are useful. Some excellent performances were seen at tho Oxford ’Varsity sports, which were concluded this week. Americans were prominent, F. K. Brown, from Washington, putting the shot 40ft 6in, with A. I. Reese, of Nebraska, second. T. Huhn, from Princeton, and ■W. E. Stevenson, from the same University, were also to the fore, tho former’s 22ft 4in in the long jump and 15’isc in the hurdles being excellent. Stevenson easily won the 440yds in slow time, but ho was not pushed. Perhaps the best run of tho meeting waa W. R. Milligan’s half-mile in Imin 58sec, N. A. Machines also doing well by winning tho mile and three miles, the former in 4min 26isec.