SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 19197, 13 March 1926, Page 22

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[From Ocn Correspondent.] January 27, The Rugby internal ional between Ireland and Franco at Belfast drew an excellent crowd, and the game ended as generally expected. It came as a surprise to find the visiting forwards superior to the Irishmen. The Frenchmen carried most of the scrums, and their form in the loose was far superior to that of their rivals. Had _ France been able to put the best side into the field another result may have been seen. Even so, tho showing of the visitors was quite good, save that the three-quarters lacked the skill to drive home the advantages gained by the forwards.

Their pace, speaking generally, was splendid, and towards the end of the match Revillon gave many yards to Cussen and overtook him when the Irish three-quarter seemed likely to cross the line. G. Y. Stevenson was the man of the match, and ho was largely responsible for the Irish victory. In addition to registering the two tries scored (one of which was converted) he kicked a penalty goal, and so Ireland won by 11 points to 0. This makes tho tenth win by Ireland, whilst Franco claims three victories.

Not being satisfied with the showing of the team, the Irish officials have arranged to hold another trial at the end of this week. This is wise, ami the English Rugby Union might well have adopted a like policy. COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP. Lancashire and Cumberland had a hard struggle for supremacy iu the county match at Waterloo,, near Liverpool, on Saturday. A lino defence saved tho home side, the Cumberland men being constantly attacking. Lancashire gained tho lend directly the second half opened by virtue of a penalty goal, but Cumberland equalised later on, each claiming 8 points. Another county fixture saw Northampton heating Nottingham by 6 points to 0. Turing to club games, the strength of the Navy was well shown by tho splendid win over Blackheath by 20 points to o._ The Army did not fare so well against Leicester, the latter winning by 8 points to 5. Bristol also beat the Royal Air Force by 9 points to 0. The Harlequins accomplished about the best performance of the season when heating Cambridge University by 19 points to 3. It should he remembered, however, that tho University sides are seldom at their best when once tho inter-’varsity struggle is over. ASSOCIATION. Three teams now claim 33 points in the first division of the league. They are Huddersfield, Arsenal, and Sunderland, and as the first-named has only played twenty-five matches, to the twenty-six and twenty-eight by Arsenal and Sunderland respectively, the prospects of tho Yorkshire club again winning the championship looks promising. Huddersfield did well to pain a win at Cardiff on Saturday, the Welsh club going under by 2 goals to 1. Arsenal had to visit Liverpool, where the Anfield Road team gained a decisive victory by 3 goals to 0. Sunderland also failed badly when visiting Sheffield United, the F.A. Cup scoring four times to once by their rivals. Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have both dropped bade in the race, fourth place in the table now being filled by Bury. This Lancashire club wont to Birmingham on Saturday, and picked up 2 points by virtue of a, 3 goals to 2 success—quite a good performance.

In the second division Derby County now appears to bo well placed for the championship and promotion. At home to Stockport, the leaders won by 5 goals to 2, and now claim thirtyseven points for twenty-five games. Sheffield Wednesday also have a like

number, but have played one more match. Chelsea showed a return to form by visiting Barnsley and winning by the odd goal in five, but the London club is now 5 points behind Derby County, which is a big lead to overcome. BOXING. There are some good judges who think Con 0. Kelly, jun., may train on to become the best of the British heavy-weights. It may bo remembered that his sire won heavy-weight wrestling honors at the 1908 Olympic Games, and subsequently tried his luck as a professional boxer. His son is a finely built young man, and clearly possessed of a bard punch and great endurance. He had an easy task at the National Sporting Club on Monday night, when opposed to Jim M'Donald, of Salford, who made a plucky effort against his bigger rival. M'Donald held his own for a round, but after that the extra weight and size of O’Kelly commenced to tell. He had his rival in distress during the third round, whilst he punished him so severely in the fourth that M'Donald’s seconds threw in the towel. An international bout of interest was staged at The Ring tins week, Charley Ring (of Australia) and George Rouquet (of France) being the rivals. They met at the 12st limit, the bout being a return. When they met before Rbuquet looked like winning until near the end, when a bad cut over the eye led to the referee stopping the contest. Ho made up for this reverse on Monday, as be was decidedly superior during the eight rounds the bout lasted. It bad an unfortunate ending, Ring being disqualified for hitting low. No one was more sorry than the Australian, as lie was showing improved form when the accident happened.

There appears every prospect of Jack Hood, tho talented Birmingham wel-ter-weight, being matched with a Frenchman named Laflneur, who is described as a second Carpentier. Like tho latter, ho was once a miner, but ho is hardly likely to go back to that occupation. In his last ten bouts ho had won eight by knock-outs and drawn another against the welter-weight champion of France, the one reverse being when opposed to a German middle-weight. It certainly looks as though Hood will ho meeting a real good man in the now Fiench welter, and the latter’s supporters are so confident that they are prepared to put up any side stake the Birmingham man’s backer thinks fit. BILLIARDS. Remarkable form lias been shown by several players in the district qualifying competitions of the amateur billiards championship. The executive did a wise thing when deciding that composite balls should be used, and this lias enabled a large number of talented players to compete who otherwise could not have done so. Scattered about tho country are many clubs and institutes where Hie composite hall is in use, and it is hero that fhe rank and file enjoy the game, ivory halls are not within tlie reach of all,'and the new order of things is much better for the general interest.

Tt lins Riven much satisfaction in southern circles that H. W. Bond has made a break of 322. and London certainly has a doughty player for the championship. Earlam, of Runeon, is generally regarded as the likely winner, but Sheffield has a fine player in Simpson, who boat Steeples, the eighteen-year-old crack, in tlic district competition. The latter made breaks of 180, 235, and 377 during the match, and then went under, which shows what a, clever player Simpson is. Much depends on the draw, hut should they keep apart in (he preliminaries it may he that Earlam and Simpson will contest the final. Newman and Smith had a keen struggle in their level match at Liverpool. Tt was the third of a series on which flic ownership of a valuable cup depended, and, as each had won a game, the decider was naturally of much interest. Smith was seen to great advantage on the last dav but one, when ho mado up arrears of just on l.OOl) points and assumed the lead. Most of his supporters thought this the winning effort, but Newman quickly gained the advantage on the final day. The champion made breaks of 302 and 427, and ho eventually won by 527 points. _ Davis overwhelmed Inman in their match decided in London, heating the ex-champion by over 7,000 points in 10,000 up. The winner mado a. break of 652 and another of 499. which suggests that he will give Newman some trouble when they meet in flic championship. ATHLETICS. Home athletes are naturally Jnfcrested to note how well Jackson Scholz, the Olympic 200 metres champion, fs running in New Zealand. Tnat the American has covered »ho furlong in 21 1-ssee shows that ho has spon adapted himself to changed conditions. Some authorities decry these visits, hut rumors realise their value. Scbolz is a very smooth mover, and his example must have a beneficial effect among the young atiilotos of New Zealand and other countries where ho may bo competing. Cricket and football has been advanced in many’ parts of the Empire through the tours of home teams, and it is equally certain that visits of famous athletes must also help in the matter of progress. Tlio Americans first learnt from it is fitting that some of the United States cracks are now offering object lessons to young athletes of the Empire. A remarkable finish was seen in tho Cambridge University v. Thames Haro and Hounds Interteam T?aco < at Cambridge on Saturday. Tho Light Blue cracks, led by T. C. Books, the intervarsity winner, got away froin tlmir rivals towards the end of the eight-mile course, and eventually six Cantabs finished in a line. This must he something like a record in the way of a dead heat, though it must bo remembered that the men concerned were not out for individual glory, hut only tor the honor of the team'. On totalling the points, sensing five a side, it was found that Cambridge had won by 15 points to 40.

Another performance worthy of note at the week-end was the success of, S. Ferris in the Uxbridge A.O. Club championship. held over a heavy course of seven miles. He won by nearly 2min from a tried performer in C. W. Goodall, and this suggests that the airman has greatly improved._ Ho won the "Marathon Championship last May in record time, and his latest showing rather points to his being a prominent contender for the cross-country championships, which will soon claim attention. GOLF. Remarkable form was shown by Arthur Havers, winner of the open golf championship in 1923, when playing over the Cooinhe Hill course a few days ago. He went round in 64, which is ono stroke better than the previous best, his own. As the professional there, Havers naturally know's the course, and thus enjoys a considerable advantage: nevertheless, bis play must be looked on as remarkable, the heavy state of the ground just now being a big handicap,

there being no run on the ball to spenii of. Havers only needed thirty putts in the eighteen boles, his card showing nine 3’s, eight 4’s, and ono 5. Horne golfers are hopeful that Hagen will accept the challenge issued on behalf of Abe Mitchell to play a seventytwo holes match in England this sum- , lirer. The offer of the ‘ Golf_ Illustrated ’ to put upi a purse of £SOO for such a test is a tempting one, and it seems certain that one of the United States cracks who come over for the open championship will try their luck against Mitdrell. The latter is hard to beat in a match, though ho never appears to shine to the same extent air medal play.