SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 21640, 8 February 1934, Page 2

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[From Our Knglish Correspondent.] LONDON, December 27. RUGBY. The outstanding feature of the second Rugby trial match decided at Twickenham, was the brilliant form shown by J. J. Heaton, of Liverpool University. He was playing at centre three-quarter lor the Possibles, and the manner lie acquitted himself has led to the experts hailing him as a great find. He was playing at right centre, and from the very start he was in the picture. Finally lie made an individual run which will long he discussed. Gaining possession, he dodged through the opposition to score amidst wonderful cheering. The Probables were beaten in the scrums, but even so they crossed over with a lead oi 5 points to 3. Later on the Probables did better, and finally won by 21 points to 12. Actually the winners only scored one.more try than the Possibles, but the extra points were due to superior place kicking, in which D. A. Kendrevv was very successful. The match showed that England has a wealth of talent, so that the final choice should result in a strong side. Undeterred by adverse criticism, the selectors picked a South African in Owen Smith for the full-back position in the Probables team. Not only is this unsportsmanlike, but also unfair to English players, one of whom should have gained the honour. One of the most interesting of the club matches had Richmond and Harlequins in opposition on the former’s ground. This time the home side showed excellent form, and disposed of .their noted rivals by 15 points to 0. Bristol easily beat Old Merchant Tailors, and Bleckheath trounced Headingley by 20 points to 0. The Australian touring side gained another success when playing York in the Rugby League match, the margin being 15 points fo 7. BILLIARDS. Although Sydney Lee lias decided to go over to the ranks of the professionals, England will not lack talented amateur billiard players. Yorkshire has certainh’ an outstanding amateur in J. Driffield, of Leeds. Playing in an exhibition match against Tom Newman recently, he started off with a break of 131.’ This by no means represents his limit, and he had already made a break of 282. With further experience this young amateur may attain championship rank. SOCCER. Arsenal continued to play like champions. The power of the purse enables this club to maintain a large reserve, which represents a decided asset. Injured players can be replaced, or cracks rested for important engagements. Moreover, the reserve ranks often provide a new star. It would seem that Beasley is a player who comes under this description. This youngster played on the Arsenal wing last Saturday against Sheffield United, and gave a good account of himself. Early in the game, Beasley cut in and scored a clever goal, and later on scored again. Arsenal made it three before the finish, >. vilst Sheffield United only scored once. It was a great victory for Arsenal, when playing away from home. Derby County may he said to have done very well to share the honours at Sunderland, neither scoring. Tottenham Hotspur played like real champions when at home to Blackburn Rovers. They overran the visiting side when scoring four of the five goals. London’s othei big club, Chelsea, showed (improved form when at home to Leeds, a keen match ending in a draw of one goal each. There was a riot of scoring at Wolverhampton, where the “ Wolves ” put on eight goals without response from their Manchester City visitors.

Glasgow Rangers also gave a line exhibition in a Scottish League fixture. On visiting Airdrieonians, the Rangers scored no fewer than seven goals as against two by their rivals. This, however. was not the great sensation in Scottish circles last Saturday. Motherwell had fulfilled twenty-two engagements without experiencing defeat, and with Clyde as visitors another victory was anticipated A surprise was in store. Clyde getting two goals to one by Motherwell, the latter thus losing an unbeaten record. The Christmas holiday matches have altered the look of the race for the championship of the English League. Arsenal alone among the first league managed to secure the highest possible number of points. To beat Leeds on successive days, away and at home, was brilliant. On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur had to accept two reverses. Huddersfield winning both the holiday matches. This, following a draw against Birmingham gave Huddersfield five points in three holiday matches, Derby County had to acknowledge a defeat when visiting Manchester City, and so fell behind Huddersfield, non the nearest rival to Arsenal. One pleasing thing of the holiday games was the revival of Chelsea, the form shown against Sunderland on Boxing Day being first class, as the scoring of four goals without response indicates. THE TURF. Memories of exciting wagering were recalled by the death oi Tod Sloan ii. California. Much prejudice was shown when he introduced another style of riding in England, and some authorities still think the forward seat does not give the jockey such perfect control as the old English “ seat.” It is related that when Mr G. Lampton asked bred Rickaby what he thought about Sloan as a jockey, this man of few words replied: “If I were an owner I would not run a horse unless Sloan rode it ” It ought not to he forgotten that Sloan and his style led to truerrun methods, horses being sent out from the start, (t was no longer the custom for jockeys to “ loaf ” for three-quarters of the journey and then come with a rush at the finish. The new method is more likely to produce genuine stayers and prevent the possibility of a non-stayer winning a Gold Cup. Jt is a matter for satisfaction that Mr A. G. Bostwick, the well-known American owner, has brought Mate to England This famous stayer has such a fine, record that his prospects of winning the Ascot Gold Cup cannot be overlooked Mr Pete Bostwick will also again be riding in hurdle and steeple chase races here, and the presence of the two popular Americans will give an international flavour to the meetings concerned. Grakle has apparently recovered from the breakdown in the Grand National of 1912, and, all being well, the 19.11 winner will again make n bid for the world’s greatest steeplechase. In modern times younger horses have won the honours at Aintroe, but it is well to remember that the big race has often gone to one of the aged division. Experience counts over such a course, so that some of the keen judges would never allow Grakle to run unbacked. ATHLETICS. Of the many holiday athletic events the Surrey Walking Club’s open race

from South Croydon to Godstoue and back ranks first. There was a splendid field, and the race produced an exciting struggle. T. W. Green, the Olympic walking champion, was a notable absentee, nor did G. T. Galloway, of Scotland, who was successful last year in record time, turn out. W. T. Chilton, or Surrey, forced the pace, and at fifteen miles was showing the way. He failed to quite stay home, however, and T. W. Richardson, of Woodford, with W. Archibald, of Sur rev, went on to fight out the issue. A good finishing spurt enabled Richardson to win, his time for the 183 miles being 2h 19min 9sec, Archibald being 12sco behind. BOXING. Harry Mi/.ler, the former amateur boxing champion, gained still another success during the holidays. He met Norman Dale, of Newcastle, at the Blackfriur’.s_ King in a bout of ten rounds, which went its full distance. Dale, a man with a long reach, was very aggressive, and in the ninth round he opened a cut above Mizlor’s eye. The latter, however, , more than held his own, and gained the decision, making his fourteenth .success as a professional. Mizler will shortly meet Johnny Cuthbert. the light-weight champion, though it is not yet decided if the latter's title will be at issue. SKI-ING. The English climate does not permit of many of what may be termed winter sports. Ski-ing is one of them, and the Oxford and Cambridge University experts had to go to Italy for their annual races. The course was at Ide:trieres, and in the Langlniif, which is a cross-country race of ten miles, on Saturday, tho Cambridge men were much superior. K. G. Dunn was first man home in olmin 26sec, followed by three other Cantabs. The winner is evidently a real expert, as he beat the second man by nearly four minutes, Three Cambridge men also headed the field in the Slalom, a shortdistance event. 1. K. Munro being first in Inu'ii 3-5 2-osee. It was Oxford’s turn to score in the downhill event, P. Hamilton-Smith gaining first place in 2min I 2-ssec. The Cantabs, however, did best as a team, and thus took the honours in all three events.