FOOTBALL NOTES.

Franklin Times, Volume XIX, Issue 39, 5 April 1929, Page 5

FOOTBALL NOTES.

OUR NATIONAL GAME.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. -The annual meeting of the Pukekohe Rugby Union will be held on Wednesday next. There will be four teams in the Pukekohe Rugby Union's senior competition again this year, despite the fact that the Power Board team is now defunct. The teams will be Patumahoe, Ramblers, White Star and City. Only two local clubs', City and Ramblers have held their annual meetings. Both were enthusiastic gatherings'and the prospects of these clubs placing strong senior teams in the field are fairly bright.

I It is reported that Patumahoe will be I particularly strong this year. Most of last year's seniors will be again on deck, while it is stated that several new players will turn out. Among them is T. Robinson, \vho was one of Pukekohe's best forwards in 1927. He left the district last year, and rumour is afloat that he is back again and intends to lead the Patumahoe forwards! With his assistance the country club should field a formidable pack. Patumahoe requires a good coach to apply the finishing touches to a band of promising players. It is Patumahoe's turn to lift the shield this year, and if this team succeeded it would be a most popular win. ! ' . • White Star, according- to one of the club's most ardent supporters, will field a crack-a-jack senior team this year. Most of last year's team will be donning the blue and white jerseys again while a couple of new-comers have joined up with Stars. The competition therefore should be interesting from the rise' of the rugby curtain.

The junior competition in Pukekohe this year should furnish some good football. The young players are very keen and already a number have been indulging In practice. Jack Swain the Hawkes Bay front row man, who toured South Africa with the All Blacks last year, has been transferred to Auckland and intends to play for Ponsonby. He should greatly improve the ponies pack. With R. G. McWilliams and P. W. Lucas back again from South Africa, Ponsonby will be able to field a much better team this year than last. It would not be a surprise to see Ponsonby regain the senior championship. ■*

Auckland's Prospects.

Auckland sliould be able to field a strong representative team this year. In addition to last year's representatives, the selector will have J. Swain, S. Hadley, R. McWilliams, P. W. Lucas and T. R. Sheen to call upon. These All Blacks will strengthen up the weak links in last year's fifteen. Auckland will probably make a bold bid for the Ranfurly shield, but Canterbury can be. relied upon to place a formidable opposition in the field to retain the trophy. With J. T. Burrows, G. T. Alley, G. Scrimshaw, H. Lilburne, A. C. G. Robilliard, W. G. Dalley and S. R. Carleton, last year's All Blacks who toured South Africa, all available Canterbury will be a hard nut to crack. It is reported that N. P. McGregor, who toured South Africa with the 192* All Blacks and England and France with the 1924 team has retired from the game, owing to serious injuries sustained in South Africa. He is expected to coach the Christchurch club team. Jack Steele, one of the best wing-three quarters New Zealand has produced has also retired. It will be recalled that Steele met with a serious leg injury in a club game last year. Both will be hard to replace in Christchurch.

The veterans Mark Nicholls and C. G. Porter are both on deck for 1929. C. S. Rushbrook will be playing for the Old Boys Club in Wellington, while L. M. Johnson will also turn out for his old club, Wellington. F. D, Kilby is a doubtful starter on account of an injury to a leg- received in Springbok land.

It is said that Cyril Brownlee has definitely retired but it is quite on the cards that Maurice Brownlee, the captain of the 1928 All Blacks will again lead the Hastings pack. Jimmy Mill, the ex-All Black scrum half is said to be attempting a come back. It is doubtful it there is a better half back in New Zealand today. Dalley. Kilby" McManus. Holder and Co. included.

The redoubtable A. E. "Bert" siU likes the s;ood old game. During Paster he took a seven a side team to Kaponga (Taranald) and went home with the shield. The opposing team? say that had it not been for Cookie, several Taranaki teams would have been disputing the issue. As it happened Cookie's presence made the difference. He is still the will-of-the-wisp player of old. New Zealand is sending a team to Australia this year and it is hoped that last year's All Blacks who toured South Africa will be excluded. If so the younger players will be given a chance, and the selectors will be able to tret an idea of the material available for 1930 when the British team visits New Zealand.

A sub union has been formed to govern rugby in the area situated between Rangiriri and Hamilton. The new body has affiliated with the Hamilton Union.

Ex-New Zealand Captain. .Little has been heard of Georgl Aitken, the ex-New Zealand captain, on the Rugby football field for some time, but that he is still on the active list

is plain from recent English flies. He was not in the original selection for Scotland in their first Rugby international of the season against Prance, but on G.P.S. Macpherson intimating his inability to play, it was announced that the vacancy was to he filled by Macpherson's old colleague at Oxford, G. G. Aitken (London Scottish), who had already figured in seven international games. Commenting on Aitken being called upon to play against France after being out of the Scottish side for four years, one English paper remarked that the Scottish Rugby Union were rathr fond of resuscitating old "caps" for their national sides. lan Smith, the famous wing three-quarter, who, through injuries, was unable to play in any international games last year, was to make a re-appearance, and It was anticipated that he and Aitken would have a busy and pleasant afternoon. The match was played at Murrayfield Edinburgh, on January 19. when Scotland won 1 by a try and a penalty goal to a try; but at no time did the standard of play reach a hi£h level. Aitken was said to have been hardly at his best: and for the following match against Wales, he was superseded in the three-quarter line by Dr. Gow Brown.