RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1937, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

SENIOR GRADE,

JUNIOR GRADE.

THIRD GRADE.

Deserved Trial: The Star centre, J. Noonan, has played consistently well this season, and has deserved his trial in the representative team next Saturday, though it is unfortunate that he gets that chance at the expense of such a fine player as B. Agnew, who played so well both on the wing and at fullback against Canterbury. Experiments such as these, however, are being made obviously to give all players a trial, so that the best possible fifteen will be fielded in what is the province’s match of the year, the game against Marlborough on July 24. Last Saturday, in the match against Kiwis, Noonan consolidated his claims for a trial by a fine exhibition. He gave his wings every chance, and handled and tackled well, and his exploitation of a short punt, which resulted in Mann scoring, showed him up as a good footballer. It will be all in the Coast favour on Saturday that Noonan and Mann play so well together, for Mann is a real match winner, if he gets the least chance. ' Notable Omission:

While the selectors are to be congratulated on the,inclusion of Noonan, Collins, Gardiner, Thorpe, and Roberts, the latter as a wing threequarter, there is yet another player who might well have been given a chance to prove himself. That is Alex. King, the Cobden forward. King is playing great football—better than at any previous stage of his career, and his game in the Westland—Greymouth fixture proved that he would not have been out of place in the provincial pack. King has been playing senior football for a number of years, but that should be no bar to his gaining'rep. honours at this stage. Players must be chosen on form, and King is in ■ rep. form. He is a fine tackler, breaks fast from the scrum, and handles well. He may yet get his chance before the Seddon Shield game conies on.

The Buller Reps: Following is the Buller senior representative team to play West Coast at Westport on Saturday:— Full-back: A. Dunn. Three-quarters: K. Brown, A. Strachan, J. Hill. Five eighths: S. Stewart, R. Butterfield. Half-back: J. Finlayson. Forwards: K. Corrie, G. Orman, J. Lake; G. Mason, D. Hudson, G. Wilson, J. Brown; J. Anderson.

Costello Playing Well: J. Costello, the United first-five-eighth, further’ advanced his claims as a representative player on Saturday, when he gave a fine display against Cobden. Costello handles well, generally runs straight, and passes well, while he is a splendid player on defence. He is lacking in snap and brilliance on attack, but above everything else he is reliable.

Congratulations: It is pleasing to see that despite the success against Canterbury, the West Coast selectors arc not averse to making changes, and experiments are to be made at Westport. R. Gardiner, of the Ross Club, has been chosen to lock the scrum with Pascoe. Gardiner has a big reputation as a solid worker, but he has not been seen in Greymouth this season. R. King and M. Scandrett have been chosen as breakaways, obviously with the idea of neutralising Orman’s hooking ability. There is no doubt that King and Scandrett will give the Buller backs near the scrum, plenty of trouble. Garden, a player of good physique, and some speed, is to be tried at the back of the scrum, and he should acquit himself well. N. Collins and Thorpe are having their first trial, while with a dearth of wing-three-quarters, R. Roberts is being given the chance to develop in that position.

By Iler Fixtures: At this week’s meeting of the Buller Rugby Union, it was decided to play all senior and third grade club fixtures, on July 3, the day of the West Coast v. Buller matches, at Greymouth.

United p. 8 W. L. D, . F. 144 A. 65 Pts 13 6 1 1 Blaketown 8 5 2 1 S3 54 11 Excelsiors 8 4 2 2 75 50 10 Ross 8 3 1 4 42 50 10 Stars 8 5 tj — 85 41 10 Kiwis 8 o 3 2 72 56 8 Pirates 8 4 1 63 90 7. Cobden 8 3 4 1 85 60 7 Celtic 8 2 6 — 57 140 4 Ktfmara 8 — 8 — 29 157 —»

P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. Te Kinga 6 6 “■ — 73 20 12 jBlaketown 7 5 2 — 56 31 10 Cobden 7 o 3 1 48 46 7 Star 6 2 2 21 36 6 Kumara 6 kJ o 1 23 30 4 United 7 2 5 — 25 47 4 Celtic 7 1 6 — 37 74 2

P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. Blaketown 7 6 — 1 10 26 13 Cobden 7 6 1 — 71 22 12 Celtic 6 2 1 50 28 7 Technical 5 2 u — 72 34 4 Star 6 1 5 — 23 73 2 United 7 — 7 — 17 152 —