RUGBY FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 23 September 1944, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

TO-DAY'S GAMES. With the Rugby season drawing to a close, followers of the sport feel rather disappointed that the West Coast Union has not seen fit to endeavour to immediately finalise the one-round competition in which two games have been played. However, to-day’s match between Celtic and Star-United will not be devoid of interest, for with Celtic’s recent improvement, Star-United’s play has been deteriorating, and in their last match were soundly beaten by Cobden. Celtic play fast, open football given opportunity, and though Combined concentrate on forward play, Celtic’s measures may be effective. The other senior game will be played at Hokitika, where Cobden will meet the home team for the McLean Shield. The McLean Shield is for annual competition between the leading Greymouth team and the leading southern fifteen being inaugurated in the days of the Westland Sub-Union. With Hokitika the only senior team in that district, they will play Cobden for the trophy. With their success in the seven-a-side tournament last week, when they defeated Cobden,.. Hokitika will line out to-day confident that they will administer to Cobden its first defeat of the season. The curtain-raiser at Rugby Park will .be between Pirates (Denniston) and Celtic, the Greymouth third grade champions. Blaketown thirds will play Technical. on the No. 2 ground, while at Hokitika a local third grade side will play Cobden. Greymouth fourth grade representatives will play Sydenham (Christchurch) also on Rugby Park. The Sydenham team which has played together for four seasons, and has for the past three seasons been unbeaten, has an enviable reputation. So far they have scored 1,028 points for 64 against—a remarkable achievement, while this year alone they have had their line crossed only twice,, scoring 364 points to 12 against. If Greymouth has a win to-day their victory will certainly be meritorious. Celtic Seniors:— Hoskins, Ramsay, Cloak, Croudis, Smith (2), Rea, Garforth, Kennedy, Davis. Furness, Fitzgerald, Clancy, Thompson, Millett, Pratt. © Star-United (assemble Star pavilion 2.ls): —Fagerlund, White, J ackson, Butler, Thompson, Gillan. Sweetman, Pegley, Roberts, Jones, Nelson, Lambert, Glen, Dixon, Neilson, Dowling, Leach.