SOUTH AFRICA HIS GOAL

Grey River Argus, 17 April 1948, Page 6

SOUTH AFRICA HIS GOAL

Leo Connolly, the nuggety Southland All Black forward, is leaving nothing to chance in his preparation for the big Rugby trials later in the year. Connolly showed excellent early-season form for his club, Marist (Invercargill), winners of the South Island Catholic Clubs’ tournament at Christchurch the other day. A tigerish type of front-row man, who simply revels in the tight work, he played well right through the Australian tour last season. Lack of the physical qualifications which probably will be demanded by the selectors for the South African . tour may prove his greatest handicap.

RANFURLY SHIELD CHALLENGES

Challenges for the Ranfury Shielu are beginning to come in freely, and the Otago delegates to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union are likely to have a busy lime when they begin to arrange the dates for the various games. Already Southland, South Canterbury, Wanganui, and Poverty Bay have entered challenges, and according to reports from the north there is every likelihood of a special challenge being entered by Auckland. Wellington and Canterbury are regarded as certain to challenge, so that if Otago' succeeds in withstanding the early challenges, a big programme of representative matches will lie ahead. In the case of Poverty Bay’s challenge this is the first time a team from that union lias visited the South Island, and having regard to the impressive win Poverty Bay scored against the Otago touring side last season, the game is bound to attract much interest Wanganui, which has asked for September 14, as the date for its game, proved one of the strongest sides in the North Island last year.