SATURDAY'S MATCHES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 135, 10 June 1907, Page 7

SATURDAY'S MATCHES.

'.The result of Saturday's senior {games put a new aspect-on the question of the championship. It was by many followers of the game tthat, should Opawa beat Awatere at ■ Seddon, it would be a toss-up whether .Awatere, Opawa or Central would gain the premiership for the season; while, if Moutere should succeed in lowering the Central colours, the two-blues would be out of it. As things turned <out, however, Awatere finished up the . .day with a lead of 1 _ points, with f our more matches to play. Of course, things may happen—things have before now upset.many a 'cinch' —but with the Seddon men improving every week one is fairly safe in saying that they will take a great deal of beating. However, if the Centrals play against the greens the same game that they played against Moutere on Saturday— Ld with their fine- set or forwards they should get the ball almost, it not quite, as often as Awatere—the odds on the game will he pretty even. All things considered, then, the senior trophy .should find its way out to beddon at the end of the season. The margin of Victory m both matches came as a surprise to most, for, though it was generally expected that Awatere and '.Central would win, a few points' difference was all tnat was anticipated. Had the Central team had an O'Brien among its number, the Mo.atere deficit would have been 45 instead of 27 ! The Rugby Union will have to consider the question of either fixing the time of starting at 2.45, in which case ' the games might be begun at three o'clock, or of instructing the referees to blow their whistle at three and start the teams, regardless of their respective strength. A lesson to one team should serve as a warning to the rest. Saturday's game at the Domain was commenced at 3.20; fortunately the afternoon was bright, or darkness would have fallen ere the second spell was finished. As it was., most of the spectators were shivering before the end. In the southern towns the games commence at 2.45 after the first month, and there should be no great drawback to the local Union's following the same course.