RUGBY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 127, 2 May 1925, Page 10

RUGBY NOTES

JOTTINGS OF INTEREST. (By “Cross Bar.”) Arrangements are being made by the Manawatu Referees’ Association for Mr D. Mcßfenzio, the veteran referee, to deliver a lecture to players on Saturday, May 9. In view of the amendments to the rules, the lecture should prove of interest to the thoughtful player for without a full knowledge of the rules, a player will not go far. •" Rilmour has been current locally that Harold Sly, .the,, former Western United skipper, has joined up with Oriental, taking the place of Pringle, the tall representative scrummager, who has been taken ill with appendicitis. Clubs are reminded that to ensure the publication of teams, it is necessary that they be handed in at this office not later than 9 a.m. on the day of publication. The names of players should be written legiDly. Kaponga A team won the final of the Eltham seven-a-side tourney conducted last week, Tukapa being runners up. Twelve teams contested the honours, Eltham, which won the shield in 1924, was put out by tho runners up in ther second of die- seimfinal game o . The Auckland Rugby Union has received nominations from 104 teams in the club competitions this season, which has created a new record. With the addition of tho secondary and primary school team 3, it is expected that the number will attain the 201 mark Reade Masters, the All Black lock, is again throwing in his lot with the Albion (Christchurch) club. This club has not enjoyed the best of fortunes during the past few years f. Birch, a former Christ’s College player, promises to make good in the ranks of Oxford next season. During the past season, although ho did not figure in the trials, he twice played for his Varsity in club games. The possession of the Ranfurly shield, has, in the opinion of many of the patrons and players of the game in the Hawke’s Bay, tended to spoil club competitions. It was a modern illustration of the cat watching the mouse —Christchurch and Old Boys’ players watching tho All Blacks on tho opposing side —says the Sun. It is expected that the three Taranaki All Blacks will don the jersey in Taranaki this year. The Waimate Club, which at one time was one of the strongest clubs in. the Dominion, is reported to have fallen on lean times, and has found it impossible to enter a senior team this year for the Taranaki provincial championships. . Tho teams entered for the Wellington Rugby competitions this year represent an increase of twenty on last year’s entries. There are 121 teams in the W.R.U. competitions, 32 college teams, and 45 school teams.

The new flood-lighting system on McLean Park, Napier, is stated to be proving of immense value. The three projectors throw a wide radiance which greatly facilitates night practice. It is to be regretted that local players do not enjoy the same advantages. Football shorts with little bow ties! And elastic-sided boots 1 In 1875 two members of the St. George’s (London) Hospital Rugger XV, wore them. They were to be seen (the boots, not the players!) at a “Rugger” Exhibition in Covent Garden. A team from New South Wales will tour New Zealand in August. At present their tour is limited to seven games, including three tests. The New Zealand team which is to visit Sydney will leave these shores on June 4. A* Napier writer says that Knight and Lomas, of Auckland, McNab and Blake, of Hawke’s Bay and Elvey and .Harris, of Canterbury, appear to be certainties and whoover beats Corkill for half position will get the trip. It was tho opinion of “CrossBar” at tho time of the trials last year that Knight and MoNab were*both unfortunate in not finding places. Wright, the Auckland half, is apparently not seriously considered by the above writer. Otago will probably play a bigger part this season, particularly in the selection of. the rearguard, if “Cross Bar” is not mistaken. It is the intention of the New Zealand Rugby Union to hold a trial game to assist in the determination of the team to visit Australia. The team will, it is understood, consist of players other than those who recently leturned from England. The receiving of a team which will bo considered in some respects a B grade appears to be a doubtful policy on the part of the New South Welshmen. While we here think that another fifteen can be found almost equal in strength to tho victorious All Blacks, they will not prove the drawing card in Australia the other would have done, while the prestige of the home football will suffer if the second edition of the All Blacks prove successful in their games. The first team from New Zealand since that conducted by the late Harry Baskerville in 1907, will visit England to play under tho Northern League at the end of the coming season. New Zealand was extended the invitation in preference to a side from Australia. An Australian journal in referring to the above tour aays:—“ln some quarters it is confidently anticipated that a number of the All Blacks which went through the last torn o; the Old Country without sustaining a loss will be included in the side.”—lt is very doubtful. A Scottish three-quarter, W. A. Stew ait, the Tasmanian who was studying medicine in London, scored four tries fr? Scotland against Ireland at Inverleith in 1913, lan Smith, another flying Scot born under the Southern Cross, equalled the feat of Stewart against France recently. Charlie Seeling, the great forward of the 1905 All Blacks, who went over to the League in 1910, and played for the Wigan team in England for years, recently had a benefit match played for him, and twoother stalwarts of the League code, Coldrick, a Welsh international, and Wallord, an old member of the club. Seeling wa£ the finest forward Wigan ever had, both in attack and in defence. E. E. (“General”) Booth, the All Black “original,” has a habit of bobbing up in all sorts of unexpected places like acork in a whirlpool, says an exchange. The 1905 All Blacks lost him after France —he followed the party round on its tour —and lie has now popped up in Australia. He arrived in Sydney as welfare-officer on the Jervois Bay, und lie was then in charge of a number of immigrants for Queensland. This year’s meeting of Te Auto College and Wanganui will bo staged at Hastings, under the edict that in future the historic encounter is to be an alternative home and home match. Up till last year the gamo was played at Palmerston North, as a drawing card for the Winter Show. A new headmaster (Rev. C. F. Pierce) came along, and forbade this arrangement, and henceforth Hawke’s Bay and Wanganui will have the match in alternative years. James Sullivan, noted League Rugby player, is a dead-shot, but in a recent match ho must have got sore feet walking up from his position to convert tries. His team, Wigan, beat the Flimby and Fothergill Club by 116 points to nil. Sullivan set up a record in kicking 22 gaols, scoring 44 points of his own boot. He has reached a season’s century of goals for the' fourth time. Ring, a three-quar-ter, in the same match, scored seven tries. Both these players will be remembered as members of the English League team which was in New Zealand last year.