NORTH V. SOUTH AT RUGBY LEAGUE

Northern Advocate, 11 July 1936, Page 10

NORTH V. SOUTH AT RUGBY LEAGUE

INTER-ISLAND MATCH TODAY Although most of the players of the inter-island teams were again eligible this year, only six of them participated in the Courtney Silver Football quest at Carlaw Park today. Five .southerners McCarthy (Canterbury half-back), Calder, McNeight and Glynn (West Coast) and the Canterbury hooker, Ward, while Lou Brown is the only North Islander returned. This is not only an indication that representative honours in Rugby League are no sinecure, but that there is a wealth of rising talent in the game which progressive policy demands must be given full opportunity to develop in the national interests. The trials held in all parts of- the Dominion recently have demonstrated both an improvement in the physique of teams and in the standard of play. These points were evident when the island teams lined out as follows: — South Island. —Full-back, Ritchie (West Coast); three-quarters, C. H. Davison (Canterbury), N. Kiely (W.C.), I E. Hendry (C.); five-eighths, J. Garrett (C.), H. W. Vincent (W.C.); half-

back, J. McCarthy (C.); forwards. J. Calder (W.C.), R. Ward (C), W. McNeight (W.C.), W. Glynn (W.C.), M. H. Smith (C.), J. Beban (W.C.); res-, erves, T. O’Connor (W.C.), back, and P. Serra (C.), forward. North Island. —Full-back, C. Dempsey (Auckland); three-quarters, L. Brown, P. Haslam, R. Bxhght (A.); fiveeighths, W. Tittleton (A.), E. Staples (Hawke’s Bay); half-back, J. Coman (Wellington); forwards, F. Pickrang, J. Satherley (A.), J. Cootes (W.), J. Anderson, E. Morgan and H. Tetley (A.); reserves. A. Kay (A.), back, and J. Peterson (A.), forward.

The 1935 teams which battled out the issue strenuously to a point margin in a 37 points total, make interesting comparative reading, as follows: — South.—Standeven, F. Logie and H. Knight (C.), A. Beban (S.C.), J. E. A. Amos (C.), captain, L. Young and J. McCarthy (C.); Calder. Ward, McNeight, J. Anderson (in North Island team this year), Glynn and Serra. North.—N. Campbell, L. Brown, A-. E. Cooke, captain (A.), W. Tittleton (South Auckland). E. T. Mincham, S. Prentice, H. Powell (A.), W. Telford, L. Hutt, J. Laird, C. Satherley (A.), W. Large (Hawke’s Bay), T. Timms (S.A.). It is probably unique in the history

of football in New Zealand that an international player just retired has been entrusted immediately with the responsibility of island selectorship, but this has happened in connection with j the choice of the South Island personnel this year, .and Mr Jim Amos, of Christchurch, who captained the southerners in a thrilling bid for honours in Auckland last season, appears to have made a very thorough effort as selector, of the team he has been coaching for the big match. The success of the West Coast team which won the Northern Union Cup from Canterbury on Saturday, no doubt greatly influenced him in choosing seven Coasters for his thirteen instead of five the previous year, when Mr Con Hall, of West Coast, and now of Auckland, officiated. The forwards are particularly imposing, the newcomers in the pack being the loose forward, J. Beban, a brother of the winger who played for South last season, and the sturdy Canterbury forward, Smith.

Much interest attached to the appearance of- the reputed Canterbury wingers, Davison and Hendry, and to the play of Kiely at centre, while the play of Garrett, who is only about 19, at five-eighths, in co-operation with the ex-West Coast Union representative inside back, Vincent, was a big factor. The Wellington is getting a great chance at halfback, and the Hawke’s Bay five-eighths, Staples, is reputed to have the weight and speed to collaborate with Tittleton. All players were out to show their prowess in combined and heady work in view of the imminence of teams to meet England. League Test Next Saturday. The third and final Rugby League test match between England and Australia takes place next Saturday, and with each country having a win to its credit, this match, to decide whether or not England is to retain the ashes, is certain to attract wide attention.

Northern Union Cup Changes Hands. An enthusiastic crowd, estimated at between four and five thousand people, watched the Northern Union Cup match between Canterbury and West Coast at Christchurch last Saturday. West Coast recaptured the trophy by 21 points to 13, after a fine exhibition.