RUGBY FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19412, 21 August 1926, Page 16

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND'S BID FOR SHIELD. HAWKE'S BAY MATCH TO-DAY. A RECORD IN THE BALANCE. In the event of liawko's Bay withstanding Auckland's challenge for the Ranfurly Shield in the Rugby football match to bo played at Napier to-day, the present holders will equal Auckland's long-standing record in the number of challenges withstood. To-day's match marks the 84th challenge for the trophy. Following is a summary of the matches, showing how the provinces have fared in their quest for the shield since it was given for competition by Lord Ranfurly in 1902: Played. Won. Drawn. Lost. Auckland .... 34 24 2 8 South Auckland 1 Bay of Plenty .2 Poverty Bay . . 5 Hawke's Bay . 27 23 King Country . I Taranaki ... 17 7 Wanganui ... 5 Mannwatu . . 2 —■ Horowhenua • . 2 Wairarapa • . G -- 1 5 Wellington . . 36 24 2 10 Marlborough . . 1 ~ JNelson 1 Bullcr 1 - 1 Canterbury ... 9 South Canterbury 2 ~~ - Otago 7 1 C Southland ... 7 2 THE AUCKLAND FIFTEEN. FINAL SELECTION MADE. • [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] NAPIER, Friday. The Auckland Rugby team to play Hawke's Bay for the Ranfurly Shield tomorrow is:—Fullback, Butler; threequarters, Hook, Lucas (captain), Ifwerson; five-eighths, CammicK, Freeman; halfback, Wright; wing forward, Batty; forwards, Hadley, Palmer, Cathcart, Webber, Knight, McWilliams, Finlayson. Emergencies: McManus, Loft, Farmer, Casey, McCarthy. The Hawke's Bay team is the Bame as that which met Wellington last Saturday.