HOCKEY SEASON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20303, 10 July 1929, Page 15

HOCKEY SEASON.

THE SENIOR COMPETITION

RESULT STILL IN DOUBT

ANNUAL COUNTRY WEEK. GAMES

I'll,. grounds at liomucra have tiu\ol Let.'!! in bettor condition this season than thfv woro on Saturday and players tool* tin- c»|i|>orlunitv of showing their best finm. Il has looked as though »uhtvillc would go through to an unchallenged victory for (lio Davis (.'up. 1 ".it Saturdays results leave tin; fluiin|»iouslii p still very open. Witli only one more match to play I'or the; cup Soinerville and St. Luke s arc equal and Mount Kdcn is but one point behind. In the tinal round St. Luke s has what should lie an easy fixture with Kpipliany, whereas Soinerville has to meet North Shore, which defeated il, when the teams last met.

An indication ot the. evenness ol the play this season is found in the fact that every team has now been defeated at least, throe times. Vet in spite of the close nature of the contests only one drawn game lias been played so lar. The Soinerville hacks were disorganised and off their usual came on Saturday. Probably the roughness of the ground told even more against them than it did against the students. Munro'.s place was filled by M. Smith front the third grade, who did what was asked of him quite satisfactorily Chiplin, Gardner and C. Smith were all below lorin, and made many mistakes in coping with the bustling student forwards. Cole was not too saie at centre half. Meiklejolin beat Chiplin with a, good shot, but apart troin that incident the first spoil was evenly contested. Soinerville began the second spell very actively and Crawley safely dealt with quite half a dozen fine shots that came mostly from C. and E. Watts. Only one got through. Students' Effective Rushes.

Just before the end University made two sudden rushes that crumpled the opposition, Taylor scoring from one ami Meiklejnhii from the other. The students were very well served by their backs. Crawley defended brilliantly and used his fee( with unerring effect. 11 ay and iirown were very steady and safe, and Radeliffo held the team well together. Storry was a most reliable assistant. Miikle jolui was conspicuous in two very nice runs, but apart from that I lie forwards did not succeed in carrying out many combined movements.

North Shore had to do without the services of l!ykers on Saturday, as ho injured his hands and ankle in a minor motor accident. I'eid came in from the wing to fill his place ;it centre, iiud four forwards had to carry the load throughout the game. Iteid was not at home in the central position and Mouteith played the best forward game, llaggett was invaluable at centre-half and behind him I!. Frater and l'arker made a very powerful and effective combination. Kankin had little to do. but when the ball did come his way he cleared by very clean and accurate use of the stick. Man for man .North Shore was far the cleverer team, and it indulged in neat short passing with much success, but lacked finish and failed to be really dangerous when it reached the circle.

A Serious Handicap. Epiphany lias (lie licavv handicap of having to cany two or throe players who are definitely below the stnnilanl of the others. liaxter did well in goal and stopped several really difficult, shots. Michel was again a mainstay of the defence. In the forward line Nicholson and Dunn worked hard and led most, of the attacking movements, but Epiphany's van has not yet learned to combine with good effect.

By defeating .Mount Eden by 3 goals to i St. Luke's exactly reversed the scores made when the teams last met. By failing to seize the opportunities that came during the first quarter of an hour Mount Eden fost grip of the game, anil therealter never looked like winning, llookhain was still absent from the St. Luke's wing on account of an injury, and Grace, the junior who took his place, earned distinction. lie shot a very pretty goal early in the match, and was frequently prominent in clever runs.

All the forwards put their hcait into their work, and gave a good, even display. The two Williams did good "work in the back division, and all the backs seemed to begiying of their best. The Mount Eden team was the club's usual one. and it played a lively, vigorous game. The St. Luke's forwards kept their hacks very busy, and the Mount Eden forwards did not get the opportunities thev would have liked. Chaplin was generally the leader, and Ilorspool, on the wing, started several promising movements. Hedges played his usual reliable game in the halves. Q

Only Representative Game. Mount Eden is losing the services of L. Hedges, who is to live? in (,'hristchtircli. At half-time on Saturday members of the club gathered round, and on their behalf Mr. W. Haukin presented him with an initialled pocket wallet as a memento of goodwill from his club mates. Hedges had been a valuable member of the team and will be much missed.

The only representative match lo be played here this season apart trom the test game with Australia will be the town v. country fixture at Kcmuora next Saturday. This will bo a fitting close and climax for the annual country week hockey which began on Monday. There are eight' men's country teams lonipoting, and of lite 14 ladies' teams in the three compel it ions II are from the country. A dance in honour of the viators has been ai ranged by tie combined men's and ladies' assoei:.(i'!|i)> to lake place this

owning. The question 111 M'O, pill'.; into llie circle has been considered by the New Zealand Hockey Referees' Asocial inn, and by llie interpretation commit tee of that body, and the New Zealand Hockey Association has laiw decided that the practice is illegal, although it is permissible in other parts of the liel l It is considered that the ruling is most opportune, as scooping into the circle invariably leads to dangermis play, ciimineuts a Wellington writer.

VIiL MLACK SELECTION

TEAM TO PLAY BRITISH. ' 11;11 i' I>;n-U.'" Whaka! ane, writes as (n|I.iv. s:- l ii view of I lie licit i.-li Rugby tfiiin's t• mi next your much cohiiiicml and criticism will lie I>;isi• <I on (lie selection of the .\ 11 I»1; ic t\ Irsl lil'leeii. I read

"Wim; Forward's'' interestiup; suggestion of I lie test lifleen. and 1 think I can suggest a heller one As you will notice Ihcro in very little between tlieiii. The players are:--l*"u111i:n k.--1). I', Lindsay m (i. Nepia. Threm|ii;irters.- ('. Uobilliard, F. W. Lucas, 1!. Cirenside.

Five-eighths.-—A K. Cooke, M. F Niclmlls ot L. M. Johnson.

Halfback. -W. «... Galley or ,T. Mill. Hover.—o Scrimshaw. Hookers.—S. Had'.cv, J. P. Swain. Lock. —O. I'. Alley' Side Row.—lt. F. Stewart, I. Finlay son. Rack Row.—R. 0. McWilliains, W. T, Jlazlett.