RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21553, 26 July 1933, Page 14

RUGBY FOOTBALL

REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES MATCH AT DARGAVILLE TO-DAY FIRST AUCKLAND SELECTION The Auckland Rugby representatives jwill play thoiriirst match of the season against North/Auckland at Darga\illo to-day. The team chosen by Mr. l<. E. Sutherland, solo selector to the Auckland Rugby. .Union, can be said to be a littlo experimental. Bush,, Milliken,: Caughey, Jamieson aud Conner looked certainties in the backs. So also did Mulvihill on tho fine form he lias been showing throughout the seaeon, and his non-inclusion comes as a big' surprise to those people who have seen him in action in various games at Eden Park The sdectdr lifts preferred Sl.vheld, of Grammar, in the second five-eighths position. A nippy back, quick off the mark, is essential to the formation of an effective link between Jamicson and Caughey, and Mulvihill appeared to be the ideal man for the position. Whether Slyfield will fill tlio bill remains to be seen. He is undoubtedly a solid player, but as yet has not displayed tiiQ brilliance of Mulvihill. Although Carter, tho Ponsonby wingthrcequarter, has been a little-111 and out this season,. 110 should rise to the occasion in big football. Ho has plenty of pace and determination, is a sound tackier, and .should show up well outBide Caughey.; His failure will certainly lead to the inclusion in future games of Kcdgley, the most improved winger in tho senior competition. New Representatives Wi Hadley, Hardio and" Ross are three forwards who gain their representative caps for the first time. Ihe first-named has done splendid work in hooking the ball for the Marist senior team this season and ho should do equally well in representative football. Hardio has repeatedly stood, out as one of tho best forwards in Grafton's fine pack, being a good man 011 the lineout. Ross is another good all-round forward, who has played consistently well for Collego Rifles this year. Newdick, Finlavson, Stone, Anderson and Solomon have all represented tlieir province previously. Taken all round, the side should be capable of., a good performance in tho north to-day. At tho time of writing -the programme for next Saturdays., senior, matches has not been decided upon by' tho match committee of the Auckland Rugby Union. The secondary schools' games scheduled for last \veek will now be played on some future dato to be arranged. The games as sot dowu in the draw for next Saturday will be proceeded with. The senior contests are as follows:—King's v. Takapiuia, at Takapuna; Sacred Heart v. Auckland Grammar, at Sacred Heart; Mount Albert Grammar v. Whangarei High School, at Whangarei. Following is a list of Auckland's representative fixtures for tho present

season: — July 26—v.' North Auckland, at Dargsville. 'August 19. —v. Hawke's Bay, at Auckland. ...... !H 'August 19.—Auckland B v. Thames Valley, at Pacroa. August 26. —v. Taranaki, at New Plymouth. . August 26.-rrAuckland B v. Thames, at | Auckland. September 16.—v. Wellington, at Auckland September 16. —Auckland Bv, South Auckland, at Pukekohe. /September 23. —v. Wanganui, at Auckland. September 23.—Auckland B v. Thames, at Thames. Matches have also to be arranged against Waikato, at Hamilton, and against Kaipara. Both will probably be mid-week fixtures, September 6 having been' suggested to-the-Waikato Union. Inter-island Contest ' The annual' inter-island match will be 1 ' played,at Wellington.'on September 23; Auckland Grammar School will play,. I its annual match against New Plymouth. Boys' High School' at Eden, Park oh August 19 as a curtain-raiser to the representative game between Hawkc's yf Bay and Auckland. Judging by the fairly heavy defeat "New Plymouth in-' ilicted upon Sacred Heart .College last Saturday, Auckland Grammar will meet ptrong opposition from the .southern I team. V . I're?yeji± indications point'tp'.-tfio task, of E. McKenzie and F. E. Sutherland, as being fairly simple so far as the backs are concerned, states a Wellington / writer. The forward job is the one which is going to take a lot of think- / ing out. Kilby appears to bo a certainty for the half position, whilo Pago and Griffiths should not have a great deal, of difficulty in winning ' fivefc-eighths f honours Caughey, of Auckland, will retain the centre berth, while Bullock--Douglas, who is playing' brilliantly in Wanganui, should go into", one of the wing positions. [Seeing that, this critic is so confident about thoi-ftftreo bucks behind the scfflmjVit is a wonder he wishes to mako room for Caughey, who may upset a complete Wellington back lino. —Athletic editor.]