THE LEAGUE CODE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21831, 20 June 1934, Page 17

THE LEAGUE CODE

> REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURE OMISSION OF J. LAIRD RICHMOND INCREASES LEAD The first representative match of tho season will Ix 3 played at Carlaw Park next Saturday week, when Auckland will meet Taranaki. The latter team is to be specially coached for the match and, judging by its form last season, should bo capable of .making a good showing. Auckland will field a strong all-round side, but there are some surprises in the selectors' choice for the players to go into training. The omission of J. Laird, Marist, and T. Hall, Newton, is hard to understand. Laird is one of the best forwards playing the code. He is always near the ball and is equally at home on attack or defence. Hall, too, is a fine back-row forward ami is playing as well as ever. Quirke, the Newton hooker, can he regarded as unfortunate in not catching the selectors' eye. He has met with considerable success throughout the season and against City last Saturday gave his backs a feast of the ball. It is pleasing to see Kay, the young Ponsonby centre, included and it is to bq hoped tho selectors will choose him in tho final team. Kay played a fine game for Ponsonby against Richmond at second five-eighths last Saturday, his first try being a splendid effort. He is one of the "finds" of the season and will improve in better company. The players selected for practice are as follows:—Campbell (Marist), McNeil (Richmond), Wayne (City). Mincham (Richmond), Kay, (Ponsonby), Stephens (Newton), Cooke (Richmond). Prentice (Richmond), Powell (Richmond), Axeman (City), Clark, (City), Donald (Devonport), Stevens (Devonport), Telford (Richmond), Hutt (Ponsonby), Satherley (Richmond), Blacklaws (Newton), Lawless (Richmond), Leatherbarrow (Devonport). Cooke's Fine Play Richmond still remains unbeaten in the senior championship and has increased its lead to six points. It will take a good side to lower the colours of the leaders and Devonport at present seems tho team likely to cause an upset. Devonport is improving in team work each week, and when it meets Richmond the match should prove one of the best attractions of the season. A. E. Cooke, the former Rugby All Black, played another fine game at fullback for Richmond last Saturday. Cooke retains his speed in a remarkable manner and his clever anticipation and accurate kicking mean a great deal to the team. Both Ponsonby and Richmond changed their back formations last Saturday and it seemed that with Ponsonby especially a mistake was made. Although Stockley was below form the previous week he plaved a splendid all-round game at centre against Richmond and would have proved more useful to the team closer to the scrum. At fullback Halloran, who has been playing half all the season, gave a weak exhibition. Better tackling by Ponsonby would have made the score much closer. The obstruction try awarded to Mincham last Saturday was fully justified and the decision of—the referee. Mr. M. Wetherill, was correct. The official in charge kept a close watch for obstruction and other illegal tactics and caught players several times. A few more exhibitions of this kind with the whistle will soon stamp out illegal play. Mr. Wetherill plays the advantage rule well with the result that the play is far more spectacular. Inter-Island Match The code is still popular on the West Coast, South Island, and a crowd of over 2000 witnessed the first representative game between West Coast and Northern Districts. The latter body is a sub-league, having been formed only two years ago'. A high standard of play is reported, and it was only in the last few minutes that the West Coast team prevailed. The form of the Northern District team impressed followers of the code at Greymouth. The question of playing the North ' and South Island fixture at Auckland this season has been discussed' by the New Zealand Council. It is well known that the southern leagues are keen to see the match arranged. Last year it was found impossible to stage the match, owing to th;e heavy expense incurred in bringing the South Island team to Auckland. With the erection of the new stand at Carlaw Park the match this year should prove a big draw. One of th 6 bpst games of the season was witnessed at Carlaw Park last Saturday, when Devonport played ,-fcewton as a curtain-raiser to the principal match. The second half was particularly well contested, and iNewton had much the better of the play. The losers made bad mistakes in attempting to break through individually, instead of opening up the game. For fully ten minutes the INewton forwards hammered away at, the onport goal-line. Each time a forward snapped up the ball he tnccl to over. Splendid defence checked these efforts.