RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21843, 4 July 1934, Page 16

RUGBY FOOTBALL

NORTH-SOUTH TRIAL GAME BIG CONTEST ON SATURDAY PERSONNEL OF SOUTHERNERS The big Kugby attrnction for Aucklanders this week will bo the North v. South Island trial match at Eden Park 011 Saturday afternoon. The South Island team lias already been selected, while the North fifteen will be chosen after to-day's trial at Wanganui. Four Aurklanders, Caughey, Corner, Hadley and Knight, are taking part in to-day's game, and tliev should all have good prospects of wearing the North Island jersoy next Saturday.

It is only on very rare occasions that the Auckland public is privileged to see an inter-island fixture and so, with the pick of New Zealand's players in action, the game is likely to draw a very large crowd. The team to represent the South Island is as follows:—■

Fullback.—Gilbert (West Coast). Threequarters.—Hart (Canterbury), Smith (Otago), Holder (Buller).

Five-eighths.—Hazelhurst (Canterbury). Oliver (Canterbury). Halfback. —Gaffeney (South Canterbury) . Forwards.—Hore (Otago), Oram (Buller), Adkins (South Canterbury), Manchester (Canterbury), Max (Nelson), King (West Coast), Berry (Southland), Andrews (Canterbury). Emergencies Backs: Mitchell (Southland), Mortlock (Canterbury). Forwards: Best (Marlborough), Chapman (Otago). , Halfback's Defection N. Francis, of Otago, was originally selected as halfback, but he was unable to make the trip and so Gaffeney was chosen in his place. Several of the South • Islanders have played for New Zealand and are well known to followers ol llugby in this centre. The names of some" are not familiar, and it is in these players that a good deal of interest will centre. All will be striving their hardest to catch the eyes of the four New Zealand selectors who Avill be present at the match. It is expected that the team to tour Australia in a few week's time will be announced on Saturday evening. The curtain-raiser will be a match between an Auckland B team and Thames. Mr. V. It. Meredith has selected the following players to represent Auckland:

Fullback.—Matheson (Grammar)

Threequarters.—Buckley (Grammar), Pearson (Otahuhu), Currey (Grafton). Five-eighths. Hedge (Otahuliu), Poulton (Mauukau). Halfback.—Frankham (Ponsonbv). Forwards.—Scarborough (Grammar), Thomas (University), Bond (Ponsonbv) Drake (University), McGrory (Marist), Morgan (Grammar), Organ (Ponsonbv), Batty (College Rifles). Reserves. Meßeth (Grammar), Brown (College Rifles), Slyfield (Grammar), Hassan (Marist). Championship Matches

The second round of matches in the Auckland Rugby Union's senior championship was commenced on Saturday afternoon last in three divisions. Chief interest naturally centred in the first division, but the ground and weather conditions were aJ] against spectacular play. Manukau's defeat by Otahuliu was a surprise and it now places Grafton once again in the lead for the championship. .At this stage it would appear" likely that Manukau and Grafton will finally fight out the issue-. The uncertainty' of football and the effect of wet weather on the result of a match were exemplified last Saturday by the game between the first fifteens of King's and Sacred Heart Colleges. Prior to the game Sacred Heart, which has an exceptionally , heavy pack of forwards, had lost by only 9 points to 6 against Grammar, which last Saturday wee.k defeated King's" by 27. points to 0. These results pointed to an easy win for Sacred Heart on Saturday, but King's beat it by 6 points to 0. Grammar's Good Lead , .The first round of the Rugby competition for secondary schools was completed on Saturday and Auckland Grammar School is leading for the championship. The position of the teams is shown by the following table:— Pts. Ch. P. W. D. L. F. Ag. Pts. Grammar .. 4.4 Mount Albert' . 4 2 Sacred Heart . 4 2 King's . . . . 4 2 Takapuna . . 4 In view of the fact that Mount Albert, Sacred Heart and King's have all gained an equal number of points, matches in the second round should be keenly contested. The curtain-raiser to the Thames Valley-Auckland B match and the trial match on Saturday will be the annual game between the first fifteens of Auckland Grammar School and Hamilton High School. Most of the games played in past years have been won by Grammar, which, if its performances in the competitions for local secondary schools are accepted as a. criterion, should add to its successes, unless Hamilton has an exceedingly strong team this year. BADMINTON COMMENTS DART SHIELD COMPETITION UNBEATEN TEAMS TO MEET The first round of the Auckland Badminton Association's inter-club competition for the Dart Shield will conclude to-morrow evening, when the two unbeaten teams, Parnell, the present holders of the trophy, and Central, will meet. On form this season, it is considered Central should have the best prospects. If Central is successful it will place it in a good position to win the Dart Shield, as Central will be playing on its home courts when it meets Parnell in the second round.

A splendid contest, however, is anticipated Players like Weir and Wilson and Misses Ramsay and Wade, for Central, and Martin and Ellett and Misses Ellett, for Parnell, should prove capable of providing some fast and spectacular play. A surprise result was witnessed in the Wisden Cup match, a trophy for inter-provincial challenge, when the Western Districts Association's team, Wanganui, defeated the Wellington representatives on points and thus became the first official holdei's of the trophy. Many of the games were very close, Wanganui eventually winning by a narrow margin of points after the games had finished even. Wanganui is to be congratulated on its showing, as it was generally thought that the Wellington team would win.easily. New Plymouth badminton enthusiasts are fortunate in having what are probably the best courts in the Dominion. There are about 300 active participants in the sport in Taranaki and they are now keen to form themselves into an association. The growth of badminton in Taranaki is typical of the increased popularity of the game throughout the Dominion.