RUGRY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12406, 27 March 1926, Page 17

RUGRY

Already the Rugby players of Wellington ate commencing to get into active training, and almost every club has “broken the ice.” Runabouts and gymnasium practices are being held, and there have been good musters, indicating that all will have to fight for their places.. There have bben no radical'changes in* any of the clubs, but the losses and gains are on a .par with thos© of other seasons. % - • ■ • '• * In the Petono Club H. E. Nicholls will be behind the scrum again, after ah absence of a season. Last, year his work claimed the whole of his attention, but this season he has already been out for a run. His return to the Petone team should considerably strengthen their back line. Mark Nicholls and Corner will be there when the whips are cracking. • • • • Many will regret to learn that ’‘Doc” Nicholls has decided to give the game best. He suffered a broken leg last year. Jeff. Nicholls, who ' played for Grafton in Auckland last-sea-son, is back, and has of course thrown his lot in with Petone. • * • •

A new recruit to the Petone ranks is McKennan, a lock, who played for Napier Pirates, tlje champion Hawke’s Bav team. There is also a likelihood of Yates, a Hawke’s Bay representative full-back, playing for Petohe. Tates , was a member of the side feat won the Ranfnrly Shield, but in the last two years he has had to give way to Nepia. • • » •

Henwood, the Petone full-back, of last season, will again be playing, also Rogers, last year’s half, and , Fitzgerald. Cameron and Jotvatt. In the forwards, Rariti (a junior), Thomas, Love, Dickens, Albert and Arthur Parker, Haddock, King, and Warden will be available.

It is understood that “Nugget” Pringle has recovered from the injury received last season and will be in the Oriental pack this year. Oriental, intends to make a trip to Wanganui during Easter. • » • •

The Old Boys forwards will be considerably strengthened by “Tiny” Emmerson, who was playing in the North Auckland district during last season. Mensies is retiring, and Dormer has been transferred to Dunedin. e e •

The loss of Underbill will be a serious one for Old Boys. His place in the five-eighths line .will be hard to filL J. Lamason, the wing-forward, has also been transferred. Bromwell will probably play in a five-eighths position. ••• ' •

As usual, a large muster of last yeir’s Wellington College boys have joined the Old Boys ranks, and it is expected that* eight or nine teams wiU be placed in the field. • • • •

Malcolm and Bedell are again available for Old Boys, and likewise Grenfell, who was considered' the most premising centre last season.'''

Under the management of H. E. Nicholls, a Petone fourth grade team will visit Nelson during Easter. 11107 will be strengthened by the inclusion of Thomas. *•• . *

Old Boys are having s big muster on Tuesday night, when a preliminary grading of the players will be made and coaches will be appointed. • •• • »

. 0. _JRmnie has resigned the position of secretary of the Old Boys Clnb, and C. Chegwidden has taken his place. • • • #

Rsrter, Svenson, Warwick, and Gibson are all turning ont again for Athletic, whose side will be almost tin, same as last year. They have a' number of promising juniors from whom they may well draw if necessary. Regular gymnasium practice commences next week. • • « *

The proposal to reduce the number of senior teams this season and create a senior B grade, has been carried, and on Tuesday night the delegates to the annual meeting of the Rugby Union will decide on the composition of these grades. It seems certain that Selwyn this year will be placed in the senior B grade, along with Eastbourne, John, sonville and Porirua. » • • •

Although it is early yet, ’Varsity’s prospects appear particularly bright. The majority of last season’s '"fifteen will .turn out again, and the team will, be considerably strengthened, by the inclusion of several well-known players new to Wellington football. •-• * •

Three members of the students’ bscjc division last year will not be available. I. A. Hart, the half-back, is now residing in fee Wairarapa; G, Kells, who proved-a prolific scoring man at centre, has returned to Palmerston North, and R. G. Marks, the full-back is not available.

.4* -s- *' ' * '• The “new bJoo3‘,” may more than compensate for these losses. lan Mac Ewan, who laft season gained a place in the Cambridge University, pack, will don the ’Varsity jersey this season. South, a prominent member of the Hawke’s Bay B touring team last year, will probably fill the vacant position at centre. Noble Adams. ev-Nel-son College player, and Marlborough representative full-back- for two years, has > a strong claim for the full-back position, although he can play in the three-quarter line, too. *■* * * J. D. Mackay, an ex-member of the New Plymouth High School fifteen, is a new wing-three-quarter who will turn out for ’Varsity. Mackay possesses weight and speed, being a 10 4-ssecs man on the track. He has played in Taranalci and Waikato representative trials. *** ' * Another fre«h man »n the d{▼lsion will bo a fiye*®ighths, fvho captained the Wellington Teachers’ Training College fifteen three eeasons back. * * * * Malfroy, Walpole, Sceats, and Love will again be available in the back division, and Martin-Smith (captain), Burns, Joll, Mackenzie and the remainder of last season's pack will all probablv take the field again. * * * * A fresh club which will play in the Wellington competition* this season is St. Pat's College old Boys. The club nao only recently been formed, but at the present time has a membership of over fifty: including several wellknown players. will be entered in the iunfor grades. When the Maori tesm leaves , fo? France, it will probablv take part of th® Hawke’s Bay team with it. Nepia/ Mill, end Falwasser seem almost certain of selection, and there are others, such as Ormond, Paewai. Blake, Cemmell. and Walker, who have a chance of selection, although Ormond may not he available. • • • * \n«rt from the departure of the Maori team, Hawke’s Bnv are ’ likely to suffer from r*r«posed nmaV'*’;’*tion nf th rt B*i*h TTnirm wi*h the ‘DanrtAwirko i« r»art T K-r tw representatives to the shield-holders’