Shield Prospects

NZ Truth, Issue 1233, 18 July 1929, Page 16

Shield Prospects

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Hawkes BayRep.) . - • ': INTENSE interest is centred on the" * Shield game at Masterton this Saturday and, although the hopesare unanimous, opinions differ. • The pessimists outnumber the oipti-1 mists, mostly on account of Mill go - Ing to the Walrarapa. The optimists are going through to cheer the Bay •: ..'. on, while the others remain at home and listen-in. On June 3 form, the Bay should './ again win, but there is no gainsay-" ■* iiig the fact that the transference of Jimmy Mill from one team to the ': other will make a difference. The Bay team wjll not -be finally - selected until perhaps the eve of the. , match and Selector Norman McKenzla'.''has been slightly up against It. ■, The Bay forwards should prove • -satisfactory,, but the same cannot be said of the backs. Wet or fine, the Bay will give Wairarapa a good tussle and should the; black and white backs give of their best, then the Shield will very nearly change Its address. There has been. a rumor afloat that Morrie Brown Ile will be m the pack, but the All Black skipper has'definitely stated that he will not play . until next season, iiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiUMiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiitiMiiiuiiiiiiHiiHininns pery and sodden. Few attempts were made by either side to open out the play. Marist backs gave some pretty passing, but when it came to defence {hey were more often than not caught out of position, with the result that two of Petqne's tries were gifts. ' • . " The worst ground m Wellington, on, a., wet day is Newtown Park, and It "was here thft Varsity and "Wellington haa to battle m mud and slush, the students putting on six points to their opponents'" nil. ■ . ' ' " ■.."" The first half saw honors even the piay being a battle between the forwards, with Wellington giving promise of providing Varsity with a surprise. Varsity, with four ; points' advantage over Athletic, look like again leading the way home m the championship.' but there is yet time to have calculations upset