SOUTHLAND PREPARES FOR COMING MATCHES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27096, 2 June 1949, Page 4

SOUTHLAND PREPARES FOR COMING MATCHES

Country Day will be held by the Southland Rugby Football Union next Monday, and with the prospective Ranfurly Shield challenge match against Otago on, August 13, to be»followed by a northern tour, considerable interest ,will be taken in the form displayed, especially as Southland should now be reaping the benefits of the team j building plans organised by its selectors last year.

The Town team includes the 1946 All Black forward, T. A. Budd, who, with his Bluff team-mate, E. Robinson, has earned high praise in the club games this year. H. McCulloch, of the Pirates Club who took, part in the early All Black trials last season,- and L. S. Connolly, the 1947 All Black, figure in a pack which seems likely to furnish considerable strength for the Southland forwards this year. The captain of the Town side is N. J. Bennett, the clever five-eighth who has played many good, games for Southland, and at half-back is J. T. McKenzie, who figured in the final South Island All Black trial match last year. The former All Black fullback, T. R. D. Webster, is among the reserves.

Some well-known names also figure in the list of country players, among them being J. Hotop, the young hush representative and former Waitaki Boys’ High School player, whose display at centre in the Northern Subunion team will be closely watched. Representative forwards in the sidg include D. M. Brown and R. Stewart. The Western team has at five-eighth D. Smeaton, who showed great promise at' centre in the Southland side last year. The well-known Southland forward, J. R. Stuck, is also in this team.

Judged by the type of player in these teams and with the. Southern, Central and Eastern Sub-unions also in the reckoning, Southland looks to have the material for a srong side thisfeeason. High Travel Costs for Africans “Although the South African Government has not agreed to assist us financially at the moment, I do not think the question of finance will stop South Africa from competing at the British Empire Games,” said the secretary of the South African Olympic and British Empire Games Association in a letter received by the organising committee in Auckland last week. The only question was that of transport, and the lowest quotation obtainable for air travel was £647 8s per passenger, he said. The association had cabled the Prime Minister, Dr Malan, asking him to see what could be done about sea transport.\ Re-appearance in Basketball One of Otago’s best-known basketball players in the person of Miss June Colquhoun, is making her reappearance on Otago courts during the present season. She first represented Otago as a member of the Otago Girls’ High School team and later as a member of the Otago University side. Since she graduated, Miss Colquhoun’s basketball career has been somewhat disorganised, but she is now taking her place as a regular member of the Ex-Girls’ team. This player possesses great speed and a control of the ball well above the average of even most representatives. Had she been available last season she would undoubtedly, have found a place in the . New Zealand team.' Passed Over A Soccer player who appears to have been overlooked in the past two seasons as a possible representative full-back is G. Lawrence, left full-back for Technical Old Boys, comments the Daily Times Soccer writer. This very sturdy and safe left-footed left-back has the dash and solidity so necessary for the position. His name has never been mentioned, in trial games, but if ever a player earned such recognition, then Lawrence has, if only tor his consistency. Without being brilliant, he can always be relied upon. Taieri Hooker’s Promise

While there are many claimants for positions in the Metropolitan pack aspiring to representative Ruebv honours, the number of skilled hookers available usually creates a problem for the selectors. A player who has merited consideration this year, however, is the young Taieri forward, Hunt, who has shown considerable, hooking ability. Although he weighs barely 13st, he is unquestionably a hooker of outstanding promise because in practically every match in which the Taieri team has been engaged, it has called the tune in possession from set scrums and rucks. A feature of last Saturday’s match against Southern was the monotonous regularity with which the. ball was heeled smartly from scrums and rucks by Hunt. He also showed up in other phases .of fox-ward play. Another Taieri forward who is playing firstclass football this year is George Johnstone, a brother of All Black Peter Johnstone. In all the matches so far he has been prominent as one of the .leaders of the pack. Backstroke Star Unavailable Trevor Wilson, the former national men’s 100 Yards Backstroke champion, has advised the Otago Swimming Centre that he will not be available to train with a view to inclusion in New Zealand’s swimming team for the Empire Games. Wilson won the New. Zealand 100 Yards Backstroke title in 1948 when he defeated the present champion, P. E. Mathieson. Wilson, who is teaching in a country school, was unable to defend his title this year. He is one of three brothers who have achieved considerable success in Otago swimming, and his inability to train for the team to compete at Auckland next year is a distinct loss. Among his many impressive performances in the past is a victory in the New Zealand University championships. If given the opportunity for adequate training, he would almost certainly have been assured of selection.