SPRINGBOK MATCH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19423, 7 September 1937, Page 7

SPRINGBOK MATCH

TEAMS SELECTED GAME IN SOUTHLAND PROSPECT OF DRY GROUND (Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, last night. The following are the teams for Wednesday's Rugby match between the Springboks and Southland: — Springboks. Full-back: Brand. Threequarters: Lavvton, Babrow, Hofmeyr, Lochner, Lyster. Halves: De Vyver, De Villiers. Forwards: "Fanie" Louw, Lotz, Martin, Strachan, Nel, Van Den Berg, Van Reenan, Du Toit. One threequarter will be dropped. Southland. Fullback: A. W. Wesney. Threequarters: A. G. Sutherland, N. A. Mitchell, E. Calvert. Five-eighths: G. P. Thomas and P. Grace. Halfback: J. Purdue. Forwards, front row: C. George, J. Mattingly, V. L. George; second row, E. R. Chesterman, N. H. Irwin, R. H. Ward, J. Hamilton; back row, W. L. Crawford. If Mitchell is unable to play, Wesney will be played at centre, and G. Sylvester at fullbacL. After 10 days of warm, sunny weather the ground at Rugby Park is in wonderful order, and when the Springboks, who arrived at 1 o'clock, were practising there this afternoon, dust was seen to rise in places. A pleasant surprise was in store for the Springboks when they visited Rugby Park for their practice run. They expected to find, they said, a bog of mud, but instead found the playing surface unequalled in any of the grounds they had played on in New Zealand. The park has rarely been seen in such good condition. Mr. A. De Villiers, one of the managers, said it was the best surface the team had seen or had been on during the New Zealand tour. "We are delighted with it," he said.

PRACTICE FOR MITCHELL POSSIBLE AUCKLAND VISIT Private advices received in Auckland during the week-end indicate that N. A. Mitchell, the brilliant Southland centre and wing-threequar-ter, will be fit to play for the All Blacks in the third test against the Springboks at Auckland on September 25. Mitchell has been undergoing treatment for his leg injury received during the trial matches, and it is stated that he has made a fine recovery. He

is contemplating travelling to Auckland a week or more before the game and has indicated a desire to play in tins city in order to indulge in serious match practice. Club competitions in Invcrcargill will close-on Wednesday and Mitchell will thus have little chance to play in his own centre. It is understood that the matter is receiving close consideration by the Auckland Rugby Union, which hopes to arrange a suitable match. Should this eventuate, Mitchell may figure in a special curtain-raiser to the annual match between Auckland and Wellington at Eden Park on Saturday week. Mitchell proved himself the outstanding back in the Dominion in the All Black trial games at Wellington, and there was universal disappointment when it was learned that he would be unable to play in the tests. His defection was a serious loss to the New Zealand team. Should he play in the third test, he will materially strengthen the side, not only on attack and defence, but also for his general- | ship among the backs. j TELEGRAMS TAKEN CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES (Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, last night. The manager of the Springbok team, Mr. P. Day, said to-night that owing to the fact that numerous telegrams of congratulation on Saturday's victory were taken, apparently by some unknown person, from the Springbok team's private sitting-room in Christchurch, he regretted he was unable to follow his usual practice of acknowledging them individually. He wished the senders to know the messages were much appreciated by himself and the team. REMAINING FIXTURES SIX GAMES TO BE DECIDED The Springboks will play only two more games in the South Island, these being against Southland to-morrow and Otago next Saturday. The visitors will then go directly from Dunedin to Napier, where they will meet Hawke's Bay on September lf>. The remaining matches of the New Zealand tour are as follows: September B—v. Southland, at Invercargill. September 11—v. Otago, al Dtincdin. September 15—v. Hawke's Bay, at Napier. September 18—v. Poverty Bay-East Const-Bay of Plenty, at Gisborne. September 25—v. New Zealand (third test), at Auckland. September 29—v. North Auckland, at Whangarei.