RUGBY NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 22364, 2 July 1934, Page 8

RUGBY NEWS

GAMES POSTPONED STORMY WEATHER ON SATURDAY BAIRD CUP MATCH (By “Onlooker.”) Owing to the boisterous weather conditions, all Rugby fixtures set down for decision in Invercargill on Saturday afternoon were postponed. This is the first occasion this season that the weather conditions have brought about an interruption in the club competitions.

Advice has been received that N. A. Mitchell, the Old Boys’ centre, who was injured in the trial game at Oamaru on Wednesday, is making a good recovery and will be able to travel to Auckland to take part in the NorthSouth trial at Auckland next Saturday. Mitchell and R. Berry, the second Southland representative in the South Island team, are expected to depart for Auckland on Wednesday. An unusual number of injuries occurred in the trial game at Oamaru last week. The game was hard and fast, if ragged, but there was no suggestion of roughness or willingness. J. Manchester, the Canterbury forward, who retired before half-time, received a bad cut over the left eye, necessitating two stitches to close the wound. T. Metcalfe, of Invercargill, had the third finger of his left hand dislocated at the second joint. He was treated on the ground, but the efforts to restore the joint to a normal position were not momentarily successful. A medical man among the players, ambulance men and doctors all had a try at pulling the joint in before it finally responded. Despite the handicap occasioned by the accident Metcalfe played a sterling game. Others injured in the game were Hazelhurst, Busch (nose injury), Mitchell (knee injury and concussion) and Martyn (leg injury). Among the visitors at Oamaru were Mr S. S. Dean, chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr Gilbert Porter, a former Southland full-back, and Mr Albert Blanche, a former Invercargill player who toured with the Southland team last year. Mr Porter was looking very well and informed the writer that he was making a good, if slow, recovery. He hopes to see some of the Southland games this season. The trial at Oamaru was scheduled to commence at 2 p.m. At 1.30 p.m. neither team had jerseys. The New Zealand Rugby Union in its wisdom had left the despatching of the jerseys in Mr Dean’s charge. Mr Dean arrived at Oamaru by the south express less than an hour before the game. Fortunately the train was not delayed otherwise the trial would have been a bigger farce than it turned out to be. Some hard words were spoken in Oamaru over these arrangements.. Will the same arrangements operate in the North Island trial at Wanganui on Wednesday? A deputation from the Otago Rugby Union waited on Mr Dean at Oamaru to see if it could get some satisfaction in regard to communications between the union and the New Zealand Union. Apparently requests had been shelved, and in one instance no reply had been received at all. The meeting at Oamaru was not open to the Press, but it is understood that the Otago representatives did not mince matters in voicing their complaint. The arrangements for the game at Oamaru were well conducted by the North Otago Union. Indeed its part in the trial deserved better results. BAIRD CUP MATCH CENTRAL v. WESTERN. The following teams have been selected to play for Central and Western Sub-Unions in the annual Baird Cup match at Drummond on Wednesday:— Central. Full-back: R. Robb. Threequarters: N. Thornbury, L. McKenzie, A. McCurdy. Five-eighths: V. Driscoll, W. Reid. Half-back: C. Calder. Front row: W. Boyle, D. Chilton, W. Sherriffs. Middle row: J. Murphy, R. McDonald (captain). Back row: F. Casey, D. McLeod, A. Chilton. Emergencies.—Backs: N. Pierce, W. South. Forwards: J. South, B. Watson. Western. Full-back: A. Lockett. Three-quarters: J. Mouat, M. Harrington (centre) and R. Pickering. Five-eighths: E. Mclntyre, A. McKay. Half-back: C. Watson. Forwards: E. Fowle, F. Collis, F. Greer, C. Smith, H. Southern, B. Forde, F. Brown and N. Irwin. Emergencies—Forwards, W. Pope, W. Liddell, M. Brick; backs, A. B. Dixon, A. Burnett. HIGH SCHOOLS’ MATCH SOUTHLAND TO PLAY WAITAKT. To-morrow the Southland Boys’ High School first and second fifteens leave for Oamaru where they will on Wednesday play against the first and second fifteens of the Waitaki Boys’ High. School. Though Waitaki and Southland have met on the cricket field this is the first football match between the schools. The match will be doubly welcome, for the discontinuance of the secondary schools’ tournament among Christchurch, Timaru, Otago and Southland has robbed the last-mentioned school of its opportunity to try conclusions with other institutions. The Southland teams are as follows: — First Fifteen. Backs: R. Bamford 9.8, P. G. McLauchlan 9.11, L. M. Uttley (captain) 10.6, G. D. Hudson 11.4, G. Anderson 11.5, D. B. Hamilton 11.4, M. K. Carswell 9.7, R. Watson 11.0. Forwards: G. Nimmo 10.12, E. Callaghan 10.7, L. R. Stewart 10.9, S. Maclean 11.0, D. R. Campbell 12.12, E. Slocombe 12.0, D. Stevens 11.1, H. Robjohns 11.3. Second Fifteen. Backs: J. Smith, Robertson, Fyffe, Whyte, Darroch, Cassells, Campbell, Ryan. Forwards: R. Dickens, J. Farmer, L. Dickens, T. Potts, A. Parker, Todd. Hazeldine, H. Strang. REPRESENTATIVE GAMES WAIRARAPA v. HAWKES BAY. (Per United Press Association.) Carterton, June 30. Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay met at Carterton to-day in fine weather and good ground conditions. Play opened evenly, the forwards working well. There were occasional glimpses of back play. Fine kicking gave Hawkes Bay an advantage and Evans scored a flukey try. Hawkes Bay staged an attractive back movement which let Browne away. Hemi brought him down but Evans coming up on the outside dived across for his second try. A Wairarapa forward rush saw the Greens over the

line but the ball went into touch-in-goal. Nunn sent Fitzgerald, Devine and Stringfellow away, the latter scoring. Fitzgerald failed. Wairarapa forwards dribbled the ball close to the goal where Smith relieved. Stringfellow penetrated and passed back to the forwards, Trass grounding. Hemi converted. Wairarapa 8, Hawkes Bay 6. Opening the second spell the Wairarapa backs got going and the forwards carried on, Reid going to the line, Henderson scoring under the posts. Hemi converted. Wairarapa 13, Hawkes Bay 6. Wairarapa pressed but could not advance. From half-way Evans set off down the line and passed in-field to Mataira who scored handily. Bradley converted. Hawkes Bay came back with a rush and Le Quesne potted a goal. Hawkes Bay 15, Wairarapa 13. There was no further score. v POVERTY BAY AND HAWKES BAY. (Per United Press Association.) Gisborne, June 30. Fielding a weak side Poverty Bay managed to draw with Hawkes Bay today. The match provided some bright Rugby but both teams missed too many chances. The backs were fairly even with any advantage to the local team. For three-quarters of the game Poverty Bay held the advantage but over the last twenty minutes the visitors attacked steadily though encountering solid defence. Bright passing enabled Peterson to score the initial try which Wright converted, but within two minutes Kaua kicked a penalty for Poverty Bay and then C. McKinnley scored, Kaua converting. Shortly before the end Miller scored a try for the visitors and time was called with the tallies eight-all. WAIKATO v. KING COUNTRY. (Per United Pi'ess Association.) Hamilton, June 30. Despite the heavy nature of the ground, a cold wind and rain, the representative match, Waikato v. King Country, was full of excitement and was productive of bright football, Waikato winning by 11 to 6. The backs were evenly matched while the rear divisions handled the ball well considering the state of the ground. Davis opened Waikato’s account with a penalty goal, List evening matters with an unconverted try. McLeod kicked a penalty goal for King Country and Solomon added to Waikato’s total with a brilliant try. W. Allen brought the winner’s tally to 11 with a further try in the corner. SOUTH-NORTH TRIAL GAFFANEY REPLACES FRANCIS. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, July 1. A. Francis, the Otago half-back, who was selected as half back for the South Island team in the inter-island trial match at Auckland next Saturday is not available and G. Gaffaney, of. South Canterbury, has been chosen in his stead. IN OTHER CENTRES DUNEDIN. Matches were postponed. TIMARU. Old Boys 16, Waihi 6. Geraldine 9, Celtic nil. Star 12, Pleasant Point 8. Temuka 3, Zingari nil. CHRISTCHURCH. Old Boys 14, Sunnyside 3. Merivale 5, Christchurch nil. Athletic 15, Varsity 8. Albion 19, Sydenham 5. WELLINGTON. Senior A—First Division. Hutt 18, Athletic 12. Wellington 13, Marist 3. Poneke 21, Petone 8. Eastbourne 10, Varsity 5. Wellington College Old Boys 31, St. Patrick’s Old Boys nil. Senior A —Second Division. Poneke 12, Melrose-Selwyn 7. Johnsonville 9, Miramar 6. Petone 23, Athletic 5. AUCKLAND. Grafton 14, Technical 6. Varsity 13, Ponsonby nil. lOtahuhu 3, Manukau nil. DRAWN GAME N.S.W. v. QUEENSLAND. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 6.35 p.m.) Sydney, July 1. In a Rugby Union match New South Wales played a drawn game with Queensland, the scores being 8 all. At half-time the scores were: New South Wales 8, Queensland 3. The game was spoilt by rain and a heavy ground.