SPORTS BUDGET

Southland Times, Issue 24445, 27 May 1941, Page 9

SPORTS BUDGET

Representative Rugby Games The following is from the Otago Rugby Union’s guide for last Saturday: “It is pleasing to know that there will be some representative matches played during the season. On June 2 Otago will play North Otago at Oamaru. Arrangements have been made to play home and home matches with Canterbury this season. This is one of the oldest fixtures in New Zealand, and disappointment was expressed that the match was not played last season. However, the Canterbury team will play in Dunedin on August 9 and the return match will be played at Christchurch on August 30. “Home and home matches will also be played between Otago and Southland, and no doubt an effort will be made to have the usual invasion of Southlanders to Dunedin and from Dunedin to Invercargill. It is doubtful if any representative match in New Zealand causes more interest than this fixture.” Best Golfing Weather

Have golfers ever noticed that if it is a perfectly still, sunny day they never seem to score as well as they expect to? Here is what Bryon Nelson, the American professional champion, says about it: “Give me an overcast day and 11l give you a low score. In bright sunshine my eyes get tired and I lose the ability to judge distance, and my score goes up.”

In A Cricket Photograph When the Kaikorai Cricket Club had its first eleven photographed a week or so ago, the players were grouped, whether by accident or design, so that one row consisted of a former All Black Rugby player, a New Zealand cricket representative, an Association football New Zealand representative, and a very prominent hockey player, says The Otago Daily Times. A. (“Nugget ) Pringle was the Rugby player, C. F. W. Allcott the cricketer, Harold Balk the Association representative, and E. J. Rennick the hockey player—a proud enough record of versatility for any club cricket team. The quartet missed being all “All Blacks” by only a narrow margin, for Rennick has played hockey for the South Island, and, if he had permitted his name to go before the New Zealand selectors when the last team for Australia was '■ )elr }§ chosen, it is probable that he would have been selected. Does Blood Count? Is there anything in Celtic blood that goes towards making good Rugby forwards? Perhaps not, but the fact remains that both Ireland and Scotland have produced many great forwards. When the 1935 All Blacks were on thentour of the Old Country they had a surprise not long after crossing the Border. Tlieir first engagement in Scotland was against South of Scotland. It was generally thought it would be a comparatively easy game for the visitors. Actually it proved to be a desperately hard struggle and the All Blacks had to go all out to win by a narrow margin of 11-8. For this the Border forwards were largely responsible. The query about Celtic blood and Rugby forwards was not, however, made to recall this particular match. It was suggested rather by the good play of the Marist forwards in the match with Old Boys.on Saturday. Judging from their names the majority of the Marist forwards were of Irish or Scottish descent. This might have had nothing to do with the standard of thenplay, but the way that they followed up, kept on the ball and co-operated in dribbling rushes strongly suggested the sort of forward play that one sees frequently in club games in Ireland and Scotland. Tom Heeney As Referee

Tom Heeney recently figured in the role of referee on a boxing programme at Miami, Florida, where he is in business. The other referees were Jack Dempsey, Johnny Risko and Jack Britton. Another indirect, contact with New Zealand was provided by Pat Comiskey, who was formerly in the same “camp” as Maurice Strickland, by whom he has been praised as one of the brightest prospects among. the American heavyweights. Comiskey knocked out Domingo Valin, San Francisco, in two minutes and lb seconds of the first round. The cur W _ haired Comiskey landed a left to the chin and followed it with a hard light to the stomach to drop Valm lor a count of nine. Benny Leonard and Lew Tendler, famous lightweights of /X 0 /, a quarter of a century ago, both bald and bulgy, limped through a threeround exhibition. DIVIDEND TO GO TO AUCKLAND (Special) CHRISTCHURCH May 26 Dividend was nominated lor the Great Northern meeting and also lor the Dunedin meeting and it was intended last week that the southern trip would be undertaken. Since the appearance of the weights for both meetings it has been decided to send Dividend to Ellerslie to contest the Great Northern Hurdles and othei hurdle event He was also nominated for the Great Northern Steeplechase, but as he has not had any schooling over country this ordeal will no doubt not be tackled. I. Walther will ride -the Lord Warden gelding on the trip. Mungatoon and Waka were companions over four hurdles at Riccaiton today. They gave a sound and fast display, Mungatoon finishing in front.