SPORTS BUDGET

Southland Times, Issue 24757, 30 May 1942, Page 2

SPORTS BUDGET

FOOTBALLERS IN ARMY TEAMS Southland continues to be well represented wherever Rugby is played by the men of the armed forces. In one of the camps in the North Island, where it is expected that no fewer than 18 army teams will be available, former Southland representative players loom large in the personnel of the teams. In one of the sides there are two former Southland captains, both All Blacks. They are N. A. (“Brushy”) Mitchell and C. K. Saxton. Other Southlanders associated with Mitchell and Saxton are Eric Calvert a member of the 1939 Southland touring team, and Jack Elkis, the former Canterbury player who created such a good impression as centre for Southland last season. Southland footballers have been very prominent in several of the Army teams taking part in the Canterbury Rugby Union’s senior competition in Christchurch. They include H. J. Peddie and J. Taylor (Pirates backs), R. McEwan (Pirates forward), J. P. Newell (Marist), J. Cameron (Old Boys), L. Calder and Budd (Bluff). Calder and Budd played in the Pirates-Marist game at Invercargill last Saturday, Calder for Marist and Budd for Pirates. Calder’s display at half-back was a very smart one. In Suva In Suva Southland is well represented by yet another Southland captain, R. H. Ward, who has been playing alongside other All Blacks, Doug. Dalton, J. A. Hooper, J. G. Rankin and A. W. Bowman. Another Southland player in Suva is Fred Stewart, who recently won distinction by taking the two sprints at a championship meeting for the forces.

Men’s Hockey Now playing hockey in a northern military camp with considerable success are eight former Invercargill players, I. Campbell, A. E. Low, N. Dawson, G. Wright, T. Hagen, W. Jones, M. Kean and C. Irvine. These players have formed a team and so far have not been beaten. Some of them are at present on leave and will probably be turning out this afternoon at Queen’s Park. Senior hockey teams in the city have had their ranks greatly depleted and in the near future it might be necessary to pick sides from the players attending each Saturday. 'Hie secondary school competition will be kept alive, however.

Road Racing Season With the announcement that the Invercargill Cycling Club will hold its opening day on June 6, riders and the public generally will no doubt be once again looking forward to the road racing season, which this year will be on a more restricted scale. There are fewer riders than last season and because of the petrol restrictions the races will have to be of short distances. There are 12 to 15 of last year’s riders who will be competing again this season. Although not so brilliant on the road as on the track, R. McDougall, winner of all the Otago and Southland championships last year, will probably be. out again riding from scratch or the virtual scratch mark. J. McKenzie, C. Campbell, C. Waddick and L. Heath, riders who scored successes both in last year’s road season and the recent track season, should also be seen again. Pirates-Star The combined Pirates-Star team • looked like causing a surprise result in its game with Marist-Bluff at Rugby Park last Saturday. A dashing first half was not followed up by similar play in the second half, however, and in the end Marist-Bluff had a fairly comfortable win. For a team whose players mostly are drawn from country districts Pirates-Star shaped very encouragingly and not much improvement on that form would be required to give it a good chance of success against Old Boys-Invercargill today. It is possible that Pirates-Star will be strengthened by the inclusion of one or two former Pirates players at present on leave from camp. Renshaw, the smart Eastern district hooker, will also probably take a place in the forwards. Gore Player Shapes Well The most impressive individual performance in the main match at Carisbrook (Dunedin) last Saturday was that of the young O.M.R. full-back, E. D. McDougall, who comes from Gore. Although he was injured early in the second half, he gave as determined a display of tackling as has been seen on Carisbrook for some time, states a Dunedin writer. When Kaikorai was attacking hard in the middle stages of the game he went into the heavy forwards who were barging through to the line most effectively, and his injury did not reduce his willingness to tackle properly. McDougall fields and kicks well, and his performance generally suggested that he is a representative player in the making. Basketball Tournament

The annual King’s Birthday basketball tournament conducted by the Southland Basketball Union will be held at the Duke street courts on Monday. About 35 teams from town and country clubs have entered. Several games will be played by each team. Play will begin at 9 a.m. Loss To Old Boys D. Hamilton, a solid inside back in the Old Boys team, met with injuiy in the Old Boys-Army game two weeks ago and he will probably have to take his football from the bank for the remainder of the season. His loss will be a big one, not only to Old Boys, but to the Southland team for the Otago matches.