LEAGUE RUGBY TOURISTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 143, 7 September 1927, Page 11

LEAGUE RUGBY TOURISTS

AUCKLAND TEAM GOES SOUTH ST. GEORGE CLUB ABANDONS TRIP THE departure of the Auckland League reps to-night on an extended tour of New Zealand and the unexpected decision of the St. George Club in Sydney to abandon its projected New Zealand tour, are the chief topics m League circles this week.

“Cannot arrange backing from Queensland and Sydney Leagues. Risk too great. Abandoning tour. —Fuesdale, secretary, St. George.” What a pleasing, cheerful and welcome cablegram for the Auckland Rugby League to receive from the George Club, Sydney, after it had been put to the unlimited trouble of arranging dates and making a guarantee of £4OO, an amount which would cover any loss against the matches in Auckland. 0 0 The message from across the Tasman has certainly landed as a bombshell on the League circles in this city, and, in fact, has been a giant and painful blow in the solar plexus region of those who have the code at heart. A visit to Auckland from such a highclass team as St. George would have put quite a nice finishing touch to a bumper season in which club competitions alone have held the greatest interest and attracted thousands of fans to Carlaw Park until the final tussle. But after all this success, it seems that the season has yet to have a damper placed on it by the non-arrival of the St. George team which it was expected would be the star attraction of the year. * # Still a Chance However, there is still a chance that the Sydnev team will visit Auckland if the local League feels disposed to enlarge on the guarantee. It is certainly very hard on the Auckland League as it has worked hard to get St. George over here and had gone as far as mapping out the arrangements, which, by the arrival of a cablegram at the eleventh hour, have been completely upset.

When it clinched the bargain some weeks ago it appears that St. George was led to believe that it would receive financial assistance from the New South Wales and Queensland Leagues, but now, at tlie critical moment. it seems that these two Leagues have let St. George down.

The Rocpe Rooster Fonsonby, Marist, Richmond and Shore are the four teams left in the knock-out competition which is to be continued next Saturday. All these teams, however, have been considerably weakened by the absence of players who will bo on tour with the Auckland reps., but it is expected that Marist will be the strongest. Fonsonby will have Hutt and Payne, their two principle forwards on tour, while Riley and Moore are on the sick list. Bass and Prentice will be away from Richmond. Webb. O’Brien and Dixon from Shore, while Gregory for Marist, will be the only player away from that team. At a recent meeting of the Grafton Athletic Club, Bert Avery, the ex-AII Black and New Zealand captain, was made a life member of his old club. Old-Timer Ready It will no doubt be a bit of a surprise for some of the old League fans in Auckland to learn that the onetime crack-a-jack, "Tab” Cross, was stripped off last Saturday for Ponsonby ready to take the field as an emergency. In his day, about six or seven years ago, “Tab” and "Seottie" McClymont played five-eighth together and in these days were recognised as the two shining lights on the League field. Athletic’s full back, Longville, was tried on the wing in the game against Ponsonby last Saturday and played

well. Courtney, who lias not been on the playing area for about five weeks, turned out for Grafton last Saturday and played back row in the place of Bert Avery. He is a promising player and should do well in that position. Akarana sixth grade has won the championship and judging by its form and class of play, it will also make things very warm in the knock-out competition. Stanaway, its first five eighth, who, in tlio past, has been playing fullback, has proved himself indispensable to the team by his clever football. He Is a natural footballer with plenty of size and is a dandy at making openings. From the point of view of stamina it appears that he is a chip off the old block, his father being J. J. Stanaway, the ex-champion New Zealand hurdler. “Dooley” Moore is still in the hospital, but it is expected that be will be out of bed next week. On one of the visiting days last week the whole of the Ponsonby senior team rolled up ai the hospital to see him. They strolled into the ward in Mutt and Jeff fashion. Little Tim Peckham took the lead and waddled in, followed by big Gardiner, he in turn being followed by the long and the short of tlie team alternately. No wonder Dooley will be out of bed next week! Devonport Veterans A game that caused a lot of interest and also plenty of fun was witnessed at Devonport last Saturday when tlie Veterans played the Present team, and the most surprising part was the wonderful form shown by tlie V eterans. They plainly showed the fans that thev had not forgotten how to playfootball and the way they saw the game out tc the end was remarkable. The Veterans’ team consisted of B. Emarile, A. Harper, A. Goddick, S Buttand, B. Laing, W. Wynyard, captain. Pat Morgan, E. Bailey, H. Griffin, A. Haddon, N. Veart, H. Douglas. J. Johnson. A glance through this list will convince that they were veterans \V Wynyard, who toured Home to England with the 1907 All Black team, was made captain, and showed that he had not forgotten some of the old tricks learnt while on tour.

The present-day team thought they had a good thing on, but could not defeat tlie old-timers, and tlie game ended in a draw. Devonport selectors are now considering whether they should play the Veterans or the present team in the Roope Rooster next Saturday! P. Holmes, who played for the Auckland Rugby representatives last year, has signed on with the Devonport League Club and will be seen out as wing threequarter in its first appearance in the Roope Rooster next Saturday at Carlaw Park. This man played In the practice game last Saturday and showed fine form and will be a. big assistance to Devonport. especially while their three representatives are away on tour with the Auckland touring team. The Auckland Rugby League reps will leave by the 7.45 express tonight to commence their tour of the South. Many of the fans who watched the Grafton-Athletic match last Saturday say that it is a pity that there were no selectors present, for Lucas at fiveeighth proved himself a very useful back, well worth his place in the rep. team. Grafton however is not altogether upset that he is not chosen as he is wanted for the game against Ellerslie next Saturday week.