RUGBY COMPETITIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1929, Page 5

RUGBY COMPETITIONS

CLUB GAMES TO-MORROW PROGRAMME FOR TO-MORROW. . PLAYERS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC. Northern Division. Old Boys v. Clifton, at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth. Star v. Inglewood, at Inglewood. Tukapa v. Stratford, at Stratford. Okato v. Celtic, at Okato. Southern Division. Opunake v. Eltham, at Opunake. Athletic v. Wahnate, at Manaia. Patea v. Okaiawa, at Patea. Hawera v. Kaponga, at Hawera. To-morrow marks the commencement of the 1929 Rugby competitions. Players, it is pleasing to note, have for weeks past been training assiduously. They are realising more and more each year that a competition is often lost or won in the early-stages. A team that is not reasonably fit sustains a couple of defeats at the start of the competition* and finds it difficult and sometimes impossible to make up the leeway later. Moreover, if football is to continue to attract the public, players must make it fast and spectacular. Easter Saturday, which usually marks the commencement of serious preparation for the winter game, came early this year, and players have had five weeks to get ready. The majority of them have been'systematically training individually, while the teams have had a considerable amount of coaching. From the play shown in the ten-a-sjde tournament on Saturday some sparkling play should be witnessed. Football of such a high standard was shown on that occasion that the public not only remained to the end, but went home with their appetite whetted for the opening of the competition. This year there is an additional incentive for players to get into form early and give of their best. Indications were not lacking at the close of last year that Taranaki had a splendid lot of young players coming on and that it would be more difficult to get into the representative team than it has been during the past few years. This year the provincial jersey may ■ prove a stepping stone to that of the All Black, as there is a tour to Australia this season, as well as the visit of the English team next season. With this goal to aim at players should be more keen than ever to catch the eye of Sole Selector W. A. Guy. SELECTION CHANGES. In this connection ■ one must express regret that Mr. Guy has not been reappointed. New Zealand selector. Mr. Guy has held the position for several years and always carried out his duties with conscientious thoroughness; no sacrifice of time being too great. With his colleagues he selected the unbeaten 192425 All Black team that toured England, also flie team that did so well in South Africa last year. He had ako a good knowledge 'of the coming players in the Dominion. While not begrudging Auckland the raising of Selector G. H. Nicholson to Dominion status, for as a member of the original All Blacks and a thorough student of the game, he possesses ideal qualifications for* the post, one would have liked to have seen the selectors spread more over the island. The appointment of one man from the East Coast, one from the West Coast and one from the Auckland district, where there is a big field to cover, would have been satisfactory to all concerned.

However, to revert to the competition matches, it is too early yet to attempt to prognosticate the ultimate winner of he competition. It is gratifying to note that a number of the clubs consider that they have more than an outside chance of attaining that coveted honour, and they are leaving nothing to chance. The Taranaki public tomorrow will have the choice of. eight matches to view, as the raising of Celtic to senior status has necessitated the transference of Eltham back to the southern division, thus eliminating the bye.

Throughout the province all the opening matches should prove interesting. In the northern division greatest interest will centre in the meeting of Star and Inglewood, at Inglewood. Last year the team from the inland town played a very prominent part in the competition, and this year, as they have already shown, they are considerably strengthened, especially in the rear division, they expect to do well. Star also have greatly strengthened their forwards, whilst their backs, though not perhaps quite in shape yet, are solid in defence and possess fast wings. This should provide a stirring contest. OLD BOYS STRENGTHENED. At Pukekura Park Old Boys meet Clifton. Old Boys for some years past have been expected to make good, but though they have somewhat disappointed by not reaching the top run of the ladder, they have always played spectacular football. In the past their forwards have been on the light side, but this year they have been strengthened by the inclusion of S. Fookes, the ex-High School and Canterbury representative, and Palmer, ex-School and New South Wales player. Their backs, too, are very speedy, and with Brown at the top of his form they do not lack a leader. Clifton, however, showed last year that they were a coming power. They retain most of their young players and with the generalship of Pat Ward, Taranaki’s only representative in last year’s All Blacks, they should be a formidable fighting force. Stratford, last years’ champions, meet Tukapa at Stratford. The led and blacks showed last Saturday that Walter and Co. are as formidable a vanguard as ever, but Stratford arc again having difficulty in sorting their backs into shape. Tukapa have a set of young

backs, mostly promoted juniors of more than ordinary promise. Their forwards are light and dashing, and they may effect a surprise. Okato showed marked improvement at the close of last year, and with the experience gained should prove a more difficult proposition. They meet Celtic, an unknown quantity. From their showing last Saturday, and with O’Keefe to lead the pack, Celtic promise well.

In South Taranaki all the teams are prepared. Principal interest will centre in the meeting of Okaiawa and Patea, at Patea. Last year’s southern premiers possess a well balanced team of fast backs and light, dashing forwards, mostly young .and trained to the hour. Patea, however, are said to have an accession of strength in the backs with Grant, the ex-High School and Canterbury five-eighths. They also have a powerful set of forwards. Last season in the early stages they looked like being prominent, defeating Okaiawa in the opening, match, but they subse-. qucntly faded away. Hawera and Kaponga will meet at Hawera. The Hawera team is said to be much improved, especially in the rearguard, where their promising young backs of last year have' improved considerably. With the representative hookers, Robinson and Murphy, to secure the ball, and the representative half, Riley, at the base of the scrum, they should shape well. Kaponga has lost two or three men, but has promising recruits, and. with • A. Guy as leader will keep the opposition busy. 1 Opunake and Eltham will meet at Opunake. The men from Opunake have been knocking at the door for some years, and no one would begrudge them a turn of fortune. They are keen and train hard, but with thei" players spread over' a country district find it hard to get concerte 1 practice. They have a solid pack and a good set of backs. Eltham, who are making their re-ap-pearance in the southern division, have struck lean times during the past year or two. They now possess a promising team of young players who will improve as the season advances, and are capable of upsetting the best of them. Waimate will meet Athletic at Manaia. Waimate, once a power in the land, have had a few parlous. years. They are rapidly coming in their own and this year, with their backs helped in attack by the re-appearance of the representative wing three-quarter, Leo Bourke, they will be well in the running. Athletic also expect to field a much stronger team than, that of last year, and as they play bright football the public should see a great game. » . TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW. Old Boys against Clifton at Puke- , kura Park. —Priar, Webster, Brown, i Medley, K. Fookes, McPherson, Morey, i S. Fookes, Brewster, Luxton, Perry, Pal- i mer, Drader, Crawford, Allan; reserves, I Campbell and H. Olson. i Star seniors v. Inglewood at 3 p.m. MacDonald, Stroud, Broughton, Wolfe, McLean, Clarke, Beck, Shaw, Phillips, Meuli, Pepperell, Billing, Moorhead, Clegg, Wolfe, Hunt, Joseph, Blincoc, Harvey. 1 Star juniors v. High School at x ark, 1.30 p.m.—Mclvor, Moorhead, Wilkins, Sampson, Lealand, Woodham, Barlow, Ennis, Kinsella, Sheehy, Blackmore, Morgan, Ford, Smith, McLeod, Knig , Kendall. Crawford, King. Star fourths.—Webber, Rothery, Page, Kinsella, Sampson, Scoble, Haggerty, Worn, Hopkinson, Lash, Kerr, Rutherford, Robb, McCauley, Ferry. Star fifths.—White, Batten, Plumb, Stroud, Manning, Hills, Cook, King, O’Donnell, Clow, Parkin, Gore, 0 Brien, Johnson, Julian, Bolton, Hardgrave. Okato seniors v. Celtic, at Okato. Chard, Carter, John Goodwin, McDonald, Simelhay, A. Goodwin, L. Goodwin, E. Roebuck,. G. Roebuck, Joe Goodwin, F. Goodwin, Jones, Whenare, W. Julian, Lawn, McLean, E. Julian. The Stratford seniors to play Tukapa at Victoria Park to-morrow are:—-A. Collins, Lash, Robson, Bonner, P. Collins, Owen, J. Sangster, Fryday, Young, Smith, Kivell, Coleman, Walter, Penniall, Hinton; emergencies, Taylor (back), Weir, Fookes (forwards). The Celtic senior team to play Okato at Okato to-morrow will be picked from the following:—Dodd, son, Lindell, Collins, Davy, Bublitz, Kettlewell, Payne, Espin Hughes 0 Keefe, Johnson, Fanning, Hinton, Bardmore, Young, Bilski. . Okaiawa junior Rugby team to plaj Waimate at Okaiawa at 3 p.m.: Skipper. Bailey, Watson, Lockett, Wilkinson, R. Walker, Barclay, Tito, Guy, D. Blau, Poole, Toss, Ngaia, Clarke, Clem. Blair; emergencies, Rakci, Stewart and C. Walker.

Okaiawa seniors to play Patea at Patea:—C. Blair, R. Simons, B. Cameron, D. Crawford, D. Johnston, Awahou, R. James, D. McCallum, Rangi Ruru, E. McCallum, R. Grefenough, Ike, R. Clarke, A. Preston, M. Clarke; emergencies, Hunger, C. Watson. Okato v. Celtic, at Okato: —W. WTienere, E. Roebuck, S. Jones, W. Julian, McLean, F, Goodwin, Joe Goodwin, Tipladv, A. Carter, C. Simelhay, H. McDonald* L. Goodwin, B. Goodwin, J. Goodwin and E. Chard; emergencies, G. Roebuck, E. Julian, B. O’Sullivan, J. Bright. ' Waimate seniors.—Bloomfield, Bourke' (3), Burke, Shaw, Whalen, McKay, Paterson, Wineera, T. Hickey, M. Edwards, Griffin, Long, Hughes, Hikaka, Johnson; Sutton, Woods and Hickey. Waimate juniors.—A. Hughes, Nuku (2), Tamu (2), Hooper, Ansley, W. King, E. Edwards, A. Shaw, Heneri (2), S. Rei, G. Edwards, Hucker, R. Hughes, H. Ashford, ( Street. Athletic seniors.—Tuki, McLean, Lay, Owen, Meyrick, Barker, Dymond, Dowdle, Mundy, Cate, Beauchamp, Pease, Phillips, Smith, Coleman, Tippitt, Bedford, Tarran.