SENIOR RUGBY COMPETITION

Taranaki Daily News, 30 July 1932, Page 4

SENIOR RUGBY COMPETITION

THE FINALISTS UNDECIDED. VERY INTERESTING POSITION. Only two more matches remain to bo played to complete, the second round and th© ultimate winners in either division are not yet: disclosed. That is the unusually interesting position of the; senior Rugby competition in Taranaki. It is very many years since such a position has arisen, as generally, in one division, if not in both, the winner is indicated early in the second round.- This ; season, however, there is every possibility of divisional “play-offs” being necessary before the provincial championship finalists are found. In the northern division three teams are running practically level, so that, .to-day’s matches will be fraught with intense interest. Particularly will this be the case a* Pukekura Park, when those old rivals Star and Tukapa will meet. Tukapa have a. four-point lead over Star, but to-day marks their last competition match, whereas Star have two other matches to play. The meeting of Star and. Tukapa always evokes a keen struggle for supremacy. Should Tukapa win to-day they will maintain their - position in the lead and in the event of Stratford going through undefeated will have to play off with the red and blacks. A win to Star, however, would put Tukapa out of the running arid the championship would then depend on the Star-Stratford match. Should Star and Tukapa .draw this afternoon, the Star-Stratford match would have even greater possibilities, as a win for Stratford would giVe the honours to that team, whilst a win for Star would necessitate a play-off with Tukapa, and a draw would mean that Stratford and Tukapa would require to play off. When Star and Tukapa met in the first round Tukapa won by three points. To-day’s match promises to be very close. Stratford, too, cannot afford to take chances against Old Boys. The latter have been very disappointing of late ' ut they at times rise to great heights, as in the first round, when they defeated Stratford—the only clear reverse Stratford have sustained. Celtic and Clifton will fight for the wooden spoon at Waitara. . • In the southern division Patea’s defeat of Okaiawa has altered the complexion of. the championship, those two teams being level in the lead. Each should win. its two remaining matches, though of course in football one never knows. To-day Okaiawa meet. Opunake at Okaiawa, and as the coastal team appear to have slipped, Okaiawa should Win. Patea will visit Eltham and should have little trouble in winning. Kaponga, a point away, who will be in the running also should the leaders receive a cheek, will meet Athletic at Kaponga, and a close game should result. At Hawera, Waimate will play Hawera. To-day’s fixtures are:— Tukapa v. Star, at Pukekura Park. Stratford v. Old Boys, at Stratford. Clifton v. Celtic, at Waitara. Okaiawa v. Opunake, at, Okaiawa. Patea v. Eltham, at Eltham. ' Kaponga v. Athletic, at Kaponga. Hawera v. Waimate, at Hawera. G. Howell, formerly of Urenui and a Clifton and Taranaki B representative forward,' now at Christchurch, is playinn great football for the Albion Club. With A. H. Andrews, a New Plymouth High School boy, Howell has been selected to tour with the Canterbury representatives. Two seasons ago Howell also represented CanterburyT and was in the running for his South Island cep. Following an operation, however, he had to give the game a spell. A hard worker, always in the tight and able to shine also in the loose, Howell is now back at the top of his form. TEAMS SELECTED FOR TO-DAY. Celtic:—Seniors to play Clifton, at Waitara; Dodd, Cook, F. Young, Carryer, Haselden, Henry, M. Sullivan, Penniall, Johnson, Ritter, F. Ford, C. Ford, Walker, Walker and Ford; emergencies, W. Lash, Kofoed and Pettigrew. Rahotu:—Against Patea: Leatherby (3), Nielson (2), Pepperell (2), Norgate, Simeon, Pennington, Collins, Brophy, Ti Oki, Lewis, Wilson; emergencies, Norgate, Waiwiri. Waimate:—Seniors to play Hawera, at Hawera: Mercer, King, Rei, Hill, Hiekey, Parata, Whalen, Paterson, Heneri, Hikaka, Tamu, Bourke, Burke, Payne, Hansen, Gulliver, Murfitt, Ruakere. Juniors to play Hawera, at Manaia: King (2), Rei (2), Katene, Heneri, Leppard, McGregor, Taylor, Dykes, Nicholls, Robertson, Borrie, Tamu.

Okaiawa: —Seniors- Murdoch, McCallum, Ruru, Ngaia, Johnston, Robinson, Edwards, McCallum, Scott, Guy, Awahou, Ike, Crawford, Robinson, Preston; emergencies, Blair, Greenough. Juniors: Green, Wallis, Skipper, Tippitt, Thomae (2), Collins, McCallum, Nuku, Bailey, Scott, Guy, James, Blair (2), Hooper (2), Good, Katene. Fourths to play Kaponga, at Okaiawa, at 1.15 p.m.: Butler, Kennedy, Guy, Thomas, Clarke, Green, Ora, Tippett, Kara, Toro, Hooper, Graham, Wards, Nuku, Cleaver, Simpson, Wallis, Hurley. Okato:—First juniors: J. Bright, Uliard, Honeyfleld, Moorby, Hodge, Hoskin, Taylor, O’Siillivan, Andrews, Roepuck, Goodwin, Price, Tuffery, Ruakere, Lawn, Ashley (2)., Hickford. Thirds: Lawn, Woods, Caldwell, Lewis, Muir, Gray, Goodwin (2), Manu, Randrup, De Thierry, Jeffries, Roebuck (2), Paora, Price, Wells, Niwa. Stratford:—Seniors v. Old Boys, at Stratford: Taylor, Blackmore, Grace, Haughton, Sangster (2), Young (2), Robson, Walter, Fastier, Hinton, Smith, McGuinness, F. Collins; emergency, Faulkner.

Toko District: —Against Tangarakau, Dean Cup match: McGuinness, Chapman, Boottin, Were, Corbett, Rumball, Smith, JOnes (2), .Sangster (2), Wilmsliurst (2)„ Griffiths, Martin; emergencies, N. Bell, T. Wrigley and Corbett. Hawera Club: Seniors: Rawcliffe, Ek<lahl, Hammond, Brown, Campbell, Hunter, West, Beauchamp, Buchart, . Clement; Murphy (2), Holloway, Gibson, France, Cameron, G. Whareaitu. Thirds: Clapham, Carter, McDonald, Harrington (2), Loader, Lendruni, Ewington, Appleyard, Smith, Joyce, Honeyfield, Wills Moore, Pcrrctt (2), Cann. The juniors will default to Waimate. Clifton:—Seniors v. Celtic, at Waitara: Pepperill, Brown, Fowler, Olsson, Porter. Seiwood, Kawe, Tito, Niwa, Jonas, Wileon, Bowen, Thomas, Carey, Oxenham, Lucas, Ashby and Laurent. First juniors, to play Okato, at Okato: Peka, J, Roberts, McGreal, Paltridge, Calgher, Keith, Sampson, L. Jenkins, Stockman, Ewens (2), N. Giddy, T. Fenton, Limmer, Jones, A. Sutton, W. Hicks.