RUGBY KICK-OFF.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17015, 13 April 1923, Page 9

RUGBY KICK-OFF.

TO-MORROW’S GAMES. THE SEASON’S PROSPECTS. The Canterbury Rugby Cuion’s IH£. atteinoon. Thb prospects of a success, iu! season look particularly hnvhi. As' tar as can be ascertained the te»uns tins year will be more equal than has bee,. - the case since pre-war days. Rugby has laKc.L long time to conic l;uk u.c I»lay season by season iias improved till now we can coniidently look lorward to seeing first class Rugby again. ! lie grounds up mi now have been very hard for practice but the heavy rain last week-end should have had the effect of putting the playing areas in almost perfect order for to-morrow’s games. Most of the teams have been training consistently since before Faster when some ol the senior teams played with other provincial club quence be in fine form in which to start off the new season. On the Lancaster Park Oval! to-mor-row- Marists will play Old Boys. Last year’s champions have lest some ot their leading players. Kir wan, halfback, and hi. At nil ins. wing three- ''(Harter, are not available, but the club was strong in junior grades last season and no doubt the vacancies will be satisfactorily filled. The forwards will be as strong ns ever, with one or two additions from the south. W ith Fitzgerald, M’Con nick. Piedrieh and Brosnnfian in the backs there is material for another fine team. Old Boys are likely to have a pretty fair team, in fact so far as the forwards are concerned the best since prewar days. The backs are all young and most of them fairly light. It seems a Pity that Cl E. Guinev has given the game best, as behind a.-good pack ho could give the speedy bocks what they require—plenty of the ball. R. Carlton, half-back in last year’s High School team, will fill this position in I the Old Boys team to-morrow. Thompson, who lias stood down for a season, and who is a South Island representative, should prove a tower of strength at Centre if he can reproduce his best form. Milliken, who has been in Auckland for some time, will greatly strengthen the forwards, who will include Burrowes, last year’s Thigh School captain, Parker, a sturdy, fleet-footed player, and Gray at wing. Taken all round. to-morrow’s big game should be a good spectacular one. Marists are favourite and will probablv be victorious, but the margin of pointshould not be large. Another very good and -fast game should result at Lancaster Park between Christchurch and ’Varsity, who meet on the South Ground. Tliat tlie Christchurch team is a strong one was demonstrated at Easter time when the local fifteen gained victories over Wellington and Pirates (Dunedin). The comfortable victory secured in the latter game must have been particularly pleasing to Red and Black supporters, as Pirates came up with a great reputation. being the only team in Dunedin last year to down the redoubtable ’Varsity, who won the senior championship. Christchurch have acquired Andel-soi/. a forward who played for Marists ami Canterbury last year, anci his place kicking, together with that of Brown, at centre, is liable to win matches f6r the side, against tl.e, strongest opposition. The Christchurch forwards play an open. . bustling game, and the backs are not afvanl to throw* the ball about. The team is capable of giving a good account of itself throughout the season an.l it is to he hoped will shake off the reputiit ion ' acquired in past seasons bv the Red and Blacks oi playing very 'in and out games. ’ Varsity will be a very fair side. Tn .. practice game with Old Boys last Saturday they were victorious. Led - by such fine forwards ns Jack son. Langbein and Craven the front division should be capable of holding their own in any company., Craven will be welcomed back as he is a line dashing type of forward and a first class tackier. He represented South Canterbury last year. The backs are' a nippy lot and throw the ball about well. The rear division will be something similar to that of last season, though Low. the ex-High School lad. will be playing, wing three-quarter, and may prove a good scoring acquisition if given plenty of ball. Like the game on the Oval, that between Christchurch and ’Varsity, looks fairly even. Christchurch are. margin of points. The other game at Lancaster Park will be between Albion and SvdenjiainLyttelton, on the west ground. The Albion team is little changed from last year, but it- L gratifying to notice that room lias been made for some good* junior players who were in the fifteen which tied for the junior championship last year. The fact that X. BayJiss, a really good wing-clnee-quarter, can only find i place as emergency in the backs won! 1 suggest that the Albion rearguard must be pretty good. A. good set of forwards will find capable leaders in Masters, Gallivan and Rutherford. The Sydenham-Lyttelton team put up some good games Inst season andshould do even better this year. Watson will not bo playing, but the backs are keen and most of them have had p good deal ot placing experience. They have a reliable last line of defence in W. iSmythe. Great batch, who gained representative honours last season. Miller. Jeffries, Giles and Tov form the nucleus of a dashing forward pack. It was rumoured that E. Cummings. who has resigned from Linwood. would be t laying for SydenhamLyttelton, but his name does not at present appear in the list. A very even contest should result between Albion and Sydenham-Lyttel-ton, and it is difficult "to sav which" team will win. The fourth senior game will he played at Rangiora between Merivale and North Canterbury. It came as a big surprise to c-itv R-ugbyites to hear that North Canterbury' had entered a senior team. In last year's junior competition they could do no better than fini-h fifth and unless they have acquired a lot of new material their prospects >f success m the higher grade do not appear too bright. At present they am an unknown quantity. but the fust game or two should give an indication of their likelv strength. The Merivale team will bo a strong one, especially m the forwards. In this department last year thev were able to hold their own with any pack, and it was largely due to the front division that the Blue and Whites were able to lower the colours of Marists. who had not been beaten for four years. Carnegie at wing. Masson, Forsythe. Sergison and Meilrie will again lead what will be one of the strongest sets of forwards in the competition. Evans, Bros nan. Blazer and Pemberthy arc ril! playing again, though the Ford Brothers will be missed on the wings. M. Cube, a Wei lington representatiye. was reported V have thrown in his R. with this club but it is under: food be has not vet joined any club, though rumour states he has a preference for Albion.

Doreen, who played for the country- 1 team last year, will fill a. position at wing-three-quarter. Merivijle should have little difficulty iu beating North Canterbury, unless of course, a big surprise is in store. Limvood have drawn a bye, and it view of the- fact that- they will n<>. get a competition game till April 28. it is quite likely that, they will Ik given a game at the Show Ground to-morrow w,;ek> probably again-. Marists, when a game is To he player' J!S ail attraction at the Wild West Show which is being conducted by tin Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral' Association. The Lin wood team will be. a strong one, both back and forward. The club lias for ears past been exceptionally strong in forwards and tbit year will prove no exception to the rule, despite the fact that the Cummings Brothers will not bo available. O. Turpin, who represented the South l-dnnd last year, may possibly skipper the side. Other forwards include .J. Turpin, Morrow. Fraser, who played for Union (Otago) last year, and also played for the Otago Goldfields team. Jackson, who represented Southern Hawke's Bay last season, a big weighty forward,'and Hooper, who was knocking "at the door as a representa five hooker last year./ : Harley’s return to Christchurch will •greatly strengthen the hacks. Henry, formerly of Aldon, and a Canterbury representative, will play centre-three-quarter. Harley and J. Young should prove a good pair at five-eighths.. Gregory will probably plav half. Fleming, who represented Canterbury last season, is again available at wing-three-quarter. and A. Brown will play

fqil-back. Ht was one of the best in the compefit'on in this position lasi season.. 'Hie club’s supporters are It is very early yet. to forecast the result of the senior championship, but the general opinion amongst the quidnuncs is that tlie ultimate issue will be between Marists, Merivale and Limvood, with Christchurch and Old Boys -knocking and effecting several surprises. The vacation will rob ’Varsity of any chance of gaining the honours, but like Christchurch and Old Boys, Sydenham - Lyttelton, -and Albion appear capable also of bringing off some surprises. Tho biggest surprise of the lot. however, will be tlie success of North Canterbury. ST ANDREW’S COLLEGE OLD BOYS. The following will represent St Andrew’s College Old Boys’ Football Club against Y.M.C.A. on the St Andrew’s ground on "Saturday—Oorsbie. F.arly, M’Orostie, Thompson, W. M’Donald. Reynolds, M’Pherson. Gibbs, Porteous, Mortlock, Rainey, D. M’Donald, Sohluter, M’Kay, Priest ft all. Emergencies: Lee and A. JRoyds. MERIVALE. The following teams will represent the Merivale Club in Saturday's matches:— Juniors v. Technical, at Ensor's Rond, 2.45 p.m.—J. Hume, R. Jerred, J. Yate*, F. ‘ G. Anderson A. K. Ritchie, C. 'S. White, It. Hooper, 11. Busk, C. Sisson, E. Hill, K. Rudkin, G. Frown, T. Thompson, S. Gerard, L. A. Keys A. Ward, . It. il-obbs, H. Burn and. R. H. Mitchell. Thirds A. v. Y.M.C.A., Merivale ground, 2.15 p.m.—W. Ferguson. R. J. Mitchell, U. Booth, J. Pollock, G. A. Johnston, W. Tull, J. Tucker, C. Quickenden, E. B. French, N. Street, C. Stiles, G. Ktilee, S. Morrish, G. Austcd, A. Craib, W. T. Murphy. C. Kelly. Thirds B. v. Technical, Polo No. 2—W. Carpenter, F. A. Cooke, V. Claridge, F. K. Davis, A. Falloon. D. Gibson. G. Gaynor, W. Murphy, P. Harper, VV. Jones, L. Lodge. E. Mai ml on aid, D. M’Phereon, <'. Roberts, IT. Shearman, A. Rogers, G. Rhodes. Any player omitted from above to attend at club rooms and notify selecOLD BOYS. The. following players will represent Boys’ High School Old Boys in their matches to-morrow : StniorA v. Marist. Lancaster Park Oval Harris 15 VVerren .14, Thompson 13. Bowes 12, Carlton 11, Hay in. Carlton 9, Gray 7, Clark (1. Burns 5. Bat.-d 4. MiHik'en 8, Burrows Maxwell 2 Parker i. Emergencies: Sparrow. Hoag. Juniors v.-Albion. Show Grounds, No. 1— Smith, Ford, Mortlock. Crawford. Graham, Dalton. Richards. Lowe. Forsyth. Gunn, Arnold. Jacobs. Hunt, Purchis, Milne*. Emergencies: Kastriek. Allen. Third grade \. 'Varsity, Old Boy*' Ground—Richardson, J. Hobday, Perry,

Sear-ell, Carl. Tlardie, Balla-ntyne, Davis, Stewart. Evans, Murray. R. Hobday, Middleton. J. Hopkins. Chester. Emergencies: 1 Carl, IT. Smith, G. Hopkins. * ALBION CLUB. Seniors v. Sydenham-Lyttelton. at Laiv aster Park—Full-back, T. MLean, W. Oldridge. D. O. Buck, J. Foster, 15. Thompson. S. Pitt. T. Johnstone, T. Gallivan. T. Rutherford, N. Wylie. If. K. Masters, J. It. Trimble, P. Werrin. W. H. Dennis, K. M. Montgomery: emergencies—N. Bayliss, J. Junior? v. Old Boys, at. Show Grounds (oval).. 2.45 p.m. —M Eagleaome, V. M. Mare-den,-E. Hollis. C. Blumskey, M. Lawrence. J. •Clarkson. M. Grant. J. Burk, W. Shaw. C. Bowater, CL Whitham, C. Newton, H. Lawless, W. T. Spence, J. Beattie. M. Schenkel, A. Freeman. A Mercer, J. Goodman T_. Baker.. Third Grade A v. Christchurch A. Albion Ground, 2.45 p.m.— F. Buckley, It. I). Edwards, "R. M'Farl&ne. S. Jackson, J. G. Brown, J. Middleton. T. Nelson. D. Tiutlcdgrej E. Rutledge. C. Torrence, J. Searlo, C. Sincock. J. Fnlford. V. O’Grady. Jock Beattie, J. Si Pigreot, F. G. Alexander. A. J. Chichester. H. Moore. P J. Smith. Third Grade B v. Technical A. No. <> Polo Grourids, 2.45 p.m.—L. H. Jones, A. R. Creagrh. P. H. Cotton, E. P. Farfner, J. S. Jack, M. Jones. H. J. Tfavanafh, J. Leppcr, C. Mullins, R. Marshall, A. L. Peai-son. W. H. Phillips. C. K. W. Rochester, F. P. Snook. H. Stace. J. Singleton, C. Singleton, A. Taylor. Any new players not selected are i-e----quested to roll up at the Polo Ground. THE ASSOCIATION GAME. The following players will represent the Western Association Football Club on Saturday Seniors v. Rangers. at/English Park—A. Andrews, J. Dxirie, Robertson, 0. Sproston, »Y. Kennedy. Reese, F. Chappie. C. Falloon, R. Norrie, W. Whittington, C. Moorhouse. Emergency, H. Davey. Junior* v. Corinthians, at North Park (friendly match)—K. Si-m. L. Moorhouse, C. Alleop. C. Harbntt. W. Thackwell, L. Moore, W. Porter, G. Stewart, G. Roberts, A. Durie. D. M Ewen. Thirds v. Technical. at North Park tfriendly match)—J. SprOston. Whittington. Bedwell, A. Bannerman, E. Wade, Young, D. Lee. A. Poit.T, Chetwin, W. Kennedy. H. Sillifaut, J. Sutherland, Lane, Perkin. NOMAD’S CLUB. The following player* have been selected to represent tlie Nomads Club against. Sunnysidc at Sunnysido on Saturday next: —M. Wilson. ,/. P. Flood. F. Graham. M’Creanor (2), W. Bond. E. Wood. M’Dougall (2). J. R. Frickleton. G. Cnvimins, H. Chapman, W. Rogers, IT. Hall. J. Spencer.