SPORT AND SPORTSMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18182, 15 June 1927, Page 9

SPORT AND SPORTSMEN.

; The New South Wales Rugby League’s balance-sheet for the 1926 . season shows a net profit of over £9ot»o i —a record. A silver cup to be called “The Norman Cox Memorial Cup” has been pre--1 sen ted to the Canterbury Rugby League by Mrs Len Cox, of the llornby ; Club. . The newly formed Riccarton School- | boys team in the League code has sev--1 eral candidates for representative honi ours. The boys are improving each week, and if, as seems likely, they remain together will develop into a first class combination. tv A social w'ill be held by the Syd- ■ enham Bowling Club on Satur \ r even--1 ing when the prizes won during the t past season will be presented. During the past few years the club has made substantial progress and the past • season was a particularly successful *• j.j ; Two football teams struck in Tara- * naki last Saturday, not because they were displeased with the referee, or the union, but merely on account of the ground. On this particular day the province fully lived up to its reputa- : tion, and the competitions were played -in the heaviest of rain on grounds that ! were in some parts several inches under ; water. The two junior teams mentioned arrived on the ground but de- : dined to play, though a senior game > was played there later. :: During the stay here of the Canadian Soccer team there will be a full programme of entertainment, as the association here has laid itself out to give the visitors a good impression of southern hospitality. A number of private cars have been promised for transport and while the visitors are here the team will attend pictures, vaudeville, dances and a dinne;. The arrangements have been made so that • he team will not be tired ous_before the game. :: With seven matches played, the Auckland Rugby competition has reached an interesting stage. Ponsonby and Grafton head the list with eleven points. Grammar Old Boys and College Rifles are runners-up with eight points. Supporters of the game , can look forw'ard to some keen con- 1 tests in the next round. Training College has not won a match, but in the second series o£ games in the first round the team drew with Ponsonby and ran Rifles to a couple of points (10-8). j: :: The “Star’s” Auckland correspondent telegraphs; “The departure of Baxter, the well-known Soccer player, for warmer climes for about two months is regretted here, especially as the North Shore centre was the mainstay of the ■ club team, a certainty for the Auck- ■ land team and one of those chosen for the New Zealand team to meet Cana.da at Dunedin on Saturday week. In I all three combinations his absence will I be felt as he is playing with hi*s usual brilliancy. From the North Shore point > of view, it is a severe loss. The club already has Bradshaw, Whiteley _ and Bush on the sick list, and will be ■ more or less at. its wits end to fill the i vacancies satisfactorily.”

Messrs E. K. Asher, E. Fox, and A. G. Blalcey are this season’s selectors for the Auckland Rugby League. Sportsmanship—Two League teams are playing a benefit match at Denniston this week for a Rugby Union player, Bob. Curragh, who is at pre- : sent in the Westport Hospital. ** K * With the inclusion of A. R. Smith, Alley, Fookes and Loverrdge, the Varsity team will be at full strength on Saturday and its match with Old Boys on the Oval should be keen and interesting. The Returned Soldiers’ Association Miniature Rifle Club lost one of its most enthusiastic members last evening when the death occurred of Mr R. T. Malloeh, M.M., who has filled the position of secretary with marked success for the last three years. His illness was a short one, and his death came as a shock to a great many members. Tommy Gorman and Cecil Aynsley, who electrified New Zealand crowds when the Queensland League played the Canterbury team, are playing better football than ever and are again certainties for representative honours. :: « a To have had no fewer than eleven of their senior players incapacitated for one or more matches this season has been the unenviable lot of the Addington League Club, Collie and Gahagan being the only two to remain fit for each Saturday’s match. Seven have already been placed by the Canadian Soccer team during its Dominion tour, and their goal has only been entered on two occasions, once in the first match of their tour at New Plymouth and then last Saturday at Buller. On the other hand, they have 43 goals to their credit as the result of the tour to date. The results of the matches placed so far are;— Against Taranaki, won 10-1. Against Wanganui, won 7-0. Against Manawatu, won G-0. Against Wellington, won 2-0. Against Marlborough,* won 11-0. Against Nelson, won 5-0. Against Buller, won 2-1. The team meets Canterbury next Saturday. Will their record of wins be broken ? One of the most exciting Rugby games ever seen in Ellesmere took place on Saturday when Southbridge seniors met Waihora seniors at Motukarara. At half time the score was in favour of Southbridge, 3 nil, Ebert having kicked a penalty goal. Shortly alter resuming Waihora kicked a penalty goal. Ebert missed with a penalty I kick and immediately afterwards, from the same position, drop-kicked a splendid goal. Southbridge 7-3. Then Wai- j hora scored and converted, giving them I the lead 87. The spectators were by this time getting very worked up, 1 Ebert scored an unconverted try for Southbridge (10 8). Millar then kicked a penalty goal and Waihora lead 11-10. Just on time Williamson (Southbridge) from a mark well out, drop-kicked a 1 beautiful goal. Then the whistle went. Southbridge winning by 13 to 11. Southbridge have only lost one match so far and, with United, are leading in : the competitions. I