League.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18466, 18 May 1928, Page 14

League.

SYDENHAM PITTED AGAINST MARIST.

COMPETITION LEADERS ' MEET AT MONICA PARK. As last week, when a sparkling game w £ s provided in the meeting of Marist and Waimairi, the chief match in the senior grade Rugby League competition to-morrow will concern the two leading teams. By defeating Waimairi last Saturday, Marist retained their leadership. Sydenham, by accounting for Woo Is ton, made themselves even on points with Marist. Now Sydenham and Marist will meet. The three senior grade matches tomorrow will be as follows: Sydenham v. Marist, on Monica Park No. 1. Addington r. Waimairi, at St James’s Park, Papanui. Woolston v. Hornby, at Hornby. This will be the first time since the opening of the- season that a senior grade game has not been played on the No. 2 ground at Monica Park. This ground and the adjoining areas are being marked out for the making of two grounds instead of one. On these, games in grades other than senior will be pmyed, and when it is found necessary to stage a second senior grade match the ground markings will be changed to their present position. There is little doubt that the Sydenham v. Marist match will provide some sparkling football. Marist are again the favourites, though if the ground is greasy it is probable that Sydenham will win. SYDENHAM v. MARIST. The Sydenham team will be slightly stronger than last week, and the backs have been made a more solid combination. Clegg, the Canterbury representative of last year, will turn out for the first time this season. He will play at five-eighths, along with Heuchan, who played a great game last week as breakaway forward. Heuchan is fairly fast and is keen on the followup. With Turton at half, those nearest the scrum should do fairly well, though they will have to watch closely their clever and versatile opponents in Clarkson, Gillespie and H. Sexton. The Sydenham three-quarter line will comprise T. Davidson and Mitchell (wingers) and Pat. O’Connor (centre). Davidson, the captain, has shown clearly in this season’s matches that he is the best of the backs. O’Connor played last week for the first time this .season, but will require more training and confidence befofe he can show a glimpse of anything like his previous

brilliant form. Mitchell, a former Rugby Union player, has struck fair form and is valuable on the wing. Fraser, whose form has not been consistent this season, but who played above himself last Saturday, will be full-back. G. C. Blazey will ’not appear in the Sydenham pack, but G. Falgar will be included. Falgar is a good player in either the forwards or the backs. This will be probably his last game in Canterbury this season, as he will leave shortly for Dunedin. Hamburger, of doubtful prowess, has been selected for the pack, along with Southam, W. Le Warne, Drury and Madden or M unroe. How the game goes will depend to a great extent on the state of the ground and the form of the Marist backs. If Sydenham get the lead they may be able, by spoiling tactics, to hold it, but they will be up against a hard proposition in the opposing backs. M’Kendrv, the weakest of the bunch of seven smart men, will be fullback for Marist, in whose three-quar-ter line O’Loughlin and Bond (wingers) and Brittenden will figure. Bond played second five-eighths next to N. Gillespie last week, but the former has gone on to the wing to make room for H. Sexton, a former and brijliant member of the Grey Club, West Coast. Bond also was a member of the Grey team. Gillespie and Clarkson will be in their usual positions at five-eighths and half respectively. Moloney, owing to an injury, will be an absentee from the forwards, who will include Carroll, Hanrahan (hooker), E. Consedine, Ryan, Drayton and P. Burns. 5: ADDINGTON V. WAIMAIRI. Tudging by this season’s form Waimairi should be able to account for Addington when the two teams play on St James’s Park. Papanui, to-morrow. However, Addington defeated Hornby in a stern, but somewhat ragged, struggle last week, and may turn the tables even on Waimairi, who seldom play up to their true form unless very hard pressed. Addington will have new man at half back, in T. Armstrong, the former Woolston half who has not played often this season.' He will take the place of Peddie, who has been dropped for the time being. H. O’Neill, a former Marist man, is another player who has joined up with Addington. Their presence will be valuable to-morrow, particularly in view of the fact that Unwin, C. Stuart and D. Rossi ter are on the injured list. O’Connell will take his usual place at full-back, with Mayne and Stapley on the wings, and E. 'O’Malley probably at centre. .1. Amos and Clark are down for fiveeighths. Adams, O’Neill, Collie, Keene L. Amos and W. Mayne will probably comprise the pack. Against them Waimairi will have m the field a team somewhat weakened compared with last week, when they played a great game, especially in the first half, against Marist. A junior player will be selected to take the place of N. Rossiter, whose hand was fractured on Saturday. On the other wing A. Smith will be ready with his sharp turn of speed, and O’Connor, -who did not show up too well last week, will be at centre. It is probable that Gordon Blazcv will be playing his last game of the season in Canterbury when he takes the full-back position, as he will leave for Dunedin next week. I • Lvnskev and Hartley are down as fiveeighths.With the dynamic Kelly at half. The pack has been upset by an injury to Sneddon, and another man w , u probablv have to take his place. The rest of the pack will be Spencer. Sisson Crowe, R. Lvnskev and Lennie. ' a WOOLSTON V. HORNBY. Several new men will take the field for Woolston when that team plays Hornby on the latter's home ground. With Parkcs absent, however, \Vool-

THE LEAGUE GAME.

•ton is not at all likely to win. There is always the possibility, of. course, of a surprise defeat such as Addington inflicted on Hornby last week. One of Woolston's new men will be C. Glynan, in what will be his first game this season. He was a Marist junior last year, with an occasional game in the seniors when men were short. He has the makings of a fairly good full-back. New men, in W ■ Carpintier and W. Jarden, will guard the wings, with R. Murray at centre. C arpintier played junior grade for the Avon League Club of several years ago, and Jarden is an ex-Rugby Union man.

i It is doubtful whether J. Mundy- will be feeling fit enough after his injury to take the field as a five-eighth with j A. Mundy. Biacklock. who played well 1 last . week, is down for the half-back position. G. Main is not avaliable for ; the backs, and it is unlikely that F. Howell will play. The forwards will | include H. and J. Wakefield, Clark, | Cooper. Dawson and Warren. Hornbv will have a new man on the field in N. Vivian, who has not played | this season. He was prominent both in the pack and on the wing last season, and is a forceful scoring wmg?r. lie will have an opportunity tomorrow' of exploiting his prowetaS, as he will be on the wing. The otner wing will be Davis with R. Mackie at centre. c Jiff Woods will be at half again, and Stuart and H. A. Vivian at five-eighths. Wilkie will be nearest the goal posts. The forwards will include A. Vivian, W. Vivian. Woodgate, Ward, Minards, and Cameron. NOTES AND * COMMENTS. (By “BREAKAWAY.")

It is to be hoped that the council of the New Zealand League is making adequate arrangements for ensuring the success of the English team's tour of the Dominion, which is expected to commence very early in August. k With only two and a half months to go before the visitors land, there has been little or no publicity given by the New Zealand Council to the tour. So far as is known in Canterbury, the New Zealand selectors have not yet been chosen. These men, to be drawn probably from three provinces—Auckland, Canterbury, Otago and possibly the West < oast—wili need to do some travelling before even the trial matches can be arranged. It is necessary, for the sake of the public and the game, to put in the field the best New Zealand thirteen available. The League centres are so scattered that it will take some time for even a truly representative South Island team to be decided upon. It is due to every promising player in the Island to have his form come under the personal view of the selectors, or some of them, whoever such selectors may be. There is much good material in the code, and it should be sought out. Two and half months is necessary for this, and it is high time that the New Zealand (jouncil took the League centres into its confidence regarding the arrangements made, or to be made. Dunedin clubs will have the opportunity of seeking two new players when G. Falgar and Gordon Blarey leave for the south shortly. Both will probably be playing their last matches in Canterbury to-morrow, when they turn out for Sydenham and Waimairi respectively. It is not known whether Falgar and Blaaev intend ptaving in Otago. s « It is believed that Jim Parkas, who has been playing for Woolston this season. will not be on the field again this year, owing to a leg injury. Parkes has played in almost every position on the field. Woolston have used him as a hooker and a half-back, while he played in the threequarter line for Hornby, the team which he captained several seasons ago. On the tour of England in 1925-6 he was in the three-quarter line for the opening matches, and then went into the pack as hooker to strengthen the forwards. In both the backs and the pack he was an acquisition to the New Zealand side. He was in the Hornby three-quarter line wjien his knee was severely injured last season, in the first few minutes of the first match he played in Canterbury after having been with the Richmond Club, Auckland. Parkes left Hornby’, the club whose senior team he had captained before going to Auckland, at the beginning of this season, and threw in his lot with Woolston, who were the weakest team in the competition last year. He undertook both to coach and to play for the team, and the results of his work both on and off the field are becoming more and more apparent in the better combination and dash of the Woolston thirteen.

:« Although the Sydenham third grade have only a few of their players considered as top-notchers. they are a team of unusual strength as a combination, and should win their competition if their previous play is any criterion. Gorrie, the full-back, is safe, while the wingers, Burrell and Butler, are perhaps two of the best in their competition. J. Sewell, the centre, is a good player when he is on colour, while Horler and Thin, the five-eighths, are a splendid combination, the latter possessing a jinky side-step which he uses to advantage. Smith, at half, does all that is required in that position. Whittaker, Mayo, Bassett, Cockle, Shaskev, and V. Clancy comprise the pack, and although a little on the light side, they are a bustling team, who have often upset the calculations of much heavier packs. TO-MORROW’S MATCHES. HORNBY CLUB. Seniors v. Wolston, at Hornby No. 1— K. Wilkie, W. Stuart. K. Mackfe, P. Smith, C. Woods, A. Vivian, W. Vivian, A. Cameron, S. Minard, A. Ward, W. Woodgate, W. Davis, N. Vivian. lieserves: N. Clark, A. Peart, Juniors v. Woolston, at Monica Park No. 3— W. Kelaraountain, H. Wilson. R. Stewart, A. Case. P- Plade. C. WiJkie, J. Burgess, W. Mussen, O. Campbell, G. Stevens, O. Shave, H. Kenworth. J. M'Girr. Reserves: A. White, E. Standeven, J. Hampton. Fourth Grade v. gydenham, at Hornby No. 2—A. M’Gregor, P, Burns, J. Fahey, C. Standeven, T. Baker. J. M’Girr, J. Airey, J. Chainey, W. Williamson, O. M&nsen, L. M'Gregor, J. Pearce, EPalmer. Reserve: L- Hagerty. Sixth Grade v. Marists, at Hornby No. 3—M. Standeven, J. Airey, J. Francis, I>. Slade, F. Slade, R. Fahey. C. M’Gregor. C. Taylor, E>. Smith, P. Blakely, D. Finnie, J. Dann, ,T. Lloyd, J. Clegg. D. M’Girr, L. Lake, Pascoe.