Sport and Sportsmen.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18551, 27 August 1928, Page 9

Sport and Sportsmen.

When the news of Canterbury’s heavy defeat by Otago came through on Saturday night, Christchurch Rugby enthusiasts were surprised beyond measure. Not only did the Red-and-Blacks appear to have a particularly good side in the field, but Otago had failed badly in previous representative matches this season. The score of 31 to 9 fully bears out the comment that Canterbury’s back play was “ poor, badly directed and ragged.” The Auckland Rugby representative team is one of the strongest in the Dominion this season, and the fact that it was easily defeated by the New South Welshmen on Saturday gives a good idea of the visitors’ calibre. With fast forwards and clever backs, the Waratahs are expected to do well on their New Zealand tour. Rugby enthusiasts will look forward to the third test match, which will be fought out in Christchurch on September 15. Though there were a few thrilling moments in the League test match at English Park on Saturday, the crowd in general were disappointed. Really good team work was lacking, particularly on the part of the New Zealand backs; and the play generally could not be described as being up to international standard. Some of the English Rugby League players at English Park on Saturday were noticed to have their legs well greased. Was this done to make tackling a slippery business? The Wanganui Rugby team to play New South Wales on Spriggens Park on Wednesday has been chosen by Mr J. Crowley, sole selector, as follows; Fulton; M’Lennan, Tilley, Carlson; Shanley, Wakeling; Vangioni; Beilis; Burr, Pine, Ross, Stewart, Leahy, Oxley, M’Lean. Reserves—Backs, Stiver and Narbey; forwards, M’Rae and Stone. One report of the Hawke’s Bay-Tara naki match credits S. Gemmell, the Bay captain, with being the outstand ing forward on the ground. He repeat edly brought off his characteristic piercing runs, but was apt to spoil the movements by not giving good passes. Some of the difficulties of Rugby touring teams in South Africa were re ferred to by Mr A. J. Pienaar, chair man of the South African Rugb> Board, when he was in Johannesburg for the second test between the Al. Blacks and the Springboks. “ There are two main reasons why a Rugby tour of South Africa by an oversea;, team will always be difficult,” he said. “ I do not know whether sufficient al lowances have been made for these by the general public. The first is that touring teams have always to meet fresh sides every time they play. The tourists themselves can call only upon a limited number of players, and the amount of travelling that has to be done is bound to have its effect. The home sides rarely suffer from this disadvantage. Another disadvantage is having to live in a Rugby atmosphere all the time. The effect here is psychological, but it is often underestimated. The waking up with Rugby, spending the day with it, and then going to bed with it brings about a certain amount of mental strain, from which the home sides are almost entirely free.” After Saturday’s Rugby match in Auckland, members of the New South Wales and Auckland Rugby team were entertertained at dinner. Mr J. Arneil, president of the Auckland Rugby Union, was in the chair. Mr Arneil said that proof of the popularity of New South Wales teams was reflected in the large attendance at Eden Park and the impartial reception accorded the visitors, who scored a meritorious win. He a bnght future for the team on the New Zealand tour. Kepiying, Mr Mogan, manager of the New South Wales team, said that he was very pleased indeed with the showing of his boys, who were untried, and had not played together before. Bland, one of the visitors' forwards, who sustained a broken nose, is unable to go south with the team. He is at present in the hospital, but will rejoin the party later in the week. Caldwell, one of the centres, broke a vein in one of his legs, and is limping on a stick. He may not be able to play again on the tour. # In the light heavy-weight final at the New Zealand boxing championships, C. Gardiner, list 13£lh (Christchurch) beat W. Pearce, list 71b (Wellington). Gardiner used his weight to force his lighter opponent to the ropes. Pearce’s ducking caused Gardiner to miss badly. Gardiner penned Pearce to the ropes again, but the latter used an effective smother. Pearce connected with a right uppercut in the opening of the second round. Gardiner’s left landed well to the head. Pearce’s straight left connected in the final round but without any power. Gardiner tried hard to land with a right uppercut. Neither showed championship form. a a Acting on the invitation of the New Zealand Football Association, Auckland has decided to send a representative team to .Wellington next Saturday to challenge for the English Football Association trophy. A return match will be played at Blandford Park the following Saturday, and in the event of victory for Auckland in the first game it will also be a challenge for the trophy. The following players have been asked to advise whether they will be available: Batty, WhoweU, Simpson, Gerrard, Christie, Tinker, Jones, lnnes. Hamilton, Spencer, Davis, Chalmers, Humphries, Grant, Dick. The defeat of Donald Grant by W. P. Anderson in the Christchurch Golf Club championship provided the sensation of the links at Shirley on Saturday. It was expected that Grant would win, but Anderson turned on his best game and held him fairly. The game went to the nineteenth hole, which Anderson won. E. M. Macfarlane won his game comfortably from J. Dolph, 3 and 2. It seems now that Macfarlane should win the championship, as Grant (the present holder) has been eliminated, but in golf—as in other games—one never knows. Chesley presented Otago with a try on Saturday by trying to beat an Otago player when he (Chesley) was behind his own line. He was tackled, lost the ball, and an Otago man pounced on it. So three points went on through sheer foolishness. Boys, there is one sound rule when you are behind your own line with the ball, and that is: Force it down quick and lively. Don’t be smart or funny or play to the gallery. Stick the ball on the ground immediately, and the wiseheads among the .spectators will say that you are a player who can be trusted to do the right thing. Three members of the schoolboys' hockey team who visited the West Coast last week had an unusual experience. When at Westport, a misunderstanding as to what time the bus went f-or Grevmouth caused the boys

to miss it. They were to catch it as they thought, at 6.30 on Thursday morning, but when tne> arrive-. „

appointed place they found that the bus had left at six o’clock. The boys stayed in We: -r, >rt until 10.0 and then caught the ordinary bus. Arriving at Reef ton, they took a passenger tra • for Stillwater. There they stayed tl § night. The next morning saw them up early for Middleton, where they arrived at four o’clock on Friday afternoon, after nearly twelve hours in the train. From there they had to walk into town.