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Star (Christchurch), Issue 18643, 21 December 1928, Page 12

“Better Manhood.”* That rowing was a sport worth encouraging, because it tended to develop a better manhood, was the view voiced by the Mayor (Alderman W. A. Jolly, C.M.G.T, at a reception given by the Queensland Rowing Association to the crews visiting Brisbane for the Champion Fours of Queensland. The Mayor said from the point of view of the development of men physically rowing was a splendid sport, and one that should be encouraged by everyone.

Tlie Australian Leader. J. Ryder will not forget his first test match leadership. Every bit of luck seemed to go against him and his side (says a writer in the Sydney “Referee”). He tried hard to stem the rot in the first innings, but fell in forcing the runs. It was not an easy team to handle, and, on the whole, he handled it very well indeed. 1 thought in the second innings he took a wrong view of the situation when he and Hendry bowled at one stage instead of Grimmett (who was dangerous) and Ironmonger (who had the batsmen

French “Comer” in Lawn Tenniz. France is making a “corner” in the honours of lawn tennis. TildeTn, the American star, has just issued his list of the ten leading players of the world, and he has been pleased to place Henri Cochet first and Rene Lacoste second, himself filling the third position. He could not have done otherwise but award the premier places to these two brilliant French players. Since this frank and generous admission, the championship of professional lawn tennis has been won by a Frenchman. It is true that neither Karel Kozeluh nor Vincent Richards competed in the event which took place at Queen’s Club. London, but is is only a few weeks since they played a match there, their form was fresh in the minds of everyone, and the general opinion was that neither would have been able to beat Robert Ramillon, who gave a superb display. Indeed, his play was typically French, being marked by daring and originality, and an aggressiveness which is essential to the game as it is played to-day. Ramillon is only nineteen years of age. He began to play as a boy, but not as a ball boy as so many professionals! enter the game. He always seems to have been good enough to figure in first-class tennis. At any rate, he was playing in the South of France at the age of sixteen. I do not think he ever competed in the tournaments, but even the cracks were glad to play with him in practice, and it was in this way that he secured the opportunity to develop his natural skill, which is amazing, anci master the technique of the game. Immediately after this championship there followed the London covered courts championships, and in these the most notable visitor was Jean Borotra. As he explained, he entered because he had business to transact in London, and he was able to spare two or three hours in the afternoon to rush up to Queen's Club and play a match, or possibly two. To play under these conditions was not very favourable, but he had little difficulty in reaching the final, and in this he defeated Crole Rees. The lattfer is milch better in doubles than in singles, but he gave Borotra a good game, and managed to take a set from the brilliant French-

merely playing him). The idea was apparently to stop the runs, and to keep the batsmen there so that the Australians would not have to bat until the next day. But the runs came faster, and it was evidently overlooked that Chapman would surely apply the closure and again have the Australians start their innings in the closing period of the day, when leg-weary. That is what happened.