Sport And Sportsmen.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18787, 17 June 1929, Page 9

Sport And Sportsmen.

Tl. Svdenham League team placed their backs on Saturday in such a way as to cramp the style of Spillane, the elusive Marist second five-eighths. As an extra back, Goring played w’ell up near the scrum. Turton, one of the best tacklers on the Sydenham side, fielded deep between Goring and the second five-eighths. Turton’s sure defence prevented many breaks-away by the Marist inside backs. In addition, the tireless W. Le Warne, by fast breaking away from the scrums, also helped to keep them quiet. The default of the Waimairi League team to Woolston on Saturday gave the latter team their first win of the season. The default was somewhat surprising. Seven Waimairi men were present at the time the game was to have commenced, but they did not take the field. No matter how the match went it made no difference in competition points, for the two teams are in any case excluded from the championship round, which will begin next Saturday. One of the English cricketers who may come to New Zealand next year, E. W. Dawson, formerly of Eton and Cambridge, and now captain of Leicestershire, is only twenty-five years )£ age, but is one of the most enterprising and promising _of England’s younger batsmen. His average last year for innings was 34 <B, and would no doubt have been considerably higher but for his avoidance of safety first methods. He scored five centuries last year, and was in the 1927-28 M.C.C. team which visited South Africa. j.; j,; j; Dunedin Rugby enthusiasts saw the best game of the season on Saturday, when, with the issue always in doubt, Pirates and Varsity A played a drawn game—B all. Play was fast and open, with fortune fluctuating quickly as each side attacked in turn. By dominatir 0 mostly in he forwards and standing up close on the Varsity backs, Pirates were able to successfully smother njost of the students’ attacking movements, though the students were always dangerous and required much watching. Twice Varsity penetrated the defence a*d scored two tries, one of which was converte 1: while Pirates put over two potted goals, the -1 in one case hitting the crossbar and going the right way. On the merits of the olay of the respective teams a draw was a very satisfactory result. ”ow three teams. Kaikorai, Varsity A and Pirates, are level, with 13 flag points each, while Taieri, with 10 points, and Varsity B, with 9 points, are lying dose. 2& ti tl According to reports, Bert Geddes well justified his indusion in the New Zealand team (says the “Southland Times”). He was more or less starved on the open side during the trial game, not one passing rush going the whole chain, but on the short side his play was well up to New Zealand standard. On one occasion he received from a ruck, cut infield, and made a nice opening for Oliver to hand on to Dallev, who scored. The credit was all Geddes’s. The Southland man made some good side-line runs and employed a powerful fend to ward off tacklers. In one particular instance he brushed I aside the incomparable Porter with a solid fend to the throat. Porter went sprawling, much to th delight of the Wellington crowd, who, strange to say, deride anything concerning Porter. One man who was present at the game says Geddes was the best wing three-quarter on the ground. “ Christchurch! Give ’em the axe; the axe! the axe” The Christchurch Club’s war cry was heard in the land on Saturday night for the first time this season. Although their chance of winning the senior competition is a slim one, there was jubilation among Christchurch supporters, for the team had been right out after Old Boys. tl tl About £BOO of the £2OOO required to send a New Zealand ladies’ hockey team to the Empire tournament in South Africa next year is in sight, and it is anticipated that when all the affiliated ladies’ associations have advised the executive of the N.Z.L.H.A. of their prospects of raising funds, the total will be considerably increased. All over the Dominion ladies’ clubs and associations are organising dances and other functions, the proceeds from which will be devoted to the travelling expenses of the team, and financial assistance is also being sought from sports bodies. The berths for the Australian team have been definitely booked, and with this knowledge the New Zealand players will no doubt make every effort to have the Dominion also “presented at the tournament. The Soccer play-off between the teams from H.M.S. Diomede and H.M.S. Dunedin, for the championship of the New Zealand Squadron of the Navy, which took place at Auckland, and resulted in a win for the Dunedin team by the narrow margin of 3 goals to 2, created considerable interest i.i Auckland Association circles, and in the service, too, states an exchange. The Diomede captured the coveted pennant from the Dunedin team in. 1927, after the latter had held it for a year, and as there was no contest last year, the game was the Dunedin’s first opportunity of regaining the trophy Both teams played in Dunedin last March, when they each met last year’s local premiers, Maori Hill, ai ’ were defeated, the Diomede by 4 goals to 3, am the Dunedin by 4 goals U 1. At present the New Zealand Squadron holds the Navy Shield presented for competition between the Australian and New Navies, and as both ships are due to be in Australia arrangements are being made for a further contest between teams representing the two squadrons. Golf balls find many strange, restingplaces. Out at the Titirangi clubhouse there is a ball wedged neatly in the corner of a glass window-pane. Driven wildly, it smashed the pane, but, instead of going right through or falling back on the outside, it remained stuck in the glass, and it was decided to let it stay there as a curiosity. Now comes a story from the Pupuke links. A Takapuna player, Mr D. M. Davidson, when driving from the eleventh tee. hit his ball some 160 yards clean into the pocket of another player, Mr F. 11. Mingay. The well-known Scots golfer merely felt a tugging sensation in his pocket, and at first thought that he was in danger of losing his tobacco. Immediately he thrust his hand into his pocket, but instead of the expected thieving fingers, he found only a ball. The ball, by the way, went straight from the tee into Mr Mingay s pocket, not once bouncing. The incident is believed to be unique in Auckland golf history.