RUGBY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20359, 17 July 1934, Page 13

RUGBY.

Notes on Second Grade Games.

Now that the season is well advanced championship honours apnear to lie between Christchurch, Old Boys and Merivale. Merivale are a much-improved team, and if they defeat Old Boys their chances of winning the competition should be bright. North Canterbury caused a surprise by beating Christchurch. Old Boys have been unfortunate in losing a number of their players to the senior team. They will have to improve greatly if they wish to remain in the lead. LZNWOOD (14) v. VARSITY (6). I<inwood were too good all round for their opponents and kept them on defence for the best part of the game. Although at times Lfnwood would throw the ball about, neither side showed up tQ advantage in combined work. R. Lilley booked well for Linwood, in addition to playing a good game in the loose. TTe was ably supported by Revell. Wilton and Beckworth. three forwards who worked hard throughout. Brown (second five-eighth) played a fine attacking game and scored two trie-. He combined nicely with Boyce (centre!, who also gave a sound exhibition. Whiteford (full-back) was reliable and gained much ground by good line-kicking. Varsity were not up to full strength •in the forwards and were no match for the Linwood pack, their defensive work being poor. Two men who were noticeable for good work were Wilson and Connal. Behind the scrum, Blake played his usual steady game and made many openings. Gabites and Lunn both played fair games, but received little support from the rest of the rearguard. OLD BOYS (16) v. ST ANDREW’S OLD BOYS (0). Old Boys started off Well and looked like winning by a big margin. However, the play became poor on both sides and was not up to second grade standard. Although they are now leading in the competition. Old Boys will have to show a big improvement if they wish to maintain their position. St Andrew’s were on defence for the greater part of the first spell, but in the second half there was little between the teams. The Old Boys backs played poor football, their handling being weak. Brewer (half-back) seldom got the hall away cleanly. Neither of the five-eighths. Cook and Brooks, put dash into their play. Whyte and Lee worked hard in the forwards. SYDENHAM v. ME&IVALE. This game was very patchy, but the Merivale backs were a better and faster set than their opponents. The best back on the ground was L. Evans, the Merivale wing. He is a hard man to bring down when on the move. Nee had his kicking boots on: his line-kicks must have disheartened the Sydenham forwards. Garrett is perhaps the soundest back in the Merivale rearguard; his game is always solid. Barker (second five-eighth) did everything required of him and a little more. Steel played a sterling game behind the Merivale pack. Handling and passing well, he has all the qualities of a good half-back. Briggs played a dashing loose-forward game, and Geissler scored a well-deserved try. Bidelph was again the outstanding Sydenham back, while Prisk was easily the best forward. Bidelph’s defence was deadly and he repeatedly sent the Merivale forwards back with good linekicks. Prisk plays a game similar to that of Briggs. He was the best forward on the field. Watts also played a good forward game. Hobden was his usual sound self behind the scrum, and Cox (full-back) was by no means out shone by Nee. Gillespie showed plenty of dash on the wing.

EXCHANGE OF REFEREES. Ashburton Proposal Meets With Favour. The fortnightly meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Referees’ Association was held last evening. Mr H. Macintosh presided. The Canterbury Rugby Union advised that the Ashburton Rugby Union was desirous of an exchange of referees during the season. It was decided that the association was in favour of the proposal provided satisfactory arrangements could be made regarding finance. It was decided to suggest that the annual match against the Ashburton Referees’ Association should be played in Christchurch on Saturday. September 8. A letter was read from the South Canterbury Referees' Association regarding that association’s game with Canterbury The-matter was deferred. Bowling Match, The following have been selected to represent the association against the Addington Workshops and the Lin wood Bowling Clubs at the Indoor Rinks, Tuam Street, to-morrow, at 7 p.m.:— Clements. Crawford, Britten, Spearman; Mason, Perrin, Empson. M’Lachlan; Spooner, Hoskins, Newton, Smale. ASHBURTON UNION. Suggested Match With Country Team. (Special to the *' Star.’’) ASHBURTON. July 16. The Management Committee of the Ashburton Rugby Union met to-night, the president (Mr J. C. C. M’Lachlan) being in the chair. The Canterbury Union, in reply to a letter from the Ashburton Union suggesting September 1 as the date for the Canterbury B team's match, wrote regarding the possibility of arranging a match jit Ashburton on August 4 between the Ashburton County team and the Canterbury Country team In place of the B team's match. In the event of this match being arranged the union asked what the Ashburton Union was prepared to offer in regard to the visiting team’s expenses. It was decided to thank the union for its offer and to express regret that the Ashburton Union’s funds would not permit of any allowance being made towards the expenses. In reply to a suggestion of an interchange of referees between the Ashburton and Canterbury Rugby Unions, the Canterbury Union advised that the Question had been referred to the Referees' Association for a report. The secretary was instructed to forward a copy of the letter to the Referees’ Association. Representative Matches. August 25 was confirmed by the Ellesmere Rugby Union for the annual representative senior and junior matches at Leeston and the union suggested August 4 or 11 for the third grade representative match at Ashburton. It was agreed to confirm August 11 for the third grade match. Mr A Thompson was appointed selector of the third grade representatives. The age-limit is to be under seventeen years and the Ellesmere Union is to be advised accordingly. With reference to the residential Qualification of O. Whiting, who played for the Mayfield Club for several years and was now playing in South Canterbury, the New Zealand Union wrote stating that although there was no senior team In Mayfield other circumstances had apparently not changed. The union saw no reason for changing his domicile as accepted for some years past. It was decided to send a copy of the letter to the South Canterbury Union. In reply to a request that a trial match be played in Ashburton next year, the New Zealand Rugby Union advised that while it could no£ make a promise at this stage the request would be borne in mind. The reinstatement of R. S. Gore was trrented by the New Zealand Rugby Union. Town v. Country Match. The Town v. Country match will be u layer! at Rnkaia on Saturday. The tenpiß are as follows: Country—Full-back, E. Taylor; threequarters. T. Lilley, T. Behrns (captain). G. Stephens; five-eighths, J. Lilley, J.

O’Connor; half-back, J. M’Alllster: forwards?, A. Doig. J. M’Kenzie, G. Mead, >'■ Doig, C. Pablecheque, A. Dofen, S. Pluck, G. Dalton. Emergencies—M. O’Reilly, J. Pindlay and J. Dolan. Town—Full-back, J. Mason; threequarters, 1,. Vessey, G. Day (captain). A. Bradford; five-eighths. R. Woodham. J. Varcoe; half-back, D. Cates: forwards, A. Argyle, F. Fox. R. Rose. J. Mulhern. R. Jordan, X. Hawke, F. Drumgoole, C. Thomas. Emergencies—W. Fagan. J. Betteridge, F. Hood and S. Burrows. COLLEGE V. SCHOOL. Annual Match to Be Played To-morrow. The annual match between Christ’s College and Christchurch Roys’ High School will be played to morrow- afternoon at the Boys’ High School ground, Straven Road, commencing at 2.30. The teams are as follows: Christ’s College. Full-hack, R. E. Alexander; threequarters, T. A. Harpur. T. D. J. Holderness. C. A. N. Broad; five-eighths. A. R. W. Ormond (second). W. Byrne (first); half-back, J. E. Crisp. Forwards: Front row, A. B. Anderson. J. D. WyldeBrown, H. B. Hay; locks, F. M. Ollivier, B. E. Newton; back row, A. G. Harper, M. G. Somerville. J. v. Masefield. Emergencies: Forwards. J. R. S. Orbell, H. H. Beale; backs, K. S. Jameson, R. I. R. Skelly. Boys' High School. Full-back, R. E. J. Menzies; threequarters, A. E. Stivey, C. F. M’Kee, A. D. Whltham; five-eighths, G. A. M’Neill (second). B. C. Harbidge (first); halfback. R. A. Davis. Forwards: Front row. S. G. Boyd. C. Dickinson. A. White; locks, F. J. Reekie, A. L#. Neilson; back row. F. F. Dawson, R. S. Mackenzie, F. J. Bain. Emergencies: Forwards, H. S. Wells. A. F. Hadfield; backs, A. Cade, R. O. Schmidt. The referee will be Mr R. W. Blazey.