RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1929, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

in wairarapa ;■ For 1929. ) 3 1 POSSIBLE SENIOR CHANGES. l MORE EVEN COMPETITION | LIKELY. , (By “Kicker.”) With the period for summer • games and sport rapidly drawing to a close, players, officials and supporters of our national winter pastime are beginning to bestir themselves and take stock of prospects for the coining football season. Within the next few weeks, clubs I throughout the district will be holding their annual meetings, and the circulation of the Wairarapa , Rugby Union’s annual report and balance-sheet will warn enthusiasts that the reign of goal and “muddied ’oof” is with us once again. As winters and successful defenders of the Banfurly Shield during 1928, more than usual intert est and early season enthusiasm. 3 will no doubt be manifest in Waii rarapa Rugby matters.

Although working plans of most oi ■ the clubs may be well under way by ’ now, it is of course impossible to give > the exact, personnel of the various teams at this early sthge. However, a rough survey of the isenior grade, .from first-hand information obtained. from players and officials of clubs throughout "the district, may bo opportune. From this it would appear that there is likely to be a more even distribution of senior-grade players amongst the clubs, making far better balanced sides and keener competition. Featherston —Martinborough United

The prospects of this Lower Valley , team again taking the field seem to be , extremely remote. It will be remem- 1 bored that last season, in order to \ maintain the representation of the southern end of the district in senior - grade, the above two clubs pooled their - best players under the title of Southern United. For some unexplained reason, ( but possibly on account of a proportion s of Martinborough players still eontinu ' mg with other clubs, the amalgama- j tion does not seem, to have be'en the s success anticipated, and a divorce is now stated to have taken place. It ‘ is not expected that cither club will - be able to field a senior team. Several are retiring, including the veteran Wai- ' rarapa and “All-Black" hooker Quon- - tin Donald, who will now coach the ' lower-grades. Remaining players are ieported to be dividing amongst other; clubs. Gladstone and Greytown are: expected to gain most, but ex-United ’ men may also figure amongst Old Boys and other northern teams. Mar- ' tinborough and Featherston will each ! be represented in The Junior and low- • er-grades. GREYTOWN. Thi'? t. am generally provide the fast open passing game which the public so much appreciate, and by all accounts; should again have a rearguard fully capable of maintaining the best tradi-’ tious of the club. Jack Hiroti is retiring from the half-back position. His • place may be taken by Peter Jury, one ' of the most promising of the younger division of "Wairarapa- reps. R'ewi Cundy, ex-United player and Waira; inpa pep. is said to be filling the first five-eight position. Last year's backs again available include Riki Jury, Maori “All-Black" and Wairarapa winger, who will be second five-eight,: and also Clin. Stringfellow, Wairarapa rep., Bob and Fred Fuller, Tan Brunton, Clark, Burch, and Trevor Peterson. The tri-eolour forwardis were a bit on the light side last season, but included roimo most promising young materail. Martin Fnrkor, who played, wing-for-ward in the majority of Wairarapa's

rep. engagements, is said to bo anxious to retire, but may be prevailed upon to continue for another season. Pat Ward, last season's United and Wairarapa rep. player, will don the blacik-r.ed'-yelliow jersey this year, and veteran Jim Donald's name has been similarly mentioned, but he may come further north. Those well-tried forwar i Harry Stunnel and Turei (hooker) are stated tO’ be again available if needed, and also the younger members White, Greathead, C. Jury, Brazcndale and Best, one of Wairarapa.'s most brilliant , junior graders. GLADSTONE.

The Amber-and-Blacks have suffered a severe set-back this season in the 10-ss of Lambert Roach, Wairarapa and North Island full-back, who has transferred to Old Boys. It is understood present intentions are to fill the vacancy with last season's junior rep. fullback -S. Henderson, whose father Henry was for a long period of years one of the mainstays of the old Gladstone team and a Wairarapa rep. The Booth family have for many years been rhe inspiration of the Gladstone backs Randal, ex-Wairarapa winger is back from Australia, where he last sieason. donned the jersey for a Sydney Rugby team, and will again take up his usual position in the backs. Frank, Gladstone'® nippy five-eight, and for years the main source of their rearguard attacks, is feiid to desire to retire to an emergency po-sition, but. the chances arc that When the whistle sounds, he will once again march out with the side. Guy and Lyal are .sunpe starters, but Bob has definitely retired to coach. Malcolm McLeod (winger) is standing down for a season on account of an injured leg. Young Sharp, who last season' joined up with United, is at present in Wellington, but expected back shortly, and will return to his old dove—Gladstone.. Dick Nunn will again be found at the base of the (Scrum. Amongst the foiwards will figure Wilf Usshcr, of last ye'ir'<’ younger sch.oo', who- iis l changing over to be in the same team with his brother. Watty" Reside, of bu’t season s Native “A 11-Black" team and Wairarapa rep., will again make his presence felt in the line-outs and tight scrumming, while Mick McGregor, another Wairarapa rep., will most likely lock the scrum. “Johnny" Walker, another ef last season's reps., and Riddell are again available for front row, and amongst the others may bo Keith Budd, Remine, Day and Vile. From the above it will be noticed that Glad- : Ltone, who started rpther short-hand-ed last year, will have no such .trouble for the coming fixtures. An effort wiil'l' be made to organise a Gladstone ■ junior team also this season. CARTERTON. The championship winnetrs for 1928 :

undoubtedly possessed the. most solid •pack in the competition., and their sueces was primarily due to this feet. InIdicr’ionis are that they will be as

u\... . as ever in that section. Ab'sertees from the maroon jersey this season will be C. Irvine, W. Ussher, Oliver and possibly Irv. Hart, Wairarapa ’s rep. half. The latter has been offered an oppointinent in another district, but will not definitely decide his ; 'future movements' until after Easter. (There iis just <a possibility he may reside 'in North Wairarapa. Should he leave nis |place behind the Red, scrum may be taken by Jimmy Nunn, brother of the Gladstone half “Dicky." Before leaving for Australia a season or tw< beck Jimmy also wais a prom incmember of Gladstone's rearguard. Last season’s Carterton backs still available include Jack Denby, Bill Henderson, Frank Fitzgerald, Charlie Jensen and Clark. “Bull” Irvine, “All-Black," Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay hooker, and Keith Reid. North Island emergency and Wairarapa rep., will again fill the front row, and are startinir rhe season X' s keenly as ever. Ken Fairbrother and Tom Bond can both lock the scrum, and arc again available, as are Knowles, Cox, Fred Burling (wing forward) and T. Burling. This team will again be represented at the 7-aside tourney at Kaponga, Taranaki, at Easter, and are already preparing. They were the winners last season. OLD BOYS.

f Last year's runnons-up in the champs ionship give promise of having quite as £ strong a side for 1929. Certainly there " is an abundance of material to select from, by all accounts. That game little J five-eight Les. Smith is now residing 1 in Wellington, and F. Connack,- full--back, and last season’s most important , Wairarapa “find", is understood to be ’ entering the Wellington Toaehcrs' Training College. On the other hand possible new backs may include Sut- 4 cliffe, ex-Afthletic, W. Innes, ex-Master- ! ton, C. Malfroy ex-Varsity. L. Roache will be enirustecl with the guardian ship of the sticks. Bob Donald, that splendid young battling forward and booker of the United team, is stated to be anxious to join up with either Old Boys or Grey town. If the farmer the Whites will possess four hookers in McAllister, Anderson, Donald and Ken McCalmont, Wairarapa rep. hooker on the southern toflr, who although out . of the district at present, is said to be 1 still available. With these Old Boys may be tempted to try the 3-2»-.3 scrum formation. Jack Le Quesne, last season's lock and a representative player ‘ is as keen as ever, and others still available are understood to include Fraser-Smith, North Wairarapa rep., Allen., Riddell, Fallopn, J. Lawson and that "handy-man" Chesterman. A. E. Cooke, W. Yates and R. Faulkner will again be amongst the backs, while J. Holmwood and W. Ball l , who each acquitted them selves most creditably “ in emergency games last season, are no doubt available for positions if required. Old Boys also intend to compete at .the Kaponga 7-aidde tourney arft Easter, and are now preparing. RED STAR. j Next to Carterton, the Black-and-Whites proved themselves the posse's- * sots of a first-rate forward team last i year, but the backs were lamentably a weak. A determined effort is being I made to overcome this drawback for f ihe incoming sea.son. It is stated, on t wbat appears reliable authority that « Tom Corkill, ex-Hawke's Bay and N.Z. rep., may be residing at the northern i end of Wairarapa. ishortly, and in that f case would throw in his lot with Red Star. He was a member of the N.Z. i team which visited Australia in 1925 under Jim Donald's captaincy, and I which was managed by Mr. E. Me- t Kenzie, secretary of the Wairarapa |{ Rugby Union. Kori Irvine, who played centre three-quarter for Carterton in 1928 is tran'sfierring to the MagL pies. Ogg, a Marlborough senior, is said to be another new back. Parsons, Manawhenua rep. 'lock, may transfer to •Masterton shortly. “Mick" Willough- ’ by, last season's “All-Biack," North < 5 Island and Wairarapa rep., will aigain 1 head the vanguard, and brother Sey- ; moor, who also reached North Island

rep. rank, will as usual be well in the thick. Others of last year’s team still in the district are Millar, Pearson, iS Wickenis, Donovan, Wilton, Jim Wyber (wing forward), “Raftn" McKenzie, Whail, Henderson and Devine (2). The services of lan Harvey, N.Z. and Wairarapa rep. lock, seem to be in much, request, and his name has been mentioned in connection with Masterton, Old Boys, Greytown and Red Star clubsBut 'should” Masterton not nominate senior, it is likely that lan will go the Red Star way, in fulfilment of a previous promise. MASTERTON.

The leading supporters of this prominent junior club are reported to be making a determined effort to again raise the status to senior grade. It is said that the sieivices of some six or seven proved seniors are available, with the possibility of other® from the United end of the district. The balance would have to be made up of junior representatives and leading lower grade members, amongst whom the elub po-ssess some most promising material. It is felt that without a top grade team the club will develop into merely a nursery for training players up to senior rank for the benefit of other clubs. The question will be definitely -settled at the club's annual meeting shortly. POSSIBLE NEW TEAM.

A Rugby Union official in the Lower Valley has received on informal enquiry on behalf of the workers on the Rimutaka and Cro-ss Creek, who arc said to number well over 100, as to

•heir eligibility to nominate a team in the Wairarapa Rugby competition. Should anything definite eventuate, the team would be known as the "Midland," and theiir head-quarters registered at Featherston. REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES

On the representative field Wairarapa this season will no doubt play the usual home and-home matches with Hawke's’ Bay, Manawhenua and Bush. Wellington and Auckland have to € be visited, and Wanganui and Taranaki may be played during the trip north. At home, besides one or two regular Attunes owing by North Island Unions, visits ma— eventuate from some South Island unions, especially if Wairarapa retain the Banfurly Shield, but this diistrict will no doubt insist upon all fixtures being ratified on the Shield or no—-shield basis. Hawke's Bay, 'Canterbury. Auckland and Wellington can be marked down amongst the leading unions anxious to .possess the Ranfur]y Shield this season. From the above it will be seen that another strenuous season is ahead for

Wadrarapa. playerg and officials, and the prospects for a maintenance of the high standard of play of the last .few seasons appear particularly bright.