WANGANUI RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 168, 20 July 1935, Page 6

WANGANUI RUGBY

TO DAY’S THREE MATCHES CAN MARIST EEAT KAIERAU? (By ‘‘Cross-bar’’; Can Marist beat Kalcrau? That is the question every Rugby lootball fan in Wanganui w6uld like answered. If training has anything to do with the matter, the match should be a draw, because both teams have been training hard in anticipation of a hard match. The Fix ures Committee, realising that the issue would he one uf very great doubt until the final whittle blows, has set the match down as the feature of the afternoon’s Rugby. It will be preceded by a conflict between Pirates and Technical Old Boys. Old Boys have been matched against Ratana at Ratan a. Marist arc the most improved team in the union. 'There is no getting away from that, and the best side the club can put in the field w(!ll be matched against the redoubtable maroons this afternoon. Connelly has madtf a wonderful difference to the greens. Ho has imbued them with a confidence which they did not possess last year. 'l’he side has been training solidly, realising that to-day’s match will be a crtieiNl one in the Cup series. Kaierau has not been ns fully satisfied as the club might be about the forwards, and that fact has tended to increase public, opinion to favour Marist. It should lie a hard match forward and if Marist make a hard showii*g in the fust spell, and rely upon sound defence in the second, they should accomplish what at the moment seems to be an impossible task. 'l’he prediction is: A fifty-fifty go either way. Pirates v. Technical Old Boys It is hard to know what will happen in this match for the reason that neither team has a great deal of certainty as to its personnel. The blacks have not had exactly the same team out. twice running this season. There has been a lot of chopping and changing all through the year. Much the same applies to Technical Old On recent showings, however, the indications point to; A win for Pirates. Old Boys and Ratana “It is on the cards that Old Boys will win their next match,” said a stalwart of tho present fifteen, when asked what was likely to happen when next the red and blacks took the field. But Old Boys always have great hopes,

yet they sometimes do not fulfil to the full just what their supporters expect of them. Against Ratana to day the side vill be up against a very stiff side. The prediction is: A fifty-fifty go either way. THE TAIHAPE TEAM MATCH WITH RANGITIKEI 'l’he following team has been selected to represent Taihape against Rangitikei at Taihape to-day:— Full-back: J. Bradley. Three-quarters; D. Dcrbidge, Hckenui, Collier. Five-eighths: F. Thompson and W. Thompson. Hablf-ack: J. Raukavva. Forwards: Spooner, Charles, Powell, McLennan (capt.), Fleming, Murphy, Henery, Grove Reserves: 11. Smith find J. Boon (forwards); F. Woodhead and Foster (backs). Brcrnmer was originally selected but is unavailable owing to an injury received on Thursday. MATCH WITH BUSH UNION WANGANUI'S PROSPECTS Mr C. T. Young, honorary secretary to the Wanganui Rugby Football Union, has been advised that there is every prospect of a match being played at Wanganui to-day week. In fact it is almost certain that such a match will eventuate. Bush Union can field a very effective fifteen, and. apart from that fact, the match, if it ev?ntuatei», will provide the Wanganui side with a game before it travois south to play Otago, Invercargill and Canterbury Commenting on the many memorable tussles which have taken place between Bush Union and Manawatu since 1928, the Evening Post says: •‘With the exception of 1932, Manawatu and Bush have met annually since 1928, and it may be surprising to local enthusiasts when it is stated that the ‘over-the-range’ union has had the better of the argument to date. When it was decided to play a fixture with Bush in 1928, Manawatu displayed a superiority, winning by 24 points to 8. However, the following season the disparity was lessened, Manawatu’s winning margin being restricted to five points, while 12 months later Bush further improved to carry the day by the same margin, although Manawatu’s total remained the same. Again in 1931 Bush displayed superiority, but for some reason which the writer cannot recall no engagement was entered into in 1932. The friendly relation.'hips were resumeil in 1933 when Manawatu emerged defined victors by 21 points to nil. Last year Bush brought themselves on terms by winning 9 —o, and they took the odd game in seven meetings on Wednesday last by registering a 13 point, victoryI—their 1 —their most defined margin in the series. The re■.■ord of the meetings during t l ,*. period is as under:—■ I92S—Manawatu, 2-1 s. 1929 Manawatu. I I—9. 1930 Bush, 19—14. 1931 Bush. 17 6. 1932 No match. 193,3 Manawatu. 21 0. 1934 Bush, 9 -0. 1935—Bush, 2fc 8. ‘ ’ Peruliarly enough, each union has registered 21 tries in tho series, but Manawatu's scoring total uf 87 points from those 21 trios, -1 penalties, and 6 goals from tries, leads Bush’s aggregate of 83 bv 4. In addition to their 21 tries, Bush have registered one penalty goal, one goal from a mark, and seven goals from trios. It is consequently apparent that both unions j have not made full use uf their opportunities in respect to goal kicking.