TO-DAY’S RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 145, 20 June 1936, Page 7

TO-DAY’S RUGBY

MATCH AT MARTON PARK POWNALL TROPHY AT STAKE WANGANUI AND RANGITIKEI (By “Cross-bar” The Pownall Trophy will be at stake to-day in a match to be played at Marton between representative teams of the Wanganui Metropolitan Union and Rangitikei. Both unions are fielding first class teams, and a good match is anticipated. The Pownall Trophy was donated by Mr Geoff. Pownall, a well known Rugby administrator, his purpose jeing to encourage competition betwean the component parts of the Wanganui Rugby Union, located in the Metropolitan, Taihape, Rangitikei, up River and Waverley areas. For some seasons now the trophy’s home has been in Wanganui, the Metropolitan Union having wrested it from Taihape and Rangitikei union which shared in holding it over a fairly long period of years. Under the rules governing its control the union reserves the right to defend it on a home ground, but in to-day’s case, the Metropolitan body is making a departure from the ordinary and will take the trophy to a distant field This is not the first time the central union has adopted that practice and the sporting action has invariably been appreciated in the Rangitikei. Marton Park, the venue of to-day’s match, nearly always proves discoii'certing to visiting teams. The actual field is on an angle, and some players attribute bad performances of visiting teams to that fact. Others are most sceptical of that and term it a definitely thin excuse.

Wanganui intends putting into action to-day a team very nearly akin to that which will appear against Manawatu in the big match on Spriggen’s Park on the morning of Tuesday next, the King’s Birthday. Walker, the full-back who appeared for Wanganui on the last line of defence against Taranaki, has that, role to-day, and the threequarter line has been entirely changed. In place of the representative wings in the bigger teams, the two Waverley boys, M. Di‘ckie and L. Hills, are to appear. Both are strong players, and it is safe to say that Hills is the best finishing wing in the Wanganui Union at present. Dickie possesses a trickiness which is not always present in the other boy and is perhaps more rigid in defence. But Hills displays wonderful dash on attack.

The Wanganui inside machinery will be the same as that to be. fielded against Manawutu—Brogden (half), Petersen (first) and Jones (second). Therefore some lino will be obtained on the possibilities for next Tuesday. The Wanganui forwards are a sound lot, and a good deal of interest will attach to the play of I. Mclntyre, who is unfortunate in many respects to be just missing inclusion in the team for Tuesday by the proverbial whisker. Metropolitan Team. Full-back: H. Walker (Wav). Three-quarters: L. Hills (Wav), A. B. Campbell (Wav), M. Dickie (Wav). Five-eighths: D. Jones (K), J. Petersen (Wav), Ist. Half-back: H. Brogden (K). Back of Scrum: G. Lockett (K), capt. Middle Row: I. Mclntyre (O.B.), W. Firmin (K), A. Davidson (T. 0.8. C. Hutchinson (T. 0.8. Front Row: AL McGregor (O.B.), T. Sercombe (K), L. Smith (M). Reserves: J. Morgan (K), back; A. Stewart (K), forward. Rangitikei Team. Three-quarters: T. Tairu (Hunt), P. Williams (Hal), A. Bush (MOB). Five-eighths: M. Bush (MOB), 2nd; Cairncross (MOB), Ist. Half-back: Cutts (MOB). Back of Scrum: Pye (Hal). Sides of Scrum: Walker (Hunt), and Paines (MOB). Locks: L. Dallas (Hunt), and Blair (MOB). Front Row: McDonald (Hunt), Poppe (MOB), Davies (Hal). Reserves: Rowe (Hunt), and Ireland (MoB\ backs; Hartley (Hunt), Cumeroa (Hal), backs. Sooner or later to one and all, Wintertime worries in turn befall. >oner or later some form of cold / x t- and saddens both young and old. Soo N 1 la'er to you falls due lAchinx k -plums of "dreary ’fill" ; Sooner 01 ' “r to ease assure, You’ll need Great Peppermint Cure.*