RE?. RUGBY MATCHES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 125, 27 May 1944, Page 7

RE?. RUGBY MATCHES

WANGANUI v. TAIHAPE TO-DAY’S PROGRAMME Given line weather there should be a large attendance at Spriggens Park this afternoon to see the first Rugby match of the season betwcTi Wanganui A and Taihape. On Thursday night a full muster of the Wanganui side was present. at practice, and the team will take the field confident to-day of giving a good account of itself. The Taihape team is reported fit and well, and, as both fifteens are evenly matched, a close and interesting game should result. The curtain-raiser will be between Wanganui B and Wanganui Maoris and here a close game is in prospect. The feature match, which is timed to begin at 3 p.rq., will be under the control of Mr. G. Thrush, and the early game will be controlled by Mr. J. Voltz. Mr. H. Whiting is manager of the Wanganui A team and Mr. A. Glengarry is in charge of the B team. Mr. A. Thompson is manager of the Taihape side.

GRADE ALTERATIONS

I Senior B.—Kaierau v. Pirates, I College ground No. 2, at 1.30 p.m. i Third Grade.—Kaierau v. A.T.C., i r >’.legc ground No. 2. at 3 pm. SOUTH TARANAKI NOMINATIONS KING’S DAY MATCH WITH WANGANUI The nomination of 11 South Taranaki players for consideration by the Taranaki selector, Mr. C. Brown, for inclusion in the Taranaki Rugby team to play Wanganui at Wanganui on the King’s Birthday holiday has been made by the southern selectors, Messrs F. H. Macken and H. Butchart. The sout f 'n division is particularly strong in forwards, and in making their choice the southern selectors recognise that it may be that early selection has prevented some promising backs front putting forward claims to consideration. The selectors have submitted their nominations to Mr. Brown in order of merit, there being seven forwards and four backs. Their choice as the outstanding forward in South Taranaki at present is the Hawera front row man, P. Ballantine, who represented South Taranaki last year, and who while playing for the Army won Wanganui and Manawatu provincial representative honours. Second choice is S. West, a Patea breakaway, who has played for Southland. Then follow J. Kissick, Kapbnga lock, D. Crowley, Kaponga breakaway, H. Tippets, Hawera, who plays front or side row. J. Thompson. Okaiawa, front or side row, and L. Hohaia, Athletic back row. Each of the last four named played for South Taranaki last year. Twenty-year-old M. Rowlands, fast Hawera wing, is nominated as the leading back. Second choice is J. Hayman, who has just returned to the Hawera Club after serving in the Pacific. He plays centre or second five-eighths, and he has played for Taranaki in the past. Next is P. Toro, who will be recalled for some of the most dazzling runs in WanganuiTaranaki games at Wanganui in the past. Toro plays for Okaiawa, and in addition to representing Taranaki in the past and South Taranaki last year he won Maori All Black honours. He plays at either centre or second fiveeighths. B. H. Jones, also second fiveeighths, Hawera, has also been nominated.