RUGBY LEAGUE NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 May 1948, Page 6

RUGBY LEAGUE NOTES

TEAMS SETTLE DOWN; OVERSEAS PARS (By “Xavier”). Now that teams are settling down interest in Wanganui Rugby League centres on which club will emerge as 1948 champions. At present the position is very open and Aotea, Waitotara, City, Aramoho A, and Eastern Suburbs all appear to have an equal chance. Aotea, the only unbeaten side, has plenty of talent, but will have to play a different brand of football than they played last Satururday if they are to remain on top of the ladder. Waitotara, a solid side in all departments, are hard to beat, and Davis, their full-back, has no superior in that position in Wanganui. City and Aramoho A, both good combinations, have in their favour two giant goal-kickers in Butler and Blackmore respectively. Eastern Suburbs, playing brightest football, are improving with every game and have not shown their best form yet. That so many teams have a chance of winning the competition will be of great advantage tG the League code here. Only the team that is in perfect physical shape, the team that plays as a combination, the team that plays fast end open football —that is the team which will emerge as 1948 champions.

One position where most of the sides are strong, is at full-back. Davis (Waitotara) is a full-back of class and had much to do in keeping out Eastern Suburbs last Saturday. Blackmore (Aramoho A) is sound in tackling, handling, and positional play and he gets tremendous power into his kicks. Jury (Aotea) and Anderson (City) are safe, and always join in with their backs at the right moment. McClintock is the most determined tackler playing in Wanganui, very few will ever get past him. WIGAN’S VICTORY. The English Rugby League Cup Final was played at Wembley last Saturday before an attendance of 93,000. Wigan, probably the most famous of English club sides, defeated the holders, Bradford Northern, 8-3. This gave Wigan its third success in Challenge Cup Finals. Bradford Northern have won this event twice and Leeds, whose present fullback is the ex-New Zealander, H. E. Cooke, have won the cup on six different occasions. Huddersfield five, Halifax four, Swinton, Oldham, and Batley three, are other clubs who have had success in Cup Finals. The Challenge Cup was inaugurated in 1896 and in all 20 clubs have held the trophy. This season's Wigan side contains eight internationals and Bradford Northern has three. If they had remained in New Zealand, C. Mountford and B. Noradgren (now of Wigan), would undoubtedly have been chosen for their country. The 1947 Kiwi team defeated Wigan 10-8 and Bradford Northern 17-7.