Position Of Teams In Rugby Championships

Chronicle (Levin), 15 June 1948, Page 4

Position Of Teams In Rugby Championships

With the Hornwhenua Rugby champfhnships' -wel.l i-nto th#r secOhd rpunds, a reliabfe indfcafion of ihe sfrength .of the team? partici^ patins is availabie," Enthusiasm this season is at a high level and i'ollowers of the games are being cregted to soine good exhibitions." * There is a wealth ' of talent in the senior teams and the selector will have a difficult task in choosjng his fihal representative gifteen; put iit sho.uld be the strongest side Horowhenua ha? fielded foj some 's.easons past, Wheii the team, Is selected it will be for the union tp .ee that it has sufficient pr,actic1|'to gain the co-(irdination and' unffer^ itauding so essential to success. All the competitons this year are being decided over three rounds, the winners of fhe hortbern .division pf the J'uuior cf^inpipnship piaying ofi with the successful team in* the southern section f of the hQnours. The Nash Cpp wilf / go to .ihe team gaining the most points in the third round of the. spnior phnhipfpn^hip $$4 the Ljcehsed Victuuh.ers' Cup fp the junfor team which seCures ' the 'greatest- number'of points in the third rpund of their competition. It now appears evident that the senior honourg will be fought out by Wanderors an'd Hui Mai. Athletic iyere in a handy position, but .their unexpected , defeat by Shannon last Saturday has 'dulled their chances .considerably. Hpwever, seye'n series of games remain to be played" and' surprdse results cbuld brihg the championship to any one pf the three leading t.eams. The final found should be a yery keen , one with the Nash Cup ' as the trophy. :

D.espite severgl close calls, Athletic* -are stj'U -unbeaten jn the northern division of • the junior competition. They have been playing go.od fpotfeail and lead by two points from .Tokomaru, and Punahau, both of whom are fielding" stronger teams tha.n usual, Paraparaunru have a- comipanding lead in the southern division and, lik-e Athletic, hav,e not suffered a loss to date. With a margin of six poinfs .over Rahui, their chances look particulariy bright. A keen tussje is being fought by Old Boys A and Rahui in the third grade competition. With Old Boys ho.iding a slender lead of one point, the ulfiniate result of the championship depends a grqat deal on the clash between these t/wo teams !on Saturday week.- The first round [honours.went to .Old Boys.by only .six point's to three k [ ,- Thp four.th grade ' corppetition [entered Rs .secorid^ffiuncL l^st Sat- | ur^ay and , three of ..,the tea.ms, Otakij pQll'egev. A ..Bh^nnon, are separ;ate,d by one poin.t. each in that order.", With two rounds to go the outcome is ypry-PP.en. The following tabfe shpws the' positions of .teams . jn the. various competitons:—

+? in . , .... ~ s ' % - "e 1 1 & a >, d 2 +9 .-c3 (j 0 7 2 « !» f Wanderers * 6 5 — 1 91 37 10 Hui Mai 6 4 1 1 72 37 9 Athletic 7 3 2 2 58 50 8 Shannon 6 2 1 3 35 45-5 Otaki-Rahui 7 7 19 108 —

Senior Championship

Athletic 6 6 108 17 12 Tokomaru 6 4 — 2 60 20 8 Punahau 7 4 — 3 93 50 8 Wanderers 6 2 — 4 30 63 4 Shannon 7 7 19 170 —

Junior Championship—North

Paraparaumu 7 7 86 37 14 Hui Mai 6 4 9- 2 91 47 8 Rahui 6.4 — 2 67 40 8 Waikanae 7 ! 1 — 6 39 80 2 Ot^iki 6 6 25 104 —

Junior Championship—South

Old Boys A 7 6 1 — 124 20 13 Rahui. 7 6 — 1 97 36 12 Shannon 7 3 2 2 41 58 8 Athletic 7 2 3 2 58 34 7 College 7 1 1 5 64 60 3 Old Boys B 7 7 L2 189 —

Third-Grade Championship

Otaki 5 4 — 1 55 11 8 College A 5 . 3 1 1 5g 11 7 Shannon 4 3 — 1 60 18 6 Rahui 5 1 1 3 14 54 3 College B 5 5 3 74 —

Fourth-Grade Championship