ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1449, 25 May 1912, Page 8

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

♦ RUGBY FOOTBALL. WHICH GAME TO GO TO? Fallowing is the Rugby Union, official noli) about ilio matches to bo played today :— Tlio Athletic-Oriental mutch this afternoon pivHiiisas to be a dWly-fou(.;ht con lost am! will doubtless nliraot ;i largo number of patrons. Oriental stand with nn unbroken record of siiccosses tJti<= senson, while Athletic have not been defeated, but havn drawn with Petone, wliich team Oriental have yet (o meet, llclroso meet St. James on No. 2 Ground, and here alsn, a clo.-:o game may bo looked for. At Pelono Victoria College, meet the siibniban (ram, while a Rood attraction from a local point of view is the junior gnino between Omenta! and I'etone neither of whom have ns yet lost a. pine (],i s FCIV son. 3V«l!in(flon ami Southern meet at JCnrori, while Ponelte has a bye through Old Boys' withdrawal. A number of Rugby, Association, hockey, and lacrosse teams (in addition to those published in Friday morning's issw) have been received. Hatch committee seIcoliions should roach this office, on Thursday each weelt.

BOXING.

M'CLAIN IN WELLINGTON. THE DROOP IN SYDNEY. "Billy" St'Ciain, manager for "Sam" M'Vea,- the coloured heavy-weight boxer, arrived in Wellington from Sydney this week by the Tahiti, en route for America, irhero ho hopes to sec the big clash between Johnson and Fireman Flynn, to bo fought shortly at Los Vegas, in Now Mexico.

"That's the only place they'll let Johnson fight now," &aid M'Cla'in. "He's barred all over the States, so ho has to take to a territory. It's a long way from anywjiero, but there will be a good pull from Denver, Los Angeles, and there aro thousands of greasers and cowboys with plenty of money who'll burn to see tho i'ray. Those fellows you know , are all money—l hey only wear one suit in four years. It's made of leather. And they never take their boots off. They'll all get along to Los Vegas—if the fight happens. "I'm going to try and clinch the winner for a light with McVea," "What's the good of M'Vea going on fighting Langford—the men are too even —in the balance all the time. One man might score the first nine rounds, tho other the next nine; then if they cut up the lust two, whero are you? Where is the referee?'

"They've fought six times now, and they're still evon. Fighting is on the wane in Sydney, and it trill wane still further if the rulos are not altered. At present in New South Wales there is a 20-roiind limit with six-ounce gloves—big puddings. You couldn't knock either M'Vea or Langford out with a six-ounce giovo if they were ready and willing to go out. If you put one on a mule and it kicked them, it wouldn't knock them out. With these men you'll never know who is boss until you get the old championship rules of forty rounds. At present the police have a set of rules, the referee has a set, and the boxers a set, so there is a grand rnix-un, and you don't know really who is tho winner ■ unless there's a knock-out. M'Voa beat Langford three times, and got one win according to the clean-break rule, ami tln-eo losses if hitting in clinches'is allowed. Until there is n. hard and fast! rule laid down by n recognised sporting bodv. there will always be a muddle in deciding the winner on wiints where men are' evenly matched. You'll never know who is champion until you have the old forty rounds, and tike some of the upholstery out of tho ploves. What boxing wants is a 'white hoiw, . If there was a white man that would lay Johnson out, the interest in boxing would revive. ,Hu<rh "Sl'listosli is fniildins: a roof on the ■ stadium in Sydney. T think he's too late —tho in'»rest is pretty dead. there for a time. M'Vea is still in Sydnrv—l'm just coing alone to see if I can fix up anything for him, nroferably with tho winner of the big fi-sht." , . BOWLS. NEW SOUTH WAT.KS VISIT TO BRITAIN. By Telesraplj—Press Association—Copyricht London, May 23. At bowls, tha London Parks Association beat Now South Wales by 94 points to 63. ALBANY CUP. ENCOUNTER BEATS PIONEER. IDy Telc£rapU~Proßß Aseocia.tion.l Auckland, May 23. The crew of the twelve-oared cutter of the Pioneer made a vain attempt this afternoon to wrest the Albany Cup from tho holders—the crew of the Encounter. The En-counter crow won easily. The Albany Cup, which is retained by the Encounter, was presented to.the Australasian squadron by the citizens of Albany a few years ■ ago, and is held by the winning crew subject to challenge at a fortnight's uotieo from other ships of the squadron.