RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1800, 12 July 1913, Page 12

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

[Br Aristobultjs.l Good Programme.' The Wellington Rugby Union has a rather interesting programme this season. So far a dozen representative fixtures have been Arranged for, and of these two havo been played already, and one has been cancelled. The two representative matches played ivore. against Wairqrapa (played hero on June 3) and against 'I'ara.nnki (played at Haivera on June 25). Both matches were won by Wellington with very little • to spare. The next fixture was a. match against the Maijri touring team on July 5, . and that is the one cancelled. The Native team did not land in Wellington - (as expected), and tho event, of course, lapsed, but it was thought by somo that it would , be. played a week later (to-day). However, the Wellington Union is going on with its cup fixtures, and the Maori attraction is definitely abandoned. The Great Battle. Our most important match this season is set down for next Saturday, wdieai the Blacks of this city aro to meet the. Blue and Whites of-Auckland in a special Rarifurly. Shield contest. Later in the season Auckland will visit hero" on tour, and again play the Blacks. , Taranaki plays here on August 23, and those who remember the brilliant display of the Amber and' Blacks on Athletic Park two seasons ago will naturally look forward to another, lively display of good back.play. The Australian touring team is due to' play here on September G, and after that Wellington will tour tho South Island, playing at Christokurcli, ■ Otago, and luvercargill. • ■ : The A team and tho B fifteen will be both in action together on two occasions. When the A team is shield-hunting (shield-raising, we hope) in the north, the B team will be playing Hawke'B Bay in .Wellington. And while the touring team is at Christohurch, Wanganni will engage the next fifteen on Athletic Park. The Complete List. Tho complete programme is as follows:— July 19—Auckland, at Auckland. July 19.—Hawkes Bay, at Wellington. August 23.—Taranaki, at Wellington. September t G.—Australia, at Wellington. September 13.—Canterbury, at Christchurch. ! September 13.—Wanganui,, at Wellington. September 17.—Otago, at Dnnedin. September 20.—Southland," at Invercargill. September 27.—Wakarapa, at Carterton. The Representative Team. Mr.'V. E. Meredith has chosen' Wellington's team for the big match of the year —the Eanf urly Shield contest at Auckland. On the whole it is a. strong team. There are many who would like to have seen : Young ,(the St. James wing three-quarter) chosen, but so long as the team 6ecurea • viotory over Auckland the critics. on the ; ,bank will not grumble at tho iiersonnel. ' It is,' however, quite doubtful, if Young j should have beon omitted. The Representative Forwards, i j ■ The forwards are good. One is glad to see Bell in and Moffatt out. Moffatt has not 'been up to • representative form for soma time, and it would have been folly to send him to Auckland. Bell has been almost the star forward of the season. What Athletic forward has excelled him this winter? Not oven Wilson. There are good men out of the vanguard, notably Oakes, but, as ■with the backs, few weak spots can be found. the Chance for the Shield. It is a little disappointing that the Wellington public take such a pessimistic / view of tho team's, chance against Auck- ] land. This .view no doubt springs from i the defeat of the 1912 team, of which so many.Eugby Wellingtonians expected so S much. Pessimists! Tho team ,is a good 1 one. Wait till the numbers go yp! The j chance for tho shield is good. 1 Will They Play League? ) There is talk of a couple of Melrose seniors going over to tho League game. < SucJx rumours about Melroso men have beon floating about freely this season, but / so far none of the stories has materialised. It, is to be hoped that none of them . will prove correct. The Melrose Club 1 contains many of tho stamp of player j which it is desirable to keep in the Rugby ' game. ,< Further Rumours. t Further talk, too, is there. of senior < men becoming renegades. One mentioned as a well-known representative forward \ who_ at present wears the Black and White jersey of the Oriental Club, and who formerly was' attached to another senior team in the city. ■ A back who is not by ally, means an old identity in Wellington senior R/ugby is said to be a certainty for active participation in the League game within a waek at tho outside—that is, that . he might play for one of the League teams this afternoon, but will certainly be out by next Saturday. This player has been playing for St. Jame3 during the season, \ and is. a Maori. ' 1 Selecting for the Inter-Island Match. The task of selecting the inter-island ! teams this year is being Tendered most * complicated m now of the New Zealand { team for California, which will probably i be chosen after the South Island-North Island match at Christchurch. If the inter-island matoh (says "Pull-Back" in \ the Otago Witness") is to serve as a guide to tho seleotors in choosing the New { Zealand side for America—and in the speoial circumstances this will probably bo the case—somo injustice is likely to bo done ,to players -whoso merits warrant choir inolusion in tho North and South island teams, yet who are unable to proceed to America. It is, no doubt, impossible for_ the selectors to be> acquainted as yet with the players who can. definitely make the torn- to America if chosen. j Indeed, thoso players oan scarcely bo ' expected to know themselves. In the circumstances, therefore, the selectors of the ' anter-island teams may pick tho best mon available for the North and South , match, irrespective of whethor they can v make the American 'tour. To' confine j themselves to thoso players available for the New Zealand team is to hampor the 1 selection for tho inter-island fixture con- 1 eidorably. No one knows at present who ! •will be chosen, and who will bo left, and it would simplify matters if the best 1 players are selected for tho inter-island match, leaving the question of the selec- j tion of the New Zealand team until after ' .the inter-island match, entirely independ- ' ent of that fixture. Of coarse it may ' happen that some of New Zealand's best i players will bo unable to take part in the inter-island anatch, yet may lio available to proceed to America if ohosen. In all ciroumstances the best schcme appears to be i tho selection in the meantime of the best < players available for the North Island- 1 ikmth Island match. By this means, ' opportunity will be afforded the selectors of seeing the material from, which tho i New Zealand team may bo built Tip. It i would seem, scarcely fair if a player fit £ for inclusion in tne inter-island match Should be denied the honour through being : nnable to proceed with the New Zealand , team for America. f ; ' , t