RANFURLY SHIELD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 287, 30 August 1919, Page 2

RANFURLY SHIELD

CANTERBURY V. WELLINGTON TO-DAY. ; At the Athletic Park this afternoon contests ■ for tho Eanfurly ChaSlsngo Shield will-bo revived. Tho last match' played for this trophy was in 1915, when Wellington successfully challenged Tarathe then holders of the shield. This season, to mark tho resumption of Eanfurly Shield matches, the W.R.F.U. •brought do'wn a motion at the annual meeting of the New Zcailand Union to mako the shield an open challenge, with the result that tho passing of the motion provides that Eanfurly Shield matches mny bo played on the ohallenger's as well as tho holder's ground. Last ycai' two matches wero played with Canterbury, Wellington winning both-by 9-0 and 18—8 respectively. Canterbury is reported to have a much stronger teain this season. Wellington's form in the Maori and Taranaki matches on June 3 and Julv 2 did not inspire public confidence in Wellington's chances of retaining the shield, but the present side is probably the strongest that could -have tan picked. _ , His Excellency, the Governor-General and Admiral Lord Jellicoe have been invited to tho match, and have accepted. Invitations have been sent to the Mayor and Generals Eobin, Richardson, and M'Gavin. ' • • The match will start at 3 p.m. Captain T. 11. Jones has been chosen referee by the Canterbury Rugby Union, and Messrs. It. Fordyco and A. C. Kitto have been appointed line umpires. , The curtain-raiser, at 1.30 p.m., should* be an additional attraction, and tho Porirua Club has gmio to great pains to get a strong Maori fSteen together to give battle to n.M.S. Now Zealand s Rugby football team. - After tlio representative match Canterbury v. Wellington to-day the teams will dine together at fi p.m. 'the Canterbury team goes south later by the Mai'aroa. , Jack.ooll is indisposed, and his place as wing-forward will -be taken by, Green (Oriental). Owing to an injury sustained on Thursday ,T. Shearer Selwyn) wil also be an absentee, and will bo replaced by Cnlci'sti (Poncke). . The third-grade fixtnro Oriental v. Pctono has been postponed until September 13, at Petone.