KNOWN TOMORROW?

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1939, Page 4

KNOWN TOMORROW?

TASK FOR THE LEADERS

The winning of the senior first division Rugby championship for the present season in Wellington has not yet been accomplished despite the fact that the Wellington team has a lead of five points. It will be Wellington's endeavour tomorrow to settle the issue, but the championship leaders .will be up against the team which beat them in the first round and which, with an odd exception, has been scoring heavily in club matches. That team is Athletic, and it will be doing its utmost to keep the championship position open. At this stage of the competition, the Wel-lington-Athletic match has , the elements of a championship final, and it is bound to attract a big crowd to Athletic Park tomorrow afternoon.

There are some changes in the teams for tomorrow's match, and these tend to make a forecast of the result more difficult than ever. With the match having so important a bearing upon the championship, the play is bound to be of a very stirring order. Two strong packs will have a keen battle for possession, and there will be no lack of initiative on the part of the snappy backs of both teams in making their eager search for points. There is good reason to expect that the match will be one of the best of the season. If Wellington win, the honour of being champions for 1939 will be theirs; if Athletic win, the championship issue will go on to a further series of matches.

This season's promoted teams, Oriental and University, will also be in action tomorrow at Athletic Park. They will provide the curtain-raiser, which should also be a keen and interesting event.