SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2151, 6 August 1907, Page 2

SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

football. Tho first rirp. mulali will to jjgg l T?,o MawinS hjv. b»« SJCES, p tEW&rt,. Pufiett, Robinson; mpara., Te Rcinga; halt, Oran an, wing, Hamby; forwards A. Th°m son Nicholas, Turner, Lyons, aTuroi, B. Thomson, Lowe; emergencies back, Glennie, Grmlmton; forwards, Somervell, Ferguson, Winter, Stewart. The selectors kept in view the claims of those likely *?_J 50 ’ tour, as it is no use choosing mmi not able to make the trip. ■ The 1 .B. team will leave on Sunday next on tour, returning about the 2«th

P.B. RUGBY UNION. Tho weekly meeting of the Rugby Union was held last night. It was definitely decided that the representative team should leave its tour on Sunday. un i on ’ s pressed tliat so many of tlie u P°i^ ® befit Til avers were unable to maketbo trip. Full details of tho tour were thoroughly gone into. .J^unlons*on received from the various unions on the route, intimating that all ar I rangements had been made for the reception and accommodation of the

tG lt was resolved that the third cup I contest be continued for anothei I r °Tho'following will represent Poverty Bay against East Coast on batui- I day:—Full-back, W. Piper. (Tokqmaru); three-quarters, Nepia (Paikea), Newton (Tokomaru)), C. Ryland (Tokomaru); five-eighths, Aorere Matahiki (Tokomaru); half, Hira Paenga (Paikea); wing forwards, J. Cookery (Tokomaru), D. Wakarara (Tu : paroa); forwards, R. Paerata (Tolar ga), AVi Paati (Paikea), Brooking (Tokomaru), H. Nelson (Tolaga) Hoki Loach (Paikea) Tuara Kutia. (Tolaga), S. Grace (Tuparoa); emergen cies, S. King (Tolaga)j.back, H. Caddv (Tuparoa), forward. Two claims for accident insurance I vere dealt with. I It was resolved to endeavor to arI -ange a tour to Hawke’s Bay for the ■uniors, a £2 deposit to be imposed. Should this be successful the team .ill probably play three matches— I 'gainst AVaipawa, Hawke s Bay, and I ' l 'HicTfoilowing were appointed the •unior selection* committee Messrs. H Carr, J. Martin, and AY. Hay. 1 It was announced that on August IL7 the juniors would play a team from Whatatutu. B. Mcßride .was passed as a third I player from Kaiti-City, and A. IP) 1 ' ?' ivas passed in the same rank for lakiI timu.

THE PROFESSIONAL TEAM. IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS: Press Association.

AVELLINGTON, August 5. Tho professional team of Rugby footballers will leave in the course of the next seven days for Australia en route to England. The southern members of the team ar© to rea .?l’ Wellington on AVednesday and, with local members, will leave for Sydney’ bv next Friday’s boat from this port. The passages to Sydney by the steamer leaving Auckland next Monday have been booked for the northern contingent and it is anticipated that a proportion of the amateurs now on tour in Australia as representatives of the New Zealand Rugby Union will cast in their lot with the professionals. The personnel of the team is now decided upon save in two cases and it is reported that a number of good players are available for emergencies. The finances are said to be extremely good at present so much so that all possible calls for expenditure may be met' with ease, quite apart from prospective gate takings. The ramifications of the professional movements here and in Australia have extended' far beyond the bounds originally fixed and the" results are ! likely to continue to develop. The formation of a professional club in. Sydney with a view to playing matches against! New Zealanders this month will probably be followed by an arrangement for tlie tour of a New South AA 7 ales professional _ team to Yorkshire in 1908, and it is the I intention of the New Zealanders I when in England to rrrange for a I visit to Australia and New Zealand I in 1909 of a team representative of I the Northern Rugby Union.

HOCKEY. The senior men’s contest will be resumed at Victoria Domain on Thursday, when'City will meet To Kau and West End will meet Kia Kaha.

THE TURF. - THE GRAND NATIONAL MEETING. In the last issue to hand of the “Canterbury Times” “The Possible” writes as follow:

If there was any room for doubt regarding the prospects of a successful Grand National meeting, J. should ,say effectually-removed by a perusal oF the list "of acceptances and nominations, received on Friday night. The Winter Cup has attracted twenty-five acceptors,, and as class is well represented,.it is reasonable to look for a keen struggle in the big flat race of the meeting. Several of those engaged have been racing prominently at the recent meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, and with fresh, aspirants in Helen Portland and half a dozen’ Riccarton candidates to add interest to the race, I am looking forward* to one of the best contests we have ever had in the Winter Cup. The most gratifying feature about the meeting is the acceptance of seventeen for the Grand National Steeplechase. I must confess that I h

some slight niisgivings'conceriiing the cross-country events, but I have quite got over them now, as it is evident that we are going to have a thoroughly representative gathering of steeplechase performers at Riccarton next month. At present very few of the contestants are at "Riccarton, but they should nearly all be here within the next few days. Of the local candidates, Phaetontis is getting through a solid preparation, and he is now a strong favorite. His connections are very confident about- his chance, and as a winner of the race, he must be seriously considered. He is, I am sure, likely to strip a better horse than he was a year ago. Slow Tom I have no liking for at all; in fact, he does not seem to be getting through a Grand National preparation. Evenlode’s performances in Wellington have drawn attention to his prospects, and if he is got into something like his best form lie will have to be reckoned with. 1 hear good accounts of the Otago horse, St. Kooringa, who may develop into, a decent cross-country performer. Most of the North Islanders have raced a lot within the last month or two, but there will he opportunities during the next few days of seeing how they shape over the Riccarton fences. * The acceptance of thirty-three for the Grand National Hurdle-Race is a record,

and I expect to see an unusually large field face the starter. The list includes all' the best hurdlers in training, as well as several promising novices, one of whom, Paritutu, is he ruling favorite at present. The •ominations for the minor events re very satisfactory. The flat races have all filled well, and so have the other races, save, uerhaps, the events open to hunters, some of which have not attracted such large fields as usual. Taken all round, however, the prospects for the Grand National Aleeting are particularly bright.

THE DOUBLE EVENT “TOTE. Press Association.

AUCKLAND., August 5. At the annual meeting of members of the Auckland Racing Club the President, the Hon. E. Alitclielson, referred to the attack on the double event tote and stated that he was in accord with the Premier when he said it should he stopped. - Air. D. O’Brien left for Sydney by the Alokoia this evening with the racehorses ' Alaranui and Chamade. Volume, which was recently purchased for India, also left by the same steamer.