ON THE BALL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 23, 19 September 1931, Page 6

ON THE BALL

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RUGBY NOTES j |

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The final of the Mitchell Shield knock-out competition between Waiariki and Whaka to-day (Sat.) will close senior club competitions for the 1931 season. Waiariki should have no diftieulty in bagging the trophy, and are to be congratulated' on their consistent performances since the formation of the club at the start of the 1930 season. With the Tauranga-Rotorua game off the programme, main interest will be centred around the Ponsonby-Ro-torua match. Ponsonby, who have been the leading club in the Auckland centre, are expected to keep the home side fully extended and their style of play should profit our younger players considerably. Reorganisation. Kahukura seniors, who were at the bottom of the list in the 1st round of the championship and by the inclusion of new bl'ood finished as runners-up in the competition, could only muster half a dozen players to take the field against Whaka on Saturday in the knock-out for the Mitchell Shield. This state of affairs is deplorable in an old club who have in previous years received a fair share of the honours, and calls for a complete reorganising of the club by those in control. • 1 Recognition. Waiariki is to be commended on the fine team work of its members, which has resulted in their holding the premiership for the two years that the club has been established. A worthy recognition of the club's fine performance, in turning out each Saturday to time and with a full complement would be to match the club against some visiting team. This should be a good draw and would reward the players for the keen interest they have taken in placing their club at the top of the list. The final of the Kozie Shield was decided last Saturday and once again the boys who don the blue and white jerseys have come out on top. Kaharoa, who have improved wonderfully since the start of the season, put up a gredt tussle and considering the two runaway tries scored by Kahukura early in the game the defeat was no disgrace. • Kahukura played thq fast open game and with their backs functioning perfectly counteracted the rugged play of their heavier opponents. Notes on Players. T. L'eonard (Kaharoa) is a forward who will have no difficulty in meeting with the selectors' approval. He is one of the best junior forwards | playing tihs season and a great worker in both the scrums and the open. A new member to the Kahukura Club is Worster, who was seen in action on the wing against Kaharoa. He made a good shdwing on the day . ind the opening for Shalfoon to score a spectacular try was a fine piece of work on his part. . If he maintains this standard of play he will be an asset to the Kahukura juniors. • Duff (first five-eighths for Kahu-' kura) does his job very creditably, but like many others, he will persist n hanging on to the ball too long. A. Flood (half -back) and Hamilton (five-eighths) played their best games last Saturday. Both these boys can hold their own in these respective positions and should not be overlooked by the selector. The back division of the Kahukura junior team has splendid combination and it is anticipated that when the final selection of the junior representative team is made known the rearguard will be well represented by this club.