RUGBY FOOTBALL

Southland Times, Issue 21091, 24 May 1930, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

TO-DAY FIXTURES.

STAR v. PIRATES A. FORMER TEAM DISABLED, The final -ames in the first round of the Galbraith Shield competition will be played to-day when the main attraction will be the meeting of Star and Pirates A. Star have so far been undefeated this season, and Pirates have suffered only one reverse. Usually productive of a good game, the meeting of these two teams on this occasion threatens to lose much of its interest on account of the enforced absence of several of the prominent players. Of the Star team, Holden, Mahoney, Riddell and Murray will be absentees, and on the Pirates side R. Bird will be missing. Bird was injured in the South Island trial game at Christchurch on Wednesday and will probably be. off the scene for a month. His loss is not likely to be Pirates’ alone, but also Southland's, as he may still be out of action when the British team meets Southland on June 25. Holden suffered a severe shoulder injury, also in Wednesday’s game, and he may be incapacitated for a week or two. Mahoney was injured in last week’s Star-Pirates B game and Riddell and Murray were put out of action the week previously. None of these players w(ll be available to-day. This is rather an unfortunate matter for the Rugby Union, as the gate is certain to be affected. ■Several changes in the Star team will now require to be. made, and as the side has been considerably weakened, Pirates should have a comfortable victory. Should the Blacks prevail, the competition will be at a most interesting stage as then both Star and Pirates will enter the second round at the head of the championship on even terms. At best ,a forward game to-day may be looked for. Heavy rains during the week have had the effect of making Rugby Park fairly heavy’, so little back play of the spectacular order should be witnessed. Star, weak or strong, can always be relied upon to put up a good fight, however, and even with the absence of the players mentioned, they may hold their own. Both sides have been framing very hard, and whatever the result, a fast and hard forward game should result. CENTRAL DISTRICT. TO-DAYS FIXTURES. (From Our Winton Correspondent.) ' The following fixtures have been drawn up for to-day:— ' Senior: Limehills v. Dipton, at ’Lhpton (Mr R. S. Balch); Winton a bye. Junior: Winton v. Limehills, at Limehills (Mr W. Moylan); Drummond v. Ryal Bush, at Drummond (Mr A. McLeod); Hokonui v. Hedgehope, at Hedgehope (Mr J. Forde).