Roope Rooster Starts

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 139, 2 September 1927, Page 11

Roope Rooster Starts

LEAGUE RUGBY MATCHES Prospects for To-Morrow

IT is an old saying that “it never rains but it pours ;” and this applies to Newton, which has not been seen on No. 1 area at Carlaw Park as the star attraction for many years up till this season. Now, after many strenuous battles on this ground, and after winning the championship, Newton will be again in pride of position on Saturday, when the red and whites will meet Marist in the first round of the Roope Rooster competition.

Marist has not had a serious game for some weeks back, and will not be in the best of condition, and as Newton has been showing fine form in its last few games, the club champions will bo sure to command a good following. After last Saturday’s game, however, several of the latter team were showing signs of these hard battles and it is reported that Henery’s eye was opened up in the game against the “Ponies,” and Clarke is on the injured list nursing a bad hand which was injured in this game. Rumour also has it that Mclntyre is feeling the effects of last week’s game, too. If this is so, Marist must have a chance of upsetting the champions, as they have a fine team of forwards, and on present appearances the ground is sure to be heavy, and a forward game will be the order of the day. Newton has played the same team most of the season and consequently has not got too many reserves, and will be hard put to it to replace the likes of these men, and Marist should have a chance of upsetting the Red and Whites. CITY AND RICHMOND The game on No. 2 ground between City and Richmond should also provide a fairly even contest with the odds in favour of the latter. Richmond has a good chance of repeating last year’s performance, when they’ were playing at the top of their form and finished up winners of this competi-

tion. City, on the other hand, showed signs of returning to its true form in the middle stages of the championship, but on their last appearance against Athletic on Victoria Park will have to improve considerably to have any chance with last winners. PONSONBY V. ATHLETIC The other game on Saturday between Ponsonby and Athletic will be played at Victoria Park and Ponsonby must be considered lucky to draw a weak team to play against after the gruelling game last Saturday. The Ponies will most likely play some of their young players. Ponsonby has not had the best of luck this season, having lost the services of Lawry, the hooker, in the early part of the season, and later Moore had to go to the hospital and is still up there. Now Riley, its second five-eighths, has been admitted to hospital, and is not likely to be seen out again for a long time. Ponsonby was also without the services of Hutt for several Saturdays, but if the Blue and Blacks have been unlucky in some ways, they must be considered lucky in others, as they are in the fortunate position of having some good juniors to pick from. The same cannot be said of Athletic, which has had its share of bad luck, but as it has not got a junior team, the club is often hard put to it to get a team out, and has had to call on third and -fourth grade players to fill its depleted ranks.