RUGBY CLUB PROSPECTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 339, 26 April 1928, Page 11

RUGBY CLUB PROSPECTS

Interesting First Round SEASON OPENS CLLH Rugby in Auckland this season is bound to lose a little of its early interest on account of the attention with which the fortunes of the All Blacks will be followed in South Africa. What club football loses in interest however, will be: amply repaid in other forms. The competition is bound to be much more keenly contested, as the absence of Lucas and McWilliams from the ranks of the Ponsonby stalwarts will give other clubs a better chance against the premiers. Also, though it may not be noticeable until late in the season, the close attention paid to New Zealand representatives abroad will give Rugby a general boost in the Dominion which will ultimately be reflected in increased attendances at club fixtures.

"•AUCKLAND interest will mainly centre on the possible visit of a. Mew South Wales team, and the Southern tour of the Auckland representatives, during which the Union hopes to have a tiR for the Ranfurly Shield, which is at present held by buryClub teams are more even in strength than they have been for some years, and several teams have excellent chances of wresting supremacy from the men in blue and black. UNIVERSITY "BLUES” Varsity seems to be the team with

ously this year, and it is not expected that the team will be wooden spooners this season. TO-MORROW’S TEAMS Senior Grade Grammar Old Boys.—A. Singleton, Montelth, J. Wilson, L. Williams, Skelton, Badeley, Weir, Potter, Whelan, McCarthy, Wilson. Knight, Cathcart, Batiy, R. Schnauer. Emergencies: N. Williams, Gardiner, Olsen, Turei, Short, Skelton, E. Singleton. Marist.—Cornthwaite, Johnson, Stuart, Stoupe, Loft, Jeffries, Wright, Howard,

Four players who are taking part in the battle for world Rugby supremacy in South Africa, whose places will be difficult to fill in club Rugby this season.

the most hope of putting Ponsonby down. The students finished fourth last year, and have assembled an excellent team for 1928. It is'true that the services of “Vic” Butler, most solid of full-backs, have passed over to Training College, but the students are making a speciality of attack and have included in their team a new scoring wing recently arrived in the Dominion —C. E. W. Macintosh, an ex-Scottish representative. Hindenach, who hocked for Otago last year, will be in the Varsity front rank. Other finds include Carter, Minns and Anderson. J. Blakey, a senior B player, will fill Butler’s place in the last line of defence, and Grafton will be fully extended tomorrow. COLLEGE RIFLES It is a difficult thing to fill the place of players like Sheen, Teape and Pilling, but the juniors, who are being given a trial with the best, are said to be a handy trio, and, with an improved pack of forwards to give the undoubtedly useful backs a little more ball, the club may yet be well up at the finish. BLACK AND WHITE Renewed hope should give confidence to the members of the only club that beat Ponsonby last year. It is doubtful whether Grafton will be able to repeat the triumph of last season, however. The team will take the field against Varsity to-morrow without the services of two of its best men. Hutchinson, the centre threequarter, and Peacock, from the pack, have suffered injuries and will be unable to play for at least two weeks. Paewai, .Finlayson and Hargreaves should be towers of strength to a side that may yet prove a surprise, MARIST OLD BOYS Supporters of the Marist Club are relying on the team’s backs to carry the Two Blues to the top of the competition this season. The backs will be the same as those of last season, and, with a few additions to the pack, including Dowling, an ex-Hawke’s Bay representative, the Marist attacking machine should be thoroughly efficient, and College Rifles will have to fight hard to keep the game out of their own twenty-five to-morrow. CHAMPIONS OF LAST SEASON The absence of Lucas and McWilliams will be sorely felt by the Blue and Blacks, who will meet a strong side to-morrow. Righton has given up active Rugby, though Berridge, Hook and McManus, will be as formidable a trio as ever. Among the recuits is a hooker, Charles, from Poverty Bay. Although considerably weakened, the premiers still seem to be one the strongest teams to take the field this season, and it will be no mean feat to rob them of the championship. GRAMMAR OLD BOYS With the same pack of forwards and improved backs, Grammar will be a force to be reckoned with this season. Ces. Badeley is turning out in white again, and Lance Williams, who has not played for two seasons, will claim a place in the back division. Old Boys finished second in the competition last >'ear, and it is quite possible, and even probable, that the winners of the match between the W r hites and last year's champions to-morrow will claim the coveted premiership for this season.

TRAINING COLLEGE AND BUTLER Most important in the new teachers’ team is the appearance of Butler as full-back. Several serious losses have weakened the team considerably, and r ,will have to fight hard against City, which topped the “B” list last season. SEEKING NEW WORLDS City and Manukau Rovers enter the fists of senior A football to-morrow, after a successful season with the B’s. fhe City players will fully extend training College, as they are putting a particularly strong team of young Players, including Finch, a Waikato representative, and Fletcher, from -North Auckland. Manukau will be particularly keen beat Shore and make a satisfactory debut in the champions’ grade, and finder the guidance of A. Falwasser, the -laori rep., the team will probably do things. Shore is taking its Rugby more seri-

Macdonald, Locke, Cotter, Downing, Marshall, Carroll, Judd, Maher, Butler, Brown, Larsen, Tobin. University.—Hindenach, Black, Jenkin, Linton, Anderson, Colgan, Mathias, Keene, Brooker, Bailey, Carter, .Tenkin, Stotter, Minns, Moorehouse, Mackintosh, Blakey, Dickson. Players please call at secretary’s office for numbers. College Rifles.—Goddard, Gillespie, Blyth, Webber, Wilson, McGregor, Fisher, Kirk, Warren, S. Souter, Gibson, Stewart, Lawn, Fogarty, Gallagher, Cummings, Page, Duckworth, Du Temple. North Shore. —Johnson, Franklin, Walsh, Simons, McKay, Webb, Palmer, Soloman, Clark, D’Authreau, Pasley, Simpson, Lynch, Smith, Fairgray, Cooke, Stokes, Blornfield, Cooper, Firth, Woolhouse. Senior B Grade University.—Lowe, Miller, Brendall, Kaa, Wills, Simmers, Dixon, Bell, MeNaughton, Hant, Hodgson, Babbage, Hamiora, Bergen, McLeod, Smith, Goodwin, Beliak, Bailey, Bunn. Second Grade Marist.—Judd, Sullivan, Corbett, Barry, Eville, McVeagh, Quin, Lynch, Rennie, Strange, Harris, Belcher. Larsen, Henry.