Rugby Enthusiasm Steadily Mounting

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 370, 2 June 1928, Page 11

Rugby Enthusiasm Steadily Mounting

holiday matches Pil BLACKS AT CAPETOWN •jTie All Blacks to-day meet a combined force representina the Rugby clubs cf Capetown, and if Wednesday's gallop did not give them a serious trial, this match certainly will, as the opposing ♦•am is sure to include a platoon !? crack Afrikanders, including Mcstert, Osier, Prinsloo, Van Niekerk. Tindall, Van Wijk, Melckarrd pien'aar. The result should be something of a guide ho test match chances. In local Rugby Monday will be tin Interesting day because it marks the netting of r a representative season with many intriguing' -prosChief Rugby interest in the Dominion as a whole will centre on fwe historic Hawke’s Bay-Wairarapa Sture, in which a Wairuhtpa team JjL 0S t Identical with last, year’s best Tide meeting a radically re-cast 5L V - combination. The Wairarapa team, led by J. Donald/, represents skill and seasoning from the hookers back, .Jury' and Yates, the wings, being both men who have represented their province several times before. Its performance on Monday will give a line on the Wairarapa team’s chances of regaining the Ranfurly Shield, which Manawhenua took from g in the course* of last, season’s hectic exchanges. Wairarapa and Auckland are the strongest challengers yet apparent this season, so Wairarapa’s form will be watched with interest here. Last year the June 3 match, a shield game, was won by Wairarapa, 15-12, each side scoring only one try. AUCKLAND v. WAIKATO Auckland’s concern with its own team will be restricted to considerations of its chances against a Waikato side that will have the primary advantage of playing on its own Held, but which otherwise, despite the fine showing of its forwards in last season’s trial match, does not seem very formidable opposition for a side of Auckland’s acknowledged calibre. Interest will be focussed on S. Thomas, the young Morrinsville farmer, who last season played his way into two" trial teams. Only his kicking let him down, and he is said to have developed this phase of his game by practice during the summer. In the Auckland team McManus (half) and Knight (forward) are not available through injuries. They will be replaced by Jeffries and Fell respectively. CLUB MATCHES AWAY Several Auckland club teams, including Ponsonby, which has a match with Thames, are travelling away to fulfil friendly King’s Birthday engagements. ; In a third important representative match Wanganui meets Taranaki, the lartet 4 team lacking, for the first time for many seasons, the services of D. Johnston, who is a late starter this season. H. W. Brown is back at centre. but the team as a whole is new, with eight men Who have not previously worn the- distinguished amber and black.