Varsity Hopes High

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 375, 8 June 1928, Page 11

Varsity Hopes High

KEENE AND MACINTOSH OUT

To-Morrow’s Challenge to Ponsonby

ALTHOUGH the team will probably be without both A. H. Keene and C. E. W. Macintosh, who have both been injured in recent matches, Varsity hopes are high for tomorrow’s challenge against Ponsonby, in which vital issues of the senior championship may be at stake. The Marist-Manukau clash at Onehunga will eliminate one or the other as immediate contenders for the championship, a fact which gives to-morrow’s star match, between Ponsonby and University, a more important bearing than ever upon the final disposal of the honours.

Manukau in two points behind Marist in the championship table, but the suburbanites have not yet met Training College, so the table hardly shows the teams true position. On their own ground Manukau will be a formidable force to-morrow, and, Marist side goes under, the victors | will at once take their place as competition factors of the first magnitude. Manukau will still be without Harris, the fullback, ar«l Sturmey, who defended splendidly last week, will probably fill the vacancy. Odds will favour Marist unless the Manukau backs play more consistently than they did last week. EDEN PARK ATTRACTIONS While these two teams are battling for supremacy at Onehunga, Eden Park should be witnessing choice Rugby, both in the curtain-raiser between Grammar and Grafton, and in the featured match between the two leading teams. Grammar will agan be without Q. Badeley, who was hurt in a motor smash on Monday evening, and the team's performance without him was unimpressive last Saturday there may be more trouble in store for the all whites to-morrow, though their strength forward should really be capable of pulling them through. Between Ponsonby and University there would have been nothing at all but for the absence of Keene and Macintosh from the varsity side. In the latter’s place Goodwin will probably be given a gallop, while Matthias will substitute for Keene. On form during the year the Ponsonby backs may just be able to turn the scale in favour of their side and performances and form suggest that, in the other matches tomorrow', City may overwhelm North Shore, and Training College hold College Rifles.