League Rugby.

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 433, 15 August 1928, Page 11

League Rugby.

Notes and Comment.

"•exi oaturaay s uames: — Ponsonby v. Richmond. City v. Newton. Ellerslie v. Marists. Devonport a bye. * * * Club Games Again After a week of brilliant international football, and a spell previous to that, of a string of various representative and possibles v. probables matches, club games have been off the programme for some time now, but next Saturday will see them again in full swing. * * * The Ponsonby v. Richmond fixture appears to be about the most suitable for the feature game on Saturday, but of course it will remain to be seen what the members of the Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby League will do at their meeting this evening. The Auckland members of the New Zealand team which have been chosen to meet the Englishmen in the second test at Dunedin next Saturday left for the South on Monday evening" They are due to arrive at Dunedin to-day, and between their training will take a good rest in preparation for the big game. Mr. “Scotty” McClymont, well-known Zealand representative player, is in Dunedin with the New Zealand team. He is the official coach, and if he can do for the New Zealand side what he has done for Ponsonby on various occasions, these Englishmen may receive even a greater surprise than they received last Saturday week.

Hard Hit Both Ponsonby and Newton are going to be hard put to place a full team on the field next Saturday. Hutt, Delgrosso, and Peckham are out of the Ponies’ thirteen, while Dufty, Somers, Clark, Hall and Hardgrave, of Newton, are also down at Dunedin. ♦ * * Congratulations The Newton Clud must indeed be congratulated on what must be nearly a club record for New Zealand. In last Saturday’s game, five of its first thirteen represented Auckland, while the same five are at present in Dunedin, four of which stand very bright chances of being included in the next New Zealand side. Civic Athorities and League i In marked contrast to the entire absence of civic recognition in Auckland, the New Zealand Government has seen fit to extend an official welcome to the English League team. League lias a big following in Auckland, which is really the home of the code in New Zealand, and whatever the merits of the unedifying argument between one or two members of the New Zealand League Council and the civic authorities, it can be said that League enthusiasts are not likely to forget that our own kinsmen from overseas were put to one side at a time when the city was making much of a foreign naval visit. * * * Well Done, Tom! In recognition of his getting his New Zealand cap, Tom Timms, the South Auckland representative, was | given a presentation the other evening, shortly before leaving for Dunedin, by supporters of the League code at Hundy. Mr. E. George, chairman of the Town Board, presided at a gathering held in the Huntly Town Hall, when Tom received - - a travelling rug and a wallet of notes —both of which will be very handy in a place like Dunedin. The English team’s record to date is: V. South Auckland: Won, 31—5. V. New Zealand: Lest, 13—17. V. Auckland Province: Won, 14—9. * * * Richmond’s Prospects With the exception of Prentice, their skipper, who is turning out again for New Zealand against the Englishmen on Saturday, Richmond will field a strong side for its game with Ponsonby. If Richmond retains its combination of earlier in the season it should go near to clinching a victory.