League Rughy.

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 463, 19 September 1928, Page 11

League Rughy.

Notes and. Comment.

On one of the few occasions on Saturday when Otago swarmed over the Auckland line by the shjser weight of its forward rushes, barrackers on the terraces were hoard calling out ironically, “IVake up, New Zealand!” Heard in the stand when three Otago men were vainly trying to overthrow Dufty: “They’re like flies on an elephant! ” Unique Innovation The skirl of the bagpipes heralded the advent of the Otagonians on to the Held last Saturday. It was distinctly unique, but whether or not it was intended to inspire terror in the hearts of the Aucklanders or rouse the men of Dunedin town for the coming fray was not quite evident. Origin of the Bagpipes The strains of the pipes of Scotland at Carlaw Park on Saturday aroused quite a controversy in the stand as to their origin. One onlooker asserted that the pipes were invented by an Irishman who sold them to a Scotsman, who has not yet seen the joke. Of course, it must be admitted that there is music and music, remarks one of the Southern newspapers which invariably puts reports of piping competitions under the heading of “Athletic Sports.” A Great Clash Newton and Ponsonby meet next Saturday in the star attraction of the semi-flnals of the Roope Rooster competition. and a great game should result. On its recent performances, it is on the cards that Newton will take a deal of beating. Ponsonby, how- , cor, is a team which has a remarkable ability of rising to great occasions, and the last time they played Newton, the Ponies triumphed. Put down ail your spare eggs now they are cheap, with Sharland's Egg preservative. All Stores. 7

Two Great Sides It is hard to see a side with such internationals as Dufty, Hardgrave, Somers, and Hall in its ranks being: defeated, especially with such othermen as Clarke, Wilson and Murray to back the internationals up. Ponsonby, however, has Delgrosso, Peckham and Hutt all wearing international caps, with Payne an Auckland rep. Man for man, Ponsonby on paper in inferior to Newton, but as a combined scoring machine it may be able to more than pleasure up to it great opponents. “Opai”—Australasran rep. One of the tales that ‘‘Opai” Asher is still pleased to recount to an eager listener, is the story of his doings in Australia when he was one of the two Xew Zealanders in the Australasian teams which played test matches with Lomas’s English Northern Union side in 1911. The first clash between the Englishmen and the Australasians resulted in a draw, 13 all. Opai modestly confesses that he was responsible for ten of Australasia’s total. In the second test he had his head split in a collision with Batten, the opposing wing. He was presented with a medal for the finest performances of any Australian and New Zealand back in the test match series.

During - his chequered career in Rugby and League Opai has met perhaps more than his fair share of accidents on the field. His left ankle has been broken twice, his leg three times, his left wrist once, and his right collarbone once, besides the injury to his head already mentioned. '•Opai” is a venerable “Billy” Murphy of football.