Inter-Island Rugby Classic

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 779, 27 September 1929, Page 13

Inter-Island Rugby Classic

Try-Out for Englishmen’s Visit

Big Game at Wellington Tomorrow

TOMORROW the attention of all Rugby followers in the Dominion will be centred upon Wellington, where the annual inter-island game is being staged. Always a keen clash, the big Rugby Classic will be invested with keener interest this year in view of the visit of an English side next season. June 21 being set down as the date of the first Test, the selectors will have little opportunity next season of looking players over, and the form shown tomorrow will be a big factor in deciding who will wear the silver fern when England seeks revenge for that historic afternoon at Twickenham, January 3,1925. Following the game, a New Zealand side will be selected to play a Maori team on Wednesday.

\ LTHOUGH two strong sides have been selected it is significant that very few fresh names appear on the programme. Assuming that the selectors have done their work well, it indicates that very little fresh talent is offering. Once again, the selectors have had to resort to the tried and trusted men of old, many of whom are now rapidly approaching the veteran stage. In the Xorthern team the only new men,, leaving out Minns, who, although never having played in the inter-island game, was selected for New Zealand, are Campbell, McPhail and McLean. Campbell, also, hardly comes under the category of provincial “finds,” as he has been a consistently good forward for Hawke’s Bay for several seasons past. So, strictly speaking, the only really fresh blood is that which will be introduced into the pack by McPhail and McLean. McPhail plays for the Old Boys Club at Gisborne. He is a young player with size and speed to recommend him. ITe has not long won his place in the Poverty Bay team. The withdrawal of McWilliams created an opportunity for McLean to show his paces in big football. Twenty-two years of age, 6ft 2in in height, and tipping the beam at 14st 31b, McLean is the ideal type of packman. ITe has rugged physique, and the fact that he was selected for the Olympic rowing crew indicates that he should experience no great difficulty in lasting out a solid game. ITe represented Wellington last season, and this year has played consistently for Taranaki.

K. Reid. Angus Finlay son, lan Harvey and Walter Batty will complete the pack, which, although possessing some fine individual forwards, will not present such a formidable front as the South Island seven.

In the back division, however, the North will be stronger. Here, leaving Minns out, one finds no fresh talent. Heazlewood, the fullback, played in the trial games for the South African tour, Lucas and Mill were New Zealand representatives in 1923, and Cooke in 1924. Elvy has represented the South Island and also toured New South Wales with the 1926 side, and Lance Johnson, with his Southland, Hawke’s Bay and African experience, is also well known. Minns, the youngster of the rearguard, just missed All Black honours last season as a result of injuries preventing him from taking the field.

Playing as well as ever, Porter, in addition to proving a very effective marauder and a useful unit in the Mill-Johnson-Cooke combination, will also bring his ripe experience to lead tho side.

The Southern forwards have even more experience behind them than the North Island pack. All seven, and also the wing-forward, possess a black jersey with a fernleaf badge.

Burrows and Cotterill are both keen hookers, and in addition are fine forwards, particularly Burrows. Behind them is a second row consisting of Stewart, ITazlett and Sonntag, that must average close on 15 stone. Big, fast and good handlers, this must be about the best second row in Xew Zealand at tho present time. Freitas and Snow, both hard-working and experienced forwards, complete a very solid-looking pack that will take a lot of stopping. With these forwards available, there is little opportunity for promising young forwards to fight their way into prominence just at present. In tho rear division, however, the South does not appear to carry as

suitable, the Northern threequarter line should keep the Southern men on their toes. In Harris and ITeazlewood spectators will see two fullbacks who, although devoid of the spectacular fireworks of George Xepia, are good-kicking, safefielding and sound-tackling custodians. On account of his ability to kick goals ITeazlewood might be the better fancied of the two. Last year the anter-island clash was a question of Southern forwards versus North Island backs. This year the position is intensified, the Southern pack being much stronger, and the Northern backs far more thrustful and experienced. On a dry ground, and assuming that the Northern pack gets a reasonable share of the ball, the Xorth Island team should certainly be a far better attacking side. But powerful forwards have a peculiar knack of upsetting the bebt-laid plans,

and the issue tomorrow rests largely 1 upon whether the South Island pack t will be permitted to dominate the g game. £ Fine weather will certainly be t the earnest wish of the Northern t backs. £ The following table shows the re- J suits of previous inter - island t

£ LOWER GRADE GAMES 5 TOMORROW I 1 r r .W??: VD COMPETITION Senior grade and Pollard Cup games having been concluded only lower grade and house matches will be played tomorrow. Training College Team f The following- team will represent the Auckland Training College in a match against Te Aroha at Te Aroha tomorrow: —Butler, Abbott, Lawrie, Connolly, MeRao Weir, Rae, Woodroofo, Robb, Blow, Stacey, Webb, Peacock, Hodge, Cunniliffe, Johnson. Belshaw, Mackay. The following have been selected to represent Piako against the Auckland Training College team next Saturday:— A. Mace, Crowe, Burr, Lipsey, Kackham, Arkle, Munpo, F. Goldsbury, Payne, Dalton, Cleave, Frear, Clarkin, Howard, Samson. Third Grade St. Hellers.—Koefoed. Wrathall, Blong, Flowerdav, Crewther (2), Dufty, Harrison. Lear. Logan, Coleman, Lulu, McLeigh. Clark, Dixon. Xorth Shore.—To play Swanson: Sowter, Bennett, Pope, Cummings, O'Grady, Parkinson, Roach, Olliver, Mitchell. Ladbrooke, Chappell. Strange, Wilson, 'Windsor, Anderson, Hooker, Mason, Simpson. Meet at Ferry Buildings at 2 p.m. Third Intermediate Grade Newmarket. —X. Clough. Hunt (2), J. Stewart. X. Funnel, C. Leek, McAlroy (2), F. Ford, R. McConnel, B. Frieny, P. Meehan, R. Donkin, Clapman. JUNIOR NOTES SEVERAL GRADES FINISHED Junior Semi-final Now on level terms, Ponsonby and j Grafton will meet on the Domain to- j morrow to decide the winners of A section of the junior grade, and incidentally which is to clasji with Grammar, the B section winners, In the battle for the championship. A well-trained team, with a bright back division, the magpies are in fair way to becoming the finalists. Ponsonby's colours were lowered by Grafton a fortnight ago by 20 points to 3. and if Ponies turn out as weak a fifteen tomorrow, there is every prospect of Magines again being victorious. Grammar won the B section by one point from Marist. The students won 16 and lost two of the IS games. The Tykes won 15. lost two and drew one match. Ponsonby B scored 15 wins, but had three losses and a draw, giving them two points less than Marist. Technical Old Boys, 24. Public Works, 20. and University B, 17, follow in that order. * * * Ponies Romp Home Convincingly demonstrating its su- i | periority by defeating Newton by 16 j j points to 0 on Saturday, Ponsonby Club j added the third grade open champion- ; ship to this season’s laurels. The ; grade was one of the largest in the j j lower divisions, although the standard | of football was appreciably below that j | of lower sections. j The majority of the 14 teams in the j J two sections of the grade composed j

players of the weight and stature worthy of senior grade, but substantially inferior in knowledge of the game, which could be ascribed only to lack of coaching. Teams’ Positions The A section winners, .Newton, developed into Quite a fair combination toward the end of the season, though, as a team, it did not seem to appreciate the value of cohesion between forwards and backs. Running up 20 points, Newton won 10 of its 12 games, losing two. Penrose was runner-up. one point behind the section winners, with 9 wins. 2 losses and 1 draw. The champion team. Ponsonby. not so heavy by comparison with. the other clubs, possessed a liner knowledge of the game, and a dashing set of backs, whose combination reflected the result of practice. This is evident from the fact that the team had an unbeaten record in the B section, having won each of the 11 games. College Rifles was eight points behind, followed by University, Panmure and Public Works in that order, each separated by a point. Third intermediate There is every prospect of Ponies bagging the third intermediate grade championship, too. The Ponies are leading by a couple of points, and have to meet Marist at the Showgrounds tomorrow. A win for Ponsonby will carry with it the premiership. On the other hand, a loss will involve a second match between the two teams. The fifth grade championship will be decided tomorrow between Marist and Ponsonby. The fourth grade premiership finals will start tomorrow week. Manukau Takes Title Manukau is the sixth grade champion team for the present season. The competition, which has now closed, shows the winner has achieved an enviable unbeaten record throughout the season. Having won each of the

12 games played, the team has secured the maximum number of championship points, 24. The only real opposition came from Ponsonby, which lost two games. Both clubs built up their teams from the commencement of the season, and by consistent practice attained a higher degree of combination that enabled them virtually to fight out the premiership between them. Ponsonby Champions By one point, Ponsonby has also collected the seventh grade championship this season. Ten teams participated in the competition, St. Heliers alone withdrawing before the contest concluded. The champions ran up 29 points by winning 13 of the IS games, losing two and drawing three. Eden, the runners-up, also .ad a very creditable record with 12 wins, two losses, and four drawn games, registering 28’ points for the premiership. Marist, 20/ North Shore, 19, Suburbs, 18, and Otahuhu, 17, follow' in that order on the championship ladder. Not Appreciated Some junior players selected to represent Auckland agafnst Manukau Sub-Union on Saturday apparently do not appreciate efforts of the Junior Management Board to promote rep. fixtures. Five of the selections were unable to make the trip at the last moment, and officials had to chase round to find substitutes. Toiling Forward Bustling through the ruck and showing great form in the loose, McVeagh was undoubtedly the hardestworking forward of the Auckland pack. He invariably was in the van in the loose rushes, setting the others a good example.

matches: — Tear. Played at Won by 1S97—Wellington North 16—3 1902—'Wellington South 20—14 1903—Auckland South 12—5 1904—Dunedin Drawn game 1905—Wellington North 26—0 1906—Wellington North 9—5 1907—Christchurch . North 12—0 190S—'Wellington .. North 12—5 1909—Wellington South 19—It 1910—Christchurch . South 14—10 1911—Wellington .. North 19—9 1912 —Napier . . .. North 12—8 1913—Christchurch . South 1914—Wellington South 8—0 1919—Wellington .. North North 1921—Christchurch . North 1922 —Auckland South 1923—Wellington . - 1 irawn game 6—6 1924—'Wellington .. North 1 . . North 16 —5 1926—Wellington North South 192S —Christchurch . South Summary.—Matches played. 24; North Island won 13; South Island, 9; drawn, 2.