Heavy Rain Softens Field for Big Match

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 983, 28 May 1930, Page 12

Heavy Rain Softens Field for Big Match

IBRITAIN V. MANAWHENUA CURTAIN-RAISERS OFF (SUX Special Representative—Copyright j PALMERSTON N., Today. Manawhenua claims that its team for today’s match against the British footballers is the strongest the tourists have yet met. The teams: Britain.—Fullback: R. Jennings (13.8); threequarter: J. Reeve (13.10): T. H. Jones-Davies (11.6), A. L. No vis (12.2), C. D. Aar void (12.0): halves: N. Poole (12.). IT. M. Bowcott (12.0); forwards: S. Martindale (14.2), D. Parker (15.2). H. C. Jones (14.2), J. Hodgson (14.10). J. L. Farrell (13.11), F. D. Prentice (14.7), M. J. Dunne (13.12), H. Wilkinson (12.9). Manawhenua.—Fullback: Meta Johnson (11.0); threequarters: M. Strange <10.12), K. Fletcher (11.2), R. Page (12.1); five-eighths: R. Akuira (12.01, G. Riddell (10.5); half: W. Parata (11.5); forwards: T. Parata (15.41: Henry (12.13), Fitzgerald (12.10), T. Miles (14.0), O. Galpin (14.3), A. Conrad (14.0), A. Satherley (13.5), W. Tatana (13.7). A heavy deluge of rain yesterday, followed by a steady downpour early this morning, did not promise well for the match. This morning there were indications of the weather improving, but the ground was heavy and greasy, and it was deemed advisable to postpone the two curtain-raisers which had been arranged. The wretched conditions did not curtail the crowd: the main stand was rapidly filled and enthusiasts from afield poured into the town by car and train, and a small band of keen supporters was assembled at the entrance gates an hour before they were due to open.

The British were undecided till the last moment whether to play Hodgson, but finally decided to do so, Ivor Jones’ being line umpire.

“STORM IN A TEA CUP”

DISPUTE OVER PLAYING OF WING-FORWARDS “FAIR SPORTING COMMENT’’ Press Association NEW PLYMOUTH, Today. ! , ; J , U a A stor , m in a tea-cup,” said Mr. _• McLeod, chairman of the Taranaki Rugby Union, when asked to express an opinion regarding Mr. J. Baxter’s references to the wingforward in New Zealand. “The whole tone of Mr. Baxter’s speech and the immediate contest made it quite apparent to his listeners that the use of the words “cheat” was applied in a sporting sense to convey the speaker’s sense of the referee’s inability to govern adequately the movements of an obstructive winger. I heard Mr. Baxter’s references to this matter both at Wanganui and at New Plymouth and it is only fair to him to saly that I saw no occasion to take exception to any of his remarks, which Were made in quite a sporting and friendly spirit and constituted onlv fair comment from his point of view.” N.Z. STANDS ALONE WING-FORWARD GAME NOT FAVOURED CRITICISM FROM SYDNEY Reed. 10.5 a.m. SYDNEY, Today. football editor of the “Sydney Morning Herald” declares Mr. James Baxter’s criticisms of the New Zealand wingforward were apparently not directed at individuals but at a method which has developed into a cancerous growth on the game. “His frank utterances will have the unanimous support of every country Pxcspt New Zealand,” the writer says. “No cleaner nor more chivalrous athletes can be found than Beilis and Porter—to mention but two wingtorwards of modern times. Their methods, however, transgress the laws of the game, and authority must take the blame for persisting in illegal play after the sin has been repeatedlv revealed. New Zealand stands in infamous Imperial isolation in its defiance of the canons of a great game.” TOO MANY RECEPTIONS BRITISH PLAYERS ROBBED OF PRACTICES Special to THE SUN PALMERSTON N„ Tuesday. j Municipalities which wish to Impress their hospitality on the British Rugbv team would be well advised to make civic receptions (if they must have them) reasonably brief. ~ flrst twelve days in which they have been in New Zealand, members of the team faced half a dozen formal receptions, and they were taken out to Feildmg today to endure another one. Whether civic receptions at any time have any real value is a question that might be seriously argued; but when they come, as the Palmerston North ceremony did, straight on top of a tiring train journey, and occupy an J’° ur ln which the player’s principal desire was to get away to practice instead of listening to tedious dignitaries whose chief object seemed to be to boost Palmerston North, there can only be one answer. The only redeeming feature of the ceremony was the brief speech bv Mr . <2* Tennant, 82 years of age,' who m Nelson in 1869 helped to form New Zealand s first Rugby Club.