BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1025, 16 July 1930, Page 12

BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

TODAY’S MATCH AT GISBORNE RAIN SPOILS GROUND (SLLY Special Representative — Copyright) GISBORNE, Today. The weather conditions for today’s game between Britain and the combined Poverty Bay, East Coast and Bay of Plenty team were rainy, though the morning was bright and clear. The ground was greasy, but not heavy, and the spectators anticipated a fast, open display. The demand for seats was unprecedented and a block of 21 auctioned for the Returned Soldiers’ Association’s funds realised £22. The teams were as follow: BRITAIN Fullback. Bassett: threequarters, Jennings. Bowcott. Novis, Wilkinson: halves, Poole, Knowles: forwards, H. Jones, Rew, Kendrew. Martindale, Dunn. Prentice, Welsh, Ivor Jones. COMBINED TEAM Fullback. Nepia: threequarters, M. Howell, Farmer, Bennett, E. Howell; halves, Langlands, Harrison; forwards, Walters, Thomas, 'Leach. McPhail, Crawford, Reeves, Black, Reid. NO DEFINITE PROSPECT OF REINFORCEMENTS STEER-RIDING THRILLS (SUE Spruill Representative — Copyright) GISBORNE, Today. Although Mr. James Baxter, manager of the British team, last weekend suggested to the New Zealand Union that one ot two nominated scrum-halves should be summoned from England, it appears that as the question of who should bear flu; cos! is still under discussion no further move has yet been made. In the meantime, therefore, the team con* tinues to carry on with one regular halfback and no definite prospect of reinforcements. With several tost players resting. Reeve still troubled by his ankle in jury, and Jones-Davies resting his strained thigh, minor casualties continue to be embarrassing, hence Wilkinson’s appearance today as wing, a position with Which he is not altogether unfamiliar.

The British team yesterday visited a rodeo, witnessing steer-riding, buckjumping and other exhibitions of equestrian skill which were thoroughly enjoyed till one beast chased the footballers who ventured into the ring to photograph lhe proceedings, while another attacked a motor-van which several of the team were using as au impromptu grandstand. During the afternoon ’ one of the local steer-riders was tossed heavily, dislocating his elbow. As there was no other doctor present, Murray, though handicapped by having only one good arm, restored the bone to its proper position before dispatching the injured man to hospital. Some alteration in the arrangements covering the Auckland visit is contemplated. Four or five of the casualty cases will probably remain at Rotorua instead or going up to Auckland, while the others, who arc due to return to Rotorua for a rest and training before the third test, may return to Rotorua on Saturday night instead of waiting till Monday. These changes in the plans, though undertaken with good intentions, may prove disconcerting to hotel proprietors. In the case of the Napier arrangements which were changed so that the team left for Gisborne a day earlier, departing on Sunday morning instead of on Monday, the New Zealand Union will be asked to pay as for the original hooking. As it w-ill also have to pay for the team’s accommodation at Morere, where it spent Sunday nigh’-, the team’s expenses in this respect will be paid twice over.