POLO SELECTION

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20740, 25 February 1939, Page 9 (Supplement)

POLO SELECTION

PROVINCIAL TEAM GOLD CUP TOURNAMENT PLAYERS LIKELY TO BE CHOSEN (By “Chukka**) From the Waikato could be selected more than one good polo team capable of playing the strongest of combinations in other New Zealand district*. To select the four best players in the Waikato who Could be combined into a team to represent the Auckland Province in the Gold Cup oonieat at the New Zealand polo championship tournament at Feilding next month is somewhat more of a problem, however. The Gold Cup will be contested In New Zealand for the first time next month, the trophy having been brought to this country last year when the New Zealand quartette—K. Nolan, G. Peake, J. R. McKensie and K. Peake —annexed it in dashing style at the Australian sequi-centenary tournament at Sydney. As no Australian team is likely to challenge for the trophy this year it will be the prize for an inter-provincial championship of the Dominion to be played for at the conclusion of the Savile Cup scries at Feilding. All Waikato Players Waikato players will represent the Auckland Province and a team will be selected this week-end after form at the Cambrldge-Matangi game for the Rickit Cup at Matangi to-day has been considered. The selection will be awaited with interest by polo enthusiasts, for the quartette chosen to make a bid for the valuable trophy should be a strong one with excellent prospects of success.

There are at least eight players who should receive consideration for selection in the provincial team. Among those who have performed well are K. Peake (Cambridge), G. Peake (Matangi), IR. Nolan (Cambridge), L. R. Kay (Cambridge), R. Peake (Cambridge), K. Henry (Waimai), J. R. Ranstcad (Matangi) and E. S. Allen (Glen Murray). In view of the fact that both the Cambridge A team and the Matangi quartette will be making the trip to Feilding to contest the Savile Cup, it is unlikely that the selectors will consider players outside of those two teams as the Inclusion of others in the provincial side would mean an extra expense which would not be warranted. Therefore, it appears almost certain that the selection will be made from the players to contest the Savile Cup. The two Waikato teams entered in that competition are:—Cambridge: R. Nolan, R. Peake, L. R. Kay, K. Peake, N. Garland. Matangi: C. G. Howlett, G. Peake, J. R. Ranstead, H. Peake, L. Chitty. Should Annex Gold Cup A solid combination should be derived from those players and the provincial side, if selected from their number, should be able to make a strong bid for the trophy. At the present time there does not appear to be a provincial side with stronger credentials, as it is anticipated that Auckland, Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa will be the only three entries for the contest. While Howlett, of Matangi, has been playing an Improving game this season he has not the qualifications of R. Nolan, who is one of the ablest horsemen in New Zealand polo. His riding-off is brilliant and a position for him in the number one berth of the team is assured. The selection of the man to play in the number two position should present little difficulty to the selectors for, however wide their choice might be, they could scarcely find better than the two players making the trip, namely, G. Peake and R. Peake. Although iR. Peake has commendable form his claims for a position are not as strong as those of G. Peake, although the latter has not as yet shown the form this season which made him outstanding last year. More Open Choice For the number three posit|ji%, selection may not he so easy. L. R. Kay (Cambridge) and J. R. Ranstead (Matangi.) are the two number thpees making the trip to Feilding, but R. Peake may be considered for this position instead of the two. Kay played great polo last season but in the Cameron Cup game recently he did not impress as much as Ranstead, who has revealed Improving form this season. He is at present in excellent form and must be considered when the choice of a number three player is exercising the attention of the selectors. For the fullback position there will be an Immediate choice. K. Peake is bound to play as number four, a position which he has filled well since first encouraged as a fullback for the New Zealand representative team which won the Gold Cup in Australia last year. The form displayed at the match at Matangi to-day will have a big result on the selection of the Auckland provincial team, especially the number three position, which appears to be the only one which is not almost certain.