Another very attractive rugby programme has been arranged or the coming week-end and enthusiasts are assured of some excellent games over the holiday period. Four matches have been planned for Saturday at the Race Course, while on Tuesday afternoon at the Ganidrome in the first "big" game of the season, the Shanghai Rugby Union Football Club's Ast XV will meet the Combined Services first team which will comprise talent drawn from the British and French military and naval forces stationed in Shanghai)
'A thoroughly fine game is on the cards, for the latter will no doubt, be able to place in the field a fifteen that will require a great deal of holding The Club, however, has selected a very powerful side that appearances it is quite the strongest team that has represented Shanghai's premier fifteen this year.
At 2.15 p.m, on Saturday, the United States Marines' Ist XV will clash with a combined Police and Seaforths side in what should prove to be a fairly close game. The Americans have a very heavy and aggressive pack that should do well, but it is quite probable that police officers will form the greater part of the combined team's pack and they are not likely to give in to their opponents without a terrifle struggle. The Marines' speed in the outsides, however, may be the turning point but in any event the game should be closely fought without much in it either way.
On the adjoining pitch the Marines 2nd*XV make their first appearance of the season against a strong Club 3rd XV and it would come as no surprise to see the civilians take the measure of their huskier but less experienced opponents. The Marines are shaping well, it is said, and their forwards can be relied upon to put up a very good game, but the speed and sure handling of the Club backs is more than likely to open up gaps in the "Leathernecks'" defence with, before the final whistle sounds, disastrous results. On the other hand, the proverbial deadly Marine tackling may cause an upset and the Club may not find matters as easy as they appear on paper.
Trouble Foreseen H.M.S. Suffolk will oppose the Club 2nd XV at 3.30 p.m, and although the composition of the Navy side is at present unknown, there is little doubt that if such talented players as Spittle. Culmer, Savage and Dearing turn out, Club will find the going heavy. Earlier in the season the same Club side comfortably accounted for Suffolk, which, however, was. not up to full strength. The result may be reversed this week-end, but whatever the final score happens to be, the civilians can be relied upon to put up a great battle. The Club's outsides look very impressive, three players at least, being almost up to first team standard, and these backs may cause the Navy defence a great deal of trouble throughout the match.
At the same time on the adjacent ground the Area Details will endeavour to dispose of a combined Club and Police XV, and although the soliders are well known for their bustling and hard type of play, they will probably find their friendly foes little too strong for them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.