This week sees the commencement of an Invitation Series arranged by the General Committee of the Shanghai Rugby Union Football Club to be played off between ten leading local sides during the coming month. The Series has been graded into three sections according to the strength of the teams concerned, and each squad will compete against all other sides in the same section.
Week-end Fixtures Ist Series—British Services Ist XV; Club ist XV; French Forces.
2nd Series—British Services end XV: club 2nd XV; Tung Wen Ist XV.
2rd Series—British Services 3rd XV: club 3rd XV; Police; Tung Wen 2nd XV.
This week-end's fixtures call for five games and followers of the handling code are assured of some very interesting fare, Three British Service units will take the field, and whilst the member of these sides have had but little time and practically no opportunity to get acquainted with each others' play and, therefore, will not be in a position to give of their best, the Club teams opposing them are not likely to have walkovers, especially when it is remembered that the probable composition of the Services 1st XV will include such prominent players as Lieut. C. O'N. Wallis, the Irish international, Capt. Cole, Sgt. Hamlin and L/Cpl. Rainey.
At 230 p.m. on Saturday the 6rd XVs of the Club and British Services meet at the Race Course in what should be a close match, while half-an-hour later at the same venue the Police are to oppose Tung Wen. The guardians of the law ave improved greatly during the past few weeks and their heavy upset pack may calculations.
At the Race Course on Sunday a combined Club and Services' side will take the field against the Police 2nd XV. This game, which, im cidentally will see the first appearance of a Police 2nd team since the inception of Police sides eight or nine years ago, will be in the nature of a trial in order to give Club, Service and Police members not selected for senior aggregation a chance to display their wares.
Feature Attraction In what should prove to be the feature attraction of the week-end, the Club 1s& XV will try conclusions with the best talent from the British Forces. The latter will certainly put up a good game, but as mentioned higher, lack of practice as a side may tell. The Club make three changes m the team that defeated the French Forces last Sunday, Brown coming in for Basset as serum-half, ne replacing Wheeler and Hut-ison displacing Innes. These alterations will considerably strengthen the fifteen and their opponents will have to be at their best to hold them.
Completing the schedule is the match between the Club 2nd XV and the, Services second side. Here again the civilians are likely to have an advantage, for the Services are in the same position as their confreres in respect of lack of practice. Nevertheless, a rousing game is on the cards and enthusiasts may have some difficulty in deciding which match to patronize.
SATURDAY
2:0 p.m—Club 3rd XV v. Services XV (Referee: Mr, R, D. K. Silby)
200 p.m.—Police Ist XV v. Tung Wen (Reierce: Mr. L. W. Walkinshaw)
Sunpay p.m.—Club/Serviees XV v.
Police XV (Referee: Mr. E. R. West)
pm—Club Ist XV v.
Services ist XV. (Referee: Mr. E. McLaren)
3.30 p.m.—Club 2nd XV v. Services 2nd XV (Referee G. S. Dunkley)
Club Teams
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.