THE RUGBY GAME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20249, 8 May 1929, Page 16

THE RUGBY GAME.

QUESTION OF PLAYING RULES

A CHANGE UNDESIRABLE

TEAMS WITH POSSIBILITIES

The special meeting of delegates to the 'Auckland Rugby .Union to be held tomorrow evening to go into the'question of playing this and next season's matches under international rules is not likely to favour a change from tho present conditions. As is well known throughout the Dominion Auckland bad a particidauv hard fight to bring about a change winch is now universal in New Zealand. 3n any case, the players and spectators have to be considered in the matter. A visit from a British or Springbok side is such a rare occurrence that the New Zealand Rugby Union would bo wise to consider the needs and "wishes o. its own players. Practically everyone, will admit that the present rulings havo ..been the means of brightening up the game considerably and that a return to the old order would be a retrograde step. ]t will be interesting to sec what, attitude other unions take when the question comes before the annual meeting of delegates to tho New Zealand Union ne*t week. It is understood the southern unions' do not desire a change. \\ hat e\ ei decision is made, it is not. likely Auckland will play its club football under the old order. Any player who is selected to represent New Zealand should have no difficulty in adapting himself to the change if decided upon. No better example ot this could be. given than the splendid record of the 1924 All Blacks in England who had to play under international rules, although thev" were accustomed to the present rulings in New Zealand. There is so much interest in the question that the decision of the New Zealand delegates will be keenly arwaited. Two Good Halves.

One of the outstanding features of the match between Grammar Old Boys and Training College was the play of the, two. halfbacks, Corner and Rae. Both showed up prominently on attack aud defence, although much of Corner's good work was nullified through a lack of understanding on the part of his outside men. The Grammar Old Boys backs made s desperate final elfort to snatch victoiy. by commencing a passing bout practically on their own line. P. SUelton cut through brilliantly to ,half way, where his transfer wont astrav. It was just one of those efforts which might easily have succeeded. The Grammar forwards were completely ]jut off their game by being continually penalised. Some of the decisions of the referee were difficult to follow, even allowing for the fact that at times cially one forward was "winging. A forward over-running the ball in a dribbling. rush must, certainly make an effort to get back on side, but ho should not be penalised immediately: he loses control. Although University scored almost at .will against College Rifles on Saturday, and won by 45 points to 6, last year s champions have still to show improvement if they are to retain the championship this season. College Rifles was not a team to take the battle into the enemy's camp as did Training College the previous week, but the University backs, played with some measure of combination in anwssing their heavy score. A little more practice and the backs will once more be a great attacking machine. A Weak Fack. But on its two showings to date, University's weakness is its pack. Naturally, it has been a difficult task to replace Lookers of the calibre of Hindenaeh and Black, but the University pack gives the impression that if- is not working in the tight as well as it should. Andessou and Linton both shone in the loose .-against College Rifles, but it is. not always a good sign-to see forwards too prominent in open plav. The University forwards vjould be well advised, to give their hookers all the support they can, with a view to securing the ball from the scrums. In possession the University backs ,are always dangerous and Minns and Goodwin arc the men in the team to be fed with the balk Kccne is still a wonderful Rugbiy strategist. Time after time on Saturday ho broke up College Rifles' forward movements and sent his backs away, and he himself joined in several passing rushes. However, his handling at times wws faulty. College Rifles this season is a. team of rather ° unequal individuals. Gillespie seems to be the only attacking player with anv real initiative and combination among the backs is sadly lacking. If he had attacking backs to feed, Donald, the rover, would probably be a valuable man. As it is, he is too much of an individualist. The team will have the services of A. Parker next Saturday. Parker is a younger brother of J. H. Parker, who made a name for himself as wing-rforward for the 1924 All Blacks. Good Individual Players. Although they met in a ragged gamo with few flashes of bright Rugby, both Grafton apd City appeared to be teams with latent possibilities. There are individual players of ability on both sides, forwards and backs, but neither side can yet play steadily as a team. Grafton deserved its victory if only because its plavers lasted better than City's, but, although it has won both its games to date, it is hardly likely to maintain its run of yictori.es. There was little concerted effort in the work of the Grafton pack on Saturday, and the same applies to City-. Too often there were only one or two men following up a high punt, generally Fin lay son and Kaa for Grafton, and Fletcher and Holt for City. The scrums were badly packed and the forward plav was too slovenly. It was no wonder that the game was ragged and that there was little opportunity for back plav. Yet the Grafton backs, with an able threequarter line, showed up on attack on occasions, and Eerridge and Denize at times infused some life into the work of the C'.ty rearguard. City's defence was far from strong. Herewin.i, at fullback, kicked powerfully find accurately, but his attempts at tackling were extremely weak. Holt was the finest all-round player in the City side and perhaps the best on the field. Unusual Incident. There was an unusual incident in the game. At half-tin.e most of tho players left the field and walked round to tJib dressing rooms. The referee allowed a good interval and then blew his whistle for the players to take the field. They sauntered back leisurely from tho dressing rooms and the second half opened with only about seven players on each side. On a fine day like last Saturday, players could easily have takeu their spell on the sideline.

On Saturday Manukau fielded a set of forwards against Marist strengthened by the inclusion of two newcomers, French, a, North Auckland representative,, and McOuire, an ex-Taranaki man. Even with the extra weight afforded by these two big men, the Marist hookers saw most of the ball. This was where the South African experience of Hadley was of inestimable value. Walsh, at fullback, played a sterling game for Marist, and, until an injury caused bis retirement in the third spell, he spent a busy time staving off the Manukau attack.

The Ponsonby fullback, M. Iraser, revealed his old 'faults in the game against Technical College Old Boys on Saturday. On the few occasions when the opposition broke through, Eraser invariably went for his man high, and it was duo to tho backing of the Hook brothers and Lucas that, his inefficient tackling did not result in scores for the other side. He is'also inclined to let the ball bounce before taking it. a dangerous practice for any fullback to adopt. IJjs kicking with either foot is nl ways accurate, and he has no computation about going down to a rush,