Wellington v. Canterbury.

NZ Truth, Issue 62, 25 August 1906, Page 2

Wellington v. Canterbury.

Viewed m the light of a spectacular display of rugby, the game between the representatives of Canterbury and Wellington at the Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon may be set down as the most uninterestingi one patrons of the sport have been treated to m a big match for some time past. The high wind certainly handicapped the backs from manipulating the ball with tolerable accuracy, but this fact does not explain away the "limpidity" of the contestants whlich was so much m evidence from the commencement to the cessation of hostilities.

In point of skill x thc blacks all round play— forward and back— lacked reliability, skilfulness and brightness, while the organisation m either division was moderate— too much so for effective attacking purposes. A want of harmony among the backs was directly traceable to the tactics of Roberts, and the slick running, smart -backi-ng-up, sharp and accurate nassing and certain catchine. which Were such noticeable features m the Wairarapa match, were wanting an this occasion.

__As for the local scrummaging brigade, oneJcan only say that there was little "pushfulness' amongst its members, the majority" of whom were content to break away from the scrum m order to burst out m the open for try-getting purposes., Individualism was rampant and solidity was scattered to the winds.

The black forwards were lively, resolute, and pacy enough m the loose, and rush after rush was engineered which swept the ball from end to end of the field. Their tackling was fairly deadly, and line-out play, from which several effective passing bouts were brought into requisition, marked by quickness, though no systematic shepherd-ine of opponents often left big gaps which Canterbury fajled to turn to profitable account.

The Canterbury rearguard performed weakly m attack. In the first sp.ell, chance after chance was given its members of crossing the Wellington chalkmark. Their judgment was faulty, they lacked dash and initiative and individually failed m combination. Their passing and moving off the mark was the essence of inaccuracy and l slowness and- their com-i parative weakness m try-getting power was illustrated m the first ten minutes of thc game when Wellington was kept busily at work rebelling encroachments on its line.

The red back division tackled well at times. A very weak spot m its defence was the failure of the threequarters to find the touch line when it was necessary m the interests of the side a_nd to conserve the wind of the vanguard that the ball should be sent into touch with as much frequency as was possible.

Cahterhurv's forward division came with a reputation for weakness and Saturday's exhibition bore out the correctness of the report. Its scrummaging was fairly solid, and m tight work it was not over-powered by the local brigade. In other phases of forward play the reds were a choppine block for the black combination, their movements, with a few individual exceptions, being lifeless and devoid of' skill.

Wellington's scrum was not cohesive, and on very rare occasions was the turning movement put into execution. The support from the backrankers was of a negative character and caused the pack to work very shakily. On two occasions, when the wheeling movement was attempted, the breaking away of Byrne and Manning gave Canterbury a chance of breaking through with thc ball, past Roberts and the five-eighth and un to thc centre threeicpuarter where their further progress was checked. The local .packmen were not skilfully geaeralled on Saturday.

As for the endless see-sawing of the Canterbury scrum whenever the shove was under way. the writer is inclined to blame the lockman, who apparently has not been drilled sufßcientlv into the intricacies qf that position.

Watkins is said to have been responsible for so many free kicks being given against the local combination, the Old Boys' representative being guilty, so it is alleged, of 'repeatedly lifting his foot m the scrum before the ball was shot-in. It did not occur to the referee, perhaps, that "pointing" on the part of Tynne, the visiting winger, was accountable for Watkins falling into the soup, as it were. Tynne would feint to put the ball m, only to suddenly drag it out aeain, and the referee ddd not tumble* to his little dodge until well on< towards the finish of the match.

The first try secured by Roberts should never have been allowed for the reason that the All-Black representative put his foot fully four inches over the touch-line. ._ So sure were the Canterbury men' that the line-umpire's flag would go up that they made no Teat effort to check his progress. Andy Stevens, who was carrying; the flag, evidently failed to see the incident. The writer did. Again, Jack Spencer's try was a very doubtful one. The Canterbury men had plent^ of time to force, however, and this penalty of their snail-like movements was a stern lesson to hustle m cases of danger.

One of .-the .prettiest, bits' of play, m the match was : when Wallace p-ot possession of the leather, after Roberts had mistakenly endeavoured to bullock his wav over the visitor's chalkm&rk. Wallace half-circled infield and then tTansferred to Mitchhison who sent the leather pn to Ramsden. The latter made a fine open-ins; for Thomson, and then slung it 011$ to the pacv All-Black representative who raced over the line afc sC great bat. Robert's faulty judgment was BUlv Wallace's opportunity and Ms clever top-niece brought about a seemingly unlikely score. •

Wallace was also to the fore with another clever piece of work later on when cornered oh the touch-line hs sidled, infield and at the right moment gave the ball to Ramsden. who smartly beat a couple of Opponents and made an opening for Wallace, who, coming round quickly, retook the ball from the Petone lad and, baffling the opposing full, scored m an easy position for G. Spencer to add the major points.

A forward passing bout engineered by Manninp- and carried on by Watkins and "Bumper" Wright. was another excellent tit-bit, . the- latter goto <? over the opposition chalk-mark.

Walsh brought down the house when he secured the bail off a hand< rebound from the line r out and ploughed his wav through the ;cordon of red* and blacks.. Egan made a valiant effort to block . his way but weight and strength told and the Southerner got a nasty bump and th« Wellington lad a try.

Canterbury was severely . handicap.ped by the accident to ttie captain (Fryr) early m the gamg; which compelled him to drop baick from five-eighth to three-quarters a.nd ultimately to full. Fryer is reported to be the best defensive back m the red and black combination. He shaped very solidly as goalkeeper, notwithstanding his half-crippled, condition.

Fitzgerald, who replaced Fryftt at five-eighth, : was : very nippy at tirOejj, * and the Canterbury man was responsible for plenty of back-spoiling. "Dolhr" Gray, the old Poheke and Wellington rep. back played soundly m defence, but was not a star m attack. He, with others, made the mistake of playing too deep When^engaged m warding off the (Onslaughts of the black . forwards: Neither of tho five-eighths made openings fortheir three-quarters who, however, had not the agility o): cuteness to work out a nian on their own.

Burns, behind the red scrum, was fairly reliable as a rush-stopper. His. passing from thesyscrum was not characterised by cleanness, sm^rt* ness, or sureness. The work of the threeiqluarters calls for no comment. Egan was the best of the bunch, but

his work needed heaps more of sharpening up. Read, who was m charge «f the goal-posts until relieved by Fryer, shaped indifferently, his fielding and catching being uncertain, tackling ineffective and kicking devoid of judgment or power.

George Spencer was reliable, and-' his kicking was well-judged and beneficial m its results. George was badly beaten, however, what time a Canterbury forward loose rush drove the ball past him and up to within a yard or two of the Wellington line where Wallace appeared on the sceneaud neatly saved the situation.

The Wellington three-quarlers were not overburdened with toil. Wallace brought off some very 1 clever bits of. play; Ramsden put m some neatwork and wrts celerity, itself while Mona Thomson's pa.cc and dash stood out ' prominently. whenever the chances ' happened along his way. The attacking, powers of the- Old Boy ! s- representative was most pronounced,, and it is. to be hoped, from' a; local standpoint, that he. will have the opportunity of bringing them into relief at Alexandra Park next month. Thomson also executed some< neat defensive work.

Critics o'ive little praise to the coifcs., Mitchtnson and Walsh, for their display. They quite forget that the mechanism of the back machinery, was ., put jout of gear repeatedly, by: ftobsrts', ' . ;.' Whose tactics ' ■tqr.'; r ! ! ii placer of his ,v^bllitv.''-.iand''''elkperiehbe' iwejp hardly understandable. The •Poneke ' pair, was . messed . up . not infrequently by -She All" Back representative, who manipulated the ball erratically t and "-aye no ' show to them •to-w ork up openings for 'their threequarters 1 . . -

In the circumstances it was scarcely to he expected that Walsh and Mitchinson would combine effectively, and ; the changing of positions m the- succeeding- spell, did not tend to improve matters. Granted /that their judgment was m fault at times, one can only say that had Roberts, after getting possession frdm the scrummage, passed out the ball smartly to his inside five-teighth, the; probabilities are that the spectators would have been treated to a slashing display of passing and running on the part of the local rearguard. As it was the Wellington' threequarter line was idle rmost of the time, and went looking for graft on its own. .s: . ■_■ ' ■

That Walsh-is prone to go-too muchon his own is an accepted fact, and the Pone-ke lad would do, well to remember that' 'a timely pass often spells stretches of coveted territory. The- "bullocky" F style of play comes off— -sometiihes. • Mitchinson might also remember that it spells great advantage to his threequarters if lie can set • off the mark like greased lightsing; once the ball Comes his way.

The writer never recollects seeing Freddy Roberts shape so poorly in-aii? first-class match. The champion Rugby half of the world, as admirers-love-,to"dub' him, was all at sea m hist; manipulation of; the leather and the,, reckless' way m which he transferred' to Walsh and Mitohinson made one wonder whether it was v really the real; "Maclcay";Playing for the local combihati6n v :, His customary dexterity m sop6ping up the ball after coming but of the scrum, quick; passing ahfd itexpfertn^^ •m inaking^ openings f w<fre ; tem'ar'ka'ble , for abseitee..! His judgment all through the- piece; was about as faulty as it could be. -

Tynne was conspicuous- at times-.asi. .Canterbury's winger. His methods of? shielding are crude. G-ardner, the opposing wing, was full> _f go and spoiled the^ Canterbury backs to advantage. Tynne rendered great value bo y his aide by getting Wellington penalised for what were- really his sins of., commission.

Of ijhe Canterbury packmen, Shannon, who looks a veteran' -at the-i game, Lanause, Webb, aaid Esansi were most noticeable m the loose and rolid. The visitors,' however, wanted' a lot of livening up m .the forward department. They were- neither expert gcrummagers or dangerous rushers, Japking both solidity, and cohesion and pace. ' • Wellington's ..scrumming brigade wasall there as "shiners" m the open, but its grafting' capabilities were of little merit, individually they appearod to be all out. for tries,' and com-hination was ruthlessly sacrificed. Jack Spencer led some great charges up and down the' fiel4 and Mannine and Byrne, were ;a'lso prominent in 1 the open, but the trid were noir' strained to ' bursting point by over-shoving -m the tight. Watkins, Cross and Wright were' burdened with most of the honest toil.

Canterbury had a slashing chance of putting up four points easily when "Dolly" Gray received the ball from Ross right m front of the posts and no opposition was near him. Dolly, however, declined to get his foot under the ball and jelected to pass, with the result that the taker was collared by Walsh iii double quick time. With a," still nor'-wester behind them, the reds should have been good enough for eight or nine points when the breathing: space eventuated, but their crude methods of attack lost them numberless opportunities. .'...- - ■'..,., , ,

The uncertainly ot tne black rearguard as regards picking -up enabled Canterbury to convert defence into attack'on at least four occasions. Our men will require to practice more, reliability m this direction when they throw' down the gauntlet to Auckland a week hence, otherwise there is the likelihood of the coveted Raniurly Shield remaining m the northern city L

Proficiency m wheeling movements Mid retaining possession of the ball while executing the movement should impress' itself upon the Wellington serummagers. There was next to nothing done m this department against Canterbury.

Manning and Byrne, the Petone man m particular, were too forceful as re-s-aids their heeling out, the ball bejne; booted front the back rank with the .speed of a racing motor-car. Wallace made one,"bonsor" shot at r.oal from ' a • difficult. angle.. George Speiicejr. is easily the best, place-kick-er we have .at chort distances, . now that. McGregor has shaken the dust of Wellington oR his feet. There is an art m placing the ball, and Jack Spencer knows it to perfection. Neither Gardhei; nor Tynne were alive to the fact that- once the hall was m the scrum their plain duty was to advance ar retire as the ball did, and at the same time have an eve on the opposing half. Tynne's methods ■ left Roberts practically unjiiolqsted. which was so much ;the

worse for Canterbury, though its representatives were fortunate m meeting the crack m his worst humor.

The dribbling rushes of the black forwards were decently executed. Mare passing rushes would have earned a bigger victory for their side as. the disposition .of the enemy's forward forces left openings which made the task much easier. The back division repeatedly ignored the wisdom of closing up when Wellington was operating m its territory.

The Canterbury backs forgot that the foundation of successful back play lies .. m the art of taking the ball cleanly and making quick and sharp dashes. Fraser, who was the key of the position, was not ac-ftrate enough m his taking or smart enough off the mark to get his wings m striking position. . Diverging runs and quick, .well-timed passing never troubled the red rearguard. They disregarded a system altogether..

Fitzgerald lost an almost certain try. for the visitors, midway through the first half, by not cutting- through diagonally.

There was not enough vim- and plunge about the Wellington' packmen*, as a body. The visiting front-rankers--beat them for uossession, but theblacks back divis-L^ji was not nippy or clever enough to work up the play in-' to scoring positions. , > . .

Most of the Canter-bur»y backs. would v have done better 'service for their •side by finding the line. As it .was ''they.' risked the tackle and were invariably collared, with the ball . before.-; traversing muoh country.

Unselfishness should be the- characteristic of a five-eighth's play, as heis the pivot upon which the whole of> the back machinery depends. Walsh disregarded the value of this axiom m two instances, and m consequence lost probable tries for his • side. Ramsden pleased the' writer immensely by dodging straight through his opponents, thus giving his wings a chance of scoring without encroaching on the touch-line. '

For "hooking" purposes the Wat-kins-G-ilchrist combination worked out ; unevenly. The selectors would have* done wisely to experiment with either Standen of Southern or Hamilton of Melrose. Hamilton's prowess as a-front-iranker are well spoken of by opponents. Watkins would he of infinitely more service were , he shifted toanother place m the pack—in the back row for choice.

Galium 's absence from- the black ranks is put down to a bad foot. It will-need to be thoroughly sound when the Auckland match comes up for decision. No cripples are wanted against - the, northerners. Some of Freddie Roberts' . passes savored very much of the sky-scraping and/grubbing type.