RUGBY RULES.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 201, 25 August 1919, Page 6

RUGBY RULES.

THE AUCKLAND GAME. FAVOURABLE TARANAKI OPINION. "I am perfectly satisfied from the match on Saturday that your new rules have developed a better style, of game," declared Mr. T. Buchanan, manager of the visiting Taranaki football team when asked by a "Star" representative this i morning for his candid opinion about how the new rules had airected the Auckland style of play, lie added that this view was shared also by Mr. K. Masters, a member of the Taranaki Union, and Mr. Ma lone, of New Plymouth, one of the selectors of the North Island team 'this year. Mr. Ruchanan stated that ho j intended to make no secret of his liking for what he termed "the better game" I evolved in Auckland, and he had, in fact, i already communicated his ideas on the subject to the Taranaki papers, after having viewed the game on Saturday. j He recognised that the Auckland | players, without introducing methods j that were quite original, luul been eduIcated all round into a style of combina- ! tion that changed defence into attack, 'and that kept the point of attack conIstantly changing. "The ball came coni stantly 'from nowhere.' as we say in I football parlance." he remarked in reference to the systematic sudden shift of the i point of attack by cross-kicking, short I punting, and cross or reverse passing, I "and it had our fellows puzzled." He 'expressed a groat admiration for the i Auckland backs—"a pack of racehorses."' i lie termed them. and he emphatically .agreed that the new game In Auckland ; bail brought on a very fine lot of young I players since the war. "Our forwards j would get away in the loose," reverting jto the style of play of the two teams, '•only to' have the ball whipped away I from their toes by a defender, out to ia. supporting back, and he was away with I two and sometimes three men backing him, and going too fast for our chaps. The full-back played a new game, playins: to his scoring men, who were nearly always there to back him. instead of bringing the action to a halt by a kick tc touch." Mr. Buchanan considered that his team, which was composed very largely of voting players, would profit very materially by their visit to Auckland, and that there would be more than one disciple in Taranaki for the Auckland style of pay when the team returned home.