RUGBY LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 240, 11 October 1927, Page 14

RUGBY LEAGUE.

TWO MORE GAMES. SEASON NEARS ITS END. CHALLENGE MATCH ARRANGED. When the League game was in its infancy New Zealand players had the experience of entertaining a strong Knplish team, which ran up over half a century of points. It was like a master touching a small hoy a lesson. The pupils of that period learned, they passed the knowledge to those who came after them, and to-day players have little to learn in the finer points of the code, even although there are times when the execution is lacking. Just three years ago the League game was launched in tho Buller district. Parochially great headway has been made, in spite of difficulties, and as the right spirit for succe< s is in evidence, it is quite possible that before many years Buller will be one of- the strong pillars—in a playing sense-- of the code in New Zealand. The Buller representatives came to Auckland with a fairly big reputation of playing skill, but they were no match for the Aucklanders, and the spectators felt that as an exhibition the game fell a long way short of expectations. It was a misfortune for Buller - to lose three of their best players before the game was finished, the most serioue withdrawal being McElwee, the snowy-headed loose forward of the visiting team, who was standing out with dashing play up to tho time he was hurt. He waa injured in a tackle that appeared unnecessarily hard, considering the needs of the special moment, and an Auckland crowd waa moved to protest at an Auckland player's action. :

Duller had a well-balanced pack, which played' a hard game right to the end, and on the day they held their own with the opposing forwards, lacking only in the understanding to link up quickly in attack with their rearguard. Goodall, who got a place in the South Island team, was tho outstanding player, and his performance of scoring two tries and converting six out of the seven tries registered for his'side, was one of exceptional merit. His-accurate place-kicking was quite a feature of the game. The Buller backs impressed aa a young, keen lot, who will probably do much better with a wider acquaintance of the game. Cameron, who is regarded as one of the best backs that St. Patrick's College has turned out, did well with limited opportunities, and was aa adept at handing out the dummy pass. Thomas played brightly »t wing three-quarter up to the

time he was hurt, while Wright, at fullback, tackled well when he got a chance. There was one fault with his play, in that he stood far too deep from his other backs. Purely from an Auckland viewpoint the game had value by reason of demonstrating what players could do when they had everything to their advantage. In club play during the season the cohesive work of the inside backs has not, with perhaps a few rare exceptions, been of a high level, and right through the season wing three-quarters have had a rather lean time. Wilson, the Mangere player, took advantage of genial conditions to give a brilliant attacking exhibition of wing three-quarter play, and at times reached quite dazzling heights. The others were all in the picture on occasions, the exception being Dufty. It was not his fault. Rarely did the ball come his way, and he was most of the time u spectator. The crowd roared on one occasion when a wag called out: "Get Dnfty a box to sit on!" Right through the game the Auckland forwards showed a disposition to be out raiding in company with the backs and scrum play did not seem to be popular. No particular comment is necessary, except to mention that Spencer made a very satisfactory debut in rep. company.

Two More Hatches. The Auckland League season will close on October 22, which is a fairly late date, Hepinf; that the grounds are getting hard and most of the players are showing an inclination to hive off to summer sports. Xcxt Saturday the Waikata representatives will bo entertained, and on the known form they should be a niore forinidnhlp proposition for. the Auckland learn than Buller. The'final match will be a challenge game, staged for the benefit of the Auckland unemployed, which should make a wide appeal to all sections ot Auckland's sporting public.

The 1928 Season. The season which is near an cud hits been something of th o nature of extended trials of players to. sort out teams lor next season, when the Englishmen will be here. The indications are that the playing strength in New Zealand is not as strong as last season, but there are some very promising young players in sight. Since the close of the 102H season seven of the best players in the Dominion were disqualifiel by the New Zealand Ktlgby League, and five other New Zealand representatives Brown, Davidson, Wilson Hall, Desmond and Mason—have gone to England to play there. In addition, injuries have caused another pair of New Zealand reps. —J'arkes and Avery—to retire from the guiuc. When the collective skill of the players referred to—all New Zealand reps, of last year—is considered, the finding, of another fourteen just as good at short notice is a bit of a problem. In reviewing the present season one can with pleasure say that the back flay, as disclosed in representative games, has shown a big improvement, *n<l at the 111..in-lit x t . w Zetland could

field a set of backs which, for combined skill and speed, would match any of the Australian State sides. With the forwards the outlook is not bo good at the moment, although there is a big array of the type that can shine in open play. There is nobody in eight to replace Avery as loose forward, although the form of Clarke (Auckland), who may not be available next season, and McElwee (Buller) is decid-

dedly promising. Probably no great difficulty will be found to get two for the second row, but what is urgently needed is front-row men who will give every ounce of their weight and strength in the scrummages, in order that the ball may be secured. When the Englishmen come it can be taken for granted that their front row will be a 14.0 trio, whose long suit will be scrummaging, and New Zealand's need will be a three to match them.