RUGBY MEMORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 194, 17 August 1936, Page 9

RUGBY MEMORIES.

DAYS OF SEELING. AUSTRALIAN LOOKS BACK. MR. H. A. JTTDD' REMINISCES. Famed as one of the greatest Rugby forwards Australia has ever produced, Mr. Harold A. Judd, a member of the 1901 New South Wales team which toured New Zealand and the 1905 Australian team, arrived with the Waratalis® by the Aorangi this morning. It is his first visit to New Zealand since his football playing days. Unlike most "old-timers," Mr. Judd docs not live in the Rugby past. He is prepared to say that Maurice Brownlie was one of the greatest forwards of all time and he classes Mark Nicholls and A. E. Cooke among the best backs the game has produced. He also ranks F. D. Kilby, the former Wellington half, and H. F. McLean, the Auckland forward, on a high plane, and declares that W. E. Hadley is the greatest hooker he lias ever seen.

Those were the players of the present generation for whom Mr. Judd held a high regard, but he could not help delving into the past and inquiring about snoli famous players as Wallace, Seeling, Tyler and Roberts. It was plain from his appreciation of these men that lie regarded the 1905 New Zealanders as players of the highest class. And eventually it had to come." "No, the backs of to-day are not in the hunt with the Roberts, the Hunters, the Mynotts and the Wallaces of the past," he said regretfully. And for a time Mr. Judd turned the clock back over 30 years. He recalled the New South Welsh match against Auckland in 1001, when Keirnan was behind the Auckland pack and George Smith flying down the wing. Auckland won that day by 24 points to 0. He remembered "Angry" Cross, one of the hardest forwards the game in New Zealand has known. The names of George Gillett, George Nicholson and Frank Glasgow came quickly to Mr. Judd's mind, and he appeared to be more anxious to know what they were doing now, and where they could be found, rather than tell of their prowess on the football field. One of Mr. Judd's most vivid football memories was the New South WalesNew Zealand match in Sydney in 1905, just before the famous All Blacks left on their tour of Great Britain. Freddie Roberts was captain of New Zealand, and Mr. Judd led New South Wales. The match ended in an eight-point draw. After mentioning a dozen amusing incidents of his tours of New Zealand, Mr. Judd turned again to present-day football. He mentioned W. J. Wallace's 1932 side which toured Australia. "Towards tne end of that tour Billy Wallace had the lads starting to play the real New Zealand forward game— hunting together as a pack and coming through beautifully with the ball at their "feet. The backs of that team were also going well, said Mr. Judd. He was not impressed, however, with the ( 1934 New Zealand team. The name Judd is as familiar to the present generation of New Zealand footballers as to the players of over 30 years ao-o, for B. Judd, a nephew of Mr. H. A. Judd, was one of the best forwards of the 1931 Australians who toured New Zealand. Mr. Judd until last year was one of the three New South Wales selectors. When he retired he was made a life member of the New South Wales Rugby Union. He will tour New Zealand with the team which arrived to-day, and his coaching and advice should be invaluable to them. , •