RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22107, 1 June 1937, Page 12

RUGBY FOOTBALL

A DAY OF CLOSE MATCHES LEADING TEAMS OF EVEN STRENGTH REVIEW OF PLAY "AND PLAYERS [By THAXE.I There is so little between the three I teams at the head of the Canterbury Rugby Union's senior competition that, with only one more match to be played in the first series, it is quite impc.siible to say with certainty which will be the winner. Another factor which makes any surmise liable to error is the strong possibility cf the leading teams—University, Sunnyside, and High School Old Boys—being upset by either Sydenham or Athletic, both ;t which have shown themselves formidable opponents, In the last few matches the form of High School Old Boys has improved considerably, and alter a bad start—they, lest their first two matches,- against University and Sunnyside—they reached their best form this season in beating Christchurch decisively in the main match on Lancaster Park oval on Saturday. Those who favour Old Boys for the championship will gain assurance from the fact that it is the strongest defensive side in the competition. In eight matches it has had 39 points scored against it, an enviable record considering that University has had 52 points scored against it and Sunnyside 67 points. Old Boys have not been the most prolific scorers. Three teams have better records in. this respect—University (114), Sydenham (109). and Sunnyside (90). The total ol Old Boys is 91 points. In the last two matches, however, Old Boys have reorganised their inside backs, and the change is a distinct improvement which, incidentally, has not weakened their defence. R. P. Round, who has been moved in from the wing to second five-eighths, worked very well with J. K. Gaskin against Christchurch and ran straight and hard as well as handling without a mistake. K. S. Mortlock should be more valuable at centre three-quarters than at second five-eighths. It is seldom that fault can be found with his defence, and with mere rocm to work in en attack he should be able to use his speed and cleverness to better advantage. Athletlc's Improvement The success that Athletic has so far achieved this season has been a result of hard rucking work by its forwards. On Saturday, against University, the backs also took a share, and the combination of fast forward attacks with unorthodox and dashing back movements was almost—but not quiteenough to rob University of its win. Athletic's performance was a vast improvement on earlier games, and if the side maintains its present form, it will deservedly add greater interest to the senior competition. The backs on Saturday played out of position a lot—sometimes wisely, because by so doing they trapped University attacks - and some of them, notably Crisp and Mahoney, showed resource in keeping just where they were most useful to strengthen the forward attacks led by Coll. Whillans, and O'Gorman. Coll played one of his best games of the seascn—making good use of his weight and strength in breaking through—and the occasions where he was sadly at fault by being yards offside were not numerous enough to detract from a good display. The' same could not be said for some of the Athletic forwards, whose infringements for this reason in the first spell gained University many penalties, and, with them, much-needed respite. J. J. McAuliffe was the mainstay of .University's defence against the dashing Athletic forwards. His speed and elusiveness nullified the spoiling work oi their breakaways often, his passes were accurate and quick, and his kicking very good. All the University inside backs were facing a type of forward play that did not suit them, but they adapted themselves well, going down courageously on th<* ball in face of charging rushes. I. O. Stace was again the best cf the Uni versity pack, and the Athletic forwards could have followed his example in allying cleverness with aggressiveness. A Versatile Team Sunnyside's players showed their versatility on Saturday against Sydenham, throwing the ball about with the greatest of confidence on a fairly greasy ground. They showed, too, how valuable the long lob and the cross kick can be. Chinnery was closely watched, and he was wise enough to transfer play many times. He mixed lobs and cross-kicks judiciously, and frequently had the Sydenham forwards bustled. The other backs were handling so well that his enterprise was not wasted. Masters played a very courageous game and was unfortunate in being called back after crossing the line early in the game. Brooks, the Sydenham five-eighths, had few opportunities on attack until half-way through the second spell. Then he made several good runs to turn defence into attack, but he always found Moran impassable. The three Browns and Fright were always prominent, but they could not maintain attacks such as those which tested their defence so frequently. Better success should have followed the hard work of three or four of the Albion forwards in the game against Merivale on Saturday. R. Dasler, for instance, played easily his best for the season, working stoutly during long periods of hard defensive play and taking the initiative often when Albion attacked. J. Weatherhead, W. Sweeney, and S. Smith, but Weatherhead particularly, backed up Dasler's outstanding efforts in a way which would have tried any but a very sound defence. It was probably the endeavours of the half-back, G. King, and the five-eighths, H. Forbes and Johnson, that won Merivale the game against Albion. The team had an all-round superiority over Albion, but these inside backs played consistently, maintaining close tactics against the rather loose and individualistic play of' the Albion inside backs. The Merivale inside line has been improving steadily since the start of the season. Close Forward Struggle A match in which the play is completely taken up by two evenlymatched packs of forwards is not usually of much interest to spectators; and the game at the south ground at Lancaster Park on Saturday between Linwood and Technical Old Boys was no exception. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the game was the closeness of the scores, for, although Linwood won by the fair margin of 11 points to 3, the result was always in doubt until Linwood increased its total with a converted try in the last minute of play. In the first half the Technical Old Boys' forwards appeared to have a definite advantage in the loose and gave their backs many opportunities to score, but bad handling and faulty combination usually caused the breakdown of most concerted attacking movements. R, Tolputt, the Technical Old

Boys' first five-eighths, was the best attacking back on the ground. Late in the second half he played very creditably as half-back, replacing L. Hobden, who was injured. Poor passing—especially overhead passing—and frequent fumbling spoiled most of Linwood's attacking movements, which at times lost ground. The forwards failed to hook the ball cleanly and quickly from the set scrums, and this delay allowed the fast-breaking Technical forwards to smother most of the back attacks. M. Gray, the Linwood first five-eighths, was not given much room in which to work and did not receive enough support from the backs outside him, who usually either mishandled or kicked the ball straight to one of the defending backs. J. Lawler, perhaps the best of the Linwocd forwards, was prominent in most forward rushes and scored a good try in the second spelL