RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25548, 16 July 1948, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

0 • CANTERBURY TEAM LESSONS TO BE LEARNED [By MILES.] The selection of the Canterbury team which played Wellington last Saturdayleft room for criticism of the selectors, who appeared to have forgotten the lesson given by Country players only 10 days before. The selectors are Messrs G. Suckling, J. G. Rankin, and L. K. Heazlewood. The Canterbury team which met Wellington last Saturday, and was beaten by 39 points to 20, contained only two players, one back and one forward, from the Country team. Both the Country representatives did everything asked of them, and made followers of football wonder whether there were not more players of the same type in the country. The Country team, both backs and forwards, played sound if not brilliant football. The Wellington team gave the Canterbury fifteen a beating that cannot be passed over lightly. Football in Canterbury is not nearly as bad as the selectors and the team which played last Saturday made it - appear. Forwards’ Claims After the writer had discussed the claims of Bond, this fine Albion forward found a place in the Canterbury team. His game last Saturday should have shown the selectors that they can make mistakes. The writer has also urged the claims of °M. Henderson, who, next to Bond, is the best forward in Canterbury, and of P. Kearney, of the Marist Club. Neither Kearney nor Henderson is included in the list of 27 players who are to train for future representative games. Admittedly the forwards last Saturday, as a combination, were possibly the weakest to represent Canterbury for many years. Yet in the pack were four men in A. Couling, G. Bond, N. Dalzell, and D. Herman worthy of a place in any provincial side. These four men, however, could not be expected to carry passengers. This they were asked to do, although the task would not have been so big had not W. Garlick received an injury which put him out of the game. The claims of W. Wakelin (Old Boys) and R. Woodham (Technical) to a place in representative football are hard to establish. Both were passengers in last Saturday’s match, and Sinclair, who replaced Garlick, was little better than the other pair. When the Country forwards so decisively trounced the Town pack, it was thought that two of the first selections in the forwards would be Henderson and B. Brown. Neither is included in the list of 27 to train. There has been a rumour that Henderson was not available. This rumour can be denied. Henderson is available, and will play for North Canterbury against Hurunui to-morrow. If he is not selected for the Country representative team it is safe to say he will not be overlooked by the South Island selectors. The omission of Henderson is hard to understand, for he must surely be classed amongst the two—or .at the most four—best for* wards in Canterbury. Brown is another Country forward who could well replace any one of four of the Town players. The spasmodic rushes by the Canterbury forwards against Wellington showed the calibre of four men. The reinforcements necessary to make a strong cohesive pack might well be found in the country. Canterbury’s Backs

The outside Canterbury backs were not given many chances on attack. The reason seems not hard to find, but the selectors appear not to have found it. P. B. Vincent, the half-back, is a much better player than he appeared to be. Some of his passes against Wellington were not so well judged as they might have been, but most of them should have been good enough for any back to have taken racing through. The first five-eighths, J. E. Roach, is an old-stager in football compared with most men of to-day. Roach’s worst failing is a tendency to hang on to the ball until it is of no use to him, and until he is of no use to the ball. In club football he has been lucky in having outside him a man of the solidity of R. McCammon, who has stood up manfully to many batterings because of the shortcomings of Roach. In representative games last year P. Kearney had no chances with the poor defence of Roach, and the poor showings of Blackmore (against Country) and Chandler in the last two games are fresh in the memory of all. Chandler was not altogether to blame for a poor showing in the position of second five-eighths against Wellington. He dropped and fumbled passes that very few could have taken. Chandler has played'for the Albion Club as a centre-three-quarters and some of his club-mates say the selectors confused him with R. Gerrard, a sound second five-eighths, who has been the star of the Albion backs. If the selectors made this mistake they have not rectified it by including Gerrard in the Chandler is included.

Edginton, when bustled against Wellington. revealed the weaknesses of a young and inexperienced full-back. There is hope for him, although he has yet to learn to tackle. It seems quite plain, however, that the full-back position is one for T. Richards, a man of physique who showed form in the Town-Country game good enough to point to higher honours than that conferred on a Canterbury representative. With Kelly and Cochrane on the wings, Richards at full-back, Vincent at halfback, McNally and P. Kearney at fiveeighths, and Argus at centre, the Canterbury team should lack nothing on attack or defence.

The only four Canterbury forwards against Wellington in Couling, Bond, Herman, and Dalzell would welcome the support that would come from the inclusion of R. Stuart (University) and Henderson, Brown, and Crampton from the Country team, or in place of one of these, G. Mustchin (Albion). The lesson learned from Wellington should not be forgotten. The selectors have not done the best with the material available. OTAGO PLAYERS TO TRAIN (P.A.) DUNEDIN, July 15. The selectors have announced the names of the following 22 players for training for Otago’s representative Rugby football matches:— Backs: G. J. Moore (University), R. Orr (Zingari - Richmond). W. A. Meates (Maniototo). I. J. Botting (University), C. J. McDonald (Pirates), R. R. Elvidge (University), J. C. Kearney (Maniototo), L. Haig (South Otago), L. Woodhouse (Southern), B. Haig (Dunedin). Forwards: K. L. Skinner (Pirates), A. Foster (South Otago), N. Wilson (Zin-gari-Richmond). H. Wilson (Maniototo), R A. Dalton (Pirates), J. McNab (South Otago), C. W. Willocks (South Otago), L. R. Harvey (Vincent), D. Hamilton (West Otago), P. Johnstone (Taieri), K. J. O’Connor (University A), and A. E. Hellyer (Zingari-Richmond). FIXTURES FOR TO-MORROW SYDENHAM Games for Saturday.—6st 71b B versus Linwood, at Bromley Park, at 1.15 p.m.: Marr, Sugar, Whitta, Naylon, Pryn, Rasmusson, Lambie. Huston, Barnes. Burgoyne, Grey Burnett. Avis. Wilkins Booth. Jcughin Booth. Heald, Bailey, Trigg. McClure. Any boy’s name that has been omitted, please attend. All boys who are not cycling down, meet Mr E. Thornton, the official coach, at No. 5 tram, in the square at 12.30 p.m. sharp. Advt. CHRISTCHURCH FOOTBALL CLUB Members of the Under 6st 71b team assemble at Christchurch Railway Station at 1 p.m. sharp on Saturday. Advt. H. 5.0.8. FOOTBALL CLUB Under 18 v. Belfast. Meet at Clubrooms 1,30, Saturday. Players’ names at club-rooms. Friday night. Advt.

RUGBY LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE GAME TO-MORROW The Auckland team which will meet Canterbury at Athletic Park to-morrow included the New Zealand representatives A, Mclnnarney, L. Jordan, D. Anderson (backs), and R. Cunningham, a forward. In the Canterbury team are A. W. McKenzie and J. Duke who toured Australia with the New Zealand team this year. Following are the teams:— Auckland.—Backs: W. Rich; A. Mclnnarney, L. Jordan, D. Anderson, D. Gibson (one to be omitted); J. Lepper. T. Rae; R. Cunningham, J. Russell-Green (one to be omitted). Forwards: R. Roff, D. McLeod, W. McCook, C. Hurndell, R. Craneh. S. Rogers. D. Price. R. Flinkenberg (two to be omitted). Canterbury.—Backs: K. Henry: A. W. McKenzie. S. Allom, C. Clark; P. Callanan (vice-captain). N. Atkinson; J. Foster. Forwards: R. Pomare, J. Duke (captain). J. Flynn, R. Broadhurst, J. Withell. G. Stack. Emergencies: K Cox, W. Forbes. S. Stevens, A. Dean, I. Pimley, C. Gardiner.