Tortoises Or Hares

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30325, 28 December 1963, Page 9

Tortoises Or Hares

The selection of J. P. Horrocks-Taylor for the English team to play New Zealand at Twickenham ahead of R. A. W. Sharp is another indication of Rugby faith being placed in reliability rather than occasional brilliance. The Wales test showed similar thinking when B. A. Watt was chosen ahead of M. A. Herewini. Watt and Horrocks-Tay-lor, although both fine players, are match-savers rather than match-winners. It is the Sharps and Herewinis of the Rugby world who can make a match memorable by a few seconds of brilliance. But unfortunately in test matches the tortoises, as in the fable, seem to perform better than the hares. It is not that the selectors are going for safety-

first measures when they choose a Watt or a Hor-rocks-Taylor but rather for uniform soundness; knowing that this type of player will not get flustered; will not do rash things; and in the grimness of a test will not be found wanting. But perhaps it is unfortunate that test matches produce such strains and stresses that the more gifted player has to be sacrificed. Sharp’s magnificent try against Scotland will be remembered long after the result of that match.

As in cricket, where a Hammond cover-drive is worth a lesser man's centtury of pushes and pokes, so one swift curving run from Sharp or a darting break by Herewini is better than all the tactical kicking, no matter how effective.