Grounds And Rules A Problem For Players

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31678, 14 May 1968, Page 14

Grounds And Rules A Problem For Players

One of the major problems facing a young Rugby player who intercepts a ball five yards from his own goal line is whether he can keep going at a fast enough pace for the 100 yards or more that he has to run to score a try at the other end of the ground.

The length of the football field presents a problem and some of the rules also present a problem. By the rules, backs, except the half back and the blind side wing, must stand 10 yards back from a lineout while it is in progress.

Many young halfbacks in the Under sst grades cannot throw their pass that far and they would actually have to throw It further, for the first five-eighth stands at an angle to the scrum. Again, the problem is encountered when a penalty is given and the team penalised must turn and run back ten yards immediately—quite a task. However, referees are tolerant and do not seem to stand by the letter of the law all the time. If the backs are standing eight yards back, then he knows that they cannot have an advantage. One referee on Saturday gave a penalty against an Under sst side then marked out the ten yards for the penalised team so they would know where to stand then allowed the other team the ball. It was instructive and the advantage was not lost to the team with the ball.

One young player, probably the youngest player in Christchurch this season, scarcely bad any problems. Paul Dunne of the Burnside under sst E team is four and a half years old, and plays lock for his club. He weighs 3st 81b and he is three and a half footballs high. His father, Mr A. T. Dunne, coach of the side, said that the boy was so keen to play that he gave him a game last week and he still wanted to continue. Paul bobbed around near the ball throughout the game, with a broad smile on his face, obviously enjoying himself. The pace of the game was not fast and he was able to get his hands to the ball several times.

First Visitors The Linwood club will play host to three teams from the Red Star Club, Masterton, today when the teams play at Bromley Park. The' teams have been billeted by the parents of the Linwood players in the under sst, under 6st and under 7st teams. The visitors will return to Masterton by ferry on Wednesday evening.

Drop Kickers i Drop kicking is a difficult ' but necessary skill that any | back needs in senior football ] but few have achieved the re- ; nutation that some of the i lower grade players have for j skilled drop kicks. Craig Wil- ; son, first five-eighth for the i Sydenham Under sst B side has kicked 12 dropped goals since he began playing football last year, and all of them 3 have been conversions of l tries. Last Saturday, he drop- 1

kicked two conversions, one from near the sideline. . His coach, Mr D. J. Cunningham, a former referee, said he began coaching Craig last year to drop kick conversions, because it saved time as well as being more successful. It has certainly paid off. Players and Coaches In the Under 7st 71b grade, Scott Cartwright, captain of the St Andrew’s team, kicked three dropped goals and three conversions. to help his side to an easy win over H. 5.0.8. B who were depleted because of the holidays. However, at full back for H. 5.0.8., F. J. Duggan played a splendid game in defence, tackling well and covering as best he could where there was one wing short. Graeme Ellis, half back for the New Brighton 7st 71b team, has a remarkable pass from the base of the scrum. The first fiveeighth is able to stand as far as any senior p’.ayer from the scrum and the ball is passed with speed and excellent direction; Graeme takes his football very seriously and is loyal to his fellow team mates. He was light enough for the 7st grade but wanted to stay with the others who went up. He certainly held his own. Paul Williams, a wing for the H. 5.0.8. A team in the under 7st 71b grade, has good hands and is quick off the mark. These qualities helped him score three good tries against Christchurch on Saturday. His coach, David Philllpson, who played for Christchurch Boys’ High School Ist XV last year, is playing senior reserve for the club as well as coaching. Gregory Nesbit is a plucky tackler for the Albion D side in the under sst grade. Twice in successive movements against Lyttelton B last Saturday, he stopped two certain tries by good tackles round the legs and stopped the movements. The Te Kalkanga Maori hostel players form a very cohesive and. well drilled side in the Under 18 grade. Their forwards are well led by the captain Rufus Keropa, and the weight largely comes from a 16st lock N. Huia, who is only 16 years old. The side is still unbeaten this season. The pivot of the backline for the Burnside under 16 side is the first five-eighth, John Lindsay, who set up the backline for several tries last Saturday against Christchurch and scored three tries himself. A Thankless Task St. John Ambulance men at Hagley Park on Saturday had a thankless task. They were watching seven fields for three hours but one of the injured players they attended was a player who strained his tendons in his right leg badly. The ambulance officer said he had attended the same boy last week for the same thing and had told him not to play. Unfortunately the damage was more severe the second time and the player was taken to hospital. Car Squeeze Transporting teams of young footballers to their grounds can present quite a problem. One car pulled up

outside the grounds at Hagley Park on Saturday and out climbed nine boys, all dressed and ready, for the game. Another vehicle, a station wagon, pulled in alongside and out climbed another 11 players; the team, reserves and drivers had squeezed themselves into two cars. Think of the mess of mud and sweat when the return journey was completed.