RUGBY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 171, 7 April 1923, Page 19

RUGBY

(By

“Five-Eighths.”)

MODERN FORWARD PLAY DRIBBLING, LOOSE PLAY, AND LINE-OUT

Tight play, important though it may be, is only one branch of modern forward play. It is the evolution of forward loose play that has done as much as anything to popularise the game. In loose play, the two chief characteristics are foot-work and hand-work. With a clever set of forwards, footwork always pays. It “rattles” the ether side, upsets their defence, and tests their courage, for the only way to stop really good dribbling rushes is to fall on the ball. Moreover, when the ball is slippery, dribbling is far more effective than passing, and, lastly, from the point of view of the forwards themselves, a combined rush arouses the same blood-lust as an attack with the bayonet. To make a success of dribbling there must be mass formation. Practice putting tho ball to the ground tho moment you are tackled, and let all the remaining forwards get the knack of falling in •behind you to carry on tho rush. A single-handed dribble is certainly spectacular, but it loses its finish if tho rest do not sweep in to help.

Effect of Foot-work. Determined foot-work, in a narrowfronted formation, can only be stopped . by deliberate falling on the ball, which is the supreme test of courage in Rugby. Look back over last season in New Zealand, and count the number of times a man went down to a crashing forward rush. You could number them on one hand. Go back twenty years, and you will find that almost every half and inside five-eighths made a practice of going down. An effective method of practising in-and-out individual dribbling is tho uso of a row of top ch flags at intervals of fifteen yards. The pace can be increased as skill develops. Jhq chief point to remember is that the ball should be propelled with the inside of the foot, rather than with the toe. Mass dribbling,' which is simply the co-ordination of individual dribbling, may then be practised. the backs taking tho place of the flags, and attempting to stop the rush by going down on the ball. Modern forwards' show a strong tendency to sacrifice open foot-work for handling, on the ground that handling is surer than dribbling, and makes the game faster, as tho ball can always bo travelled more quickly with tho pass than with the dribble. We have no complaint against this, as it is part and parcel of good forward play, but don’t let us forget that, when the requirements of the situation demand it, the dribble should bo resorted 1 to. It is another way, too, of getting the spotlight shifted from the backs to those deseiving, hard-slogging fellows in the forwards, who get most of the knocks of the game. % ■ Forwards in Passing Rush.

In passing among the forwards, there are two golden rules —(1) pass at once to anybody in a better position than yourself, and (2) back up on the open side. In the New Zealand code, which allows for wing-forwards, one sees mor e forwards handling the ball, and more tries scored by forwards. This is stated as a simple fact, not as an argument for the retention, of the wingforward, for it is a moot question whether, when .New Zealand meets the improving forwards of tho Home countries, it will not ba better to play without wing-forwards, and meet our international opponents on even terms. The presence of tho wing-forward in the team has had the result of making many forwards acquire tho habit of backing up the three-quarters and each other. A striking instance of this is Kiohardson, of Otago, who more often than not is lying right handy for the pass when the lart three-quar-ter goes over tho line for the try. The open side for the return pass and the cross-kick is in the middle of tho field; therefore, forwards should back up in the middle, of the field. The habit once acquired is never forgotten. As in forward dribbling rushes, the formation for combined liandling should bo narrow, in wedge formation, and in depth—just the reverse from a passing movement among the backs.' When the ball starts to “bounce in a dribbling rush, it should be seized in the handc, and a passing attack carried out. Dribbling rushes that hn.ve been converted into handling attacks nearly alwavs end in tries, owing to the inevitable disorganisation, of the defence. - Attack from Line-out.

The attack from the line-out is the most spectacular of forward efforts. The man that throws in is the chief agent in opening the attack. The wrong way to throw in x is to have the ball dropping from its flight into the hands of the man for which it is intended, unless of course he is “on lus own” with no attacker near. The ball should be travelling at least two feet oypi his head, so as to allow for Iris jump. In tho mixed-up jumble of a game that the Kaierau and Oriental team played in the gale last Saturday, onq of the Wanganui three-quarters, W- Collier adopted this method, and got the ball to Graham Lockett with unerring precision. In each case he followed the right course, of throwing the ball to the man behind Locket, Knowing that that player would time his jump, so as to be at the top of it as the ball was passing over linn. . Three rules are always under the hat” of the good forward on the line-o-u-fc:—(1) He will break through with the ball if ho is not too well marked; (2) he will put the ball down at once and dribble, relying on his mates on both sides of him forming round quickly to start the rush; (3) he will pass out at once to tho backs, for a touchline kick or an open side attack. Tho last is the most valuable, and at tho same time, the most risky form of attack from the line-out. The chief point about it is that the pass must go swift and direct to the receivei. Ah opening can always bo made at the line-out by prearranged gaps for the wing to dart into, taking the ball on the move; or, if the forwards bunch when it is your throw-in,. the centre may be got going by throwing the ball wide for him to run in and take.

NOTES AND NEWS A Reminder:—Entries for the ensuing season close with tho secretary on Thursday next. Tho championship round will commence on Saturday, April 21. Berhampore have come to tight with nine nominations, while Upper Hutt has entered three teams. The motto of the Old Boys Club is “Train and be Fit,” and that this is carried out to the very letter is evidenced by tho fact that any player, no matter what his reputation might be, cannot represent his club unless a reasonable time is spent in training at the gymnasium. Tho selection committee lias classified its men as senior players, and this means that every member will be required to play for a

position. The Old Boys Club has 130 active members and 45 honorary members. Lieutenant, Avery is coaching the senior team and Mr. J. B. GauntLett the junior teams. H. Porter will be playing again, while E. Foden, a New Plymouth Old Boy’s wiug-three-quarter, intends to don the white jersey. Hanson, Hicks, Porter and Malcolm, comprise some of the backs.

Great football players do not necessarily make equally good controllers of the game in which they have guinea renown. As a matter of fact, some of the mos-t efficient referees under both codes have been quite ordinary performers in their playing days, says “Sporting Life” (London)-

One aspect of the tendency to increase the number of winging forwards is generally overlooked, namely the effect it must have upon spoiling back play, writes the “Athletic News” (London). A correspondent who deplores the inclusion of two such avowed free lances as Voyce and Price in the English team draws attention to this probability, and points out that if other teams follow x Engla-nd’s example future internationals will develop more into a spoiling test than into open and attractive Rugby. Welsh Rugby is suffering now from tactics followed in club football, or at any rate in matches between the leading Welsh clubs, all tending to stop the other side opening out the game. The result is that one hears many complaints of the kind of game seen when these leading teams meet, and finds a growing tendency nn the part of the spectator to stay away until an English club team comes again. Against these English teams the Welsh clubs play quite a different game. They *go in for throwing; the ball about, scores come easily and picturesquely, and the result is that everybody is happy. It is not difficult to imagine other countries if they find it pays England to play two winging forwards, to play two themselves, or, they may go one better (or worse) and play three. Then we may wish good-bye to the hope of seeing decent back play.

ENGLAND V. WALES By a dropped goal England won a great game at Twickenham against the powerful side which Wales had put into the field. Tho 50,090 spectators who watched this international match are witness to the hold which the Rugby game still has upon the British sporting public, says an English writer—a hold which, it is good to know, no Cup Tie fever san weaken. Sinco the Rugby Football Union raised its standard at Twickenham, more than a decade ago, England has lost not a single international mateh there, and the luck of the ground, which has become a tradition, still holds, though there were many good judges who trembled for Saturday’s result. The Welsh pack were formidable, and those who had watched them closest were confident that they would prevail. And they might have done if the back play of Wales had been as good as the forward. But there England more than held her own ; though even so the exiguous balance is to he measured by one dropped goal—a score from which, as with a putt across the .green, the ‘element of luck is inseparable. All honour, none the' less, to Smallwood’s signal achievement at a moment when the issue of the match hung so doubtfully in the balance. It has possibly given the palm of vietorv in this year’s internationals: for England will have to meet no other side (with a possible reservation in respect of Scotland) as strong as that which she has iust defeated. It is good to note that the quality of our Rugby football shows no sign of deterioration. The war took heavy toll of some of our most brilliant players, hut the tradition lives undimmed; and in this country is strong enough to overbear the long ascendancy once enjoyed by Wales. It is rooted deep in our public schools, as a clean, manly, game, divorced from all taiint of professionalism and gatemoney, deserves to be. Indeed, the increasing popularity of Rugby among our youth is in London presenting a new difficulty—that of finding all the club grounds that are needed. _ As for Saturday’s mateh, it is permissible, we hope, to remark parenthetically that on this occasion the words “England” and “English” can be vaunted without protest even from the most raceconscious Scot. On the football field, at least, England retains her separate identity, and, as we hare every reason to hope, her title of predominant, partner.

ENGLAND V. IRELAND / England boat Ireland at Leicester, by two goals, one dropped and three tries (23 points) to one goal (5 points). On this occasion, let it be said at once the half-expected unexpected did not happen (says the London “Timps”). No Basil Maclear .burst upon the, scones to make tackling seem a dangerous impossibility. No Irish pack of the fierce old days swept like a blizzard up and down the field. The English backs were as clover and original and unsound as one already knew them to be. Kershaw and Davies met no opposi-

tion capable of bringing them and uS —down to earth, and the pack of forwards who were mainly responsible for the narrow victory over Wales were fully capable of out-scrummaging and outrushing tho men immediately m front of them. The result of all this was that England led at half-time by 15 points to nil, and after a temporary embarrassment early in the second half, were able to win with a good deal to spare.

SCOTLAND V. FRANCE Scotland made an excellent opening of her international season by defeatin France (16 points to 3) at Inyerleith, says the “Morning Post. Ike home forwards dominated the play, and gave the backs plenty of chances. In the first half McLaren ran over far out, following a passing movement, and Drysdale converted with a splendid kick. After the interval the home backs’ penetrative powers improved, and Bryce, McLaren, and Liddell added clever scores. Drysdale converted with the first kick, but failed with the others. For France Moureux dropped a magnificent penalty goal. The Scottish forwards, in both tight and. loose,were distinctly superior te the visitors. Bertram’s hooking was very effective, while Bannerman’s and Lawrie’s dribbling time and again carried the play . to the I’rench line. Davies also excelled in individualistic moves. Moureux and Sebedio were the best of the French forwards, who, however, were not well together. . . . Bryce, in addition to maintaining a smooth service fto m scrum, kept Dupont well in hand, while McQueen had the measure of Pascot all the time. The Scots halves played a brilliant game, handling with ease and confidence and distributing the play judiciously. Tho French three-quarters never got going, but none of them impressed us in thgir kicking. Otherwise defence was sound. Gracie’s attempts to break through often failed, and therefore checked the advance of the home three-quarters line, which, as a whole, moved well in both attack and defence. McLaren was the best of this third line, his touch lacks proving invaluable.x. Liddell rarely got a chance of turning his speed to good account, and ho was out of position. His try, . however, was cleverly obtained, and his defence was sound. Wallace (the New South Wales Rhodes scholar —Aitken of NewZealand did not play), had the exasperating experience of dropping (he ball after the line had been crossed; ho ran well, but often failed to finish effectively. Drysdale at full-back was quite as good as Clement at the other eud, and better, perhaps, in kicking. The Frenchman was as courageous as ever, but too slow on occasions. Scotland on tbsir form in this match have the making of a very fine side, and even if parts of their play left something to he desired, they were well together and very fast. Only the accurate marking and pace of the Frenchmen saved the visitors from a much heavier reverse. The weather, though overcast, was fine, and there were fully twenty-fiva thousand people present before the start.

INTERNATIONALS ENGLAND WINS CHAMPIONSHIP England has won the international championship this season. The list of fixtures was as follows: — Jan. 20. —England y. Wales, at enhamJan. 20. —Scotland v. France, at Inverleith. Feb. 3- —Wales v.’Scotland, at Cardiff. Feb. 10. —England v. Ireland, at Leicester. Feb. 24.—Ireland v. Scotland, at Dublin. Feb. 24.—Wales v. France, at Swansea. March 10—Ireland v. Wales, at Dublin. March 17—Scotland v. England, at Inverleith. April 2. —France v. England, at Paris. One mateh remains to be played— France v. Ireland, on Saturday next. The result canwt affect the championship. ,