THE RUGBY GAME

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 312, 29 September 1926, Page 4

THE RUGBY GAME

representative form reviewed

NEED FOR BETTER COACHING

The Rugby braves are out on the warpath throughout the Dominion, and marauding parties* are swooping down on settlements in all directions, with i< ' varying degrees of fortune. At Dunedin on Saturday, a band of fifteen braves from the warlike Hawke’s Bay tribe swooped down upon the Otago stronghold and were badly routed to : the tune of 29 points to nil. This is the second time a Hawke’s Bay fifteen has been defeated since they won the Ranfurly Shield in 1922. The other occasion was at Hawera in June last, ■when Taranaki managed to beat a . somewhat weak Hawke’s Bay team by " ’ 6to 3. It was not Hawke’s Bay’s strongest team which took the field at Dunedin, as several of the leading players returned home after the shield match against Canterbury last Saturday week. Nevertheless the decisive 1 victory scored by Otago shows conclusively that that province is emerging from the doldrums in which they • have been becalmed for several years past. This is a pleasing sign, as Otago, ! with a feeding ground like the University and a wide country district from which to draw husky forwards, should be able to hold its own with any other Rugby centre in the Dominion. And yet, for some unknown reason, Otago has • cut a sorry figure on the Rugby field for many years past. When the 1924 All Blacks were assembled for the tour to Great Britain and France, Otago was only able to provide one solitary representative, H. G. Munro. Otago has never once succeeded in winning the Ranfurlv Shield. Gallant little Southland, a much smaller

1 province did succeed in winning and holding the shield for a summer’s .brief i bright life of joy. Let hope that this decisive victory over Hawke’s Bay on Saturday last will mark a new era for Otago, in which the authorities will employ sounder organising meth- ■ ods, and scour Oamaru, Central Otago, and the districts round about Balclutha and Clinton for big strapping forwards, who will hold their own, and thus b give Webb and Hanan a chance to show their worth.

Another Waterloo tor Wellington. Truly Wellington’s form, is at a low ebb this season. Following their defeat by 58 points to 8 by Hawke’s Bay on August 14, comes the dire tidings that the Wellington forces were overwhelmed by Canterbury on Saturday by the wide margin of 41 to 14. It is no palliation for us to say we had a weak team on tour. No province ever sends a weak team abroad. It always sends its strongest team. This means that the team which i is assembled for any tour is always the very strongest that can be marshalled. ■ It players won’t travel for the honour of their province there must either be a sad lafik of patriotism, or something radically amiss somewhere. Canterbury have justified the claim which was made ’ for them at the beginning of the season that they had a great side this year. They proved this by being only two points away from the Ranfurly Shield. The Red and Blacks made no race of it against Wellington on Saturday, piling on points at will. W. Elvy crossed the line three times. He is one. of the best scoring wingers the Dominion ■ has produced. He appears to be a trifle on the brittle side, however, as he has had to leave the field with injuries a good many times in big matches during the past two seasons. However, a man who indulges in fireworks as Elvy does is apt to become damaged goods. He certainly goes for the line in most resolute fashion in his finishing dashes. The only consolation about the play of the Wellington touring team is that the youngsters of the side are doing quite well. Chaney, who was Unheard of for the greater part of the season, appears to be the star back on the side. He is a Johnsonville player/ getting on towards the veteran stage, but has done remarkably well in every match, and the southern Press' gives him praise for his clever cutting-in taotics. He scored against Southland, and waltzed over the line again at Christchurch on Saturday. Ronberg, the youthful Athletic wing-three-quarter, who was amongst the contingent sent down to strengthen the Wellington team against Canterbury, also scored a try on Saturday. Here is a ’wing-three-quarter of class- in the making. Ronberg has pace and dash, and also has brains. ‘‘Thank God, when the old men fail, sir, .We still have the brave young boys." Fisher, the Hutt halfback, who has performed most consistently in club games this season, has fairly won his spurs on the southern tour. He was every bit as good as Dailey on Saturday, and he may be found behind the scrum against Hawke’s Bay on Saturday. He a school teacher by profession.

Need for Coaching. j Anyone who has attended representative matches this season must have been struck with the great need which exists for proper coaching of players in Rugby tactics. The crude methods employed in the match between Wellington and the Seddon Shield Districts fifteen proved that the players, and particularly the backs, badly needed tuition from some old player. This applied with equal force to both teams. The Wellington backs, and particularly the five-eighths, had no idea of how to make openings, and usually sent out their passes when they had run their man into the worst possible position. A first fiveeighths should steer straight for the gap between the opposing five-eighths. When he has drawn them that is the time to send the leather on. On Saturday it was no uncommon sight to see a Wellington five-eighths careering straight across the field in the vain hope that he would. somewhere and somehow find a gap in the defenders’ line. A good coach would see to it that the man ran straight ahead. A five-yards’ advance towards your opponents’ goal-line is better for the side than a spectacular run of forty; yards which does not gain an inch oi ground. McKay played his usual useful game, and was the best back on the side, but Lang did not fit into the picture. Grenfell was right off colour at centre-threequarter, but this no doubt was attributable to the fact that the five-eighths usually gave him the ball at the wrong time. Taylor did some bright things both at fullback and at wing-threequarter, but he is too light for representative games. Each time he bumped into an opponent, he bounced off again like a tennis ball, and play was held up more than once until the little fellow’s wind was restored. It is a great pity this dashing little player cannot pick up another stone in weight. Malcolm played soundly at fullback, and his accurate place-kicking won the game for Wellington. Jowett was weak at wingthreequarter, and did not put much heart into his work. Leys shaped creditably behind the scrum, but he djufied over long ip getting the ball out at tjmes, and was smothered in

possession. He scored a brilliant try m the second spell, when he secured the ball from a scrum, and completely fooled the opposition with a dummy. Thomas was the pick of the forwards, playing with dash and determination throughout. On one occasion, a burly Buller forward picked the Petone man up, whirled him around like a Catherine wheel, and dumped him heavily to Mother Earth. Thomas bobbed up again like a cork, and tore into the fray with greater zest than ever. This is the fibre which wins Rugby matches. Wilson, Edgar, Martin-Smith, and Barry also toiled manfully throughout both spells. Good Clav for the Potter.

Good clay is patiently waiting for the hands of the potter in the Seadon Shield districts. It was a pity to see so much excellent material wasted -for the want of a little knowledge. Had Seddonia possessed a leader on Saturday they would have beaten Wellington comfortably. Reed, the captain, however, had a poor grip of his team, and did not see that they even took no their positions properly. The first five-eighths stood far too deep from his half-back, and poor Mahony had to hurl the ball prodigious distances, with the-result that many of the passing movements were smothered. The Seddon leader, too, who filled the centre-threequarter position, threw awav at least three tries by failing to send the ball on to Snodgrass, when all the winger had to do was to go over and score. Reed made an even worse error of judgment when he elected to do the place-kicking himself. Had he given the kicks at goal to Snodgrass Seddonia would have won the match. Snodgrass was given one chance from the centre of the field, and he made a brilliant effort, the ball just falling a trifle short. After this the visiting captain decided to do the place-kick-ing. True he kicked two goals, but they were from directly in front. Reed had several beautiful chances of winning the match for his side from penalties, but he made a poor attempt at all of them. He then, gave Clarke a shot from a likely angle, but the kicker shot a grubber. Had Snodgrass, who is a reliable place-kick, been given the shots at goal, Seddonia’s / score would probably have ', been increased by a dozen points. //IL SnodgraW sustained his _ reputation as a really serviceable wing threequarter. He is a Speedy and powerful runner, and raced away a couple of times from the local backs. On the first occasion he carecred away to run right behind the posts, and on the-second occasion he took the ball right up to the line, and enabled Clarke to score. It was-pitiable to see a fine scoring winger like Snodgrass starved in the dying stages, when a couple of scores would have brought' victory. Davis played a really good game at full-back, getting through a crowded hour and a half’s work with distinct credit. Wallace showed pace at wing three-quarter, and kept his end up well. The other backs were onlyfair. . It wa4 the forwards who “ained the laurels for Seddonia. There were some big, strapping fellows amongst ■them, and they infused plenty of ginger into their work. Clarke, who replaced O’Neill as wing three-quarter, is- a fine stamp of player. He scored two clever tries, showing dash and resolution each time. Washington, Snow, Stuart, and Fawcett were about the pick of a dashing set of forwards, who kept going well. Considering that they have little chance of acquiring combination, cept when on tour, the Seddon Shieln team must be congratulated on then showing. They should, however, get some Rugbv veteran to give them a bit of Caching. A little tuition in tactics would make all the difference to the side. No West Coast players were taken on tour on this occasion, >as the West Coast Union sent its team over to Christchurch and Timaru. Recent Shield Match.

,''R” writes as follows from Dannevirke:— ' ‘ “Dear ‘Five-Eighths,’—l have f:r a long time followed vour fine weekly contribution to The Dominion on football matters, and I am sure the impartiality and the general tone of the articles appeal to all. “Canterbury must be given all praise for their very meritorious performance against Hawke’s Bay last Saturday. I tldnk you have put your finger on the vital spot when you state their success is primarily due to training and preparation for the match. As a Hawke’s Bav supporter, one cannot overlook the fact that Hawke’s Bay crossed their opponents’ line five times, whereas Canterbury did so twice. Another important fact to be noted is that Hawke’s Bay were without their lock (Mahoney) and a fullback who is world famous (Nenia). I am sure you will agree that Nepia is an asset to any side, no matter how formidable they may be, on account of his powerful punting and beautiful line kicking. lam not forgetting that Canterbury had two first-class players on the “bank,” but on newspaper reports their substitutes worthily represented them.

‘'l am not trying to belittle Canterbury in anv Way, but I do believe that Hawke’s Bay would have made a better performance with the aid of the two I have indicated. “Is it not a fact that it used to be considered worth 5 points to play an important'match on their own ground? Hawke’s Bar’ is entitled to a little praise also for travelling 400 miles with the shield,

"From a broad-minded point of view no one would have begrudged Canterbury a win. They have put up two or three sterling performances against Hawke’s Bay, and the winning of the shield would do good to football in Canterbury, as it has done in Hawke’s Bay. Perhaps it will be Canterbury’s turn next year. Who knows!”

Hawke’s Bay v. Wellington. Once again the formidable Hawke’s Bay fifteen will come down to Wellington on Saturday next. At time of writing it is not known how many of the Hawke’s Bay star players will be included in their team, but if anything like the strongest side comes along Wellington’s chance will not be worth much. The Wellington selectors should set themselves to see to it that only men of mettle are chosen to meet Hawke’s Bay in the return match. Backs of stout heart who can tackle and forwards who can stand up on line-outs, shove for all they are worth in scrum, and hustle in ruck and loose , are the men required for Saturday’s man’s size job. Above all, the Wellington team must not take the field with their minds fixed solely on defence. Any side which does that -is beaten before it starts. “Great as they are, we are going to beat them,” should be the firm conviction of every man

in a black jersey as he comes through the gate cn Saturday. If the right men are sorted out, and they are given a chance :o get the scrum working properly, Wellington should at least be able to remove the stigma that its Rugby players are effete and decadent. Short Pas«es.

“The ( best first five-eighth I have ever played with.”—A tribute to N. P. McGregor, of Canterbury, by A. E. Cooke. The Maori Rugby team en route, to the Continent travelled with the Indian Army hoccey team on the Nakunda. Captain V. M. H. Cox, of the Indian Army team, who is a physical training expert, wts in charge of the physical training cf both teams. The Maoris were delighted with the efforts of Captain Cox nnd were enthusiastic pupils.