Rugby Football

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 300, 19 September 1928, Page 8

Rugby Football

By

"Five-Eighth”

LESSONS FROM THE NEW SOUTH

WALES TEAM.

NEED FOR LEARNING THE RULES

Every Rugby follower in the Dominion was genuinely pleased on Saturday when the news came through that the youthful New South Wales team had succeeded in defeating New Zealand in the third Test match, at Christchurch, by 11 points to S. This satisfaction was due to the fact that New South Wales had played the better football in both the first and second Tests, which they only lost by narrow margins through the penalties which had been inflicted upon them. For instance, New Zealand’s score of 15 points in the first Test match was made up of four penalty goals and one thy, to New South Wales’s 12 points—three tries and one penalty goal. In the second Test, at Dunedin, which was won by New Zealand by the narrow margin of 16 points to .14, the All Blacks were even luckier still, as New South Wales crossed the New Zealand line four times, whereas New Zealand only managed to score two tries, from one of which a goal was kicked, the remaining points coming from a penalty goal for obstruction, and a try for obstruction from which a goal was kicked.

It will thus be seen that on actual play, the youthful New South Wales team had had the better of things in both Tests, and, therefore, most people were pleased when they reaped the reward of merit by notching a victory in the third Test match on Saturday. Many good judges of the game were of opinion that the youthful visitors were harshly dealt with by the referees in both the first and second Tests. A Matter of Justice.

The position is put plainly in letters which appeared in the Dunedin “Star” after the second Test. “Justice” wrote: It was most unfortunate that the control of the football match last Saturday between the New Zealand and New South Wales representatives was not in more capable hands. While no favour should be shown to visiting teams, they are at least entitled to justice. This the New South Wales men did not receive last Saturday. During the game they were penalised on every conceivable occasion, while several gross infringements on the part of the Blacks were unheeded by the referee. In the early part of the match the Black wing-forward repeatedly stood offside during scrums, but he “got away with it.” But the referee’s greatest error was in awarding to the Blacks an unscored try on account of obstruction. The rule governing such a position reads thus: “The reftree shall award a try if, in his opinion, one would have undoubtedly been obtained but for the unfair play or unlawful interference of the defending side.” In other words, if the scoring of a try was an absolute certainty. There was no certainty in the case under review. There was, of course, a possibility of scoring a try, but there was no certainty. The player who was in possession of the ball at the time was not himself at all likely to score, and as he would have had either to kick or pass the ball, who knows what would have happened had he done so? A case in point occurred during the game, when a New Zealand forward cut off a pass and ran down the field. It then looked almost certain that a try would be secured, but it did not eventuate. “Bill” wrote: Referring to the last Test, would it not have been better had the referee not looked for so many mistakes from the New Souvh Wales team, who were ignorant of many minor rules, just like our own All Blacks who suffered accordingly in Africa? The New South Wales team not only paid for their mistakes, but paid very dearly for them. Then again, as regards that penalty try awarded New Zealand, it looked to me that the referee acted as though in the heat of the moment. Did the breach warrant the extreme penalty? If it had not occurred, would there not have been a pass forward, or, say. a knock-on? We do not know, neither does the referee, and so I say right here that the New Zealand team should not have been awarded a penalty try, but only a free kick. I have approached two senior grade referees on the matter, and they say that, had they had control of the match, a free kick only would have been awarded. Again, to win a Test match by a penalty try does not make the best reading. What I admired about the game was the obedient, silent way the New South Wales team took their gruelling in the decisions against them. I am not saying that the visiting team were innocent of infringements, but that the price paid for them was too severe, and this alone has deprived them of winning the rubber next Saturday. A Great Side.

But, despite the fact that they were not allowed to win the rubber in the Tests, the 1928 New South Wales team will be gratefully remembered in this country for many years to come. They may even be the pioneers of a new and brighter era in Rugby. For one thing, they have taught controllers of the game on both sides of the Tasman that round about 22 years is the ideal age for Rugby players. Another most important lesson they have driven home is that attack is the best method of defence. What a treat it was to see these Light Blue youngsters careering up the field at top pace, and tossing the leather about like a band of mischievous schoolboys. Contrast their style of play with that of the Springboks in the first Test match against New Zealand at Durban this season. In that game the ball was rarely allowed to come out of the scrums, and when it did Bennie Osler promptly sent it into touch. This was certainly an effective way of defeating the All Blacks, but how dreary it must have been for the spectators. The New South Wales team in this country at present do not care a rap whether they win or lose. They are out to play an open game, and absolutely compel their opponents to adopt the same tactics. The result is that they have given us Rugby fireworks in the Tests such as we have not enjoyed since the trials to select the 1924 New Zealand team for Great Britain. Still another fact the Light Blues have hammered home to us, and that is that Rugby backs must possess pace.' Smairl and Hemingway, the New South Wales wingers, are too fast for anything we can match against them at present. Both raced away for tries at Christchurch on Saturday. If they have a yard’s start these Australian greyhounds cannot be overtaken, and they have pace enough to run clean around the full-back.

When the history of the 1928 Rugby campaign in South Africa comes to be written, it will be admitted that the New Zealand rearguard lacked the necessary pace for international games. The pace these New South Wales wingers possess is akin to that of such flyers as D. McGregor (who scored three tries for New Zealand against England in 1905), G. Smith, and J. Steel. A touch of the class of pace to which I am referring was afforded by the Wellington player, Mackay, at Greymouth, on Wednesday last. Making his first appearance in an All Black jersey. Mackay raced over the line for New Zealand against the West Coast no fewer than four times.

Sturdy Defenders. Many people are inclined to underrate the New South Wales team at present amongst us. They are,to my mind, the soundest combination the Light Blues have sent across the Tasman. In the first Test, at Wellington, their tackling was deadly, ami they never failed to bring their man when they dived for his ankles. They were not afraid either to go down to the footrushes. One has only to study the small number of tries which New Zealand has been able to record against them in the three Tests to appreciate the sterling quality of their defensive work.

In their captain, Malcolm, they have as brilliant a half-back as there is in the game to-day. Without the cat-like pace of Jimmy Mill, the New South Wales

captain gets the ball away from the scrum at surprising pace, and is up to every known dodge to trick the opposition. But it is the sterling defence of this sturdy little player which most excites admiration. If the opposing forwards break through from .scrum, lineout, or ruck, Malcolm flops on the leather at their feet, and the big forwards go sprawling over his prostrate body. At the dinner at Dunedin, after the second Test match, the New South Wales captain referred to the excellent spirit in which the game had been played. “It was a great moment for me,” he said, “when I had fallen on the ball to stop a footrush, to hear Cliff Porter, the New Zealand captain, call out, ‘Don’t kick him’ ”

This is the spirit in which the grand old game should be played. Hard knocks cannot be avoided in a strenuous game such as Rugby, but at least we should be able to play cleanly and in sportsmanlike fashion. It does not matter greatly.who wins; the game’s the thing, and it is pleasing to know that in Porter and Malcolm the game has leaders on both sides of the Tasman who believe in maintaining the best traditions. Brilliant Fireworks.

Brilliant Rugby fireworks should be enjoyed by the Wellington Public at Athletic Park on' Saturday next, when the New South Wales team, fresh from their triumph over the New Zealand team in the third Test match, will meet a fifteen representing the Maori players of the Dominion. As is well known, the Maoris believe in playing the same open game as is favoured by the present New South Wales combination, and if ground and ball be dry. a delightful exhibition of the passing code should be witnessed. The Maoris have always been able to plaee a fifteen in the field usually equal, and occasionally superior, to the full strength of New Zealand. Who is likely to forget the fright the Maoris gave the Springboks at Napier in 1921. There was a little feeling introduced into the game, as the South Africans had practically drawn the colour line, and it was only after persuasion that they agreed to a mateh against the Maoris. The game was a veritable battle royal, and the Springboks had to fight for their very lives to win by 9 points to S. Many of New Zealand’s leading players will be included in the Maori team to meet New South Wales here on Saturday. George Nepia and Jimmy Mill, the famous 1924 All Blacks, will be down from the far East Coast, and several of the members of the Maori team which toured Great Britain and Prance in 1927 will also appear on the side. It should be a thrilling game. Real Champions.

Wairarapa continues to maintain their right to be classed the the champion Rugby province of the Dominion. Manawhenua made a descent upon the Ranfuriy Shield on Saturday last, but were routed at Carterton to the tune of 31 points to 10. The shield-holders, who fielded their strongest side, did as they liked in the first spell, during which they piled on 21 points to nil. Backs and forwards combined well, with the result that the Manawhenua men were kept vainly chasing a ball which they were seldom able to get their hands or feet upon. Manawhenua did better iu the second spell, when both teams put on 10 points. Wairarapa gave their best display of the season in this match, showing vastly improved form to that which they displayed against Canterbury, Auckland, and Wellington. It w-ould have taken a good side playing at their best all their time to hold Wairarapa on Saturday.

Wellington’s Good Showing. Wellington continues to give proof that they are fast coming back to a foremost place in New Zealand Rugby. Of recent years, the Blacks slipped back badly, and there was none so poor as to do them reverence.

Since Mr. J. N. Millard was appointed sole selector, however, a decided Improvement has been noticeable in local play. Nothing has been so pleasing as to note the new spirit of keenness which has been manifested by the players. Rarely had a single man to be marked absent from training operations at the gymnasium. This is no doubt due to the fact that all players knew that the selection would be made upon merit, and that everyone would be given a chance to win his spurs. Wellington has done so well during the past couple of seasons as to suggest that the Black flag may ere long resume the proud place it has so often held in the past. With four men absent with the All Blacks in South Africa and three men assisting the New Zealand team in the tests in the Dominion, the Wellington represen-. tative team has done really well on its southern tour so far.

Starting off against South Canterbury at Timaru last Wednesday, the Blacks scored a convincing victory by 28 points to 17. The Poneke men were in scoring vein, Jack Shearer, who is captaining the team, going over for a couple of tries, and Elliott, the side-stepping winger, crossing a similar number of times.

Travelling on to Dunedin, the Wellington team on Saturday did even better by decisively outplaying Otago by 22 points to 9. It is pleasing to see that men who are making a first appearance as Wellington representatives are seizing their opportunities with both hands. Elliott again played well, and Pickering also showed up prominently on the threequarter line. The latter caught the Otago men napping when he snapped up the leather on his own quarter-mark, and made a sensational run through the Dark Blues. Coming to the full-back, he punted over his head, and, travelling at top pace, went on to regain possession and score a sensational try, which Heazelwood, who had his kicking boots on, converted. Broderick also notched a good try.

The standard of play does not appear to have been 'high. “Indeed,” writes' a pessimistic Dunedin scribe, “at times it was a travesty on interprovincial Rugby, and in the end tlie crowd of 7000 people must have decided they had come to see a comedy instead of a match between the teams of two of the leading provinces.” At any rate, we Wellingtonians can console ourselves that we are BO per cent, better comedians than are the Otago men. The Dunedin writers severely cane the Wellington forwards for offside play in this match. “The Wellington forwards were playing a lot offside,” states one writer, "and were perhaps lucky in not being penalised more frequently.” One can sympathise with a local scribe whose representatives have just been dusted up to the tune of 22 to 0. but after all. the referee is the man to say when a player is offside. The Otago writer surely does not wish us to infer that Otago referees are worse than Otago players. The real reason for Wellington's win Is supplied by another Dunedin writer, who candidly admits: “The quality of football seen in inter-provincial games in Dunedin this year has been far below representative standard. The Otago men can humbly say. “ A poor thing, gentlemen, but mine own. nnd the best that we ean give you.” Stiffer Opposition. Wellington will be up against stiffer opposition this afternoon when they oppose Southland at Invercargill. The Maroons have only lost one match out of the half-dozen they have nlayed this season, their victories including a good win over the New South Wales team by 31 points to 2fi. Southland’s proud record this season is as follows:—

v. Wairarapa, won, 24 to 23. v. Auckland, lost. 21 to 44. v Manawhenua. won. 12 to 4. v. Canterbury, won. 25 to 17. v. South Canterbury, won, 9 to S. v. Otago, won, 15 to It. V. New South Wales, won. 31 to 2G. If Wellington can notch a win tills afternoon, it will bo a big feather in their cap. Seddon Shield Holders.

The Wellington public, 2501) of them, Nelson, holders of the Seddon Shield, in action against a Wellington team at Athletic Park Tlie display given by the visitors from across Cook Strait, was very disappointing. We all know that Nelson can play quite respectable- Rugby. Have they not sup plied New Zealand with sueh aide players as Snow nnd Snodgrass? But the display given by tlie wearers of Cambridge and Oxford blue on Saturday was riot even up to good average club form. The Nelson players appeared nervous. Tlie backs make two or three grabs before they could field a rolling ball, ami their handling In tlie passing movements was even worse. It would lie a wise move on tlie pari of the Nelson Rugby Union to oftener send their players afield to try conclusions with teams in tlie larger centres. The Nelson players on Saturday appeared to be over awed by tho fact that they were playing

E. Bethuuie, W. A. Armour; club captain, Mr. B. O. Binnic; hon. secretary, Air. A. Chegwidden; hon. treasurer, Mr. F. I. Eton: hon. auditor, the hon. treasurer of the W.C.0.8. Association: management committee. Messrs. J. Malcolm, W. Barclay, A. Ronaldson, M. Elliott, and McGuire; delegates to W.C.A.. Messrs. P. Broad, A. Ronaldson, and B. O. Binnic.