Rugby Football

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 267, 7 August 1929, Page 8

Rugby Football

By

"FIVE-EIGHTHS”

CAN WAIRARAPA RETAIN THE SHIELD?

REPRESENTATIVE FORM REVIEWED

Gallant little Wairarapa have their backs to the wall, and with set faees have nailed the motto over the gates of Solway Park, "What We Have We Hold. It is a wonderful thing that a comparatively small centre like Wairarapa should hold the Rugby championship of New Zealand. And yet, when one comes to think matters out, it is not really so surprising as it seems. Wairarapa owes its success, as Hawke's Bay did from 1022 until 1927, largely to the fact that it is a pastoral and agricultural district. “What has that got to do with Rugby success?” someone may ask. Well, it has a very great deal to do with turning out men who are as hard as nails ahd men whose daily avocations include roping and branding yearling calves, breaking in horses, wrestling with stud rams, and carrying straining posts up steep hillsides, are pretty, fit all the year round and are not likely to leave the field when they get a bump during the course of a game. It is not suggested that every member of the Wairarapa fifteen is engaged in pastoral pursuits, but a good many,of them are, and this is what enables their forwards to push to some purpose in the scrum and to make no mistakes in tackling their opponents. In discussing the reason why the New Zealand team suffered so many casualties on the Australian tour, a veteran of the game ventured the opinion that it was because there were not enough men on the side who followed strenuous outdoor callings. He claimed that New Zealand in the past had owed her success on the Rugby field to the fact that so many of her players had been drawn from the ranks of the hard toilers, whose avocations made their thews and sinews like bars of steel, and who could consequently take bumps ' with equanimity which would lay a less hardened man out.

Be this ns it may, Wairarapa have a very fine side and they will be stronger still when their All Black contingent, Stringfellow, Cundy, Reside and Reid, return as fit as fiddles from the Australian tour. Wairarapa has successfully stalled off the first challenge for the shield this season. True, they only beat Hawke’s Bay by four points, but the holders always had a margin of superiority. Wairarapa will have a stern fight on. their hands next Saturday, when they will be called upon to defend the Ranfurly Shield against Auckland. The Northerners ari this season a somewhat unknown quantity, and it will not be until they trot themselves out against Waira- • rapa on Saturday that we will know Auckland’s strength on the Rugby field. Two years ago, the Northerners had a formidable side, but since then some of their most promising backs have failed to maintain their form in national company. However, it can be taken for granted that with such a large number of players as Auckland can muster, Mr. Meredith will have a capable fifteen on hand on Saturday next. Wairarapa should be able to field a particularly strong rearguard for this match. With Mill back ill his rightful place behind the sCruin, Corkhill and Cundy as inside backs, Stringfellow, Cooke, and Fuller as the threes and Roach at full-back, Auckland should have their hands full. The Railway Department, with its customary enterprise, will run special excursion trains for the match, and no doubt a large number of Wellington enthusiasts will go up to see the game. “A Real Star.” . . , , . It is good to have a little independent criticism occasionally. Apparently the selectors for the New Zealand team did not have a very high opinion of Cundy, the Wairarapa representative, as a nve- . eighths, on the Australian tour. Here, however, is what Trailei thought of Cundy after the match m Melbo“Dur'ing this half Burke landed a field •goal for Australia, and New Zealand s total was improved by tries by Grenside, Stringfellow, Lilburne and i“ck, two of which .were converted by Cundy, all “Stringh!llow, k the All Black full-back, was safe all day, and showed some fine line-kicking, Grenside and Waterman were good wingers, the former being one of the most determined runners yet seen locallv. Lilburne and Hook did many tine things, but were overshadowed by Cundy, who proved a real star. Cundy is a b g man for a five-eighth, yet he is exceptionally fast. Times out ot number he ran his backs into scoring positions, and it was not his fault that more tries were BrjE ra S j^ er ’ s » opinion, Cundy, at any rate, well-deserved his place in the New Zealand team. Sound Advice.

Probably there is no sounder authority on Rugby football to-day than Mr. I- L Evans, of Christchurch, who in the ’eighties and ’nineties was one of Canterbury’s outstanding representative players. A members of the Merivale Club, he gained a place in the Canterbury team which met the New Zealand Native team prior to the departure of that side for Great Britain. He also skippered the Canterbury and South Island teams which met the British team that year. He retired in 1893, and then took up refereeing, and for htteen years was one of the most capable referees in the Dominion. He carried the whistle in the match between the British team and New Zealand at Wellington on August 13, 1904, when New Zealand won bv 9 to 3. Mr. Evans was also a wise and able administrator of the game, lie held the position of president ot the Canterbury Rugby Union from 1914 until 1919, and in the latter year was elevated to the position of president of the New Zealand Rugby' Union. So highly were Mr Evans's services valued that he was made a life member both of the Rugby Union and the Referees' Association of Canterbury. . Now, the views of such an experienced ■judge of the game, both from the practical and theoretical side, should be Well worth listening to. In a recent interview, the veteran had some sound advice to give those in charge of the game in this country to-day. . , . .... Mr. Evans believes in having three men in the front rank of the scrum, and he believes that the New Zealand team which is to meet England next year should have three in the front rank. He pointed out that when the Springboks were in New Zealand and every time that a New South Wales side visited New Zealand, and even now in Sydney, and also when the All Blacks were in South Africa, the New Zealand side did not get possession of the ball from the scrums to any great extent. It stood to reason that three hookers could beat two every tune. In response to a question as to why the WO5 All Blacks did so well with the 2 3 —2 formation and the wing-forward, Mr. Evans said that the only explanation that could be offered was that Dave Gallagher, the captain, with his team of experts, must have devised some means of combating the handicap. In South Africa, the All Blacks had not started to meet success until they had three men in the front rank. As soon as that was done, they got a greater share of the ball. “The wing-forward, too, should be abolished,” added Mr. Evans. ‘‘This New Zealand innovation was started by the great Maori player, T. Ellison, of the. Tjoneke Club (Wellington), and whether it is the laxity of the New Zealand referees now or not. the wing-forward seems to be the cause of far more trouble now than tn years gone by. The playing of an extra back, as is done in other parts of the Rugby world, would be a great improvement on the New Zealand game.” Mr. Evans was one of the selection committee which chose the 1905 Ali Blacks, which definitely placed New Zealand on the Rugby map by their sensational doings in Great Britain. 'Varsity's Happy Position. With only two more games to go, ‘t would appear as It University, who won A* WtfUAgU* SaaiM A championship last

season, are going to repeat the proud performance, and carry oft* the premiership again this year. The studeuts are now in the lead, with 25 championship points, having won twelve, lost two, and dl’awn one of the titteen games played. This leaves them three clear points ahead of Petolie, who have won eleven and lost four matches. , , To lose the championship, University would require to be beaten twice, and this does not seem at all a likely’ contingency. However, if either of the two teams University have still to meet should succeed in recording a draw with the students, and the other team were to defeat them, Petone could tie with the leaders, and a play-off would be necessary. However, both University and Petone are now going so well that it is most unlikely that either will drop a game, and the students are pretty certain to take the championship by their present lead of three points. ... ~ , ~ Berhampore held University well in the first spell at Newtown Park on Saturday, and the students only had a lead of 6 to 5 when the teams crossed over. In the second spell, however, ’Varsity sparkled at their best and the forwards gave the backs a chance to show their paces. That the Inside backs! were doing their work well was evident from the fact that Mackay, the speedv wiDget, raced over tliC line no fewer than three times. Mackay is a really good wing-three-quarter. He has great pace, and plenty of resolution. He has already won his New Zealand cap, and may very easily again catch the New Zealand selectors’ eyes. Ramson had his goal-kicking boots on, and converted two tries and landed two penalty goals during the afternoon. The Victorian College centre-thti’e-qurtrter is as reliable a place-kick as New Zealand possesses to-day. I‘etone’s Come-back.

Anyone who has seen Petone in action during the past few weeks will readily agree that they are undoubtedly the best elub fifteen Wellington at present possesses. They may not have as speedy backs as University, but their team work is better. This was proved a fortnight back when they defeated University at Athletic Park by 14 points to 8. On Saturday the dark blues again demonstrated their superiority by coming into the city and lowering Old Boys’ colours to the tune of 20 points to 17. The forwards were very evenly matched, but it was in back play that Petone far outshone their opponents. Getting a fair share of the ball from the scrums, Coman was able to set his backs going frequently, and Mark Nicholls was in his element at centre three-quarter. The Petone captain gave his brightest display of the season in the first spell, when he side-stepped and dummied in brilliant fashion to make openings for his team mates. It was a beautiful bit of concerted work which led to Elvy's try. Nicholls jazzed straight down the centre of the field and gave the winger the ball with plenty of room to manoeuvre in. This suited Elvy down to the ground. Side-stepping Wylie, he raced away to beat Patrick, the full-back, and hurl himself over the line In the corner. This was the very champagne of Rugby. It was a smart goal which Pollock, the Petone second five-eighth, potted in the first spell. He had not much room to move in, but seized the opening in a flash. The coach for the Petone team, Mr. E. Price, has a very high opinion of young Pollock’s capabilities as an inside back, and considers he will go far in the game. The Petone forwards moved very fast in Hie loose, tries being scored by Spence (2), Thomas, and Potts. There were big gaps in the Qld Boys’ defence, which made these tries possible. Old Boys sadly missed Grenfell at centre three-quarter. This player has had an exceptionally bad run of ill-fortune during the past two seasons. Last year he not only lost his father, but sustained a touch of concussion, which kept him out of the game for the greater part of the season. This season he sustained a damaged nose, and is at present nursing a fractured rib. Had Grenfell been in his place, Petone would not have been aide to pierce the centre as often as they did. C. Patrick, at full-back, let Old Boys down badly on Saturday. After one or two mistakes early, he became rattled, and could do nothing right. Rusbbrook played well at centre three-quarter, making some strong runs, and Du Chateau shaped well behind the scrum, but there was a sad absence of understanding about the Old Boys’ rearguard. D. Dustin, however. played a very bright game in the five-eighths line. He reminds one somewhat of Oliver in the pace at which he can flash through an opening. It was a brilliant try the colt scofed in the first spell. There was only about three yards’ daylight in the Petone defence, but Dustin went through it like a flash.

Hughes, the Old Boys’ winger, has the makings of a very useful wing threequarter. He is well built, has stacks of pace, and plenty of courage. Petone will be even stronger for their match with Poneke at Petone on Saturday, as Coulston, who has been in Wanganui for some time, will retake his place in the pack. Coulston is n really fine forward, and many considered that he was unlucky In not getting the trip to-Australia.

Athletic Still Winning. Athletic continue to shape so well that one wonders how they eame to be defeated four times this season. They were a bit too good for Wellington at Wakefield Park ou Saturday, though the Yellows made them go all out to win by six points. It was a ueat goal Pelham potted for Athletic, and nice concerted work by the backs allowed Huxtable and Maefarlaue to cross the line.

The Wellington forwards shaped well, but received little support from the backs. Had Wellington possessed a decent placekick, they could have squared this game, as Howatson missed two easy chances of putting penalty kicks over the bar. Stanley, the ex-Engllshman, played an honest game amongst the Wellington forwards, and was well backed up by Pryde, Noakes, and Howatson. Magpies Snap Up Another Win. By defeating Poneke on Prince of Wales Park on Saturday, Oriental notched their sixth win of the season, and are now in sixth position on the championship ladder. There was little between the teams, but Oriental had rather the better of the run of play, and won out by a potted goal by Sharpe, and unconverted tries by Smith and Packnatz, to nil. It was a heady try which Smith scored. He gave the leather to Packnatz, and then whipped round on the open side to again receive the ball, and go over for a try. A Ducky Win. Marist were lucky to beat Eastbourne on the Hutt Recreation Ground on Saturday by 0 points to 5. Halfway through the first spell, J. Dellabarca scored a try for Eastbourne, which E. Foley converted. Though both teams battled hard, there was no further score until well on in the second spell, when Keegan, the Marist half-back, slipped over the line for a try, which Cuming failed to improve. Marist, who lasted well, strove desperately for victory over the last half-hour, but the Eastbourne tackling was deadly, and it was not until right on time that Eville managed to bring victory for Marist by crossing the chalk-mark. Cuming again failed to convert, and Marist thus won a hardfought game by C to 5. There was far too much faulty handling by the backs in this game. How To Form a Scrum. Everyone knows that there is something radically wrong with the method of scrummaging in New Zealand to-day, but few people, not even excepting club coaches, can put their finger on the trouble. Some good advice to present-day forwards was given in an interview bj’ Mr. B. Fanning, a famous ex-All Black and lock .of the former Canterbury representative teams, to a Christchurch “Star" reporter. “I've got nothing against the game as it is to-day.” he Baid. “That is from the spectacular point ot view. But, the forwards seem to have forgotten the fundamental part of their Job. Forwards are included in a team primarily to protect and act as a shield for the scoring division, which is the hack line. The forwards of the present time, however, give me the idea that they all want to he backs, which, of course, means that they encounter trouble. My advice to forwards is to stay down In the scrum a few seconds longer than they are doing, and make sure that the ball is cleanly out to the backs before they break tip. “As things are, the scrummaging is not effective because the ball Is not hooked clennlv or heeled back smartly enough. “For Instance, a scrum Is set. One side gets the ball and It. is heeled, but hangs in the back of the scrum. Instead of staying down, the side with the ball breaks up and the other side pushes through and takes possession, giving the backs, who. had they received the ball, would have txMBL MMJ. * haMMIaC UxM

ally takes the sting out of them as the game progresses. “The forwards should stay in the tight more than they are doing instead of interfering with the backs. Seven fast men are all that are needed in the rear division, and if the forwards act as forwards should, the backs cannot fail to score. “More attention should be given to scrum formation," Mr. Fanning said. “The serums of to-dny should be more evenly balanced with all the thrust going in evenly. Not enough care is taken in packing down, and it is because of improper balancing that a heavy pack is often beaten by a lighter but more evenly weighted one. “There lias been talk of the adoption of the 3-2-3 method, but I would much prefer to see the 2-3-2 formation continued. Properly formed, the 2-3-2 scrum will always get the advantage. Sivright’s team had one of the heaviest forward packs that ever eame to New Zealand, but their 3-2-3 formation was no match for the 2-3-2 method that was used against them by New Zealand. We beat them for the ball nearly every time. "I’es.” he concluded, “if the forwards remember to stay down n little longer and play the forward game from first to lust. New Zealand need not fear a challenge from any part of the world.” SENIOR B COMPETITION. Again Hutt showed evidence of their superiority on Saturday when thej- defeated Oriental to the tune ot 12 points to 3. Dawsett, the captain, played a splendid game. Indeed, throughout the competition he has been the outstanding player in the team, figuring in approximately 80 per cent, of the scoring movements. The team’s success may be attributed in many respects to tlie strong forward pack, with Ilinton, Peck, Roberts, and Wood outstanding; The backs are a useful set without being particularly brilliant. Gordon has done good work at the base of scrum, and Feeney is perhaps the most promising boy in tlie team, having taken part in every match tills season. Maclea (ex Pirates, Napier) came in after the first match, and rendered very good service, instilling confidence to the young backs. Jarman has been a sterling full-back, and the small number of tries registered against the team is in a great measure due to his deadly tackling. The very sound coaching of Mr. W. J. McGuire (1910 All Black), who has confined his whole attention to the forwards, and Mr. R. 11. McKay’s valuable service to the backs, played an important part in the team winning the competition this year. A very good game should lie witnessed next Saturday, when Hutt will meet Johnsonville. Earlier in Hie competition, when these teams met. n sterling display was given, perhaps the hardeßt patnp of the season. Johnsonville, who are next to Hutt on tlie competition ladder, have done very creditably this season. Cathcart and Parsloe, who scored three tries each against Upper Hutt on Saturday, have been outstanding throughout the season, and have been a mainstay to their side. The championship table now stands as

AFTER THE MATCH ELLIMAN’S EMBROCATION is the player’s friend after the match. Banishes aches and pains.—Advt.

Ac. Pts. Hutt p. 14 W. L. 13 1 T). For 0 255 43 20 Johnsonville 14 11 2 22G G2 23 Oriental .... 13 9 o J 154 9ft 20 Training Col. 13 7 0 0 124 140 14 Selwyn 14 r» 2 90 1114 14 University .. 13 3 ft o 124 91 12 AVnlllnRton . 13 4 « 3 Ml 121 11 Melrose .... 14 3 1) 2 US 235 8 Upper Hutt . 14 3 9 128 108 8 Old Boys .. 13 3 9 1 7 , 170 I’orirua .... 13 * 10 1 58 165 5