Rugby Football

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 6, 2 October 1929, Page 8

Rugby Football

By

“FIVE-EIGHTHS"

FINDING THE MEN TO MEET THE BRITISHERS

CAN NEW ZEALAND BEAT THE MAORIS TO-DAY?

In view of the fact that the formidable British team will challenge New Zealand’s claim to supremacy on the Kugby field next year, the form displayed in the annual inter-islamL contest at Athletic Park last Saturday was followed with more than ordinary attention. It can be said right away that the display was good enough to restore confidence in the All Blacks’ ability to more than hold their own with any Kugby country in the world. Had Mill and Cooke been with the New Zealand team in South Africa, the All Blacks would not have had to fight for their lives in that fourth lest match at Cape Town to come out all square. Speed by the inside backs is essential in modern Kugby, and it is here that that wizard of the game, Cooke, makes all the difference. Cooke, on the 1921 tour of Great Britain, played centre-three-quarter in the Test matches against Wales and England, and second fiveeighths against Ireland, in which match J’. W. Lucas filled the role of centre. . The New Zealand selectors did wisely to restore Cooke to his rightful position at second five-eighths and Lucas to centre in the North Island team on Saturday, and it was to the speed and thrust of these two brilliant. inside backs, coupled with Mill’s agility at half-back, and Porter’s genius as rover, that the North managed to triumph over the South by -9 P °Some°people argue that inside backs should not score tries, but should simply make the openings for the wingers. Brilliant inside backs, such as Jimmy Hunter Billy Stead, Bert Cooke, and I red Lucas, have scored many tries in big fixtures, and will keep on doing so. Any side which relies solely upon orthodox passing to get the ball out to the wingers Kt hard to block This was why the South Africans so seldom crossed the New Z WKh the speed of Hunter Stead, Cooke and Lucas, openings can be made which pierce the ceutre j.°J the defence, and. as on Saturday, resulted In Cooke and Lucas scoring two tries al The’ inter-island game PrpJ^ •h r.lv that New Zealand, as in 1924, pos sesses backs of class, and Stephenson Macpherson and Smith will not have it •11 their own way by any means when the Britishers take the field against the All Blacks in the Tests next year. It was a great pity that clever halt-Viat-V Dallev reecived such a pau bump at Newcastle on the Australian tour Had the experienced s “°'"7’ l L air !j! Christchurch man been behind the South Island scrum on Saturday the southerners would almost c " ta . inl t y hß b Xe°when three more tries early in the game, wnen Cottrell and Burrows were hooking the leather from almost every scrum. Holden, the Invercargill half, was too slow in letting the ball away to Lilburne and allowed Porter to smother hinii too often. It must be said that both Lilburne and Strang did not handle at all well in the first spell. Had they done so, at least two tries must have come the South’s way.

Solid Scrummaging. The scrummaging was a vast improvement on that shown in the trial match on the King’s Birthday. The scrums went down compactly and remained solid until the ball had been hooked. lhat old general, Porter, when he found that the big southern pack was too heavy for his seven, resorted to screwing the scrums, with the result that the harder the South Island pack pushed the better it helped the northerners to screw the scrums. , The forwards engaged on Saturday did not measure up to the physique of A Black packs of recent years. Such big fellows as Cyril and Maurice Brownlie, L F Cuppies, lan Finlayson, L H. Har vey, and G. T. Alley were missing. SUU, the two packs were composed of stout fellows, who got into their work with zeal and kept going well. Though a good big man will usually beat a good little man, some of the very test forwards New Zealand has. produced have been men of average weight. it a vote were taken it would probably be found that “Son” White would be given credit for being the best all-round forward of the 1924 All Blacks, and Jack Swain would be given the palm as the most useful forward which New Zealand had in South Africa in 1928. lion. Stewart, the South Canterbury giant, appeared to have put on a good deal of weight, and he did not display the fire and dash he revealed in the trials in 1924 and 1927. He is still a great forward, but has slowed up considerably, and was tiring towards the close of baturday’s strenuous game. As valuable a forward as there was on the ground in the inter-island niatch was Hazlett, the Southland sheepfarmer, who scales 14st. 71b., and stands 6ft. in height, and is only 22 years of age He is a typical stamp of New Zealand forward, with weight, reach, and pace.

The New Men. . , The new men figuring in the in lei-is-land game were watched with interest, and Several of these apparently impressed the selectors, as they have been chosen to represent New Zealand against the Maoris at Athletic Park this afternoon., These included C. Campbell (Hawkes Bay), H. F. McLean (Taranaki). A. Finlayson (Auckland), and K. B. Steere (Hawke’s Bay). The last-named hlled Harvey’s place as lock in, the North Island scrum, and did the job so well that he has'been retained as lock for the New Zealand scrum this afternoon. Campbell has had a meteoric rise to All Black status. Early in the season he was playing in Wairarapa, and was selected as emergency for the representative team. Campbell then transferred to Hawke’s Bay, and Mr. Norman McKenzie at onee gave him a place in the Hawke’s Bay pack, and in the Shield game between Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa he was generally acknowledged to be the outstanding forward on the ground. , McLean played in Wellington a few seasons back, and since taking up his residence in Taranaki has been recognised as one of the most useful forwards in that province. Maoris v. New Zealand.

It will be extremely interesting to see how the Maoris will be able to shape against the New Zealand fifteen in the important trial match which is to be played at Athletic Park this afternoon. The All Blacks will have the advantage of the combination with Saturday’s interisland match must have given them. Heazelwood. Elvy, Lucas, Cooke. Mill, Porter, Finlayson, Steere, Campbell, and McLaan, who all figured on the North Island side on Saturday, have been selected to carry the silver fern this, afternoon. and should go well after their gallop at the week-end. H. Lilburne (Canterbury) has yet to prove to the public of Wellington that he is worthy to represent New Zealand as an inside back. We have seen him perform well at full-back, but never onee has he demonstrated here that he is an All Black five-eighths. His dispay on Saturday was most unconvincing, but it must be admitted that the southern rearguard machinery was badly out We all know that Lilburne was idolised for his brilliant play for New Zealand in the Test matches against Australia this season on the other side, and that Press and public alike hailed him as one of the cleverest inside backs New Zealand had ever sent across the Tasman. Lilburne, between Mill and Cooke this afternoon, will have a chance to show the people of Wellington how he can play, and let us hope he will reproduce his best Australian form. D. Olliver (Otago), who will appear as wtag-threeeiuarter for the New Zealand team to-day. is a youngster from Central Otasx He formerly played for the

Heriot team, but last season transferred to Dunedin, and joined the famous Kaikorai Club. Olliver, who has just turned 21, shaped well for the Otago team on its tour of the West Coast last season. The selectors, in choosing the b»ew ea " land team to meet the Maoris this afternoon. were handicapped by the fact that Harris (Canterbury), McClymont (Otago), Holden (Southland), Burrows (Canterbury), Sonntag (Otago), Minns (Auckland), and Batty (Auckland) were not available. , ~ The Maoris, in the past, have been able to place some very fine teams in the field. It is not so very long ago that a Maori team toured New South Wales, and on its return beat all the leading provincial teams from Southland to Auckland. The Maoris did quite well on their recent tour of Great Britain and France, and not a few of the members of that team will be seen in action at Athletic Park this afternoon. Porter will have his work cut out to-day to mark the giant Tama Parata, who will appear as wing-forward for the Maoris. It will be interesting, too, to again watch the duel between those two fine full-backs; George Nepia, the Maori captain, and L. K. Heazelwood (Wellington). D. Pelham (Wellington) was one of the most useful backs on the Maoris’ tour of Britain two years ago, and he has been showing consistently good form this season. ' To-day’s match will show what the Maoris have to supply in the way of All Blacks to meet the Britishers next year, and the form of such strapping forwards as Tatana (Manawhenua), Rika (North Auckland), and Ike (Taranaki) will be closely watched.

Reul Rugby. It was . a rare treat to see the game once again played under legitimate Rugby rules at Athletic Park on Saturday. It was pleasing to see'valuable ground gained by those mighty punts to touch, which used to thrill New Zealand crowds before the League rule of no-kicking to touch betuaen the quarter-marks was mistakenly adopted in this country. Nothing was more vexatious than to see a splendid punt of forty yards go into touch, only to have to wait until both teams trailed back to ■ line-out • opposite the spot from which the ball had been kicked. Surely this was slowing up the game with a vengeance. On Saturday, the ball was thrown in or a scrum taken from where it had gone out, and on went the play without further delay. ' Under • the rules of the International Board, no replacement of injured players is allowed, and it was significant that not a solitary man left the field during the-inter-island match. Considering that New Zealand was compelled to play eight men in the serum in South Africa last year, it is extraordinary that the 2-3-2 scrum formation has been adhered to in the Dominion this season. Apparently the lessons taught by the South Africans last year have been unheeded, and New Zealand is determined to stick to her beloved wing-forward. Let us hope it will not be necessary next year to swop horses while crossing the stream as our fellows were compelled to do on the veldt last season. Value of Place-kicking.

The value of place-kicking was/ amply demonstrated at Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon. -Of the 49 points scored during the inter-island game, no fewer than 22 came from place-kicking. W. Strang, the. South Canterbury fiveeighths. who toured South Africa with the All Blacks last year, kicked four penalty goals, and converted one try, while Heazelwood, the Wellington full-back, converted four tries. The place-kieking was exceptionally good in this match. Had it not been for the fine markmanship of Strang and Heazelwood the scores might very easily have been 21 to 8 in favour of the North. Strangely enough, Strang failed to convert the try scored by Snow right beside the posts. It is passing strange that some place-kicks can put the < ball over the bar. from the half-way mark or the side-line, but when they are called upon to convert a try scored between the posts they are all a-tremble, and often make a mess of the attempt. Strang marred a tine record on Saturday by taking this short kick too gently. All kicks at goal should be hit firmly. Let the ball know that your boot is behind it. If you hit the leather surely and firmly, it will go where you want it to go, but it you poke at it gingerly with the toe of your boot it will soar up into the air like: a shot pigeon. Any try scored between the posts in an important match should spoil five points, and Strang on this occasion simply threw away two . points. He proved, however, that he is a brilliant place-kick. One of the five shots he put over was from within five yards of the halfway mark. Heazelwood had matters made a bit easier for him. »s Cooke and Lucas obligingly popped the leather be tween the posts almost each time they crossed the line. A Great Hover.

Cliff Porter, who captained the North Island team on" Saturday, gave the W„ crowd of 17,000 people a proof of what a great player lie really is. bluce injuring a knee in Melbourne In 1920, Porter was severely handicapped until be put hiniselt into the hands of a specialist, who completely rectified the trouble, the result has been that Cliff is now himself again, and when Porter is at his best there are few abler players in the wide Rugby world. He showed all his genius and resourcefulness at Athletic Park on baturdav, both on attack and defence. It is hard to recall a player who can more uulckly size up a movement than the New Zealand captain. His anticipation is little short of uncanny. Wherever Porte? moves, there yon may be pretty sure the ball will land, even if lie is ten yards behind the full-back. He was a jolly,rover on Saturday; at one moment battling hard in the ruck, and the next footing it with the backs in a passing movement. Porter think? quickly, and will often worm ins wav into a melee to emerge with the ball, aud shoot it out to his backs. He is a powerful punter. and his kicks always have length and direction. Added to his outstanding ability' as a player. Cliff Porter is possibly the most successful captain New Zealand has ever bad.- Every team which he leads is a baud of brothers. A. New Zealander who saw. something of the All Blacks in Sydney this year recently informed me that whenever. Porter entered a social gathering the merriment would be hushed, and the players and guests almost stand to attention like soldiers in the presence of their general. This was not because Cliff Porter was a stern captain; it was simply an instantaneous tribute of respect to an outstanding personality.

Why Nicholls Has Not Been Chosen. “G.8.L.” writes: "It is not possible to refrain from taking up the cudgels on behalf of Mark Nicholls when ‘Five-Eighths in reply to ■Amateur Sole Selector,' states that Nicholls is not a good defensive player, to prove it quotes the two victories by 58—8 aud 31—12, of Hawke’s Bay over Wellington. This appears to me a most illogical argument. Wellington beat Southland by a goodly number of points. Is, therefore, the Southland second fiveeighths to blame? South Africa beat New Zealand in the lire* Test by 17— -0. Is, therefore, Johnson to blame, for Nicholls was not playing? The only test in which be played resulted in a win for New Zealand by 13—5, a far more substantial victory than was that of the second Test—i.e. one point. Is it the opinion of ‘FiveEighths’ that Peton, could have beaten University on the last two occasions by a greater number of points had Nicholls been replaced by a better defensive player? “One has a very good idea why Nicholls has not been chosen, and the selectors cannot be blamed for their caution, but there Is little doubt that Nicholls welds the backs together in a manner quite Inimitable. and thus by concerted attacks keep the opponents busily defending, and this in Itself, when possible where forwards arc more or less equal—is not a bad form of defence."

Rugby Selection. "Facts’’ writes: "Please allow me the privilege of airing my views on t|ie question of New Zealand Rugby in our time. I have been interested in the selection of our plovers picked lor the trials this year, and I was of the firm opinion before Saturday's match that the omission of M. Nicholls was a mistake. After the match there ean be no doubt in the minds of those who understand Rugby that this is so; neither Johnson, Lilburne nor Strang are in his class. It would seem to most people that if New Zealand is to hold on to her position in Rugby we will have to put our house in order. How Is It to be done might well be asked. In the first place, the selectors must know their job. My mind goes back to the days of the South Africans’ tour of New Zealand. The selectors of that day picked Ginger Nicholls as halfback for the first Test. New Zea?and won. and “Ginger” Nicholls earned the medal for the best back of the day. was then dropped for Teddy Roberts,

to the surprise of everybody. New Zealand did not win another Test This was the first great shock for our Rugby supnorters. It was inconceivable that New Zealand could be held to a draw on her own soil. However, the Kuglish tour came along aud we wou all matches, and once again we got our tails up. All was well, the selectors had their photograph printed throughout the Press of New Zealand. On tbo return of the team both Porter and Nicholls warned the Rugby powers that our scrum work was weak, but the big six’ heard them not. Came the time lor our bovs to go to Africa; the selectors got down to the job. They turned out a team of forwards who were out and out shiners of the Brownlie type, with lew exceptions. One of our most prominent figures in local Rugby bet a new hat they would not .lose a game in Africa; wc all know how that bet went. But perhaps we do not all know the reason of our just getting home to a draw in Africa. This time it was a Nicholls again who saved the day; who inspired the forwards to do or die; so much so that they did not let up until the final wlflstle. The Australian tour is too fresh in our minds to need comment at this stage, except that everybody with the exception of perhaps the seloctprs, knows that our forwards again failed. In view of the scrum work shown on Saturday it is hard to account for the lack of criticism in your football writer’s report Let me voice a warning in contradiction of that report. All is not well with New Zealand play, and. unless our forwards get down to a forward's job aud do it, we will lose our slippery hold on Rugby supremacy. . , _ "A few facts for ‘Five-Eighths, and I am through. Lucas was the best back on the field. lie only played in the one Test in Africa. Ho also was a member of the Auckland team beaten by Hawke’s Bay. 40 to nil, I think, Cooke has hover played behind a well-beaten pack—a follower of the Shield wherever it went, as you know. The stand at the Park was not more than half full. Facts are wanted In our Rugby at present, and they would be helpful also in Rugby reports. Rugby Prospering In Japan.

It may not be generally known that the Rugby game has been played for twenty years in Japan, and is very popular with the people of “The Land of the Rising Sun.” Rugby football was introduced Into Japan just over 20 years ago by a Japanese graduate who had studied at Cambridge. Since then it has been taken up by many of the universities (Government and private) and by the middle aud higher schools in Japan. Matches are arranged regularly between themselves as well as with teams from foreign residents in Kobe and 1 okohama. Japanese teams, mostly from the universities in Kyoto and Tokio, go over to Shanghai and play against the Rugby clubs there. Keio, HosliUia and Waseda University Rugby teams are the best, and frequently win against foreign clubs in Japan. The Japanese practise every day and do everything to keep fit. They are very fast runners, their passing is quick and exact, and they concentrate on team work and not on individualism. Whilst speed is tiieir strongest point, the Japanese seldom let an opponent pass without bringing him down, and if they merely grasp part of one’s clothing, they will not let go. When training for Rugby football, the Japanese student is apt. to be keen to push ahead too quickly and play as he thinks fit, without having mastered tin- fundamentals. Continuous training and experienced trainers keep thin week point of

the Japanese youthful player in the background; and criticism from their own people helps to maintain the efficiency of Japanese teams at a high level. A “rugger" match between two Japanese universities or between n Japanese team and a foreign club in Japan has always a large crowd of spectators. Should the Japanese 'team not be distinguishing itself and losing, the number of spectators gradually decreases, as the Japanese crowd loses interest in the game if it is not closely contested and their countrymen obtain no points.

When your muscles ache aud joints pnin, that's the time for ELLTMAN’S EMBROCATION. Sprains, strain*, aches and pains disappi’ar.— AdvL