A SPEEDY TEAM

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 196, 16 May 1930, Page 11

A SPEEDY TEAM

BRITISH RUGBY SIDE AT PRACTICE WATCHERS IMPRESSED It was expected that the British Rugby team would be training on Athletic Park about 10 o’clock yesterday morning. Some 200 people gathered at the park to see the players in action, but it was just on 12.30 p.m. when the team arrived, having been engaged at a photographer's studio since about 10.30. When the players eventually did take the field there were only odd clusters of half a dozen spectators at various vantage points. Those who did wait found their patience well repaid. Though the team was on the field for only half an hour it gave in that short time an excellent idea of what may be expected in the way of football later on. It will be speedy. That much at least is certain, for the players yesterday went up and down field in rush after rush, passing when running at top speed, at a rate that many of our provincial teams cannot equal. Nothing was seen of tackling, and the passing was done under perfect conditions—no opposition to pass and a certain knowledge that someone was always handy to take the ball when it was sent out. Passing on the playing field is a very different thing to what it is in training operations. It was noticeable that when the man on the end of the line received the ball he usually centred with a well-judged short kick, thus giving the hall back to his own men. This plan of attack apparently is one of the British team’s strong points. Alost of the backs gave exhibitions of reverse passing and trick passing behind the back that, if brought off properly and at the critical moment, will pass strong defence lines. The half-backs, Jones-Davies, Spong, and Poole, put in considerable practice at setting the back line going by passing from the ground, as at the rear of a scrum. No time was lost; the ball went out to the five-eighths in a flash, and it is apparent that once the halves have the ball there will be no delay and few mistakes in putting the rearguard in operation. The three-quarters impressed with their speed. Reeve, Novis, and Alurray were noticeable in the way’they got off the mark like professional track runners, and when it came to taking and sending passes each and every one handled surely. In another corner of the field the forwards put in a short spell at jumping for the ball as in line-outs. A few dribbling rushes and short-pass rushes were made, and here Black particularly impressed with his speed—equal to that of more than one of the backs—and he had a good control of the ball when dribbling. So did Parker, Wilkinson, and Jones, while Beamish was outstanding in this department of the game. The players came off after half an hour’s practice. None of them seemed to have lost breath after the strenuous up and down-field running, and it seems certain that the team that takes the field against Wanganui will be the last word in physical fitness. There was a good deal of line-kicking and kicking at goal. Both were powerful, and the latter was fairly accurate.