RUGBY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 196, 16 May 1930, Page 15

RUGBY

PRINCE OF WALES CUP WESTERN MAORI TEAM Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, Muy 15. The Maori Rugby Advisory Board of the western districts, holders of the Prince of Wales Cup, has selected the following team to defend the trophy at Christchurch ou the King’s Birthday (June 3): — Johnson (Manawhenua), Watson, (Taranaki), Wineera (Taranaki), Pelhum (Wellington), Robinson (Taranaki), Ilohaia (Taranaki), W. Taruta (Manawhenua), T. Parata (Maiuiwhcnua), Walker (Wairarapa), Parai (Wellington), Whanga (Wairarapa), Tutnna (Manawhenua), Reside (Wairarapa), Williams (Taranaki), Smith (Wairarapa).

Reserves: I’ini (Wanganui), I’etako (Wanganui), K. Hohaia (Wanganui), Conroy (Wanganui).

ABSENCE OF NICHOLLS (To the Editor.) Sir, In your report of the Possibles versus Probables match at Palmerston North, mention is made “that a great deal of comment was raised by the absence of Nicholls, who has not participated in trial games for several seasons, and it would appear that, although he has gained New Zealand honours through missing trial matches, other players have not been so fortunate.” This statement, Sir,'is not only incorrect, but unfair. Rugby records show that Nicholls hhs represented New Zealand in the seasons 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925,11926, and 1928." During this time he has missed playing in one trial match, and that was in the year 1927, when the selection of the team to tour Africa was' being made. The match referred to was the New Zealand Possibles versus Probables, played at Athletic Park, and was the final test. Nicholls had previously played at Wanganui, Palmerston North, and in the North-South Island game, all of which were trial matches.Recently. during the Eastbourue-Petone match, Nicholls was unfortunate enough to take the skin off a knee, which turned septic. On the advice of a well-known doctor he has to rest from strenuous endeavour for a few days,, in order to enable his knee to come right. Any close follower of the game will know that in the past numerous fine players who have participated in trial games, when suffering from injury, have’lost all change of gaining the New Zealand team, through inability to give of their best. In my opinion, Nicholls did the right thing in not playing at Palmerston North, and I trust the selectors, who will undoubtedly be cognisant of the reason of his not playing, will give him the opportunity of showing them that he is #ll that brilliant initiator of clever back movements that we have come to associate with his name.—l am, etc., wn- t nvr ir OLD-TIMER. Wellington, May 15.

A FIVE-EIGHTH’S TACTICS “I notice,” writes “Coach,” “that in accounting for the defeat of Onslow fourth grade team at Athletic Park on Saturday, your critic stated that “invariably the first five-eighth was standing too far away from his half-back, with the result that when he did not miss his pass altogether, he was standing still and had to transfer in a hurry to the second fiveeiMth. lhe above statement is most misleading to young players. If the first iive-eighth was taking his passes standing still, obviously the trouble was, that he was not standing deep enough. His standing too far away was merely incidental. ■ rhe trouble have’ been that he was also standing too far up. Un Saturday, McKenzie (the ’Varsity first five-eighth) was caught repeatedly with the ball, because in the first place he was standing too far up, and in the second he was, hanging on too long.”