RUGBY REVIEW

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 288, 1 September 1931, Page 14

RUGBY REVIEW

Australian Fifteen’s Better Showing

WELLINGTON NEXT

(By

“Five Eighth.")

Two much-looked-for improvements in form were shown in Saturday s Rugby matches, one by the touring Australian fifteen, which was unlucky to lose against Canterbury, and the other by the Wellington representative team.. which narrowly defeated Otago at Athletic 1 ark. These two sides will ineet hatur P next, and the match will hold more than ordinary interest for enthusiasts, especially as the Test match will be played at Auckland on the following Saturday. Up till last Saturday’s-game the Australians’ showing Had been 'rather disappointing, * mainly through - the• failure or their forwards. According ■ to reports from Christchurch,' however, the visitors are capable of extending' the best side New Zealand can ' produce, given a dry ground and a little more luck, and if that is so their game with Wellington should provide some great football. Last year, it will be remembered, one of the best matches of the British team’s tour was against Wellington, on the memorable June 3, when the home side won by 1points to 8. With a further improvement on its form of ten days ago, W ellington should prove to be easily one of the strongest provincial sides the Australians will have to meet. , The touring team will play a combined Scddon Shield districts side at Nelson to-morrow, after which it will’leave for Wellington. To-morrow week it will play the Maoris, at Palmerston North. Ball hi Good Form.

One of the-most satisfying features ok the Wellington team’s play on Saturday was the performance put UD _ b , 5 , - the two wing-three-quarters. Ball and Mackay. ’Ball has been chosen as one of the All Black wingers this year, and Mackay is the reserve back. Ou Saturday both made the most of what chances came their way, in sharp contrast-to, tap display of the wingers on the previous Saturday, and Bair particularly proved himself to be a really dangerous attacking winger. His run from half-way, in which ho beat four men, only to lose possession as be crossed the line, was one of the best efforts seen at the park in representative matches this year. What was even more satisfactory about it, from Wellingtons point of view, was that he had only a little ground to work in when he first received the ball. \ Four, More Playing Saturdays."*

There are about four more playing Saturdays before the season ends, rand in nearly all centres club competitions have given way to representative games. As far as Wellington is concerned, it has fixtures with Australia, Taranaki, Auckland and Hawke’s Bay to fulfill, as well as a “B” match against Manawhenua. In Canterbury the season will end °n September 12, with the match against Otago. Auckland’s last game will be that with Wellington on September 19, and Otago > s last match will be one against Southland, at Dunedin, on the same day. lhe last two matches that are set down, apparently, are those between Wairarapa and Manawhenua, on September 23, and between Wellington and Hawke s Bay, at Napier, ou September 26. Ranfurly Sliield Challenge.

Otago’s match with Canterbury on September 12 will be for the Ranfurly Shield. On paper, it would appear to have an excellent chance of 11£tln S £ he trophy, as Canterbury will be witliout the services of Cottrell, Oliver and Hart, three very valuable men Otago s only absentee will'be the full-back, Bush. It Otago does win the game it will have won the shield for the first tjme. Lengthy Records.

• With the exclusion of M. F. Nicholls from the New Zealand team this year, he . and C. G. Porter are left sharing honours for’the number of years each has been in an All 'Black team. I ■j, l ' s ’ played in 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1928. 1929 aud 1930. Nicholls won his New Snd cap in 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1928, and 1930. • < Other lengthy All Black records are those of W. J. (“Billy”) represented New Zealand in 1903, 1904, 1905, 1.907, and 1908; R. F. Stewart, 1924 1925, 1926, 1928. and 1930 , I Steel 1920 1921, 1922 1923, 1924; F W LucaL 1923, 1924, 19251 1928, and 1930; W. R. Irvine, 1923 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1930; J. Mill, 1923,1924, 1925, 1926, and 1930; M. J. Brownlie, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1928.

Englishman on Rugby Control. Referring to’ the relations of the four Home unions at the annual' meeting .or the .English - Rugby Union in London, Mr.-Walter T. Pearce (Bristol), elected president for . the third i successive year, 8!l “England will never act separately from the three other unions. Affairs in France, owing to the propaganda which has gone on in connection with, the .two rival bodies there, make it impossible for-us to send teams over. As England did many years ago, when the northern clubs broke away and almost threatened the existence of the Rugby Union game, France must, in like circumstances, face the issue boldly and put her house in order. They.must recover direction and they must recover discipline. 1 ' “I would Tike to offer a friendly word of advice to France, not so much ' in my capacity as president of the English union, but as, an individual jealous of the traditions of our great game. The fact that they have recovered direction and discipline can be proved only on the field of play, and it must be prpved first of all to our entire satisfaction before relations can be resumed. . “We are not asking France to do anything we ourselves have not done or are not prepared to do if -at any time in the future the necessity should arise for us to do it.” Primary Schools’ Criticism,

“In Wednesday’s ‘Dominion’ appears a short account of the primary Rugby matches played on Monday last at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth,” writes “Harmony.”.' “In his account of the Taranaki v. Horowhenua match your .correspondent states that Horowhenua scored two tries which were not allowed. He then proceeds to explain how Hutt Valley was defeated by Rangitikei and concludes with the following paragraph:— ‘“The action of the local referees in penalising the visiting forwards every time they failed to take back with the ball has caused no end of trouble, and the hoys themselves seem to have been nonplussed. In concentrating so much on this phase of the game many infringements of a more serious nature are being overlooked and the. spirit of the game does not seem to be of paramount importance.’ “This utterance is a.very serious reflection on the referees concerned, and if made by.a visitor are in extremely bad taste. However, another series of matches Was nlayed on Wednesday last, and Mr ,T. King, n referee of considerable standing, controlled the final match of the tournament. Hutt Valley v. Taranaki. Once again Hutt Valley was defeated, and in the meantime we are awaiting your correspondent’s reasons for this. I’erhnns he will find it difficult to attack Mr. King’s rulings, or perhaps he will grncefuly admit that the better team won.” • 4 Moments of Doubt (To the Editor.) Sir. — • “A goal—clean over.' “I don’t think so—no. there you are. they are dropping out from the, twentyfive.” “It looked a goal to me. “We’re not on the angle to judge correctly.” ■ . "But why is there not a clear signal Riven at once as to whether it is or is not a goal?” . The above conversation was heard on 1 the “bank” at the Athletic Park on Satur-

day immediately following a penalty kick at goal, in the interprovincial Rugby match.' For some seconds after tlieJcick the people at a certain'angle on the bank were not able to‘Say Whether the kick whs successful or not.- and had to wait until the action of the players showed that it was not. I understand that there are certain hand signals given in such a case, but do these convey instantly the position to the waiting crowds? Why cannot the referee at once blow loudly on his whistle if the kick is successful, and refrain from doing so if it is unsuccessful? Then there would be no doubt for an instant as to the result of the kick. —I am, CtC-- ERIC OF B. Wellington, August'3l.