TO-DAY’S BIG RUGBY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 308, 23 September 1933, Page 8

TO-DAY’S BIG RUGBY

North versus South MANY NEW PLAYERS Nepia Looks as Good as Ever BACKS WILL DECIDE ISSUE

(By

“Poster.”)

The annual trial of Rugby strength i between the North and South Islands, which is one of the big events of the Rugby calendar, will take place at Athletic Park this afternoon. Picked players from both islands have assembled in Wellington for the match, and it is likely that the North Island team will take the field favourites, this opinion being based on the apparent strength of their backs. New Zealand has no international Rugby engagements this year, and though the tour of England is yet some time off, it is expected that this early some notice will be taken of the form of the players. The fact that All Black selection does not attach to to-day’s game may lend to a bright and open exhibition; but at all events there is the material on either side to ensure a high-class exhibition of the code in keeping with inter-island fixtures of former years. < ( The Dominion has been very thoroughly combed this winter for the cream of its Rugby talent. There are many new faces to inter-island football, several of last year’s AU Blacks have re-won their island medals, while in a few instances players who have been off the scene of big footbaU for a season or two have been called upon once more. Notable among these is Nepia, full-back for Porter’s all-conquering 1924-25 AU Black team, who was described by English critics of many years’ standing as the prince of fuU-backs of aU time. Looks Better Than Ever. Nepia will be making his first appear ance on Athletic Park since he played for New Zealand in the fourth and final Test against Prentice’s . All-British team, in 1930. He turned out fort practice with the North Island team yesterday afternoon, and I was immediately impressed with his muscular appearance. Evidently the farming life agrees with Nenia’e physical being. He seems not to have aged a day since we last saw him, and in his hour’s exertion on the field he handled the ball and kicked it like the Nepia of old. To-day’s game wUI be , the test, but players of his class _ seldom slump in their form, and an exhibition of fuU-back wizardry can be confidently expected from the smiling Wairoa native.* A great deal of reliance is placed, by supporters of the South Island team ’ on their forwards. They certainly look the part, but it has to be remembered that last year, when;on paper and appearance they looked like “eating” the North pack, they were well beaten. This year’s South pack is the same as last year’s, except that Lucy (Otago) is replaced by George (Southland). The North pack last year included Solomon, McLean, Clarke, Satherley. Steere, Jessep, Palmer, and Finlayson. Solomon, Steere, and McLean are the only players again selected. Satherley and Finlayson did not measure up to standard. Jessep is now in Australia, while Palmer, unfortunately, was the victim of a- fatal accident in the game at which he was a real master. Judging from their appearance at practice yesterday the five newcomers in the North Island pack should mould into a scrum equally as good as the one which outclassed South last year. A good deal will depend upon Hadley. Palmer last year was a hooker and a forward of the highest class. If Hadley is all that the Aucklanders claim him to be the North should win their good share of the ball, but Me will meet a worthy foeman in Here, of Otago. Hadley impressed yesterday as a speedy hooker without competition, but his speed will be necessary to counteract the loss of weight through a new style of packing the middle row to give the ball a clear tunnel from the hooker to the half-back. Under this system. which involves a different placement of the feet according to the side of the scrum the ball is put in. a lot of the weight of one of the lock's is lost Fast Set of 1:1 icks. The North Island can : ightly claim to possess the more snappy i et of backs, and if the game is to be won n the rear division North should carry iff the honours. The inside combination of the North Island is composed of Wellington players who have a thorough understanding of each other’s play, and one of those smooth exhibitions which, have characterised the play of the Wellington team this season can be expected. Both teams-had a run at Athletic Park yesterday, and the North ’ backs impressed as the better combination, the passing movements of the southerners lacking the smoothness and balance which the northerners applied to their work. A great deal will depend upon the forwardy, but there is nothing to say that w'.'sc South failed to do last year they will achieve this year, and if the North backs get anything like a share of the ball victory should rest with them for another year. The teams are as follow t — NORTH ISLAND. FULL-BACK.

AgeH’ght W’ght "TG. N«pU (East Coast) 2S 5.11 13.6 THREE-QUARTERS. F. Fuller (W’gtori) 23 5.8 11.5 •fT. H. C. Caughey (Ak.) 22 6.0 *tA. Bullock-Douglas 12.8 (Wanganui) 22 5.10 FIVE-EIGHTHS. 11.9 B. A. Killeen (Wgtn.) .. 22 5.11 11.7 fJ. B. Page (Wellington) 24 5.7 11.0 HALF-BACK. •fF.. D. Kilby (W’gton) 27 5.5 11.3 BACK-ROW FORWARD. •|F. Solomon (Auckland) '26 6.0 14.0 SIDE SUPPORTS. »tH. F. McLean (Wgtn) 25 6.1 13.12 fA. Mahoney (Bush Dts.) 25 6.3 . 15.7 LOCK FORWARDS. R. McKenzie (Manawatu) 23 6.0 15.0 *tE. R. G. Steere (H.B.) \25 5.11 14.10 FRONT ROW FORWARDS. F. C. Cooper (N. Auck.) 21 5.11 14.4 W. E. Hadley (Auckland) 22 5.10 12.8 J. Leeson (Waikato) .... 23 5-11 13.6 RESERVE BACK. •i-H. T. Lilburne (Wgn.) 25 5.8 112.6 RESERVE FORWARD. •fR. Clarke (Taranaki) 25 5.10 14.8 SOUTH -ISLAND. FULL-BACK. J. Granger (Nth. Otago) 27 5.8 11.5 TH® EE-Q CARTERS. •|G. F. Hart (Canterby) 25 5.9 11.8 H. Smith (Otago) 22 5.8 11.7 W. T. Dunne (Otago) ... 20 5.9 12.7 FIVE-EIGHTHS. • *tC. Oliver (Canterbury) 27 5.11 12.2 A. Fong (West Coast) ..25 5.7 10.8 HALF-BACK. R. B. Seandrett (W.C.) 25 5.6 11.3 BACK-ROW FORWARD. •fT. Metcalf (Southland) 25 5.11 13.10 SIDE SUPPORTS. *fj. Manchester (Canty.) 24 6.1 . 14.0 •J. T. Andrews (Canty.) 21 6.0 13.5 . LOCK FORWARDS. - •fD. Max (Nelson) 27 6.24 16.0 •fG. B. Purdue (South’d) 24 6.2 14.10 FRONT-ROW FORWARDS. *tA. I. Cottrell (Canty.) 26.5.11 13.3 •tJ Hore (Otago) 24 5.7 13.9 L. George (Southland) .. 23 5.10 13.10 RESERVE BACK. ♦fE, C. Holder (Buller) . 23 6.0 13.8 RESERVE FORWARD. R. R. King (West Coast) 22. ?.O 18.10 ’Played in Inter-Island games. fPlayed for New Zealand.