RUGBY GLEANINGS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 258, 28 July 1941, Page 3

RUGBY GLEANINGS

First Home Representative

Match

NEXT SATURDAY’S GAME

Strengthened by the inclusion ot several players from the Treutham Army side, the Wellington representative team to meet Canterbury at Athletic Park next Saturday is particularly powerful; lhe front row of Jackson; Dalton, and Kenny is as solid as could be fielded anywhere in the Dominion,, though in club games r • Mollier (Athletic) has been the ctiistauding hooker. The rest of the pack could hardly have been bettered, and with I inlay and Stanaway as the loose breakaways, the Canterbury backs should be sorely harried. The main feature of lhe rearguard is its pace. Hunter appears an experiment as second five-eighth, but it, he gets sufficient room in which to move, he may prove dangerous. The three-quarter line has great pace. At the time ot writing there is some doubt as to whether Martin will. be. available because of an ankle injury. The inclusion of-Jamieson, the brilliant Athletic winger, will be welcomed by the public, among whom he has become an idol in recent games.

Donovan Omitted.—A surprise omission from both senior representative teams js Douovau, the versatile Army baek, who has been due of the mainstays of bis side. Throughout the season hist form lias been consistently good, ami there are many of the opinion that he should have been preferred to Sherratt. A feature of bis play in club games has been his enterprise, which ijas played no small part in the dazzling teain work developed by the Army side. On Saturday, for instance, in the match against Hutt, he fielded a ball right on his goal line, and instead of clearing, made a brilliant run up the sideline to send the bull into his forwards, a great movement resulting, backs and forwards combining, and Hutt were lucky to escape with a force down. Leading Scorers.— xuough conditions were against heavy scoring on Saturday, the versatile M. Thomas managed tp add five more points—a try and a conversion of a try—l<- bis season’s tally, which now stands at 121 for 14 games, an average of S.G a game. With only three senior club games left, Thomas requires a further 26 points to head the record of 14G points for elub matches established in the 1932 season by F. Fuller (Eastbourne). Fulier’e most successful season was in 1933, when his aggregate of points was 207. Of these 106 were scored in elub games and 101 in representative games. The next highest scorers this‘season are; —J. M. Taylor (Wellington), 67; F. Cassidy (Hutt), 61; V. Calcinai .(Poneke), 58; Armour (College Old Boys), 53. F. Mallett (Petone), 44; L. Dreaver (Oriental), 41; Greig (University), 39, T. Dance (St. Patrick’s College O.B.), 35; J. T. Thurston (Athletic), '27 ; E. Todd (St. 1 atrick’s College O.B.), .26. Vital Absentees.— Wellington were unfortunate in that three of their leading players, Veitch, Mclnncs and McLean, were unable to play on Saturday, though Veitch stood by as an emergency. However, on the run of the play it is doubttul if their presence would have affected the result. The team's main weakness .this season •has been the absence of strong rucking forwards, and 111 this respect >1 player of the calibre of Dalton, of last year's side, is greatly missed. It was noticeable late in the first spell that the Wellington forwards, who prefer a loose game, could not bold lliq determined sorties by the Athletic forwards. wh*> hunted much better as a pack. It was during this period that the result was really put beyond doubt. Nevertheless, considering the difficulties under whieli the team has laboured, Wellington have performed exceptionally we.ll, .and are always great favourites with the ciowd for their bright, open football. Utility Forward. —A utility Athletic forward who is showing fine form is D. Glengarry, who played tull-back occasionally for the senior B team last season, and once for the senior A team tins season. A safe handler, he was frequently in position on Saturday to fie the ball and gained useful of ground with shrewd liuC-kicks. Glen garry is also a very serviceab e forward in both the loose and tight play, and scored a well-deserved try irl the first spell on Saturday .when Athletiforward rushes breached the • defence several times. Todd in Form.— Following fine performances in recent games. E. Todd, the powerful St. Pat’s College Old Bojs fm ward, was again the mainstay of his side on Saturday agaiust Eastbourne, his work in the line-outs and loo«e scrums being first rate. Todd has often given indications of All Black class, be ing exceptionally fast for such a big forward and a fine kick as well as competent in other phases of the game, but has often spoilt his play by other ideas. He appears at the top ot his form at preA Great Try— Always ready to make the most of any opportunities that came his way, Posselt, the mercurial Eastbourne winger, scored one of the most spectacular tries seen at Eastbourne this season on Saturday. Getting possession of the ball at the half-way, and having only about a yard from the side-hue in which to move, he evaded two opponents and then punted over the heads of three more defenders to regain the ball and score at the corner. As an individualist Posselt is among the best in senior Rugby. Had more opportunities come his way this season, he would have built up a fine tally of points. . Good Refereeing.— Bricks rather than bouquets are the usual apportion of most referees, but it is the general concensus of opinion that some good displays have been given by those in charge of the whistle this season. In particular was this the case in Saturday’s main game when Referee W. R. Ellison, under difficult conditions, gave a fine interpretation of the advantage rule. It is pleasing to note, also, that the firm stand taken Dy the referees from the commencement of the seasoiron the question of playing the ball with the feet after a player with the ball has been brought to the ground has borne excellent results.