RUGBY FOOTBALL

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 145, 21 June 1919, Page 12

RUGBY FOOTBALL

ATHLETICS' EASY WIN.

On the whole, the Athlntic-Oriental match on tho No. 2 Ground at Athletic Park on Saturday provided very uninteresting football, although there were individual flashes of good play. The Athletic players went on to the field apparently feeling that little effort on their part would be needed, while too many of f!he Oriental fifteen. seemed to think that the result of the gamo was beyond doubt, and therefore it was not worth while to put up a serious fight. It is r» pity that there should be times when the teams are not '/all out," for there is surely no' better way of losing the public interest. What a crowd wants is a game in which each side is determined to make the most of all opportunities, and if Rugby fiftoens are not prepared to give the desired display it does not need much arguing to prove that the crowds will go elsewhere. In such cir--cumstances the crowd can scarcely be blamed for deserting its old love. One peculiarity of this match was the lack of sure goal kicking. Of course there was a stiff wind blowing across the field, but kick after kick failed to find the posts. A good goal-kicker is an invaluable asset to a team, and eoa-ches should remember that a. goal from the field has just as good a scoring value as a try, and, moreover, in frequently easiei; to secure. It would repay some of our teams handsomely if they gave a little more attention to, finding two promising kickers in their ranks, and then trained them to be. sure pointsgetters. Both Schrader and Chesterman gave good displays on the respective wings for Athletic. Chesterman, in particular, made some useful runs, his habit of taking the shortest route to the goal-lino being one that should commend itself to other players. Loveridge and E. Roberts as usual opened up the gamo at most opportunities. I •- Unfortunately Oriental did not play as good a game as they are capable of. Shaw, at full-back, had a good deal of work to do, and' was to be relied on. His tackling of Chesterman on one occasion was brilliant. Gair, as usual, was a worker, but the support given him was not sufficient. SELWYN v. WELLINGTON. Selwyn's backs never really got going a 6 a combination,' largely on account of the fact that their forwards seldom sent the ball out, and, indeed, the individual backs did not make the showing which several of Wellington's men did. Malm (full-back) was safe, but his game was not as cool as was that of De Castro (Wellington's full-back). Peart's speed stood, him m good stead, and undoubtedly was an important factor in keeping down .Wellington's scoring chances. . Marshall put in a deal of work. His game certainly never erred on the side of "lady play." . :i Several Wellington men stood out prominently; right through, Porter, Packer, and il'Phee being the most noticeable. Porter refused to get bustled, and his line-kicte seldom failed to gain ground. Ho dogs not, however, pln.y in with the other backs enough. The same, to a ' less extent, may be said of Packer'and M'Phee. Packer sets a good example in following up his kicks. Both he and M'Phee are faster than Porter, but M'Phee, as indicated above, is inclined to attempt solo "stunts" or to kick when his backs are in good passing position. M'Dormld (second rank forward) gained a lot of ground for Wellington by following up his kicks and beating the .Selwyn man. ! Selwyn's tackling was, generally, good, but too many of Wellington's men have not profited by the advice, repeated so many times .as to have become veritably .monotonous, of "go low!" and preferred ■ to cuddle the Selwyn men violently round the neck and ears." _ It is a question where the dividing line lies between a legitimates straight arm jolt as a fend and objectionable j play, and one or two of the Selwyn men might do well to consider the question. It was rather remarkable that during almost the whole of the eighty minutes' „play the ball remained on the south ' side of the field, being carried far from ; that line not half a dozen times. The i ditching, a square manhole covered in wood, iron, \ and brick, and drain sumps with iron gratings and concrete backings, three or four feet outside the line, make Duppa-street No. 1 ground positively dangerous on the south side. Temporary padding, costing no great amount, might vbe placed at the danger points during the playing of games, but the ditching will always be a danger unless the bank js remodelled. As it is; however, the Rugby* ground is more of a ground than the Association field on the northern side • of the reserve. There the whitewash lines run over the ditching and up the banking a few feet to one of the corner posts. THE JUNIOR GAME. Both Hutt and Berhampore teams are well up in the game, and are in the pink of condition, as their exhibition on Saturday showed. Tho game itself was fast, the pace being a "corker" from the start. Tho football was clean and spectacular, and the players in these teams1 will make first-rate senior grade men next season Some splendid full-back play was seen on both sides,- Wright for Hutt and Wilson for Berhampore, being cool and clever, kicking well, and being sure on the tackle. Of > the two Wilson appears to bo the cooler, marking the ball surely in the face of any opposition. The Berhampore half-back, Watson, was tho outstanding player on the field, arfd^ by his agility and quickness of perception, saved his team from many dangers. He could perhaps do well to study some of the crack half-backs in the senior teams, and learn their tactics, which are so valuable to a team.

The backs in these two teams leave little to be desired for their class, but some of them could make surer of receiving the leather from* a, pass. They are too anxious to run without getting the ball.

I The line-kicking on the whole -was | good, and speaks well for the practice is evident in this branch of the game.