RUGBY

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 32, 6 August 1921, Page 12

RUGBY

THE SPRINGBOKS' DEFEAT

INTERESTING CHAMPIONSHIP.

POSITION

(By '-'Drop-Kick.")

Happenings during last week-end were quite out of the ordinary ran of events, and they have led to probably more football discussion than has taken place during any previous week this season. In 1 the first place, the most outstanding incident was Canterbury's defeat of the Springboks; secondly, and almost equally unexpected to local enthusiasts, Poneke had a meritorious win over Petone; and, thirdly, Wellington obtained their first win in the senior competition. Of the Springbok-Canterbury match, it has been freely stated, and admitted by the visitors, that the better team won; and the most surprising point about tha win is that Canterbury have not a single representative in the New Zealand team for the First Test. Therein lies further food for thought on the strength of New Zealand football, and as to whether the first fifteen to meet the Springboks is made up of the I Dominion's best players. It must be remembered, however, that one of Canterbury's nominees—the man who played a great game against the Springbokswas not available for selection. Evans is the player referred to, but he would have required to be at his best to get in ahead of Kingston, who, likewise, gave a fine display against the Springboks in Taranaki. Other Canterbury men who were generally regarded as having good chances for .places in the New Zealand team were Ford and Peterson, and both. played excellently last Saturday. They could not have missed All-Black honours by a great deal, and it would not be surprising to find that when tHe Second Test team is announced, either one or. both will have a place. The tide of Springbok favonritism for the First Test has been stemmed a'good deal by the defeat, but the visitors have since partially recovered their position by putting up the biggest score of the New Zealand tour against South Canterbury—34-3. To-day's game against j the Ranfurly Shield holders should bring out the visitors in their true form. This may lead to a better indication of their prospects for the Tests, as their record in the three matches played against main provinces does not offer a great deal. The match against Taranaki wa3 drawn, that against Wellington won, and that against Canterbury lost. .Canterbury have since beaten Taranaki, so that it would appear that the Wellington game did not actually give the Springboks a taste of New Zealand's true strength. On Wednesday next the visitors play Otago, thus giving them two hard matches before the big games. PONEKE AND PETONE LEVEL. The surprise win of Poneke over Petone has brought about a most interesting position in regard to the championship, so interesting, in fact, that there is jnst a possibility of the final series of games to-day placing three teams level for the championship. The probability, however, is that Poneke and Petone wiK have to fight put a final, or that in the event of 'Varsity defeating Petone to day, Poneke -will win the chamyionslnp. Throughout the second round if the competition, on Saturday has really given a reliable indication as to the ultimate winners; there has been a changing scene each week, and it is now actually left to the final day's play to determine the premiership. Oriental, who have played consistently throughout the season, have kept in attendance with the leaders, and are only two points behind. Wellington have at last placed a win to their credit, and this reward for persistency in turning out week after week has been well earned. The win, however, does not take them from bottom place on the ladder. The position of the teams is as follows:

' PLAY. AND PLAYERS. The defeat of Petone by Poneke last Saturday was indeed a surprise, the more so seeing that the redoubtable suburbanites went under to the tune of 17 points to 5. Poneke themselves were probably the most surprised of all. Something was wrong with Petone. It is said that Petone never do.play well when they face Poneke. They certainly didn't do well on Saturday. Their forwards were "all there" in attack, but Poneke's pack had the best of it in the scrums, especially in the second spell. Poneke's forwards then played a rattling game, and H. E. Nicholls at, half was smothered entirely. He found it almost impossible to get the ball away to his backs, so suddenly did the opposition bear down upon him. ; When Poneke forged into the lead, they left nothing to chance, but made the pace harder than ever, and simply ran rings round Petone in the process. It was good to see J. Shearer, Hughes, Baker and company pounding away at the Petone rampart and steadily knocking it to pieces, and it was fortunate for Petone that the second spell closed wh'en it did, otherwise the points against them would have been still The activity of tho Poneke forwards very probably; accounted for the disorganisation among the Petone backs, who played with less cohesion than is their wont.

VM. Nicholls was decidedly weak. He lacked in his goal-kicking qualities and was not at all safe in handling the ball. The fact that he has not yet recovered from a recent severe kick in the back probably accounted for his being off colour on Saturday. "Depend upon it," remarked one of M. Nicholls s club mates to the writer this week, "Mark will play a great game in the Test. He will be right there!" All Mark Nicholls'6 admirers are hoping that that prediction will be fulfilled.

Eddie Ryan played a good defensive game for his side, but he showed signs of weakness in passing movements and did not handle the ball with any degree of assurance.

The lion of the Petone team on the day was Ashton, who certainly played a fine game as rover. He was on the ball the whole of the time, and did great work. It was not Ashton's fault that Petone did not show up to better advantage in the matter of points. He led many an attack in the first spell-^----being ably supported by the Parker brothers and Price—but Malm, the Poneke full-back, was responsible in the main for saving his side.

Poneke thoroughly deserved their win, this being the opinion of even their opponents. Petono barrackers took the defeat of the suburbanites .rather hard. Some spectators were inclined to be critical of the referee (some of the remarks from the touchline were not in good taste), but there is no denying the fact that Poneke played a sounder game, particularly in the second half. The forwards shone, almost to perfection, and the backs were out on their own. Jbe hero, pi the side jvas J. Tunning-

ton, the scrum-half, who played a lovely game. He was excellent in every respect, and his swift turn of speed was an added advantage. B. Algar also gave a sterling exhibition, his line-kicking being well judged. Christopherson, D. Algar, and F. Tilyard also did splendid service, and Malm, at full-back, was as safe as a house.

Wellington football is well off in the matter of full-backs, and Malm can still safely be numbered among the bunch. The adoption of "shock tactics" was undoubtedly what mainly contributed to Poneke's success. They left nothing to chance, and the forwards banged and battered the defence so soundly that towards the close their opponents' morale began to be shaken. If Riddell had not played a''solid game at full-back, there would have peen a danger of Petone's reverse being turned into a rout.

Aitken, the crack 'Varsity back, was in fine fettle against Athletic, and the spectators at the Park last Saturday who witnessed his many bright dashes and the manner in which he created openings had no reason to doubt that his iriclnsion in the New Zealand team is justified. In wet or fine weather he can play a great game, and it is to be hoped that his consistently good performances will have had another addition after the First Test. Having twice captained the New Zealand 'Varsity team he should have no reason to suffer from stage fright in his first international game. Since the foregoing was written Aitken has been appointed captain, and all will join in congratulating him.

To the 'Varsity team the selectors might well look for a number of representatives. Next to Siddells and Aitken a" very likely man is Hutchison, whose play as a five-eighth has been outstanding in recent matches. He knows what is required of an inside back, and carries it out to the best of his ability. Against Athletic his* lone-hand work was of an attractive order. In defence he is sound. The 'Varsity forwards also offer good material for representative teams in Scott, Hanson, M'Crae, Burns, and Thomas.

It is said that Jackson's sight is not as good as it might be. On one occasion during last Saturday's match ho certainly led spectators to believe that such is the case by a'tackle he executed in front of • the stand. Luckily, Mr. Neilson (the referee) was solid enough to prevent being grounded in the mud! At another stage of the game, however, Jackson showed that he was quite capable of distinguishing the goal-posts— he "potted" a fine goal. > Brook, the Athletic full-back, seldom gives cause to disappoint those who class him as the best full-back in Wellington. Against 'Varsity he was very reliable, and handled the _ greasy ball very cleanly. His line-kicking was good, and his accuracy in kicking was shown by a splendid field goal. W. Ryan (Athletic) is back to hi» old form, and was, always prominent last Saturday in forward rushes. "Going for the dirt" is at no time a desirable reputation for a Rugby footballer, but one forward in Wellington appears to be becoming a past master at the "art" (it would be more correct to describe it as a crime). The tactics resorted to by this player have more than once evoked the righteous indignation of spectators as well as opposing players, and he would be well advised to drop his questionable methods. No one expects a game of Rugby to be played like marbles, but it may as well be played cleanly, and if a man cannot adhere to the truest principles of sportsmanship he should forsake the Union code. CANTERBURY'S WIN. Comment on the Springbok-Canterbury match will be of ..interest •in two respects —(1) that it was.'the first defeat, sustained by the visitors, and (2) that Canterbury are not represented in the New Zealand Test team. The Lyttelton Times gives the following notes on the game :— The conclusion to be reached in surveying the game was that the South Africans had little, if anythafig, that they could show the local team in Rugby strategy or tactics, ami on the actual play they only showed occasional' flashes of the brilliant passing movements that form their longest suit. Their weight and height on the line-out, backed up. by Tushing-in tactics, wouldl have made them more formidable if they had been able to feed the backs from the' line-out, but the opposition was too strong in this department, and the pace, of the local forwards, irresistible in dribbling rushes, simply combed the ball through the slower-moving opposition. The Springboks were expected to give a display of Rugby fireworks from the back of the scrum, tat in this department they were blocked. The Canterbury men were round too quickly, pouncing on the halves beifore they could get rid of the ball. The tackling on both sides was great, and the Canterbury backs had this much to their credit, that when they went for their man they grassed him and the ball as well. The 3-3-2 scrum formation of the visitors was not effective, for the Canterbury hookers more than got their share of the ball. Even apart from this there was not the straight running that one was led. to expect when the ball went out to the backs, and th* dangerous cross-kicks exhibited by the/team in training did not develop. A slight hesitancy marked the backs at times, but, nevertheless, they showed that on ai dry ground they would be fa very fast combination. This way in which Strauss overhauled three Canterbury forwards who had swept past the full-back was an eye-opener to the spectators, who must have realised that withi fliers like' Strauss ami. Van JTesrdep on attack on; a dry ground, no defence would/ be -impregnable. Perhaps' Canterbury owed their win to the fact that they regarded themselves as an attacking force at every stage, and, happily for themselves, turned defence into attack whenever a weak joint .presented itself in ih« Springboks' armour. The forwards were not oontent. to accept the valuation [ placed on thorn by the New Zealand selectors, with the result that they took the initiative, and held it until no-side was sounded. For all that, the game was close enough to hold the. spectatorsl m the'grip of the most intense excitement. ... • Line-kicking was not a feature of the early play of the visitors, and they lost ground by keeping th© ball in play <m a heavy ground, where they were not able to be up with the' ball. Later, however, when they were -varying their style of play, in the hope of finding a way through, they gained much ground by line kicking. This, indeed, .was their 1 most effective method, for their line-out?, close in, wore the most dangerous phase of their game. A feature of the Canterbury attack was the vacant sections to which the 1 backs were able to direct both long and short punts, and there, was no doubt that positiqnaUy the South African backs were not well,distributed. In fact, they would have done well to adopt the New Zealand classification in the backs, and also the, 2-3-2 scrum formation, instead of the 3-3-2 that they played on Saturday. This would have- left a man free to play the wing-forward game, instead of calling on the stand-off half to put the ball in and shield his inside half from opposing raids. Only one maji went off hurt, and this was a- testimony to the cleanno3s of the gams. .... CANTERBURY COMPLIMENTED. "The forwards all the way," said 0. R. Murray, when asked what he. thought was tho determining factor in the game. Ho said that he was more than pleasedi with the showing of the forwards,' but defensively the backs were also deserving of the highest praise. T. B. Pienaatr, captain of tho South Africans, said : "It a great game, Canterbury deserved

the wm. They made it hard and fast, and suited themselves to the conditions. The only thing we are a bit sore about is that a section of the crowd hooted once for some decision or breach of the rule. That was the first time in New Zealand we liave heard hooting. Still, we recog. nise it came only from, a section. All of us wish to congratulate Canterbury." _ The wet ground had nothing to do with it," said Mr. H. 0. Bennett, manager of the South Africans. "Canterbury won.,. and would have won on a dry ground. That's the best team we've met in New Zealand," Mr. S. F. Wilson, president of the Canterbury Rugby Union, said that he considered the 'Canterbury forwards played better than any team of forwarde tha.t the province had ever placed in th© field. The backs played a bit above their form, but would not have gone so well on a dry ground. They had pleased him greatly by their adaptabality to the conditions. 'In reply to a question as to whether he was disappointed with the Springboks' play. Mr. Wilson said that! he was. disappointed' wrth the forwards, who ' did not go as well as in Wellington. This was no doubt due to the heavy ground. "But it was a great game," Mr.'Wilson added. A PROBLEM SOLVED. The arrangement of representative fixI tares "i presented a perplexing problem this season, but the chairman of the Wellington Rugby Union (Mr. J. Prendeville) has made, after much trouble, a most satisfactory solution, and at this week's meeting of the Management Committee Appreciative reference was made to the manner in whjch he had overcome the difficulty. Mr.' Prendeville was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Th» main cause of the rearrangement of the programme originally drawn up was that Southland could not play in Wellington on various dates suggested. The Southern Union's arrangements had been upset by an alteration in the Springbok fixtures for Otago and Southland, and it was found that only the 10th September would be suitable foT the match against Wellington. On top of this there came other changes of dates in the Springboks' tour, and altered arrangements regarding the visit of the New ..South Wales team. This meant that various interprovincial fixtures would require to be altered, and, in order not to make the puzzle more complicated, Mi*. Prendeville had to go fully into the representative matches arranged by other unions to determine how Wellington could 'meet Southland's wishes for the match on the 10th September. The solution came about by asking Taranaki and Auckland to rearrange the dates of their matches, to enable Wellington to play at New Plymouth on the 27th August and a^, Auckland on the 3rd September. In both cases the request was agreed to, and this, left Wellington free to play Southland on the 10th (the data originally fixed for the WellingtonAuckland match at Auckland). The list of representative fixtures was published in The Post thi3 week. * , NEWS AND NOTES.' V The junior championship has been won by Wellington -College Old Boys. Their record and the championship table were published in The Post on Wednesday. Mr. E: Briarley, the club captain, has been transferred to Palmenston North's and he will be greatly missed by the Club. ■ : ■ ' During this week' Mr. E. ("Ned".) Perry haa been over in Bltnheim, coaching the Marlborough representatives for to-day's match against the West Coast-. It is now reported that West Coast are unable to play. The Auckland senior championship has reached a veyy interesting stage. Grammar Old Boys, Grafton, and College Rifles are now equal in points for the cup. The improvements .being'made by the Eden ■ Park trustees ; were noticed on Saturday (states the Auckland -Herald), and with, a sufficiency of labour and money there should bo no doubt about the park meeting the requirements of the large number of spectators expected to witness the first Springbok match. During his recent visit to the South Island, Mr. H. E. Combs, secretary of the N.Z.R.U., was astounded at the-ex-tent of interest being taken by country residents in the visit of the Springboks. At- Dunedin, for instance, 100 applications had been' received (when he was there) for about 250 seats specially set apart in the stand.for country patrons. In order to provide more accommodation, the match against Southland had been transferred to the Agricultural Ground, where the stand was one of the largest in New Zealand.

The following paragraph from the [Southland Times would seem to indicate that Southland is very anxious to retain the Banfurly Shield :—"ln conversation with Mr. A. J. Geddes, president of the union, he informed the writer that Southland would, have to conform with the rules governing the Ranfurly, Shield challenges, and take the Shield on tour. The information was given him by Mr. H. E. Combs on his recent visit to Invercargill. The effect of the information will' be that the matches against Wellington and Canterbury will now be, for the Shield." Southland's attitude is no doubt based on" the fact that they will be playing most matches awayl from home this season, whereas next season the games will be chiefly at Invercargill. Possession of the Shield next year would create much greatei- interest in Southland. The Southern Union should not foTget that Wellington played many Shield matches away from home, and lost'the trophy during a strenuous tour. The following team has been picked to play for Otago against the Springboks :—Full-back, Watson (Zingari); three-quarters, Stewart (Pirates),; Owles (Kaikorai), . Ward (University); five-eighths, Hailey (Kaikorai), Perry (University); Half-back, M'Naughton (Zingarj); forwards, Duncan.JKadkorai, captain), Bain (Southern),, Turnbull (Kaikorai), 'Richardson (Alhambra), Sontag (Kaikorai), Harty (University), Boreham (Southern), Cabot (University, wing). Reserv.es : Back, Bell (Pirates); forwards, Geary, (Southern), Coombes (Alhamhra). Mr. B. M'Kenzie (Dunedin) was appointed referee for the match. Springboks v. Southland to-day, and Mr. H. J. M'Kenzie (Carterton) will have control of the game against Manawatu on the 17th August. In the furtherance of the idea of interchanging referees, it is understood that a Southland referee will take the Otago. match.

The Otago competition has been closed, and KaikoTai, having won 12 matches, drawn one, and lost none, had a lead of six points from Alhambra, who was next on the list. The Kaikorai pack played great games during the season, and the team"a success was largely due to its great forward work.

Canterbury is protesting against the appointment of only one New Zealand selector for the South Island, compared with two for the North Island, and other Southern unions are being asked to endorse the protest. 0. Badeley (Auckland) is reported to have played a brilliant game last Saturday, and Ifwoi-son (also of Auckland) likewise proved himself a worthy representative player. i It is pleasing to learn.' that Lucas, the prominent Auckland wing-forward, has recovered from the injury which prevented him frqm playing in the inter-Island match. He was to play in the Auckland Possibles-Probables matoh to-day.

Messrs. Peter M'Coll and Jim Taylor were among those enthusiasts who assisted in the preparation of the Wellington team to meet the Springboks. Reference to the work wu made last week.

1 Ch. P. W. L. D. F. A. Ps. 'etone ... 13 10 3 0 217 101 20 >oneke ... 13 10 3 0 133 63 20 Mental ... 13 9 4 0 142 117 18 Jerhampore ... 13 7 6 0 114 92 14 Lthletic ... 13 6 6 1 149 140 13 ■tarisfc 0.8. ... 12 4 7 1 72 84 9 Jniversity ... 12 4 8 0 113 136 8 ielwyn .„ 11 2 7 2 74 137 6 Wellington ... 12 1- 9 2 49 193 4