RUGBY NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1923, Page 22

RUGBY NOTES

FROM VARIOUS SOURCES

AUCKLAND'S RECORD

(By "Drop-Kick.")

| Where are the future All Blacks coming from? Any of the small gathering that watchecT "the Canterbury secondgrade representatives defeat Otago at Lancaster Park on Saturday afternoon might well pause and ponder on that question (states the Christchurch "Sun"), .for the form displayed in the match gave little promise of developing into international brilliance. Although there were some bright episodes, the game was very patchy,_ and, taking it all round, very disappointing. Second-grade representatives, of course, cannot be expected to do the dashing, brilliant things that are expected of the best of the province, but they can at least be expected to. handle the ball as if they were used to it. Canterbury won the match by, 16 points to nil, all .the scores being made in the second half, when the advantage of weight began to tell. Canterbury owes its win to a heavy pack, which worked hard in the second half. The,forwards took a big part in each of the four scoring movements. The first half provided one of the most ragged exhibitions of football ever seen at Lancaster Park. Time- and again chances were missed. A wild blind pass, a good pass fumbled, a player in a team-mate's way, or some such mistake would spoil a likely unovement. An attempt by either side to set up a passing rush generally broke down. Canterbury did most of the attacking, and the Otago backs were good in defence: -Two or three good individual efforts brightened up the half. The second half was faster, and both sides put more dash into their work. It was then .that the Red and Black pack "came to light" with some good solid play and won the match. There was much astonishment -when T. Milliken, who was good enough for a New Zealand Rugby team last year, did not find a place among thirty-one players chosen to practise for the Canterbury representative team this season (a Christchurch critic stated recently). " It's ludicrous," said an old-time selector of note. Of course, Milliken should have been in the representative team. ■ Well, on Wednesday, when Canterbury's selectors were "scratching round" fox players to fill up the depleted team for the North Island, Milliken was asked to go. It was too late. The team had to go north without him.

Canterbury met with a good deal of success on their .Northern tour, though they"did not succeed in.lifting the Ranfurly Shield, the trophy which might well have a term of residence in Christchurch. Canterbury defeated Wellington by 8 points to 6,': and thoroughly deserved .their win; they, were somewhat unlucky against. Hawkes Bay, losing by 9 points to 8 after a.good first spell lead; and they defeated Taranaki by IS points to 8. Of the match against Taranaki, the Christchurch"Sun's" special correspondent said:—The difference in the scores (15 points to 8) fairly represented the margin between the Canterbury and Taranaki teams, as shown in the play. Tha Taranaki side was weakened by the absence of Hart, who is a speedy and forceful wing three-quarter,-his substitute, Bruce, being very . disappointing. Several other changes had to be .made at the eleventh hour. Kerrisk being unable to play, Kivell moved, up from support to the front row. Matene replaced Kivell, Linn.took Harm's place. Th» absence of-.-R. Evans was felt by the visitors, who, however, were a superior set to their opponents. The game was a hard one throughout. Both sides showed signs of tiring near the end, but the Canterbury men were the fitter set, ajid were able ta assert a marked superiority in the'" closing 'stages, compelling the homa'side to play a purely defensive game. They were faster than Taranaki, upon, whom the pace told very much in the second half, and their "attack and defence were superior to that of the Taranaki players, who had not the same finish. :■: ;. '; : .

, Playing down in the south of Canterbury in country football, St. George had a long task in front of him to get back into the front rank qf big football, and all the more so with a player like M'Carthy on deck in the capital. But against the Maoris and then against his old province, Southland, this very fine player showed that he was rapidly getting into his top form, and now comes a further recognition of his worth. It occurs in the Christchurch "Star's" comment on the Wellington-Canterbury match. "How many half-backs has Canterbury got?" said a prominent Wellington enthusiast after watching St. George in action. "He was: thinking i'of-'M'.-Carthy's display in the North, v:-, South match and comparing the two. It is hard now to, say,which is the better, but .St v ,George's, extra, weight is an asset. Against .Wellington he was streets ahead of. Roberts'in Rugby craft. He stopped any-rush^ that came along, and then got going on the counter-move. • No matter how thick: it' was, he refused to play the pack-mule game and stay on defence. Hawkes Bay will have no'chance.ifTsome'one can connect up properly between-hinj and.Brqwnand Ford. -••'.". ■ ■■ i Cbulcf :it be rightly said!' Vthat i St. George, a real good half-back admitted-, ly," was.streets ahead of H. E. Nicriplls, who was the half-back against Canterbury?, :*Roberts happened' to beHinjthe first,, five-eighths position'-,that day,'., Neitherv.Nichblls nor, Roberts was.'attthe best- against ..Canterbury;. but' Nichols was.one of. the best, backs, on the\grouhd. He; is still'goods eribugh for the place behind the NeVy;Zealand pack; arid perhaps he will.b^.theije,when New Zealand sets out oh its big "tour next year.—"Dropkiet.'V ,'■' '■ . .

Writing of "the'recent tour of the Southland team, -"On-side Mac" ("Southland Times") makes the following refer-, eh'c'e-to the visit to Wellington:—"When the team arrived in Wellington, we.had with us three men unfit Jor play, namely, Boraman, Watson, and Staunton, which was, a quite serious enough proposition since the three had previously been chosen in the first representative side, but the effects of being cooped up in the capital city for four days before the match had their outcome in an outbreak of influenza which before the tour closed had left its mark on every one of the thirty odd members of the touring party, with the exception of that always cheerful'and encouraging guide, philosopher, and.friend. Mr. W. Robison. Richardson and Rice were in bed when the match was played, and V. Fraser and White in ordinary circumstances would probably have been omitted from the team iii favour of fit men, but every one of the four .forward emergencies, J. Fraser, Scott, Agiiew, and Todd, had to be play.ed,land so there, was no choice in the matter. ■As far as the results of the match were concerned, it is not the purpose here to make excuses for what happened in thogame, save-to point out that in addition to half the team being composed of sick and injured' players, the'only player that had .been sent in the half-back position had to be removed from "the field ir the first spell, while Cosgrove, .who, came on after J. Oughton, received ail-injury which is not yet completely""'right." " ' ': ■ ', " "If WiiiteSVas'nol pVoperly fit ,to take' his plttco agHinsL Wellington, the well- . known SoutUkudcr and ex-All Black

must be a great player when his condition is right. How is it that he is not among the New Zealand forwards' today?

The first tickets issued from- Christchurch for the first passenger service train to go through the Arthur's Pass Tunnel were taken by members of the Canterbury B Rugby team, who were allowed to retain them as souvenirs. The team went through the tunnel in the first carriage, next to the locomotive, and at Otira the members of it were the first at the luncheon-counter. What a pity they didn't complete that record by winning their first match of the tour, remarks the "Sun."

In Auckland it was proved beyond all question that the . passing game is a match-winner under the worst possible condition of ground and ball.-The Aucklanders made the word "football" appear a misnomer as applied to New Zealand's national pastime (states a Southland writer), and their wonderfully accurate handling of a greasy ball in the mud and slush of Eden Park stands out as one of the most vivid impressions of the trip. During the current season it has been consistently emphasised in these columns that the game to go for was the passing system of attack, and all references to the representative sides have been made with this thought in mind. As far as the correctness of this view is concerned, it is not the intention •of the writer to labour the point, save to ask anyone having doubts on the subject to seek information from the Southland--ers who -were'on Eden Park that depressing, afternoon early in the present month. Since the new stand on M'Lean Park : was used for the " shield match against Wellington, rapid strides have been made, and within the next few weeks it will be completed, states a Napier paper. The roof has been put on, and the stand presents an imposing appearance. It will seat 1200 people, who will find every comfort in this new asset to the playing area of Napier. The comments of the tpectators after the last shield match, as to the comfort and location of the jtand,^ were most eulogistic, and the contractor is to be complimented upon his excellent piece of work. Shannahari, who had a leg - broken while playing for Hutt some weeks ago, is still in hospital. His leg has not mended satisfactorily, and Shannahan may not be about again for another week or two. x , . ■ '.

Since last Saturday some enthusiastic club supporters haye been making fiquiries about Brophy, the Manawatu player. Is there any chance of him coming, to-Wellington? ' ' • Q. Donald,' the. Wairarapa hooker, is in. luck's way at last. On several'occasions he has been in the running for North Island or New Zealand honours, but-usually he has been compelled to drop out or account of sickness or injury. ■. ■ ■, - .■ ■ . ■'.

Auckland's record in principal representative matches to date:—Matches .played 4, w,on 4, points for 133, points against 15." -The Northerners have defeated the New Zealand Maori team, Taranaki, Southland, and Wanganui. Of the Auckland-Wangariui game last Saturday, the "Star" says:—"The visitors did not receive their expected reinforcements from home, but it is doubtful if they could have turned the tide in favour of their side. From the outset the Auckland team jumped into an attacking game, crumpling up the defence of the All Blues with the pace of. their work, and by half ; time they had piled up 26 points to nil. There, was no letup by the Aucklanders in the second spell, and, beating the visitors in every department, they crowded on the ..points in brilliant fashion. Scores came as frequetatly.. from mistakes by the other side as from 'ace' play on the part of Auckland, and when no-side sounded they, had registered 58 points to nil. The game was characterised chiefly by. the brilliant play,of Lucas'on the wing of the three-quarter line, and by the manner in .which the Auckland" forwards, with Arnold ever most prominent, dominated the game, opening the way fox the backs and supporting them. Bellis and O'Cohnell did Trojan work for Wanganui against overpowering odds, and their'half and full-back, .Baddeley and Grogan, gave good exhibitions, but "the visitors' inside Lacks.were at sixes and and gave ; away scores by their lack of combination."-