GETTING UNDER WAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 88, 13 April 1935, Page 26

GETTING UNDER WAY

LOCAL CLUBS ACTIVE

Practices and special matches to put the players' into good working condition for the season's Rugby competitions in Wellington are, having very pleasing results, and when the championship matches commence on April 27 some really good form should be revealed. The fact that players will be wanted for the New Zealand team to visit the Home countries has been mainly responsible for the early action, and'it appears that Wellington will have many aspirants for places in the trial teams. Quite a number of players showed exceedingly good form, at their first . outing under match conditions last Saturday. More matches are being played today, and there will be further special games during the Easter kholidays.

It is well for all interested in Rugbjr football to know that the rules hav9 undergone some change. One variation from the usual procedure is that after an unconverted try the ball is now drop-kicked instead of placekicked ffom half-way. So far as tho scrummage is concerned the ball is now regarded as fairly in when it has "passed one foot of a player on each side. It can then be hooked by either of those feet or by the fourth feet. The second and third feet can only; come into action, when the ball ha* passed them.

A report that C. G. Porter, ex-Ne^ Zealand captain, is likely to re-enter i senior football is incorrect. From the point of' view of keeping fit Porter would very much like to play, and ha had thought of offering himself as a senior B player. However, he realises that by so doing he would be keeping a young player put, and that is the last thing he would care to. do. , One imagines that even now Porter would be a force to be reckoned with on the football field. • ■

A. Fong, the West Opast and South Island Rugby representative, is due in Wellington next week. It is reported that he is likely to play for Welling, ton,, though it was understood that there was a strong possibility that he would be turning out with Eastbourne.

Clem Green, a one-time brilliant half-back, is to coach the Petone first fifteen this year. J. Shearer will be doing the coaching of the Poneke seniors; and L. Roberts is carrying on as the Athletic seniors' coach, as is A. McDonald with the Wellington College Old Boys.

Friend, of Waikato, who was reported to have joined up with Marist, is playing for Athletic.

Meadows,- from Christchurch,, was a new player at the Eastbourne gym« nasium this week.

It is understood that Andrews (exCanterbury and South Island representative forward) will be playing on the side of the scrum for Hutt, leaving Stevenson to his usual position as rover. . , :

Greenbank (formerly of Upper Hutt) is offering as a half-back for Hutt. He went to the Wairarapa last year, and had the misfortune to meet with an injury at work whicli kept him out of the game for a long time. Ruru (Oriental) has been training with the Hutt Club.

Berry (formerly of Canterbury), who was with Hutt last year, has changed over to Eastbourne, and Leahy (Marist) has gone over to Petone. Pickard (Petone) is back from Auckland, where he played for Grafton, and .-will be out with ' his old club. Potbury, an inside back from Wairarapa, is among Petone's new members, as is Hoppe, a three-quarter from Kaiwarra. , l

, D. Ryan (back from Hawke"s Bay) and Clayton' (Eastbourne)" have rejoined Petone's ranks. . I. Leslie, a fine stamp of forward from Sydney, has joined Up with Athletic. As a member of the Eastern Suburbs senior team lie gained representative honours in New South Wales. ; ■ '

A correspondent -(A. Beauchamp) writes:—"l think you will agree with me, and also the public, when I say the Wellington Rugby Union cannot be charged with over-generosity in allotting last Saturday's gate takings to the clubs' gymnasium funds. Judging by the number of spectators present the«clubs will be lucky if they get a dividend of 5s each. Why donate the first practice match day to the gymnasium funds? Was, it because the Rugby Union did not want to give too much away? The club's funds are deserving of better treatment than this, seeing that it is the gymnasium where the players' are trained to enable them to come on to the field fit men and draw big gates for the union. The Rugby Union should set aside one of the big matches each year for the combined clubs' gymnasium fund, not practice match days. Especially when on one of them the final cricket matclc of the season is being decided?"