KICKING OVERDONE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1935, Page 22

KICKING OVERDONE

"After watching, the football during the present season one4s forced to the conclusion that our chances of emulating the performance of the 1904 and 1924 teams are very slight," writes a

correspondent ("9d Banker"),/'that is, of course, if the inside backs are to be those we in Wellington think are going to fill the majority of the places. The great trouble is that nearly all .the time these players seem to think that the sole idea of a first or' second fiveeighth is to kick. Take, for instance, Monday's game at the Park; Hutt won by 5 points, but I venture to say that, if Lilburne. had only used his outside men as., he•.:■ should have -done,.. Hutt would have won by 20 points, not 5. The Hutt forwards won the ball from practically every scrum, ruck, [ and line-out, arid yet the policy was to kick and then kick again. Only-twice during the game did they open ; out and they scored each time. We often blame our centre and outside men for dropped passes, fumbling, etc., yet what, earthly chance have they of becoming even decent senior players when the policy of kick, kick1 is adopted by the inside players?"