RUGBY FOOTBALL Improved Celtic Team

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 August 1946, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL Improved Celtic Team

Valuable Inside-back

Combination

The Celtic inside back combination, G> Parry (half-back) and A. Howell (first, five-eighth) is proving valuable for the club and much of the recent success of the team, allowing for the improved forward play, is due to the work of these two players. Previously the club tried out different- combinations in these vital positions without any substantial success, ’but the pairing of Parry and Howell appears to have solved the problem. They are now giving the speedy three-quarters a quick service and players Mike d’Callaghan (second five-eighth) and Silcock" (centre) have the ability to make capital of the chances. The Celtic backs played excellent football in the first spell of their match against Blaketown on Saturday, but they slipped away in the second, largely because of faulty positional play. Lapses such as this will 'let the side in for trouble against Cobden. “Position” is the first of the three P’s in the Kiwis’ watchwords.

Default Claimed. United seniors, even at full strength, would have been no match for Cobden last Saturday, taking a line on the previous performances of the two teams, but when United had to fill four vacancies in its team with Cobden junior players, a victory for Cobden appeared even more certain. Cobden, however, took no chances, and when four of the ,club’s juniois were lined out with United the game was claimed by default. The United captain had no option but to concede the championship points. Just how unnecessary was the Cobden claim was proved when Cobden won the subsequent friendly match by 37 points to 8.

Best of the Season. The West Coast Rugby Union’s 1946 club championship will be decided on Saturday . next with the meeting of Cobden and Celtic in the final. Both teams have been playing bright, open football in recent matches, and Saturday’s match should be the best of. the season. Celtic has improved considerably in the last month or so in all departments, but it will need all this improvement to down the redoubtable Cobden side.

Brilliant Try L. Silcock must be one of the most prolific scorers in the club matches this season. He added another good try to his tally last Saturday when he ran about 40 yards, after cutting in brilliantly between the Blaketown second five-eighth and centie. Unfortunately for Silcock he has a tendency to mix his displays, even in the one day, but there is no doubt that on his day he is a fine footballer.

Solid Display G. McLean gave his usual solid display in the Blaketown backs on Saturday and his reliable handling and tackling saved a lot oi trouble. McLean is an excellent club player in al l departments. L. Stewart, at centre has failed to reproduce m this position the display he gave when he deputised for Roberts at half-back earlier in the season. He shows plenty of dash, but his handling and tackling have not been consistent.

Useful Forwards. . Two hitherto lesser Celtic torwords in H. Cloukc mid T. Haikci played very useful games for their side last Saturday. Cloake grafted hard all day in the tight, and was rewarded with a try. Harker was always a danger to the Blaketown backs by his quick breaking Irom the scrum and his speedy covering on defence.

Promising Youngsters V. Hahn, a junior player, made a fine impression by his display in the Celtic Club’s senior pack at Omoto on Saturday. He is an honest worker, with a good share of natural ability, and as he is still in his teens and has excellent physique he should make a name for himself in a few more seasons. Another junior loiward of promise seen out in the higher grade on. Saturday was 1. Mathieson, of Blaketown. He was less prominent than Hahn in match, but will be an asset to the regulai senior ranks next season.

Off Form , . M Thomas, the Blaketown skipper, was not at his best on Saturday, and several times the young Celtic fiveeighth, Howell, gave him the slip. This is not a usual experience for Thomas in club football. His defensive work otherwise was valuable, but with the Celtic forwards breaking quickly from scrums and rucks he lost ground a number of times m clearing. He had few chances on attack, but one excellent run should have produced a try' if he had received support. Fast But Light One of the most valuable of the Celtic "senior forwards- is PMcNamara, who hooked successfully on Saturday. He is fast in the loose, a good handler, and a solid tackler. Unfortunately he is hardly the ideal type physically for a forward, being slightly built and light, but his energy <md happy knack of being in .the right place at the right timefootball sense—are considerable compensation in club football.

Loss to Blaketown Club. The departure of R. Mitchell, the Blaketown breakaway forward, for Blenheim, is a serious loss to the. Blaketown Club. For all-found play Mitchell has been an outstanding forward for hjs club in the last couple of years, and won representative honours last season and again this year.