RUGBY LEAGUE Mr R. CLARK WILL COACH WEST COAST THIRTEEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 August 1947, Page 5

RUGBY LEAGUE Mr R. CLARK WILL COACH WEST COAST THIRTEEN

Mr R. Clark; of Ngahere, a former West Coast representative player, has been appointed, coach of the West ‘Co'ast Rugby Leagtie touring team, which will leave on Tuesday to play a series of matches in the North Island. The appointment became necessary because of the serious illness of Mr J. Dodds, of Blackball, who Was originally appointed to.the position. The West Coast Rugby League Board of 'cdntrol made the appointment at an emergency meeting'last evening. The touring team will train at AVingham Park at 2 p.m., tomorrow. Amended Laws Will Be. Played The secretary of the West Coast Rugby League Referees’ Association, Mr J. P. Mathews, has received advice from the New Zealand Association, that the following amendments to the laws of the game will come into force immediately:— Law 31. —Delete para, (b) and substitute: “The • forwards must keep their feet on the ground with the exception of the hooker who is only allowed to strike for the ball after the half-back has put the ball into the tunnel, and at no time must he have both feet off the ground at the same time.” ■ , Law 31:—Add sub. para, (j) That the players do not form a scrum until the referee orders them, to do so.” There is also a further amendment which enables touch judges to carry coloured flags for identification purposes in programmes.

The Rugby League match," fifth grade representatives v senior schoolboys, set down to be played at Wingham Park on Sunday, will now be played at Victoria Hark, No. 1 ground, at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow. The referee will be Mr J. Griffen.

french proved that LIGHT FORWARDS

CAN GET THE BALL

Criticism of the comparative lightness of the two. specialist hookers G Davidsori and R. Aynsley, m the Kiwi Rugby League . team for its tour of England and France appears groundless in view of the experience of the champion French team, Carcasonne, on its visit to England several months ago. Carcasonne achieved the unexpected when it soundly defeated the powerful Wigan combination. One of the features of the game was the success of the French forwards in the set scrurns, though the French hooker was lighter than most of the backs in the Kiwi team, and would appear diminutive indeed compared with our forwards. Hooking for Wigan was the powerful international Joe Egan, a member of the 1946 English touring. team, whose weight is not much less than 14.0. Centre man in the French front row was one Martin, who is only sft sins in height, and weighs a bare 11.0.

Yet, despite the big weight discrepancy, Martin won 21 out of 33 scrums in the first spell. Only two men in the whole pack were over 13.0, arid the average weight of the forwards was 12.10. Heaviest man in the team was winger Edouard Pcnsinet, a fifteen-stoner, and lightest was the full-back “Pipette” Puig-Albert, generally regarded as the best, man in France in his position, who is sft 2in *in height, and weighs 10.3.

The diminutive Martin is also a French representative, and so Davidson arid Aynsley—who, at 12.7 or more will appear massive by comparison—are likely to come up against him on more than one occasion on the tour.

The size of the French players, particularly of the forwards, is indicative of the fast, open style of play and their success shows that skill does- count against brawn. The 1947 Kiwis have the brawn, and have already shown a fair amount of skill.