Southern Tour Revealed Many Good Forwards

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1949, Page 4 (Supplement)

Southern Tour Revealed Many Good Forwards

A vast improvement in forward play on the West Coast and the big difference between the standard of the first and second back-lines available were major points during the West Coast team’s tour of the southern minor and sub-unions.

Whether the team’s disappointing record —one win in five games —could be attributed to the long travelling and the weariness that develops on such a tour is debatable, for throughout nearly all five, matches the forwards played with dash. And certainly the opposition in the forwards was much stronger than in the backs. With the loss of the top-ranking backs in. E. G. Walker, who injured his ankle in the first match at Oamaru, J. G. Fraser, (injured shoulder in second game at Invercargill), J. Gillan (concussion at Invercargill and knee injury at Dunedin) and H. Tainui (leg injury at Ashburton), only R. Breeze and J. Lindbom remained of those who had been regular representatives during the past two years. Both stood out above the others.

Though Lindbom was not a success when brought into the fiveeighth line —this was due mainly to a slow service /from the scrum—he was outstanding at full-back, W. Wilson (Otago) being the only fullback to match him. R. Breeze was also compelled to play in all five games without a spell, eventually having to play centre in the final two matches. Though by this time he had. obviously lost the edge to his attack, he was able still to penetrate where the others were not so successful. -• C. Hunter and J. B. Muir gave glimpses of ability on attack; but their handling and passing gave anxiety. Neither was an adequate successor to J. Fraser, whose display at- Oamaru and later- at Invercargill, where he satisfactorily filled ’he centre berth until hurt, clearly showed what an asset he is to West Coast Rugby.

Happy Beginning

At Oamaru, the North Otago team was not quite up to West Coast standard, either in the forwards or backs, but it appeared then that the Fraser-Breeze-Walker-Gillan combination was likely to develop into a match-winning set.

At all other towns, howevfer, the opposing backs, without reaching a high standard were able to do better than the West Coast.

The most satisfactory feature of the tour was the all-round improvement in forward play. Only against Southland were the forwards beaten. Here they were out-rucked, out-jumped and outhooked (the ratio in line-outs was 31 to 16 and in scrums 25 to 11). but the lessens taught were thoroughly absorbed and after intensified training at Carisbrook the pack gave some fine displays against heavier and taller forwards. At Ashburton one opposing forward who persisted in going down and clinging to the ball wa.s twice rucked out with it and the second time

proved enough—he retired. Where some improvement is needed is in handling, for the** forwards lost several chances by dropping the ball when short passing or dribbling rushes threatened to crush the resistance.. More backing up is also a necessity.' Successful Hooker K. R. Fisher who became the main hooker when E. Mettrick was found to be unfit to take 'the field, distinguished himself on the tour. He clearly beat the four hookers against whom he clayed, while at Invercargill, where he had to take second, place, he had taken the field onlv because he could not bo replaced. He was suffering from a shoulder injury which later brought about his retirement. He also played well in the open. When Fisher’s relief, D. McKendry arrived for the Dunedin match, be lasted only a quarter of an hour, but he had lost hardly a scrum to a hooker who had represented the Gtago province. Fisher came on and did almost as well.

Cne of the most improved forwards seen on the tour was M. Wells, of Hari Bari, who was frequently at the head of rushes, and he was unlucky not to score more than one try. Though light, he is onlv 21 years of age and may be one of West Coast's best forwards in future seasons. R. R. Eastgate worked bard throughout, like Wells playing, in all five games, but this player who is reported to be having his last season. was hardly as good as in the past two vears. At his best, he would havescored a try at Invercargill when he had only the full-back to beat, while at Rangiora he charged through the defence and seemed set for tries on two

occasions when he transferred to forwards, who were actually in a worse position. but who were calling for the ball.

The best locking combination was J. Hagen and J. Curtain with J. Flynn as No. 8 forward, and these three produced good hard football, particularly Hagen." Curtain and Flynn were predominant in line-outs, though when he joined the team to play at Rangiora, W. Curtain jumped higher than anyone else.

G. Nelson did not produce his best form on the four, though be played w:.U, and one of the best of the breakaway forwards was J. Woods, who jumped high in the line-outs and got among the attacking backs at Ashburton such as no breakaway for Coast has done for years. Now that the tour is over the selectors will be faced with two problems—where to find adequate backs to replace those injured and, which of the many good forwards to leave out of the

teams to play Wellington and Canterbury. On the form revealed the task is no minor one.