RUGBY TRAINING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22313, 24 April 1947, Page 8

RUGBY TRAINING

NEED IN DOMINION ATTENTION BY PLAYERS A timely plea for thoroughness in training and intelligent application 1 by players of instruction given by coaches is made in the Rugby Almanack of New Zealand, the 194“ edition of which is now available. In the foreword to this informative publication, the editors point out that while 1946 brougnt a memorable season with the lull resumption of union activities following the interruption ol the war years, senior club football generally was below standard and this was reflected in representative play. "It would appear that many payers are failing to attend adequately to training or to heed the advice given by the,r club coaches, resulting in promising players finding themselves in the representative team without possessing a lull appreciation of the fundamentals of the game.” continues the editorial foreword of the Almanack. 'ln representative football, it is distressing tq see vital passes dropped, half-hearted tackling and rush-stop-ping, line-kicks frequently missing the line bv yards, spasmodic heeling from rucks, ineffective cover on defence and inadequate backing up on attack. Players, generally speaking, should have mastered such fundamentals be fore bring favoured by representative selection Our football will not. reach pre-war standard until the quality of senior club Rugby is raised " Representative Records Tlie 1947 Almanack is the eleventh issue ol the series. It covers first - ctass matches of the 1946 season in wnicli special interest among followers of the game in the Gisborne and East Coast areas will be attached to the reviews of representative fixtures ol * eacn of the Poverty Bay and East Coast unions and the individua. records of players. The Almanack features excellentlyreproduced pnotographs of the famous Kiwis, 'he louring Australian team and Southland's successful defenders of the Ranl'urly Shield. New departures | in elude ooituarics of international play ers and officials who passed during the year, a commentary on the Almanack's New Zealand XV and tables dealing with century scores and the points scored by each union. Close students of Rugby are given material for deep thought in the lion ours list featuring the 1 Almanack New Zealand XV”, the "Five Players of the Year" and the" Five Promising players ' Preferences shown by the Almanacs selectors may in some instances be provocative of the desire for a complexdebate, but all show evidence of sound and rneticulously-careful reasoning and pleasing evidence of the endeavour to retain strict impartiality and an a'o sence of parochialism is given by the inclusion of two of the visiting Australians among the "Five Players of tin Year."