SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Gisborne Times, Volume LX, Issue 9723, 5 June 1924, Page 7

SPORTS AND PASTIMES

RUGBY.

NOTES OF, THE WEEK

(By “Five-Eighths.”)

The defeat of Poverty Bay by the Motu Sub-Union on Saturday last and the Wairoa sub-union on Tuesday in the Barry Cup contest, clearly established the superiority of the country teams on sloppy grounds, and in wet .weather.

In the match' at Motu, the "A” representatives of this district persisted in passing movements, whereas Motu kept the ball on the ground to a greater extent and subsequently wore more successful in their tactics. Under the wretched conditions it should have been all the more apparent to the visiting hacks that passing with a- slippery ball on a greasy muddy ground that offered no foothold, was useless. But it was pass, pass, pass, even though time and again the movements .were broken down through tlieir' inability to handle the leather. Passing is ail very well occasionally when a good opening presents itself, and the backs can handle in the wet—which Poverty Bay cannot do, as they are ‘‘dry- day footballers” —but high .kicking and following up. and’ dribbling rushes demoralises the opposing hacks and is more likely to bring the desired points. Caulton, who during the first spell prior to his injury was played out of liis place, as* wing threequarter, was much below representative standard. He could not handle, and missed several passes when scoring chances were offered, while his defence was none too sound. Admittedly the day was bad for passing movements, and in this respect most of the visiting hacks were in. the same box. 1 Mouat’s lack of weight told against him on a lieayy ground, as it also did at Wairoa, but nevertheless he was best of the hack line in handling, while be also played a sound game on defence. The greatest weakness of the back line was Wilson who would net stop rushes at all, and for that matter neither did Tureia. The latter also hung on to the ball too much. Certainly ho should beat a man, and men, if possible, but it is stupid to allow the opposing line to close on attacking backs before passing. It does not give them a chance. On the wing, Whaitiri showed plenty of dash and handled the greasy ball fairly well, but be could not attain speed quickly enough to carry him through. At full-back, W. Langlands was always safe, his line kicking and rush stopping being outstanding features of bis display. The pick of the forwards were Matthews, Torrie, Scott and Whaitiri, who were always prominent in the loose and in the tight scrummaging work. Generally speaking, the visitors’ pack was superior to the home forwards, hut hard kicking instead of combined dribbling was their chief fault. In the fiveeiglitbs line, S. Hansen was the best of the Motu backs. He kicked and tackled well and showed a fairly good ground "defence. His display on the day—-although it could not lie regarded as a fair criterion marked him as a player worthy of the selectors’ consideration in the touring team. He was ably backed up by Thompson, who showed up well on offensive movements. At wing-three-quarters, S. Williams displayed dash and resource in attack and his handling in-defence was sound. In the loose, Mortlcman and G. Caulton were the best of the Motu pack, while O’Rourke and Bridge were prominent in the light work. It is difficult to see the objective of the selectors in changing the positions of the Poverty Bay backs aml including Pollock and Fraser King. The latter only played one really good club game this year and that was against Celtic, and even then his place was centre and not five-eighths. In substituting Pollock for W. Lunglands, who has played full-back throughout the season for Old Boys, and pushing him out on the wing, the selectors evidently went on past performances in representative, football. Pollock proved himself to he a fine defensive hack in days agone, but his display in club football this season did not warrant his inclusion in the team. Tt is said, that Langlands was placed on the wing, owing to the shortage of men who could "capably 'fill this position. The same player lias .proved he was an excellent attacking back either a® wing or centre, but I think he should have been left at full-back ; he seems to be the only man fitted for the position in rep. football in the Bay. In the forwards it was necessary to introduce some big men to give weight to the scrum and a chance of getting the hall in the linc-out. big forwards of the last three years, Honey and Tom Heeney, were an irreparable loss to Poverty Bay pack, hut the selectors found two good men in Kopu Brown and Cavannagh, both of W'liatatutu and Waving under the Waikohu sub-un-ion’s jurisdiction. The latter was a North Auckland representative of last year and plays a dashing game.

Under bad weather conditions and on a sloppy ground, Poverty Bay,, the challengers for the Barry Cup, were defeated by three points by. Wairoa, the holders of the trophy. It was a great forward game in the mud and was anybody’s victory. The primary reason of their defeat lay in the poor exhibition of Poverty Bay’s inside backs. Quito candidly, Tureia did not relish the big Wairoa forwards arid would not go down on the ball to check the rushes. • Fraser King was little better, and the fact that both the Maoris were frequently out of place gave Pollock a good deal of detensive work. But the five-eigntlis Were not altogether to. blame, as Pollock made several inexcusable mistakes. His kicks to .touch rarely reached the line, while his tackling and rush-stopping were not of the best. Langlands had very little to do on the wing, but played well back arid bore the brunt of the defensive work. Luckily for Poverty Bay, lie handles and kicks so well and is not afraid to stop rushes. At centre-three-quarter, Mount did not allow up much, his weight telling against him on the heavy ground. Several of his passes fell short and in this way he twice spoiled scoring chances. Piki Smith was not brilliant, but ho got into the middle of the fray and' played a hard game. In the forward division, M. Whaitiri excelled himself, and played a really brilliant game. He headed most of the loose rushes and his tackling and punting were really good. Ho was well supported by Matthews, Scott and Torrie, with Cavanliagh close up. The main trouble of the visiting forwards lay m their over-running the haTl, and their dribbling was not up to the standard of the opposing pack. In the line-out the big Wairoa forwards, Lewis, the Ormond brothers and Couper Secured the hall practically every time and they wore able to start loose rushes before the visitors were aware of the fact. They picked’on the weak fiveeighths line and used it to advantage. The week’s training in which the Wairoa. team engaged prior to the. match was reflected in their combination. The forwards and hacks worked together well and the sweeping Fusfies were most spectacular. In marked contrast to Poverty Bay’s inside backs, Corkill and F. Ormond, the home five-eighths,” played a splendid defensive game. The former’s kicking and handling were a matter of much comment and he saved his team cleverly, in tr.e latter stages of. the game. The wing-three-quarter, McGregor, played a dashing game right through. His speed and his handling caused the visitors’ rearguard some concern. The Maori full-back, Mei Mei, gave a splendid display, his kicking and handling being well judged. . • It is understood that a number of the players in the Barry Cup team

will not he. able to go on tour, therefore the task of the selectors will not be to choose a first-class team, hut to select from the players available for the tour. Among those who are unable to make the trip are J. Heeney, Mount, Woodward and Thomas, so that the selectors’ task will not bo enviable. The team which ‘Five-eighths” can pick from the remainder, providing that they can make the trip, is as follows:—Backs: W. Langlands. .V. Caulton, R. Whaitiri, Tureia, Piki Smith, Torrie, Hansen, Samson; forwards: Matthews, M. Whaitiri, Kopu Brown, Cavannagh, Morgan, J. Scott, Dcvery, E. Torrie, Jones (Celtic). Senior competition matches will he renewed on Saturday next, when the leaders in the premiership. Old Boys and’ Y.M.P., will meet. This match should ho worth seeing, should be worth seeing. TROUBLE OYER SENIOR SELECTORS. A special meeting of the Poverty Bay Rugby Union was hold last evening to discuss proposed alterations to the positions of senior selectors. After some discussion, it was decided to appoint Messrs M. Kyne and* C. O. Hansen to replace Messrs O’Neill and Edmondson.

hockey. A team to represent Kiwis in tlieir match with Maliaki this afternoon at 2 p.m. will bo picked from the following : T. Slmale, V. Piesse, R. Heyworth, W. Olding, L. 1 B. Fordyce, G. Corbett, F. Truman, P. Doyle, N. Bai, J. Lloyd, S. Lewis, G. Drummond, W. Rousficld. The Foresters’ team will be picked from the following: File (3),. Morris, Fitfsmaurice, Venables, Twigley, Heyworth, Hall, Nicol, Mercer, Woods, Vaughan, Rowson.

PLAYING HINTS. Culled from various sources and written by famous players. Goal-keeper.—-When you miss a shot which you ought to have saved, don’t take heed of any grumble or complaint, or you Till miss tlic next. You are quicker with your hand than with a stick, but tlio law gives you you have to rely on the hand and only- use the stick when you have not time to first stop the hall before clearing. Hockey was meant to be played witlia stick, hut the law gives you the right to uso the hand, so avail yourself of this advantage. Unless it is a chance shot, every forward in shooting lias some spot in the net in his eye -which lie intends to place tlio ball. If you watch this marksman carefully, you can read liis intentions unless lie is extremely clever in his deception. "Watch his eyes like a boxer watches the eyes of his opponent in the ring, and you will know what position to take up. Don’t be afraid to step out of goal. Nothing disturbs a forward more, and in trying to find a corner of the space you have “narrowed” to liis view, ho will often shoot wile.

The “Hockey World” _ (England) says: “A correspondent in a newspaper recommends liis follow-readers to go and see hockey, as a variant from the other Saturday sports. It is, indeed, an exciting game; and the wonder is’ thali the spectators are so few. Even better than the excitement is the high and honourable standard of the players’ conduct. Deliberate fouling is almost unknown. The umpires are not only obeyed without question, hut many a match is played without umpires. There are no leagues, no cups, no medals. Expenses are- not paid by clubs. Even in the international matches is was only recently that the Hockey Association ' began to pay travelling expenses. The game must be played on a perfect pitch. Therefore it can never become everybody’s; hut for men, women, boys, girls, and spectators it is a glorious sport.”

ATHLETICS.

CARR RAPIDLY REGAINING FORM. COVERS 100 METRES IN 11SEC. PARIS, June *5. Can - , competing at the athletic meeting at Saint Doree stadium, covered one hundred metres in eleven seconds. He is rapidly regaining form, and has been invited to participate in meetings at Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Carr thinks such competitive racing will enhance liis Olympic chances, hut has deferred acceptance until the arrival of the Olympic team next Friday or Saturday.— A. and N.Z.O.A.

RUGBY LEAGUE. AUCKLAND BEAT AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY. 'AUCKLAND, June 4. The combined Australian University League team played their first game against Auckland at Carlow Park in fine weather, Auckland winning by 15 points to 7. The play was fairly even throughout. The backs on both sides failed to combine as well as expected, but there was good individual play. The tackling by both sides was deadly. The Australian full-back Finn, played a brilliant game. Wetherall, the Auckland five-eighths, played 'the best game on tbe field. In tire first spell Duffy kicked a penalty and Littlewood scored, Lning converting. In the second spell Littlewood and Davidson scored, Bufty converting the first-named try. For the visitors Ryan kicked a penalty goal and Barry scored, llyan converting.— P.A.*

CRICKET. COUNTY MATCHES. LONDON, June 3. Somerset scored 161 (Johnson '53, Gilligan 3 for 35), against Sussex 122 (Bridges 7 for 46). Somerset, in their second innings scored 104 (Tate 4 for 44). Yorkshire scored 257 (Leyland 94, Robinson 81, Freeman taking 5 wickets for 51 runs), against Kent, 128 for 9 (Woolley 62). Bowling for Hampshire against Gloucester, Kennedy took 8 for 46, including the hat trick.—A. and N.Z. C.A.

GOLF.

PRACTICE STATISTICS

Those who wish to know why they can’t break 80, or wliy their golf game doesn’t, improve as it should improve, might first read over tho following clipping mailed our way: “After fifteen years’ experience on the links, Evans says that to rise from, a dud to a golfer who shoots par or better most of the time one must swing a golf club upward of 2,000,000 times, and travel half way round the world over golf courses. “The mathematics in the case of Evans follows:

“Pratice strokes. 250 an hour, two hours daily, 210 times a year for fifteen years, 1,575,000. “Playing strokes, 100. to each 18 holes (including practice swings) 240 rounds a year for fifteen years, 360.600. “Exhibition; strokes for photographers, friends, and others, 65,000; a total of 2,000,000. “The milage was computed on a basis of five miles for eighteen holes, and an average of twenty 'rounds a .month for- seven months annually, 10,500 miles for fifteen years. “That’s the physical side. The mental side is a different story entirely—one that is too long and deep to be grappled with here and now>.” Those 1,575,000 practice strokes, with a mental pattern and' thought

attached to most of them, arc the answer. It is not that the average golfer could ever be expected to play more than a million practice shots. It is rather due to the fact that most of them play almost no practice shots with a mental pattern at hand, or a swing. BOWLING. HARDING SHIELD. The following teams hare been selected to represent Whataupoko m the Harding Shield competition to be played this afternoon on the Gisborne green:—Leslie, Bruce. Halford, Allan (skip); A. Coleman, McKeague, Stonelnam, Seymour (skip) : Adair, Corson, T. F. Crawford, Sidebottom, (skip). '

CYCLING.

12-MILE ROAD RACE. BOOMERANG CUP. The following handicaps have been declared by the official handicapper: A. Sutton scr.; R. Dolman lOsec; H. Twigley, E. Hamilton lmin ssec; G. Twigley 3min lOsec-; (4. Carr, E. Breinghan 3min 20sec: Cliff Church 3min 40sec; G. Raggett, E. Fitzmaurice 3min 50sec; R. Hamilon, Atkins, Marshall, W. Watts 4min; W. Burns 4min 20sec; P: A. Edwards 4min 40sec. The race will start at 3 p.m. from McLean street in Ormond road going around Makauri via King’s Road to tho main road to town, finishing at' the corner of Roebuck road and Childers road. The officials are: Judges, Messrs A. CL Seddon and C. Hunt; starters, Messrs. A. E. Davy and Lt-o Davy; timekeepers, Messrs P. Ogier and A..E. Davy and Leo Davy. Track stewards will be placed along the course to see that there is no outside pacing.