RUGBY FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 14 May 1935, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

NOTES AND COMMENTS. Now that the season is well launched, players have fallen into their stride, and last Saturday’s matches indicated all round a measure of improvement. Both senior matches in Greymouth produced glimpses of form that will In l developed as the season proceeds. The senior competition should prove one of the most interesting for some seasons. Blaketown has a solid forward division, whilst its back line, although light, are all speedy runners, and in the main good handlers, and sound defenders. United

seniors also have a solid pack, but as yet this side’s rearguard is not funcjr tioning as well as it should be with - the good material available. Cobden has a very youthful side, with a fast . set of forwards, but a big improvet ment is required in the backs. The Star fifteen is showing a gradual improvement iir both departments, and their play against United on Saturday gave an indication that they will be a force to be reckoned with shortly. • The first representative fixture of the season will be played at Hokitika on Saturday between Greymouth and Hokitika, teams, as a preliminary to the West Coast-Buller match at Westport, the following week, after which a. combined team to play the other ; Seddon Shield district teams will be chosen. This match will he to guage the possibilities of players for selection in the All Black side to tour Great Britain. There is plenty of material availlable in the Buller and West Coast Unions and the Westland Sub-Union districts, so the team that is finally selected should certainly give a good account of itself. Several Greymouth players appear to have been a trifle unlucky in not catching the selectors’ eye, two of these being R. Burncss (one of Star’s best forwards) and R. Bunt (who is one of Blaketowu’s most versatile hacks). Bunt’s occasional faulty handling has no doubt caused the selectors to pass him by. However, the team selected is a sturdy combination, which should give the southerners a hard tussle. AV. McNeight, the Blaketown skipper, is a fine type of forward, who uses his football brains. He is playing as good as ever he did and should he assured of being one of the players selected for the AVest Coast side, at least. A. Scandrett, a younger brother of M. Scandrett, the AVest Coast forward rep. is a rugged forward who has come into prominence in recent senior ' matches. He has earned a place in the Greymouth fifteen along with his two brothers. M. Scandrett is a solid, untiring worker jn the loose or the tight. The other brother, B. Scandrett, ■who plays half-back for Stars, is still the same tireless worker, and although J. Garth (Blaketown) and M. Gordon (Cobden) are formidable opponents for this position, Scandrett, even if only for consistency alone, deserved his selection. P. Pascoe is a much improved forward and on his two last games, earn- ■ ed selection in the Greymouth team. Tn addition he is an asset as a placekick, and was unlucky on Saturday not to have secured more than one conversion from awkward positions. R. Birchfield and J. Keith are two Cobden forwards who are valuable men in the line-outs and loose play. G. Gilbert, who is regarded as a possibility for All Black honours, is 'playing better football now than ever, and will have an opportunity at Hokitika, and most probably at Westport also to give some indication of his prospects in the position of custodian. AV. Hughes, who was two years ago one of the most promising five-eightlis on the AVest Coast, is again this season actively engaged in club matches in the AVestland Sub-Union. He is now freed of the effects of his knee injury, , and should prove a valuable asset to f his club and the province. In past seasons, AVest Coast has been at a disadvantage in not being able to field in its selections, a reliable or outstanding rearguard, but there appears to be plenty of material to draw from this season. J. Hooper, the Canterbury representative five-eighth has been playing sound football for United and should assist in strengthening the AVest Coast backs. AV. Mann, another Canterbury representative, has thrown in his lot with the Star Club, aml although given few opportunities on Saturday, proved ■himself a safe defender and a dangerous -man’ if given any chances. He should occupy one of the wing threcquarter positions i’ l 'H ,( ’ West Coast . team. ' . A. Lindbom. the Cobden tull-back, was called upon for a great deal of work on Saturday, and he acquitted himself very creditably. F. Lindbom, one of Cobden’s wing men, is a young player showing proi mise. He 'has speed and gameness, and only requires opportunities to T>c a good scoring unit. J. AVeir. a useful i man in cither backs or forwards, is making good as . a back in the United fifteen, where he can use his pace Io advantage. He has plenty of it and cuts in nicely. R. Kear, one of United’s most promising forwards last season, played a fine game in his first mat I ,ch of the present season, last Saturday.

J. Costello is one of -the most reliable of the United inside backs, and although he seldom pulls off anything very spectacular, he makes many openings, ami is a dour defendci and a brilliant tackler. United seniors have lw ( , fine forwards in Uniacke and Robinson. Both are. grafters in the loose or the tight. Once within striking distance. I. Elder, the speedy Blaketowu winger, gives his opponent no chances, as he is one of the most deadliest of tacklers, from whom most other players could take a few hints in this direction. Elder, although he i.s rather light, is a strong and determined runner, who handles Well. He is quick to grasp an opening, and is a dangerous man near the line. Of the Westland team, certainties were Schroder, King, Davidson, Kelly, Freitas* and L. Hughes, all of whom, belong, along with AV. Hughes, to the Excelsior team. Ono imagines the Wosctjand Dark on Saturday will hold its own. Lu* rhe uue-stion is going to ? be how the back? eroing to get on? They wit) be the lighter rearguard 1 of the two. ~ r JuTtjrcfC The other end will at- • tach f<‘ display of young AVest, 3 the Kiw! half, who figures as first 3 fivc-eigh\ He is light, but is fast " and nippy. and is in good form. Bc- • and Hughes he may " play usefully. Pfahlert is slower this ‘ year than last and he was never exItra fast, but he has match 'temperament, and never says die. Schroder on the other wing, is in. the pink, and

should be worth exploiting his side. Muir at centre is a man who. if on his game, is dangerous given a greasy ball, and he never fails to handle ac-q curatlely, while he ran cut- through with initiative. Agnew is an experimental full-back, but has plenty of experience. Neither of the Jones, of Ross, is picked. Thorpe, the Pirates’ second, leg in the team, is a good grafter, but is only developing initiaDiciTrich is a light Kiwi forward who is in good nick. The Southern team may elect largely for a forward game, at least until they see how the wind blows. The match should be well worth seeing. Technical fourth graders (not Blaketown) failed to field a team against Blaketown on Saturday and Blaketown won by default.