RUGBY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 July 1924, Page 9

RUGBY.

lIA WEE A v. STRATFORD. Perhaps, it would be kindest to say as little as possible of the play of the local men in last Saturday’s match. Everything seemed to go wrong. The forwards showed a lot of dash at’times, but it was spasmodic and got nowhere. When they were ,able to let the ball out it came out so badly that the half had no chance, and when he did the backs made nothing of the x chance. Tlie forwards appeared very tired, and Stratford mostly played them, right out.

Some of the Stratford work was quite good. The forwards are a good hard working lot and gave their backs every chance. Stone-Wigg made a number of excellent openings, and practically was responsible largely for at least two. of. the tries. They thoroughly deserved their conclusive victory.

Accidents continue to be reported regularly in connection with football matches (says a -northern paper). ■ Rarely does a Saturday go by without mishaps of a more or less serious- character being recorded. From Wellington ,recently came the statement that “there is a demand for firmer measures by referees.” The construction to be placed on this surely is that there is too much playing of the man'instead of the ball. Unfortunately this is very often the case. The spectators who follow the matches can recall instances they'see from time to time. It is much to be feared that the keen anxiety to win matches is to some extent at least responsible. We have stressed the principle, in season and out of season, that players should play the game for the game’s sake, remembering, as it has been so well said, that it is the way the-game is played, not the result, that i counts.

, A writer in an Auckland paper says: There is something unique in the Grammar Old Boys’ back line this season, in that it now includes the three Ifwerson brothers—Carl, Neil and Roy —the last-named is a youngster who may yet develop into a. good, player, but does not show the ability Carl. Neil, so far, has. been somrtKt|||v of a •disappointment, and the • that he would turn out ;.!sfii|plrer Carl has yet to be realised. An acquisition to Grammar Old Boys is young Lusk, son well-known Auckland sportsman, U* ‘ Bob ’ ’ Lusk, who will be played behind the pack. Young Lusk has, played fine football' for Otago University in recent seasons, and is regarded in tiie South gs a particularly good back. Grammar can do with his services this season—if ever; RUN STRAIGHT. “Go for the Line’? in the Waikato Times says: I was glad to observe in your (“Dropkick’s”) remarks on the Thames Hamilton game you refer to “the tendency of local backs to swing across the field. ?’ I have remarked on the same thing each week, and last, Saturday the useless procedure was carried out several' times. Why on earth don’t some of the backs,try to beat* a .man by a feint or a dodge, arid make for the goal line. From the second the ball leaves the half some four or five backs line up like soldiers on •parade, and running across the field pass from one to another. Their’ first object is\to get rid of the ball. As you say, no ground is gained, and by the time the ball gets to the wiyg man he is jambed on the touchline, and has about half-a-dozen opponents at him. They ignore the others, easily seeing who the ball is intended, for. Why not try to pass back in-field; it comes off sometimes. However, •watch next Saturday gnd see what. I heard a fellow call .* ‘ grand passing ’ ’ last week with not a yard gained, though five men handled the ball. Taranaki footballers could read, mark and learn this advice.

/THE ALL BLACKS. TO-DAY’S TEST MATCH. The result of. to-day’s match,, the Second Test, Will be awaited with the very keenest interest. The margin between the interantional teams in the First Test was so small and the defeat administered to the Metropolitan team so, decisive that with the added advantage of the play together in the second, match and the week’s further training on a Sydney ground, the result seems to be a very open question. It appears also to have been agreed by critics over there that quite a number of passing movements which looked fairly .certain to 'result in scores were spoiled mainly through extreme overeagerness. And this serves to indicate hat the backs were actually no whit inferior to their opponents, though they were lighter, and apparently had had. less experience. It is almost certain. that, knowing the eyes of the football world would be upon them, they suffered from an over-keenness in their anxiety to prove their worth. It is certain the reverse, slight as it is, will have a most salutary effect. A special message to a Wellington paper had a lino which may or may not have any significance. This states that the combination ‘‘Cooke, Lucas and Brown” was incessantly dangerous,” while Badeley played’ sound football. One must wonder why the last-mentioned is not mentioned in the combination, for the two five-eighths should both be in the combination. Another point that has been questioned is the reason for altering Brown to the wing, as was apparently done. Brown has always been a centre, and has a wonderful gift of making the game in that position, while Lucas was selected primarily, like. Hart, as a winger, and so played in' all the trial matches. Although Brown is a player who would do well practically anywhere, he is a born centre, and there one cannot help feeling he shoiild play. It would be more satisfactory to Taranaki enthusiasts to know that Brown was back 'in his original position. There is nothing' wrong, as # we all knew, with the forwards, but ‘the report seems to indicate that in the loose New South Wales appeared faster, and seemed to get_ the ball oftener. Porter, on the wing, more than maintained the reputation he made in New Zealand. The thoughts of this Dominion’s thousands of football lovers will be metaphorically centred on the Sydney ground to-day.

HOW PLAYERS COMPARE WITH GREAT ONES OF THE PAST. (By M. E. Wood, for The Referee.) The writer of this article, Mr. Morry "Wood, was one of the slipperiest fiveeighths that ever wore the black jersey ami silver fern of New Zealand. He was a brilliant man in Australia with the 1903 team led by Jimmy Duncan, and no team in either brand of Rugby has ever shown more wonderful form. The visit of the Grand Fleet, with all

its pomp and splendour, was obviously organised to bring home to us the glories of the Navy, and “lest we forget” the power and equipment necessary to uphold the best traditions of our Empire. They sent us the pick of their men so that we might see and appreciate the splendid manhood; the pick of their ships and equipment so that we might judge for ourselves the greatness in sea defence necessary for our self-preservation. The visit is a thing of the past, a kaleidoscopic picture, but it has fired many a bold young chap to turn his thoughts to a naval career.

Before the fleet arrived we were deep in our national affair—that of choosing and organising our All Black team to visit the Homeland. But the little diversion of the fleet is past, and we have now completed our long, tedious, but thorough culling out of all aspirants to international honours. We have now what are considered the very best twenty-nine Rugby players in the Dominion. From North Cape to The Bluff, from Mount Egmont to Cape Kidnappers, from Hokitika to Christchurch, north, south, east arid west, have come the chosen of their provinces, and , from these nominees have been picked the finest in the land.

The fleet’s visit was an object lesson, and we are now about to launch our little object lesson to the Old Dart. We will show her another branch of her flighting, force, and .what magnificent manhood she has planted down in the South, and how they have followed up and perfected the most glorious game in the world. We will show her that this “Britain of the South” still remains true to the old code, and glories in the knowledge that its game is as pure to-day as it was when Stoddart sowed the seed of the passing game away back in 1888. : The spirit, of independence, and a joy in playing the game for the game’s sake, is still the: soul..of the presentday players, and their heritage is a monumental . structure of the finest Rugby traditions. These traditions will never, in our time, be sullied by the introduction of forced or hot-house Rugby, as played under semi-pro-fessional conditions. Equal id the Best. Our 1924 team is considered equal to anything we have ever, sent abroad, and you can rest assured that to beat them teams will have to be right on the top of their form and play super football. It is generally recognised that R.ugby, at least in New Zealand, froin, say, -1906 to the, start of the great tragedy, became, to say the least of it, “weary, stale, and flat.” In our classics the Hunters, Mynotts, Deans, arid McGregors were not on deck, and apparently not in the country. As a consequence our back play suffered by comparison, and forwards took charge of every department. However, the inevitable has happened, although a little overdue.

Away back in the football past down to the present time,, with the exception of the. period referred to, we have had at intervals great inside- backs. A chain, which started with Keoghs: to H. Roberts, to Gages, to Duncans, to Hunters, to Ryans,'but since the Ryans nothing extra, special has materialised until piieseht time;' With Cooked McGregor, Mill and Dally we have the types so necessary for our successful combination. These boys are typical of the very best inside backs we have produced. Their work, despite the fact that the present crop of forwards are considered faster and better than any previous team, has been such as will delight the hearts of the Gabes, Llewellyns and Morgans, should they be dressed in their best when in Taffyland. Compares with Wallace, We have always been secure in our full-backs, and even the mighty Wallace can look with no uneasiness at the displays of the Hawke’s Bay native player, Nepia;. Like the “Admirable Creighton,” Nepia is a footballer through and through, and he is unique, inasmuch as he can almost master any department of the back play. He is young and has the right temperament. Wallace was rarely under pressure, and, given the same opportunities, Nepia should give some games equal to the one and only Wallace. The Wing Three-quarters.

There are of the average,, but although better footballers than George Smith, they are not so speedy as this specialist. None of them come quite up to the standard of that finished artist, Duncan McGregor (the flying Scotchman). He was, to my mind, the last thing in resourceful subtleness.' Not of the Bob Whitside-Barny Madigan type, but the most glorious hand® and feet. Lucas is of the same school, but Steel is like Charlie White, of the 1903 New South Wales team. A vigorous runner, aggressive and strong. Svenson’s play in the centre is typical of the great and deeply lamented Bob Deans, but he has not the finish of a Cocky Roberts or Dick. McGregor. Hart- and Brown are two of the younger set, who have just come from school into the hard world. Their qualifying efforts have been received with the utmost enthusiasm, and their style is pleasantly reminiscent of the great Welsh players. Bush. Morgan, Nichols, Gabe and Co. Great, toys these, and destined to play a. big part in the Rugby world if they can.' stand up to the. boys of the “bulldog breed” at Home. The 1 team does not contain a Freddy Roberts, but Mill and Dally are well schooled in all the fine arts of the scrum-half position, and can stand and exchange with anything that comes their wav. Mill, particularly, is strong, and can handle big men like his master, Freddy. Wing Forwards These Days.

The much-discussed wing-forward position has fallen to the lot of Porter and Parker. They are not the men of brains and iron Davy. Gallaher was, but are a type evolved out of the speedingup of the game. They are really a cross between a husky forward and a light airy back, Their sphere of influence .nowadays is principally in assisting in the attack, to open up from loose work, and where possession is lost in the scrum, to nip the opposing attack in the bud. The big ju-jitsu, catch-as-catch-can wing-forward is gone, and you will see Porter and Parker act practically as first five-eighths. Porter is a smasher, and is likely to be a prominent player on the greasy grounds of Britain, and if the referees have very strong feelings against pincers, it will bo a case of the three P’s—Porter, Parker and Penalties—having more than their share of the limelight. Parker is an “evens” man over 100 yards. New Zealand has always been rich in big raking forwards, and to-day’s crop of little brother Anzact; are, perhaps, the. best lot we have ever turned out. I .think they are a faster lot than the

1903 or 1905 teams, and in tactics, apart from the actual scrumming, are better than any previous New Zealand team. The forwards to a man are superb physically, and if the Homeland first line of attack can beat them —well, wo shall rejoice to think that she has recovered her shockingly depleted manhood. In any case, we are sending the very best type of man that is available, and we expect them to uphold the highest standard of play. The team, as a whole, is very young, but I feel sure there are men amongst them who have the knowledge to “set” a style of fame, and players of adaptability and quickness to pick up any weaknesses in their opponents'.

SPORT IN ENGLAND. In the course of a very interesting interview at Hamilton, a leading athletic enthusiast, recently returned from £he Old World, said to a Waikato Times representative: “Digressions must not make me omit how delightfully interesting it was to hear particulars of the England .v. Scotland Rugby game I saw palyecl at Twickenham. How rumour had it that England could not win, had not won for a long time (no contest during the war), though she- won the last game played; and. when I added tliat eleven out of the thirty players on that occasion were killed in the war. she led my gaze with her own towards the hazehidclen French coast, which had become so tragically close to these south-east towns. Placing her hand over mine, she said: “I suppose, dear friend, for me it will always be so; but no matter how far from it we begin, talk always comes' to the war, and I get that heartache for Bessie’s hoy—he was too young and should never have gone; but how brave!” Then I continued. It filtered through the, crowd that Scotland had a grand team with one super-man who could win by himself. However, when it was all over: England 13, Scotland 4. Here I gave pause to know did .1 weary; but “No, bless you; how do you. score in Rugby?” In five minutes England haj 5 points—a try converted—and then you heard and- saw where England’s backers were. Here my auditor \ smiled and pulled her mitts evenly on her wrists and straightened to her liking the mid-Victorian gown. Now Scotland would soon break through, we were told; but before long England had 10 points, another five got in the same way. The next score was a fine potted goal by Scotland, 4 points. Another try to England finished a splendid game and exciting—it never got slow—and good passing on both sides. ‘•‘{Why do you play this style of football in the colonies ? I only hear of soccer here.”

I could have answered: “Why do you play that? I mostly hear of rugger.” For the same love of sport, and, I think, too, to encourage a nation indulging in a welcome abandon after those awful years of war. and to keep the mind from more sinister thoughts, England’s King will sit for hours, albeit a. little restlessly, among anything but aristocratic thousands, and with his Princes, at a cup tie, when the tension is tremendous.

NIGHT FOOTBALL

A VICTORIAN INNOVATION

A game of football on the Walhalla football ground last week was concluded in extraordinary conditions. At the end of the first quarter the ball punctured arid another was obtained, and it also was despatched to the township to get a . new ball. He was absent for nearly half an hour, and before he returned the light began to fail. Walhalla was leading by a point, and it was decided to continue the play. Darkness had fallen by the time the third quarter was reached, so huge .flahes were light, ed at both goals, and the scores were indicated bj;. the waving of flaming sticks. , A vivid scene was presented by the players as they moved about in the dim light casting long shadows. SONG OF THE ALL BLACKS. A New Zealand football song has been written and composed by A. Worsley, the well-known Christchurch musician, and the Canterbury Rugby Union has _ forwarded it to the New Zealand Union with the suggestion that it should be adopted by the All Blacks, in whose honour it lias been created. The music is good, and the words are: Oh, Rugger is the king of games when , whiter comes along, Tho oval ball is flung about, the boys break into song They fill the air with sounds of glee, they train their muscles strong; The comradeship is fine to see amid that merrj' throng. Chorus:. Play up, play up, play up! The ball is in the serum, The game has just started, we are all light-hearted, for Rugby is the

game. Play up, play up, play up! The ball is in the scrum, The pace is a cracker, no room for the slacker, Rugby is the game. The forward plays a bustling game, a mighty man is he;The half is just a nippy chap, as sharp as sharp can be; Five-eighths will open out a game with speedy quarters three, A strong full-back completes a team — we’ll add the referee. A mark is quite a useful thing; a punt should gain some ground; The dummy pass, its virtues great let beaten foe expound. Through stern defence a side-step quick has oft an opening found; But, most of all, to gain the day the tackling must be sound. With passes swift the backs attack, the winger’s on the run. “He’s over!” shout the excited crowd. delighted with the fun. Then when the strenuous game is o’er, the last long effort done, What pure delight the victors find in battle cleanly won The All Black team again appears, to battle for the crown. There’s England, Ireland. Wales to beat, if we’re to gain renown. We play the game for love and fame (despite the Scottish frown), And hope that no misfortune dire in Wales will let us down. W. J. STEAD’S ADVICE. "When the Southland public farewelled their two All Black representatives, in responding to the i oast of “All Blacks, Past and PreseTit,” Mr. W. J. Stead, vice-captain of the famous 1900 All Blacks, congratulated the selection committee on the process of elimination that had been brought into- operation in the selection of the team. They had reviewed the cream of the Dominion’s football, and he thought it was a very fine prospective team they had chosen. He expected them to win every match, and would be bitterly disappointed if they clid not. “We had only one loss,” remarked Mr. Stead,

“and . this team has the incentive of trying for an unbeaten record.” Continuing, he said he regarded Richardson as a second Glasgow, White, a Second O’Sullivan—the tiger of the team — and Munro as a second Tyler in . the front row. He did not wish to adopt the role' of an advisor, but he would like to offer a few suggestions to the team. The first essential in his mind was for every man to look after his personal health and fitness. Next, he would like to see the team immediately form into a family and forget all provincialism, and especially inter-island rivalry. The third thing was loyalty to the selection committee on tour. Then, again, it was not the preparation for marches, but the social side that took it out of one on a trip like that. In 1905 they had been overwhelmed with hospitality, and it was a big task to know how to deal with it all. They had no rules regarding training—a man trained when he felt fit and went to bed and got up when he c-hose. With men who realised the responsibility placed on them by this honour system, it had worked very well indeed, during their tour. At civic receptions, it was a rule that every man should be present. Mr. Stead concluded his remarks with some interesting reminiscences of the 1905 tour.