RUGBY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1924, Page 9

RUGBY.

THE ALL BLACKS. It seems almost as if the wonderful succession of very decisive victories achieved by the All Blacks begins perhaps to destroy the keenness of followers of the game. While no one wishes, or in fact expects, to see a loss debited to their account, a closely contested match on a dry ground would act as a useful tonic to the appetite of those who follow closely. it is as though they" are surfeited with too much success. There is, .too, another aspect in that play with teams more nearly equal to themselves would serve to bring out their best, and so key them up for what must be considered the greatest, straggle of the tour, that against England. Although the team is probably getting a bit fed up with football after three and a half month’s continuous fixtures, twice a week, and will therefore not look too favourably on the suggested additional match against England, Wales and Ireland combined,' such a match w r ould he a wonderful publicity stunt for the Dominion. It probably, also, would be a great contest to meet the pick of the Old Country, provided the latter could get some practice together, and especially would this be the case if the best of the Scotchmen could be included. Reports c»me to hand that our men are taking no risks with the rest of the tour, and have gone into strict team training in view of the hard struggles ahead. It was hinted at one time that the management might be not quite so strong and tactful as could be wished, but there is little doubt that —whether the work of the manager, the skipper or the coach— the team is being kept strictly to the business of showing the best play, in the best form of which the team are capable. So long as they continue in this way there will not be much fear for the result, and, as we said before, they are taking no chances and giving nothing away. That is just the right attitude.

J. Steel is honoured in the Athletic News of October 18, by being pictured as one > of the “Sportsmen in the News,” along with Warrick Armstrong, a Scottish and two English footballers. He is designated “All Blacks great three-quarter.” L. Paewai is also featured along with the great English international H. M. Locke, who played with Gracie for Cheshire. ’ They show two excellent types of Rugby ’ backs, tvpifying representatives of th e hemispheres. THE CHESHIRE MATCH. Writing of the Cheshire or Cestrian match as it is called by the correspondent, “Cestrian” in the Athletic News says he considered Cheshire one of the best teams which up till then had met the All Blacks, It will be remembered that Gracie and Locke, two of the best International backs, and other good men were in the team. The report says:

The match was won and lost in the first ten minutes of the second half, hor forty minutes there had been so little between the sides that the onlv m or ? T AS a try - ky A. Hart, the “All Llaeks’ ” left wing, from the one passing movement that had been carried through in real New Zealand fashion. But on the resumption of the game aftei the interval the New Zealanders were seen in something more nearly approaching their . real form One handling movement followed another in lapid succession, and Hart went over twice on the left wing and gave a final inside pass for Porter also to cross the Cheshire line, while Steel, on the right wing, brushed away four opponents in succession to score a fine individual try.

It seemed at that point of the game that Cheshire were about t-o be overwhelmed, but the County returned to to their first half form, tackling resor/tely and attacking strongly. For a long time the wonderful defence of the "All Blacks,” and a little lack of finish by the Cheshire backs, combined to keep the New Zealand line safe, but ultimately Locke, feinting to pass, cut through and, then swerving to beat several opponents, made a final plunge over the line with a couple of taciders hanging on to him and scored the first try of the match, from which Richardson kicked a goal. A weakness was, however, noticeable at scrum half, where Mill can hardly be compared with Dally, and the partial radure of the key position, coupled with the inability of seven forwards to heel with the success of the Cheshire rM Sht .~ t?loUgh in the se eond half Cheshire tried the experiment of withdrawing Davis from the pack to assist the three-quaters—limited those passing movements for which the “All Blacks” have become famous.

THE ALL BLACKS. "THEY WILL BEAT ENGLAND.” (Christchurch Star.) "They are a greater team than the 1900 team, and will win every match. Vou can't form any idea of the two teams Irani the scores, because football in England has come on a very groat deal since 1905. 1 have been in Britain for the past two years, and have seen all the big games, including two against France, and after seeing the All Blacks in four of their matches, I formed the opinion that the only team likely to stop them was Oxford University. Now, since the result of that game favoured the All Blacks as it did, I am convinced they will win all their games. They will beat England.” In these words of emphatic enthusiasm the question which the bulk o-f New Zealanders are 'asking to day, was an.?-wer-°d according to the judgment of a New Zealander, who should know what he is talking about. This keen admirer of the All Blacks is Mr. G. Barclay, of Hawke’s Bay, who returned to his native land by the s.s. Bhrmtnka, bringing with him a Pi-in-kv tmobv in the form of a football ns o '! in the T°inest°v match. The strength of Llanellv this season as compared with other Welsh teams

is shown by the fact that they beat Swansea by 'l4 p unts to nil. New Zealand had a most decisive win over Swansea, but on a bad day just got home fiom Llanellv.

The rout of Yorkshire (says the London Times), in fact, might be quite an alarming and distressing event but for one or two more important things—quite apart from the fact that no sportsman wishes the All Blacks to be unable to find their true form. YorKshirc Rugby men have faced many more discouraging tilings than a heavy defeat in the field by a much superior combination. Their organisers have produced, above all, a straight and above-board type of Rugby which is a. pleasure to watch and must he an even greater jov to nlav. One mav be allowed to hone that the demand for clean Rugby will not become a mere fetish—that cleverness will not always be under susnicion, but Yorkshire were such good losers on Saturday that however much one maw eritici.ee some of their erudition their spirit was; above reproach. (This is a sentiment which must be most cord i adv reemrocated by all well wishers of Rugby).

THE SUPREME EXPRESSION OF YOUTH. (Lyttelton Times.) We have rejoiced together over the All Blacks, and now I'm going to share with you the pleasure I have had. in a. bit of lootbail description which I came across on Suuuay afternoon, written by Alec Waugh, in his book, “Myself When Young.” He says that for him Rugby football “has a thrill, a sensation for which the equivalent can be found in no other, sport, nor in any Other interest. On a cold October day, when ball and ground are greasy with-a • morning's rain, and the halves and, backs have to go down to it if they would stop a rush, life is for the forward a. v J ery rich, a very splendid thing. 14 is a fine thing to feel a half-volley on the very drive of one’s blade, to see cover dive for it and miss it. It is a fine thing, to run fifteen yards backwards and sideways in the deep, to feel that hot. tingling stab as the ball lands within one’s palm, to know that sudden beat of the heart that says, ‘lt’s there, you’ve held it.’ Tt is a fine thing to see a man play forward and miss the pitch of it, to watch the ball pass between the bat and leg, to hear the rattle of stumps. Fine and noble things, with life at such moments marvellously rich. But it is a finer thing that dribbling on a wet day of a- slippery, bouncing ball; a finer thing that hard-won sense of battle, as your shins crash against the half who falls in front of you. His fingers clutch at the ball. You kick blindly at them; you stagger; but the ball is free; it bounces into the open; you follow, panting, a singing in your ears. The back is rushing at the ball. Your feet are heavy with mud and a long day’s shoving. Soriiehow you get to the ball before him. You kick just clear of him. The w r ing three is coming up behind' you. He is fresher, he is faster than you are. Ten yards ; N will the ball bounce right for vouP Your toe turns it ever so slightly to the left; the line is muddily white beneath you. You dive forward, flinging yourself upon the ball, your arms close over it. The three-quarter crashes over you, half stunning you. You do not care. You hardly notice. You have scored a try.” And he adds:—

“You get at rugger something that you can get nowhere else. It is the game of youth, the supreme expression of youth, and it is taken from us, not unfittingly, perhaps, in early manhood.” . If that doesn’t send any footballer who reads it to Waugh’s other books it can onlv be because he has read them already. N.Z. 19: WALES 0.. Our differences at their greatest doiL'i, go very uoep, our labour men so far rrom looking on with satisiaction while Mr. Massey diowned wouki pull off coat and boots and rescue mm, and tlie worst- a Conservative wishes Mr. Holland is a tenure of office. like Mr. MacDonald's—brief but instructive. On Sunday and Monday, however, all New Zealanders were perfectly united in heart and happiness overs the news from Swansea. It seemed reasonable lo expect a very close go with all Wales. It was therefore with deep thankfulness that we learnt the result, though I don’t think there were many like a grave and reverend signior who enquired,, and being told the score, asked who was the 19. It must have been a great match and a splendid lot of Welsh forwards who spent so much time in the New Zealand twenty-five.

EARLY RUGBY. • In an obituary notice of the late Colonel Collins, an exchange says: "As a ride shot. Colonel Collins was associated closely with various organisations for forty-two years, being the champion shot of Taranaki in 1874, and for many years executive officer of the Dominion Ride Association. In 1904, he was commandant of the New Zealand team that won the Kolapore Cup. He was unanimously chosen president of the newly formed National Rifle Association in 1921. He was a prominent bowler and in his earlier days a Rugby footballer—which game lie helped .to introduce to Taranaki in 1871. He was president of the Dominion Bowling Association in 1916-17. "W.W.W.” TO CAPTAIN MIDDLESEX W. W. Wakefield will captain the Middlesex Rugby team this season in succession to R. Cove-Smith, and will have R. G. Hopkins, the Blackheath three-quarter, as his vice-captain. It is the custom with Middlesex to change the captaincy each season.

A GLOUCESTER JUBILEE

In celebration of the jubilee of the Gloucester Rugby F.C. a match is to be played at Kingshohh on November 13, when the visiting team will be got together by Gapt. Donne, the president of the Rugby Union, and captained by W. W. Wakefield. It is hoped that the club will lie able 'to mark the jubilee by buying the Kingsholm ground outright. BULL FIGHTING GETTING DULL. Frank Cnsrgy, the old Sutherland player, is home from a coaching engagement in Spain, where Soccer is threatening to supersede hull fighting as the bi" snorting attraction for the masses. The finest oonlkeener he has ever sen. savs "Uuggv. is playing for a olub in Madrid, and some of the forwards would be u c eful enough over here. A few years hence League club man acre-.s may go to Spain, as well as ta Scotland, when they want to capture some talent.

THE SCRUM FORMATION

RIVAL METHODS. Writing of the two formations practised by the opposing teams, an exchange says as follows: The three-two-three, ranged and packed against the two-three-two, has created caustic criticism and comment in all the matches played by the All Blacks against English county sides and _ Wales. There still exists the opinion that this system, style of play, and scrum formation is not satisfactory. Certainly it is extremely unsatisfactory from a- New Zealand standpoint. The system of playing and packing of two players in the front row against three," creates at once that bete noil* of all scrums, where divergent styles are adopted and fighting for the “loose head” still prevails. This should forever be abolished as an excrescence as surely as the wing forward. Tire All Blacks, confronted by the situation, and severely and seriously handicapped by playing two men in the front row against three, have been compelled to find aud fight their way out- of the difficulty and danger attendant thereto, when their opponents have by their system of packing three players in the front row, the advantage of the extra, man, who constitutes the “loose, head” for which he fights to secure position on whatever side of the scrum the hall is put in. All too frequently the ball is put in by the opposing half-back- at the feet of his own forwards, regardless of the rules and regulations laid down by the; controlling body, that the i>aiil must be put, not only fairly into the scrum, but that it must pass the first player on each side before scrum operations can be executed. The tendency to place the ball at the feet of the forwards in the front row, the ball not being fairly put in, has created a position and situation which is not only detrimental to the game, but it is spoiling Rugby in England and Wales. This action by English and Welsh sides has created endless scrumming, - breaking-up, reforming from disorganisation and re-packing, with continuous fighting for the “loose head” position. TV avert every possibility of this contingency the half-back has only to put the ball fairly into the centre of the scrum. This is. surely, not asking too much °f any player who realises liis responsibilities and the necessity of playing a sporting game. Only under this system can the tlvree-two-three formation be more effective than the two-three-two. Illustrating the position, the ball must pass the first player in the front row of each side be fora it can be put fairly into the scrum. This done, the effect is at once apparent. Three must always cut out two, but the “loose head” is of no- advantage. The New Method. The* All Blacks are only 1 now -at this stage realising the position and adopting a new method and system in formation to counteract the situation, it is not politic to state what the new system is, sufficient to say that it should prove effective and circumvent any pack of scrummers, however clever they may be. This new system is being practised by the All Blacks, and will be adopted when occasion warrants, but not before. Maybe it will be the “surprise” at Twickenham in the great final test. All Blacks against All England, on January 3, 1925. English and Welsh sides"sliould entirely abolish the “loose head” as an excrescence and a distinctly disturbing element in the Rugby game. More modern methods of attack, initiative, resource, intelligence, and less of the old style and system of short-line kicking, which is simply defensive, ineffective and futile in any attempt to beat the All Blacks. Not until English sides develop their attack can the , teams hope to defeat the New Zealanders. Stop them scoring they may, “keep the nins down,” as it weriri—hut defeat the All Blacks never until they develop attack. . A CAUSTIC REMARK. Apropos of the remark made by Mr W. J. Stead anent the probabilities that a Hawke’s Bay team would he as successful if touring England as are the present All Blacks, the Auckland Star says “that the teams picked for the big matches seem to be Hawke’s Bay and Wellington, plus a few fill ups. ” THE HAGGIS OR THE FITBA’. In that extremely interesting column in the Otago Daily Times conducted by “Civis,” the following remark by a contributor on the subject of Burns and Scottish verse will be read with interest by our friends “frae the land o’ cakes.” He says:— According to an item of English news en which at the moment I can-" not lay my hand, expatriated Scots in London no longer give the haggis chief place, or any place at all, at their annual club dinner, alleging that in Scotland itself the haggis, like oatmeal porridge, is a thing of the past. Hence these verses in a London paper: To a Haggis. (Revised Version). “Haggis lias no devotees among the Scots, and never had. They worship tea and football.”—Mr John Mackintosh, in the Evening News.) Wha ca’d ye in a nit-her place, “Great chieftain o’ the puddin’-race,” Swore ye were “worthy o’ a grace,” Ilaine or abroad? Aiva wi’ ye an hide yer face Ye muckle fraud! A Scot hirnsel’ confesses noo

That Scotsmen dinna worship you, And never did or wanted to. Here’s what he’s savin’— 1 ( Tea-drhikin’s wliat they maistly do And fitba’ playinM”