SPORTS and PASTIMES

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 11 July 1925, Page 11

SPORTS and PASTIMES

RUGBY

notes and comments. Last Saturday, out of respect to the memory of the late Oswald -Roberts, formerly a member of the Okaiawa Club and brother of It. and B. Roberts, the members ot the Haweia senior team wore white armlets i» their match against Inglewood. 'fhe elub was represented at Ithe funeral by Mr J. Goouwm He present also as a delegate of tne Rugby . Union, and took out a wreatb lrom the ±1 aw era Club as we 1 as one Horn tlie union.

L'p till Saturday last Jack Steele had scored ttO odd points m ins reason s matches, says an exchange. * Nicnoils had scored oo in nine and G. Nepia and fl. U* Brown had scored -Id points each.

There has been a great deal of Lngb\ played this season. More than ever before, but much of it inis not been i to the standard one would like to seeFlayers too often are not in form and unable to stand the strain ot a hato ■ mine. And this L not good tor the great old game. The players who in Hie last fifteen minutes ot a match come-to light and are then tb fittest of all, these are the ««>> show Rugby at its best, it is a Mam game and one that best fits the temperament of the New Zealandei an the crowds who watch the display week by week. Unless players take tlie trouble and the time to get into propel training, they should leave alone a o-ame that demands first of all physical fitness They owe something to the spectators who watch their games with tlie critical eye of experience and unless they show the game as it should be placed, the clubs cannot expect the support which would coins to “ play is up to the standard demanded by the public Therefore it behoves all who don the jersey to take thpir game seriously, and to see that when they face the oublic they are m the condition demanded by a strenuous game.

The fatality at Rotorua serves to emphasise the rare occurrence ot such an incident of the Rugby field. 1 la jets should all be. in good training ana no one should be allowed on the helcl n less he is fit and well. Rugby is a Liard •mine and only to be placed by Joung men' able to stand the knocks incidental to the game where play is hard ana fast. If a n layer is trained as he should be.’ lie can stand the knocks which are nart of the game. If not, he should be debarred front playing. Ruo-bv is no parlour game and it win be "noticed always that where a ream is untrained, they shoev at once the effects of a hard game, and play is stopped often because they cannot stand un to the strenuous pace set by a fit team. There are, of course, exceptions, and a genuine accident may occur in which the fittest man will iro down, but, taken by and bilge, when a man is trained hard lie wul he able to stand bumps that will lay out an untrained man. This is seen m almost every match, and is only another instance of the fact that untrained players should not be allowed to take part in a football match.

No follower of Rugby will begrudge the light blues any success they niav score. For years tliev too.’, severe drubbings from New Zealand teams in tlie host of spirit, and always came up smiling to renew the contests.

“The recent Rugby Union football, says the Sydney Referee, was nothing lilie what we saw in the corresponding match a year ago, when the All Blacks were starting on their historic career. If New South Wales could only produce players fit to stand up to the All Blacks I believe the brightened olci o-ame would make a big recovery. Y\ hat becomes of those great young sell ex hoys we see •every year:-'’ MOASCAR CUR. Congratulations, To Aute! says a Napier paper. The Moasear Cup comes to Hawke’s Bay lor the first time. Napier Boys’ High School has challenged for the cup, and with luck should get a game ior the trophy later on in tile season. Te Aute will be a hard proposition. Their weight, and the fieet’ness of their backs put them in a solid class, while Napier’s rearguard, on present form, is weak, though the forwards aie a useful lot. Tile .Moasear Cup record to date is 11)20 —Christchurch Boys’ High. lPgl—Christchurch Boys’ High. 1022 —Auckland Crammar. —Mew Rymouth Boys’ High. iyo.l—-New Plymouth Boys’ High. Thanks to Te Ante, Hawke’s Bay now holds the premiership of school Rugger, as well as the Kanlurly Shield, denoting leadership in the provincial series.

In reviewing Sydney lile s containing reports of the matches played by' tlie 1925 All B’acks in New South Wales, one is struck by' tlie diversity of opinions expressed (says Gie H.B. Herald). Some sav this team could not have lived with the 1924 team, which also played in Sydney. Some hai! Wright as the superior of Alill and Dailey, others say he i K not in tlie same class. There is general praise for Firdayson, Dickson, Lomas and Kirkpatrick in the forwards, and tor Livy, Blake Harris and Wise in the hacks. Concerning Blake, one critic says: 'No player on the field attracted me quite so much as Blake, the on’.y A|aon member of the combination. He has a clever, (dodgy run and is quick to scent an opening. Blake was in almost every scoring movement, and is certainly a player of class.” r l he New South AVa'eu Union turned out a firstclass readable programme for the occasion, its photographs and general items making the booklet an interesting souvenir. One Sydney paper published a magnificent action photograph of Blake inMul 1 cry. JN* PRIMARY SCHOOLS. EXCELLENT WORK OF UNION. Never before in the history of Rugby in Taranaki has such encouragement been given to the game in the primary

schools —and this is almost solely the work of tlie schoolmasters—as has been the case this season. Eor several years keen enthusiasts among them have worked steadily and solidly in the cause of what is really the most important I‘otbal l of all, amongst the boys who will be the seniors of a few years hence. Steadily and surely tlie organisation of the province has been pushed forward, each season seeing a fresh district being included and better organisation all over, the province. The meeting on Thursday at Stratford, with the excellent report submitted by the organiser for the way-back schools in the eastern district, proves that excellent work is still being done, and the borders of Rugby in primary schools is being pushed forward to districts where previously no recognised play existed. The importance of the work being done by the executive and organiser*, is probably not yet recognised at its true value. Only as the years go on will its importance be measured aright. Besides its value to the yountr life of those far-away schools, it is laying foundations on which will be built' tin in the future an organisation that is certain to have far-reaching effects for good. The members of the Schools Union deserve the highest commendation for their consistent and enthusiastic work on behalf of Rugby in the primary schools.

THE GAME: IN SYDNEY. N.Z. MANAGER. INTERVIEWED. “GOOD GLASS FOOTBALL. Some football managers are just managers wiio attend to tlie. business side. Others are able to take in tlie game, ins tactics, and the form of the players as abiy as any .star player of the moment. O'f tlie hitter type is Air. E'. McKenzie, manager of tlie New Zealanders (writes “Rambler'’ in the Sydney Reieree. He belongs to a Rlugby family, his brother WiLliam being famous through New Zealand and Australia as “Off-side Mac.," whose tussles with the late Fred Henlen are items of unforgettable history. The New' Zealand Rugby Union team’s manager, Air. E. McKenzie, knows Rugby more thoroughly than the average legislator for the game. That is the view one gets as he listens to the big men from Wairarapa discussing the isport. Asked his impressions on the old game in Sydney, Air. McKenzie said : “L was disappointed and thought the play very poor in the first match, but there has been a great improvement since. This augurs well for the game in New South Wales, a* the players ate young and keen, and have most of their football in front of them.” In the past many visiting managers and players have spoken about differences in interpreting some of the laws by Sydney and New Zealand referees, but Mr. McKenzie saw none of these. “We have no fault to find with the refereeing here," he said. WHEN N.S. WALKS TOURS. “The New South Wale* team will have hard games on tour in New Zealand, they will meet combinations of ■strong unions, but even so, they should give a good .account of themselves. It is a pity the Test match is so late, but as the tour finishes in Auckland, where the Test is to be played, this could not be avoided. A touring team in New Zealand is at a disadvantage. It is not like Sydney, where we come to a hotel and remain there, and are able to have our regular training at the same time every day. Over there they will be in two different hotels each week. You- are almost continually travelling, and all the time there is a strong side waiting comfortably at home fon you.

“The manager of a travelling team, now that so much detail work is done by- the local officials, wants to- be primarily a man who can go out on the training field, can talk over the game with the players, and who can discuss tactics with the captain before the game and at half time.” N.Z. FORMATION BEST.

“At the Rugby Union dinner you heard Dr. Alum n s .advocacy ot the 2-3-2 pack. Naturally, as a New Zealander, you agio©. with him?” “Ob, yes; .1 am a great believer in the seven xertun. It has everything in its favour; The .scrum is only a means of getting the ball out to the backs, and' it should be as brief as possible. Wh t v, in one of the trial games, before tlie selection ol' the AIL Black team ioi England. there were only .'even scrums.

“You may get the bill occasionally from the 3-2-3 formation, but the heeling is not clean or rapid as ours. The scrum i:&i too cumbersome, and the bn! conies out rsilowly.” Year.si ago. when we played the.seven pack, and wing forward in Sydney, the two wing forwards wrestled on , tlx edge of the scrum and were a blot on the game. On this matter Mr. AlcKenzie observed: “That was exploder long ago. We don’t stand for the ole style of wing forward game in New Zealand. He must plav now as ,lim Donald did -in the first Thst here. His duties are to put the -ball in. the sc-rcrr and then take up a position as ar extra back .anil join in the attack tv defence. There is now' none of the wrestling' of the days when T played.” ABOUT THE BACKS.

“Is- there an advantage in. the two five-eights over the four three-quarter system-?”

“Yes. There is not room for the four -three-quarters, to work in. I noticed repeatedly that they ran across field and jammed their supports. We «ay the attack must be delivered from the centre. The five-eights, and centre three-quarter should run straight, and after the ball goes out to the wing* these will have room to go ahead, and the centre or five-eighth can be with them; to receive the ball again. Wo impress l on. players l that, the goal line is the objective, not the touch line. It is the goal line you have to cross to gain, points, and running toward* touch i,s> not the thing.” “f was strongly imp tossed with tlie straight running of Reid and Morrissey. It wasi the greatest fac tor in our defeat in the iscooiul match. When a player is no longer able to move toward the goal line lie should hand to his .support. We. a re a t ways, drilling into the players in New Zealand not to part with possession of the ball. If you are absolutely compelled to kick, do so to a vacant, part of the ground, or punt high so that you can get there as soon a.s the* hall. Retain possession at all costs. There used to be an old idea, not to pass, in one’-® own twenty-

five. That was exploded long ago." Asked if any of the New South Wales players .strike him particularly, Mr. AlcKenzie said. “ it is not always advisable to bestow too much praise on young players. Ross is a fine fullback. and should Live a great future. You have several good forwaitls. New South Wmles' played finely in all but the finst Test. The forwards, in particular. have done well, bur they were not so able to adopt themselves to the wet conditions as we were. It it is dry they play a fine game. It is good class football hero at present. Perhaps There is not much variation, in the play, hut that should come.”

THE N.Z. FORMATION. T \VO-T HUE E-T W O SCR U AI. N.S.W. AIAY GO BACK. It is highly probable (.writes ''Rambler” in the ».,dney iveleiee) that the New South Males Rugby Union win soon re Cert to tne seven pack ami wing forward of other class. Time was when two wing forwards were pumeti, but one of tnese later became a second fiveeigntli. and one wing forward was retained! New So..tli Males, however, impressed with tne 3-2-3 formation ana arrangement of backs as shown by the team of tne Rev. Air. ALuluneux in 99, changed accordingly, 'though now and again the.e have been academic arguments regarding the alteration, it was generally conceded that three in the trout low wiTI beat two for possession, and the best test- \va<- in 190< * w lien in a series ot games J. T. Barnett, T. Griffin, and J. Rose well came out with tiyiug colours against any New Zealand" 3 pair chosen from S. Casey, E. Hughes and Alec AlcDonald. Though the scrum was uuw.eldy, cumbersome, and not a thing of beauty, and though tlie ball mereiy trickled through—a contrast to the rapid clean heeling of New Zealand—everyone was satisfied, for automatically with the coming of the eight scrum there disappeared the wing forward. AN OBNOXIOUS PLAYER.

When wing forwards existed in Sydney football thev made themselves very much disliked 'through engaging in wrestling an,l illegal work at tlie side of the scrum, and as they were not penalised out of existence there was relief amongst football follower s when it was decided to change the formation. It lias always been this arch transgressor that we have kept in our minds. Even the players who have filled the position in recent New Zealand teams did not remove the bad impression by their comparative mildness, for they had no immediate opponent with whom to ’have a bout in the good old style, even if they bad wished. Thus as the forwards were getting possession in the scrums, and until tlie coming of the League, the authorities were not much concerned "about speeding up, everyone felt that the advantages outnumbered the defects. AVe bad got rid of the wing forward. That was sufficient. A CHANGED VIEW. .

Now there i s a desire to look with a more kindly on the wing lorwaid. Air. E. McKenzie (manager of the 1925 All is lucks.) states the o.d tv pe is non-existent in New' Zealand. There is no reason why N.S. \\ . referees should not curb them here. In fact, n should be easier since all will be new to the position. Assuming this happy result is obtained, there can be no doubt- the return to the 2-3-2 pack will be welcomed by the public. Tne League scrum is, from their point of view, preferable to the 3-2-3 formation, hut the league retain on e of the worst features of the Union- —the three players in the front row. The seven pack does away with this, and on account of tlie narrowness of the front row, the first round of the battle for possession is briefer and the heeling is done with a sharpness that is unknown in the present local formation. The scrum does not last so long, for, in addition to the rapidity -#it]i. which the ball shoots through, the players are not massed so awkwardly together. The second row forwards have their heads out and are able to free themselves with the smartness that our breakaway's show now. In fact, the second row of the seven scrum corresponds in formation to the back rank of the eight. -Then with the second row coming away quickly, the two behind .them must automatically clear themselves, since those against whom they' were pushing are free. In the eight pack the breaking up of the scrum cannot be accomplished with vsuch ease. The change is not being advocated by theorists now. Dr. H. M. Moran, whose whole playing experience lias been with the 3-2-3 pack, considers the time has arrived to jettison it, and the ’Varsity man who advocates throwing over an English method is generally looked upon as something in the nature of a football Bolshevik. <

The ltugby Union cannot formally order a certain formation, tout as it did before it can notify al] clubs that representative teams will include seven forwards and a wing forward. Then the clubs will be sure to adopt thi s style. Dr. Moran has made it a live matter, and the next move will be watched with interest.