RUGBY GLEANINGS

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 17 August 1929, Page 12

RUGBY GLEANINGS

TARANAKI B REPS.

TOO PAST TOE RANGITIKEI. PERFORMANCES REVIEWED. The victory of the Taranaki B representatives over Rangitikei at Eltlinm. on Thursday was the fourth successive win to be secured by the provincial teams this season. • * • * *

Principally by reason of superiority iu back play the Taranaki fifteen merited the decision. Rangitikei were overshadowed in both individual and collective action in that phase of play. They had also to eedc the honours in scrum work and general forward play, though not by su'ch a pronounced margin, the Rangitikei forwards being a set of willing hustlers, who occasionally put the home backs to severe tests. • » » « •

Though the handling of a dry ball was at times faulty the Taranaki middle ibaeks played with speed throughout. * « * * •

The Opunake club mates, R. Hohaia behind the serum and T. Robinson at first five-eighth, were -a tricky pair, though N. Hunter, the Hawera club captain, was the mainspring of the attacking force and in the approved straight Tunning tactics was the best back on the field. He was well supported by the centre, D. 'Grant, who was steady in defence and resourceful in paving the way for his wings, A. Evans and J. Crawford, both of whom displayed plenty of pace and determination. Evans was a plucky battler and with a bit more weight would make a fine wing three-quarter. C. Hunt was sound as full back. * * * # *

R. Clarke, P. Wolfe and J. Young were hard, willing forwards consistently noted and the hookers, R. Smith and Young, usually dominated the scrums. C. Wills was prominent in line-out and loose rush work. #»***■

The Taranaki rover and captain, S. Fookes, was a good spoiler with plenty of pace, but lacked the sureness in handling the (ball which the position demanded. * » * » *

Rangitikei fielded a good half-back in B. Johnston, who was his team’s particular star. G. Hartley was a useful centre. The middle backs tackled fairly well, but lacked the speed and resource in attack shown toy their opponents. . * # * * *

The rover and captain, A. O ISten, was .the- test forward among the Greens in; loose play, but had ito retire in the second spell after gamely carrying on for a gruelling period with an injured shoulder. S. Gibjbs, A. Cameron and L. Holmes were the pick of the remainder.

TARANAKI REP. FIXTURES. GAMES PLAYED. June 3 —A team v Wanganui, at Wanganui, won 22 —17. June 3 —B team v. Wanganui, at Now Plymouth, won 18 —11. July 3—v. Wellington, at Hawera, won 6 —3. August 15 —B team v. Hangitik-ei, at Eltham, won 28—S. REMAINING ENGAGEMENTS. August 24 —A team v. Wanganui, at New Plymouth. August 24—8 team v. Wanganui, at Wanganui. Sept. s—v.5 —v. Canterbury, at Stratford. Sept. 7 —v. Auckland, at New Plymouth. Sept. 11 —v. Manawhenua, at Palmerston North. Sept. 14 — V'. Hawke’s Bay, at Napier. Sept. 18—v. East Coast, at Ruatorea. •Sept. 21—v. Poverty Bay, at Gisborne. Sept. 21—B team v. Wellington, at . . Wellington.

AUSTRALIAN TACTICS. REALLY TWO WING FORWARDS. “Though the Australian crowds were very ready to attack Cliff Porter for alleged off-side methods, the Australians themselves really play two wing-forwards, and they indulge in a lot of obstruction round the scrum.” In these words ‘‘Bill” Dailey, vicecaptain of the All Blacks, confirmed in an interview at Christchurch last week the statement made to the council of the New South Wales Eugiby TTnion in Sydney on July 30 by Mr J. McLeod, manager of the New Zealand team. “In effect they play two wing forwards,” he said. “The two side-rank-ers at the back of the scrum are round in a flash if we get the ball, and if they got it they would just slew out from the serum and stay there, most obvious obstruction, which prevented any one of our side going round to their half or even their five-eighths. The referees seemed indifferent about it. “The crowd were always barracking at Porter, alleging off-side tactics. They had the idea so firmly imbedded in their minds that they started on it before Porter played. In one match in Sydney they commented on Porter all the time, when in reality Cliff was back in Melbourne. Cliff played very fine football when he recovered from his poisoned arm. He was playing as well as he ever has, and he made a great leader. Porter very nearly lost his arm through poisoning, which started from a very slight abrasion. It was touch and go at one stage whether it would have to be amputated or not. However, it got quite better again. “Half the trouble with the injuries .was -due to' the fact that the special soil on the actual pitch on the Cricket Ground in Sydny was poisonous. The slightest scratch had to be continually washed and treated with antiseptics, and in one or two cases inflamation set in in spite of the greatest precait- 1 tions. ”