RUGBY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 162, 28 June 1930, Page 10

RUGBY

(By

Kick-Off”

THE BAY CUP GAMEE. COMMENTS ON HASTINGS MATCHES, The second round of the senior cup competition commenced last Saturday when play was conducted on a “spongy’’ ground. For the third time this season Hastings fans reaped the benefit of the fact that there are five senior teams from Hastings as compared with three from the Napier end, and were accorded entertainment >n three senior grade fixtures. The day was one of close finishes and keenly contested games. Early fans witnessed a good close go between the two Maori teams, M.A.C. and Tamateu. On the opening day of the season there was only a three-point margin in favour of the Collegians and on Saturday tho result was similar. Tamatea had the best of the first spell when they had the wind behind them but in the second had it was practically all M.A.C. The Reds, however, failed to take advantage of their opportunities and their sole score was a penalty goal. The forwards worked steadily with Wanoa and Kakahi to the fore, but there was a lack of cohesion in the tight and they misspent a lot of their energy. The backs showed better form than usual Receiving a fair share of the ball they were inclined to forget the bad habit of “kick and run” and favoured a little passing. At times they showed themselves quite adept at handling the ball, and it is pleasing to record that practically every time the rearguard swung into action then a good slice of territory was gained. This was largely due to Hawi who made several very fine openings with his piercing runs. The Collegians did not, one fears, take Tamatea too Seriously. Certainly in the first spell they wisely contented themselves with keeping their line clear, but even after the interval they did not show anything like their best form. They delighted the fans, however, by throwing the ball about, but there was little doing in the way of spectacular work. Jury Thompson was in fine fettle and he was the mainspring of the Collegians, both on attack and on defence. Wi Rei was off-colour, except when it came to kicking and then he Was excellent. Watene Marsh put in a lot of honest toil and he deserved a try on two occasions. There were many times when M.A.C. should have scored but they failed to turn the chances into certainties and had to bo content with an indecisive victory.

Napitrr 0.8. v. Celtic. Of the Wo games played in midafternoon the Napiei’ Uid Boys-Celtic struggle was the main attraction. Tliere was very little spectacular work done, but for honest hard toil it took a lot Of beating. Those who saw these two teams meet at Napier early in the season again voiceu the opinion that Old Boys, despite the fact that they had a number of championships more than did pelts, would have to play hard to win. They were correct, for Celtic extended the Whites to the full. At half-time, when Old Boys were to have their share of the wind behind them Celtics' prospects did not appear at all bright. They were only five points up and Old Boys had done better than was expected of them under the circumstances. However, the Celts showed their true form after the interval when they put up a very creditable performance. They were unlucky to have lost, for they put up a very stiff front against the never-ending series of attacks launched by Old Boys. Sound good tackling kept the Whites at bay. There did not appear to be ix weakness anywhere. However, Lambie managed to catch them napping towards the close of the game and he slipped through the defence to record the winning try. The play generally was bright and onen. though the forwards hnd a oruelling time in spasms, particularly the Celtic pack which was tindery handicap in the tight and in the line-outs. The Old Boy backs showed more enterprise, principally because they saw more of the ball. They lost no time in letting the three-quarter lino have a. “pop” and for this matter so did Celtic. South was the leading li"hf and it was no fault, of his that Old Boys did not pile up a big score. He made fine openings but the Colts were everywhere the ball wa« and they took good care to see that his offsiders hnd little room to work in. Neal was excellent at full-back and he repeatedly beat the Celts for the ball. On the other hand his vis-a-vis, Rose, was weak, lamentably so and gave his side a trying time backing up. Simpson. Hassett and Dobson were the three best forwards on the ground, though the remainder of tho packs were honest toilers. • * » Hastings v. Hastings Old Boys. It was not until in the second spell that last year's champions could shake the morale of Old Bovs. All through the first spell Old Bovs had managed to make a good showing, despite the handicap of having tho strong wind against them. That they were enabled to do so was because of the great showing of the forwards in the loose. The Hastings forwards are no sluggards but in the first sne'J on Saturday thev were out of tho picture and their hacks had to spend most of their time getting down in front of the Old Boy forwards How ever after the interval Old Boys tried to bring their hacks into the picture and therein lay their defeat. Hastings were quick to note the chan-re in tactics and they nmmntly decided imon letting tho Old Bov hacks "ct tl’o ball then set about bustling them. Tn t’re short Period of time t’’at it took Old Rnvs to wake tin +o the dodge Hastings ran nn a tide sunt of noints. unite snOtoient +o give them the verdict. With a dozen points to make an Old Bovs endeavoured i” O'" dvino stages to spring a “come-back.” b”t it was too late. O'J Bovs Would do well to rememho;- that when cert-iin tactics are meeting with success the" never to change from them. “Get in while the going’s good” was the advice of a well-known New Zealand

poach and Old Boys would have done well to have adopted it on Saturday. The Rep. Teams. Tins afternoon two rep. teams will be taking Uie Held, one M Wairoa aud the other at Carterton. The latter is of more interest tor it » the Bay team trying conclusion! with their old rivals, Wairaiapa. Ta say that the selection came as a surprise is to put it mildly. The absence ot Wairou players aroused considerable comment. The explanation is that the Wairoa Sub-1 mon are anxious that a good strong team take the field against the Combines this afternoon so that the “gates’’ might be increased It is pleasing to note that the Union has endeavoured to satisfy the Sub-Union in this matter, even though it was at the expense of the Bay team. However, it has given Selector McKenzie an opportunity of trying out new blood ana the southern portion of the province caught his eye. Local fans know Setford and McKay, but Grant, Harvey and Milla are not so well-known. Mills has already played fo rthe Bay at Napier but on that occasion he did not impress one as a good defensive plaver. However, of late ho is reported to have made a speciality of this particular play and is a vastly improved player. Grant is an ex-Dannevuke High School pupil and he cut a fine figure here a season or two back in his games against the Hastings School teams. He showed great promise then and has now developed into a clever five-eighth with a dandy aide-step. Harvey is a heavily built forward who has surprising pace, but who seldom shines though there are few more honest toilers tjian he. Southern enthusiasts are very pleased with his inclusion, as they look upon him as one of their mpst promising forwards. It is pleasing to note that Beft Grenside has agreed to turn out again aud he should bo a peat acquisition. It is to be hoped that he is fed the bad pretty .frequently. There seems no reason why he should not for the five-eighths are not • strangers to each other and should combine well together while Soy th will mix well with any company. To the writer’s mind Lambie ie the weak point. He will have to get the ball out more smartly than he has done in the past, if he is to give his rear, guard any show of makipg a success. “On paper’’ the forwards appear a formidable lot, but one wonders how Campbell and Wilson will fare. Both have been on the sick list from injuries that are likely to be ever recurring during a game. However, should they survive then the Wairarapa pack will find them a tough lot. 1 With regard to the Combined team selected it is very pleasing to note the inclusion of Harvey, or Hawi, of 'l'amatea, in the five-eighth line. He baa done much for his club team this season both on defence and attack. He has a piercing run and is unselfish to a degree bordering on the excessive. Thompson, of M.A.C., becomes a forward again aud should give a good account of himself. Hastings fans will be pleased with the inclusion of Lala, who is a general favourite in these parti.

A Contributor’s Fancy. In view of the great interest which is being taken in the doings of the Britishers’ it is only natural that local enthusiasts should be discussing the possibilities of the Bay side to meet them on July 12. One subscriber “Sport” has evidently given the matter deep thought and he contributes his selection, which is as under: — Full-back i Evans, Three-quarters: Mills, South, Sm>th. Five-eighths: Ruru, Grenside. Half: Setford, Front Row: Wanoa, J. GemmclL Middle Row: M. Brownlie, Steere, C. Brownlie. Back row: Campbell, W. Wilson. Wing-forward ; S. Gemmell, In the event of Morrie Brownlie not being available, he suggests placing Campbell in his place as support and calling on the, services of McKay to fill the vacancy. The reason for placing Bert Grenside and Ruru in the five-eighths line is because he deems it imperative that the Bay should have good piercing inside backs. He maintains that if the Bay rearguard is to show up then it has to be given the chance near the scrum. The Britishers, he points out, always strive to give their three, quarters the ball. That is their strong division, and he is of tho opinion that the inside men are tho weak links and to them mnst the Bay team look for opportunities. With two such fast and nimble-witted men as Grenside and Ruru to he on hand when chances are available will, lie says, give the Bay a fair show of giving tho visitors a stiff run for victory.”-