BRITISH RUGBY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 175, 9 July 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

BRITISH RUGBY

Said to have been too polite in last few months

YOUNG PLAYERS LIKELY TO MEET ALL BLACKS IN 1936-37 SURVEYED.

Taking the game as a whole, Rugby football in the Home unions lacked during the past few months the type of man who is likel yto be very useful in A shipwreck, but who feels lost at a dance or a picnic (writes E. H. D. Sewell, in a London paper).

There has been too much politeness, so to speak. Some of the efforts at tackling have been nearly girlish. Indeed, if Rugby were a possible game for girls it is probable that their tackling would be anything but gentle! That Rugby to be properly played must have its rough moments is undeniable. As things are our form of it needs more healthy rudeness of the right kind. Between that and foul play is a very wide chasm. Fortunately, with the greater gentleness in tackling, by comparison with the best pre war kind which has come in, real foulness has gone out. Fisticuffs on the spur of the moment is loss of self-control, and, though unpardonable, yet is not foul. I am not advocating fisticuffs. Old Offenders. Foulness such as tripping, holding the player who has not got but who soon may get the ball, running between the tackler and the tacklee; shadow tackling and obstruction are all fouler than is the hitting of a provocative player with the fist.

I saw no tripping this season and very little holding, but, I am sorry to say, a good deal of foul obstruction, shielding and shadow-tackling. The worry of it is that it was all done by the older players’ But as most of these, perhaps fortunately, will be on the shelf in a season or two, let us return to the coming-on generation—to some of whom we shall be looking in our attempt to repel the next invasion, which is by New Zealand four or five seasons hence.

I am afraid, though, that if that tour, like the last, is fixed to begin in October, the international games will be again between a thoroughly fit side at the crest of the wave and our halffledged, unfamiliar teams who have only just begun to play football when “No-side” is blown.

The third Saturday in January is the very earliest on which there should be an international game with an invader. If that were the law there would be a real test between us and our overseas kith and kin—which, to date, there has never been. The most likely younger players I saw this season were, not counting 8. L. Waide (Ireland), or E. W. F. de Vere Hunt (Ireland),' whom I regard as past the likely stage, the following: Backs.—D. P. Manby, a real scoring left-wing, Swansea and Eastern Counties; Payne, full-back, Eastern Counties, who should make a centre; D. H.

Frankford, Surrey, centre; R. A. rard, Somerset and England, centre (needs more dash off the mark); J. A. Tallent, Blackheath and England (a stand-off half, nothing else); Waltham, R.N., stand* off; J. Baiss, Harlequins, centre (the most promising centre of the lot); H. Lind, Scotland (should play centre); J. B. Charles, Birkenhead Park, left-wing (by far the most promising wing of all); de la Condamine, Harlequins; R. S. Casement, R.N., stand-off; Guardhman Brown, Welsh Guards, centre; G. Wood, Scotland (might make a stand-off); E. R. M. Bowerman, Richmond, left-wing (th* best in the chief London clubs); and J. M. T. Bunney, scrum-half Hanta (the best who did not play in representative fray). Forwards. -Lance-Corporal E. H. Sadler, Royal Corps of Signals and Army; C. Fry, Cheltenham and Gloueestrshire; IV. J. Leather, Cambridge University; F. D. Russell-Roberts, Oxford University; D. Crichton-Miller, Scotland (the west wing-forward in the four unions; W. Mcßoss, Ireland (out by himself the best new forward produced in international Rugby this season); W. Davies, Swansea and Wales (a most promising wing-forward); T. L. Tanner, Oxford University; R. 8. Richmond, St. Mary’s Hospital; C. C. Mallock, Woolwich Academy and Richmond; and D. Reward, Scotland. Best of the Full-Backs. There is lack of the heavy, fast forward type, who is very active in spite of his size. Large loins, which are a sine qua non for class forwards, were conspicuous by their dearth. There were, on the other hand, "too many long backs. Rugby football histoty shutvg few tip-top forwards who looked long from hip to shoulders. Selectors aie right who look askance at such.

Of full-backs in the making there were only three—D. P. Mortis, Bective and Ireland; 8. A. Block, Harlequins; and S. T. A. Radcliffe, 8.E., of Blackheath, who is an Irishman. It was Block’s misfortune that T. W. Brown recovered health and fitness in time for the Calcutta Cup match, for if Block had received preference over Barr, which is by no means certain, that game as played would have suited Block to the ground. England would have been ringing by now with his name; as indeed it may next winter in another way, for he is the most likely “dark horse” for the Australian cricket tour.