RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 193, 30 July 1932, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

THE GAME IN GENERAL NOTES FROM VARIOUS QUARTERS THIS WEEK'S REP. GAMES.

(By

“Rambler.”)

Coming events cast their shadows before. Canterbury, present holders of the Ranfurly Shield, were soundly trounced at Invercargill on Wednesday by Southland to the tune of 28 to 6. the Shield was not at stake, but the result does not augur well, for Canterbury’s home fixtures.

Of course, with the return of the All Blacks, Hart, Innes, Cottrell and Manchester will make a deal of difference to the Bed and Blacks, and they will need the stiffening, apparently. There were only five or last year's shield team in the fifteen that turned out at Invercargill. Wairarapa were not at full strength either against Wellington on Wednesday but in watching Fred Fuller kick goals for Wellington the Greens no doubt would painfully appreciate the prowess of their own product. Fuller popped over three or four goals despite the greasy ball. Central Hawke’s Bay registered a meritorious victory against Hastings on Wednesday, thereby proving that their earlier good form was no flash in the pun. For the winners, Burn was impressive as a wing-threequarter, and the youthful Tremewan did well also in the centre. Chief of the forwards was Wilson, a rangy youth possessed of knowledge as a line-out player. Referee Percy Smyrk was severe on scrum infringements, and Hollis was caught more than once for not returning when his own side hooked the ball. One such penalty cost Hastings three points. For the losers Varton, as the last line of defence, filled the position admirably, and Wilson took the honours in the forwards. Due to a heavy cold Colin De Quesue did not play and McKenzie very ably deputised for him. Mick Dunne, one of the Irish representatives in the British Rugby team that toured New Zealand and Australia in 1930, in an interesting letter to Cerutti, the Australian representative forward, says: “1 had a really good Bugger season this year, after being out of the Irish team all last year, managing to get in for the England, Wales, and Scotland matches. Each of them was a great reunion for the tourist element present. Farrell, Beamish, Murray, and myself are still going strong for Ireland. Aarvold and M‘Hodgson played for England, Welsh for Scotland, and Morley for Wales, so you can see the tour did not kill us altogether. Jimmy Farrell and Dai Parker are married, and Wilkinson and Poole are engaged.” ' ‘ Toucher ’ ’ Heazlewood, full-back for Auckland to-day, is a muchtravelled player. He first gained rep. honours for Otago, and then ho figured in the South African trials in the last of which he suffered a broken jaw. A shift to Wellington followed, and in

due course he kicked many goals for the Windy City’s rep. team, four on end on McLean Park in 1929 being a notable achievement. A transfer back to Otago followed, and now he is in Auckland. “Toucher” is not a wanderer by choice —he works for the New Zealand Bailways. “Swin” Hadley, captain of Auckland to-day, was down in the front row for New Zealand in those tough games with the Springboks in 1928. In one of the Tests over there Swin had his ribs badly bent, but it made no difference; there were no replacements, so he carried on. Mr. F. Sutherland, manager of the Auckland touring team, refereed the fourth Test against the British team. Forsaking the whistle at the end of last winter he is now Auckland’s sole selector. The referee is not born who can please everybody, and by now Frank no doubt realises that the same applies to a sole selector.

For the last two seasons Waltei Batty has intimated his retirement from the game, but what is the use of making a promise if you cannot break it! This year Walter is playing as well as ever, and he is yet young enough to be of service for Auckland for a few more years.

Old-Time Bules. In the 80’s, if two players of opposing sides crossed the goal-lino struggling between them for the ball, what was known as a “maul” took place. No other players were allowed to join in, the two concerned being required to struggle with oue another until one could touch down cleanly, for a try or force-down as the case might be. Mr. Davis (an old provincial player, states the “Taranaki Herald”) remembers one terrific trial of strength at Masterton where Lambie and “Offside” McKenzie wrestled for at least 10 minutes before the Taranaki man gained his object and touched down. Another old rule not known to many players nowadays whs the provision that two umpires, one for each side, should be on the field to assist the referee. Both had flags, which they raised when they saw a breach. If only oue flag was raised, the referee could use his discretion, but when both went up ho had to stop the game. These umpires also acted as line-umpires.