RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 211, 19 August 1933, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

H.B. TEAM ON TOUR THE WANGANUI DEFEAT. AUCKLAND TO BE MET TO DAY. (By “Omni.”) An absence of staying power was responsible for Hawke’s Bay's defeat at Wanganui last Wednesday, when the home team, in forty-four minutes, converted a nine-point debit into a four-point credit before the final whistle blew. Inquests on football matches are useless, but, after establishing a lead of 12—3, Hawke’s Bay’s ultimate eclipse suggests that a good knowledge of safety tactics is lacking altogether. Chief responsibility for the failure can be placed with the forwards who, in the concluding stages, allowed the Wanganui man to stream through, especially from line-outs. The scrums were somewhat farcical in that the referee governed them by ideas not gleaned from the latest referee’s handbook, but honours in this department ended about even. The P.A. report of the game refers to Williams playing a good game in the Hawke’s Bay rearguard. Charlie Smith is the player referred to, mid he, with Apsey, were responsible for some brilliant efforts. With the departure of Grant through the renewal of a back injury. Smith shifted into centre threequarter, and Griffin came on opposite Bullock-Doug-las, who immediately showed his appreciation by scoring a try, and in his bolt for the line badly beat the Marist youth.

H.B. Superior in Bearguard. Hawke’s Bay, taken all though, were superior in the rearguard, but as previously stated the pack was a most pronounced second. Smith, Apsey, Grant and Vartan were the pick of the Bay backs, and Henderson and Steere in the forwards. The team left for Marton at 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening en route to Auckland, but due to a tunnel mishap at Ngaio the Limited did not put in an appearance at Marton before breakfast next day, and the tourists had the experience of camping in the sittingroom of the Marton Junction Hotel nil night. Auckland To-day.

Hawke’s Bay will strike a fairly hot rearguard in Auckland to-day and the forwards are big and solid, too.

Slyficld, a new and young five-eighth, is described as a real crackajack, and, of course, Caughcy will be a trouble, too. Surprisingly enough, Corner, Auckland and All Black half-back, has unaccountably lost form recently, and his selection was something in the nature of a surprise to Aucklanders. Nepia Again.

George Nepia, the most spectacular full-back the Rugby world has ever seen, has been reported to be playing this year as well as ever. He made his name in 1924 at the ag<- of 19, and in 1925, despite a severe leg injury, played many great games for Hawke’s Bay in defence of the Ranfurly Shield. Again in 1926 his appearance on football fields outside Hawke’s Bay ensured extra public patronage just to see this dusky youth perform and he never failed to provide something sensational in full-back play. In 1927 he moved to Rangitukia and has twice since reappeared in New Zealand fifteens. Now at the age of 28, critics in the big centres have been suggesting that bis form warrants his inclusion in this year’s North Island fifteen. Apparently this boosting has been hearsay, although it serves to show that the glamour of by-gone years still remains. I.ast Saturday Nepia led the East Coast team at Wairoa against the Wairoa Sub-union representatives in a Coronation Cup challenge.

The writer, in conversation with Nepia, learned that he had not the remotest idea of aspiring to North Island honours, the demands of his farm being paramount with him.

George is as enthusiastic as ever for the game, but judged on his latest exhibition is far from the Nepia of old. His positional play is still as good as ever, but his kicking lacked the distance and direction. Rarely did his punts reach the touch line, and not once did ho follow up to put his men on side, and on one occasion faulty play on his part gave the opposition a try. Wairoa eventually won by 11 to 3 and the margin would have been greater had Ruru accepted chances that were offered him. Ruru was last vear at To Ante College, and another Tc Ante boy in Goldsmith was playing for East Coast. Wairoa will meet East. Coast again on September 9th, at Toknmaru Bay, for the Barry Cup. The curtain-raiser at Wairoa was supplied by the primary school fifteens, representing Wairoa and Gisborne, and the former won easily by 23 to 0. Outstanding in the Wairoa team were the two Brownlies, one a splendid loose forward, and the other tin cxrcllen-five-eighth. Another back flint attracted attention for his splendid tackling was Gemmell. Appnrciitlv the names of Brownlie ntvl Gemmell will riot long be missing from Hawke's Bav representative teams, for all three boys promise well.