RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 119, 4 May 1934, Page 15

RUGBY FOOTBALL

CLUB COMPETITIONS Napier Games Lack Thrills SCRUM CONTROL NEEDED (By "Omni.”) Last Saturday saw an increased attendance at McLean Park, Napier, but there was a marked decrease in the standard of Rugby football provided as compared I with opening day, bnt a result contrary to general expectation in both games served to make up for the lack of thrills in the games, Marist Old Boys and Tech. Old Boys, on No. 1 ground, engaged most attention, but as this drab game wore on the public focussed their attention on the neighbouring ground where Pirates were proving more than a handful for Old Boys. Marist set out to play their usual game of kick and rush, with the forwards as a sort of steam roller. They were successful on Saturday, and as a means to an end was perhaps warranted, but it was not very spectacular for the public. The surprising thing was that Tech, should have fallen in with the Marist idea. An open game is welcomed by Tech., yet they were content to depart from this type of game against Marist. On only one occasion did Tech, es•■ay a combined back movement, and a try was the result. The ball travelled from Jane to Evans, who cut out W Johnson and sent Petersen away on a penetrating run that drew the Marist backs like flies to a honeypot. Having got them out of position the promoted iunior threw out a long pass to I. Johnson, who scored in a good position. The movement left Marist standing. Scrum Control. Scrum control was not a strong feature with our referees last season, and apparently they have not improved during the summer recess. On Saturday Mahony tried to put the ball into the scrum from an offside position. The referee did not take any action, so Hutton, the Tech, winger, applied an imaginary line of demarcation beyond which he would not allow Mahony to pass. There was much unnecessary pushing and consequent delay in putting the ball in, and many indecisive scrums. Both Marist tries were scored hy Exeter who, as a wing three-quar-ter, made quite a good fist of the position. Until this year he has been a front ranker. Both tries were made possible by determination on Exeter’s part, and although he did not have far to run there were opponents in the way. There was keen interest displayed in the first appearance of Brown, for Marist, but he got few opportunities. In fact the ball rarely got past halfback Mahony, who as a defensive half back is all that could be desired. It is natural that there should be curiosity as to his ability as an attacking half-back. Mat O’Brien is a most erratic goal-kicker, but when in the mood he is spectacular. On Saturday he specialised in long-range efforts and succeeded three times. The best of the Green pack—a very even one, by the way—appeared to be Brady and King. Bor Tech. Peterson continues to Impress as a centre three-quarter, and he may well be considered as a rep. possibility. Eric Evans and Jane were responsible too for consistently good work, although the latter continues with his idea of running from the scrum with the ball. In the Tech, pack Skittrup. Dalton and Bowman were again the most prominent, with Bob Johnson next. H. 5.0.8. and Pirates. On No. 2 ground H 3.0.8. by their methods were clearly under the impression that Pirates were to provide practice for them. This impression was gained no doubt on the result of Pi rates’ effort against Hastings. As I pointed out last week that result flattered Hastings. This game was marred by the continued scrum infringements that were allowed to go unchecked Players on both sides used their hands in the scrummages and generally rucked and scuffled for minutes at a time. H. 50.8. apparently did not profit from the lesson to be learned from their defeat the previous Saturday and they were in no condition to see out two 40-minute spells; in fact, in the second half they sparred for time very much like a boxer who has been knocked down in a boxing match. In following up high kicks the H. 5.0.8. forwards shouted at the man waiting to take the ball. This form of intimidation is illegal, but it went unchecked on Saturday. The Pirate forwards, as a combination, are not impressive; they contain too many who want to shine in the open, yet they had no great difficulty in swamping any movements attempted by their opponents. Bradley Impresses. Of all the H. 5.0.8. backs Bradley and full-back Cornford were the only ones to impress. On the few occasions that he got the ball Bradley looked dangerous, but Clothier had a bad attack of "blind sidoitis” and he persisted in this all dav with negligible results. Pirates’ winning try was the result of a passing bout that covered almost the length of the field, the principal participants being Thompson and B. Keeble. For good honest forward play Cooke. Hees, McKenzie and Carder bore the brunt, with Roderick Rhodes. Hildebrandt and Yates best in the back division. The work .of Hilde brandt was a great improvement or the previous week. There is something radically wrong with H. 5.0.8— perhaps lack of team spirit. For a side that contains so many prominent players to plav r.s thev have done these last two Saturdays must be verv disappointing to their sunnorters Zip Fastener Craze. Some of Napier’s seniw footballers have been smitten with the zip fastener craze, and last Saturday, jerseys

were used with this device on the neck in nlace of the regulation lace, and causing opponents in the scrummages considerable pain and discomfort. One victim whose face looked as if he had been run over with a lawn mower was loud in his displeasure at the use of this arrangement on football jerseys. The Rugby Union have issued a decree banning the use of the device. H. 5.0.8. suffered heavily from casualties in their game with Pirates on Saturday. Miller, the promising forward, injured his shoulder, and after carrying on for a while finally walked off to be replaced by Stewart. Rear.ey next loft with an injured ankle. He was replaced by Cromie, but a few minutes later lie, too, w-as rendered hors de combat and Williamson filled the gap. H. 5.0.8. appeared to have an inexhaustible supply of reserves. Pirates in the closing stages caught the craze, too, and Bob Keeble made the fourth to supply practice for the ambulance. All of the Napier senior fifteens are now numbered. Pirates, the last to fall into line, have an elaborate set. of white cloth numerals and they look nice, too. Surprises Elsewhere. Rugby surprises are not confined to the Hastings-Napier competition. In Auckland last Saturday Ponsonby and Marist, two of the three teams that, were bracketed winners of the 1933 competition, finished second. Marist were annihilated by ’Varsity by 40 to 6, while College Rifles just beat the Ponsonby team. In Wellington Wellington College Old Boys, 1933 champions, were whacked up by Marist by 22 to 11. In Christchurch Sydenham and Merivale, winners and runners-up respectively in 1933, were both beaten comfortably. Everything points to a season of surprises. Over 8000 people watched the first meeting of Western Suburbs (last year’s premiers) and Manly in Sydney last Saturday. Manly won an exciting game. Such an attendance suggests that the Rugby game is staging a popular come back in the Harbour City. Great Carnes At Hastings, Rugby of an exceptionally high standard for club football was provided Hastings enthusiasts on Saturday, when both the senior games played on Nelson Park evoked considerable enthusiasm and much excitement. Indeed few representative games seen in Hastings during recent years were up to the same standard and Saturday’s exhibitions more than made amends for the rather poor form displayed by the six teams seen in action the previous week. Both the Hastings-Hastings Old Boys and the Celtic-M.A.C. Old Boys matches were played at concert pitch with bright, fast and exciting movements that were delightfully pleasing. In neither game was there a dull moment and all four teams displaying surprisingly good form for so early in the season. , Two winners of the opening series, in Hastings and Hastings H. 5.0.8., occupied the No. 1 area at Nelson Park, Hastings, and each club fielded practically the same XV., only two changes being made in the personnel of either side. For Hastings Dyer, though only a few days out of a sick bed, filled the last line of defence m the place of Calder, while Burnett replaced Hargreaves in the frontal division. Old Boys had Rainbow in Otto Jonson’s position on the wing and Flowers in the place of Norm Collinge as one of the forwards. These two changes could not affect the combination of either side and consequently the experience gained the previous week was enlarged upon to good effect. Rearguards Show Good Form. The backs of both sides showed good form, particularly Old Boys, who were more enterprising and were given a greater share of the ball than their opposing rearguard. Hardy put in some excellent work at the base of the scrum and handed out the ball in great style. Holt, on attack was good, but he failed to get down to solid defence, a weakness also shown by McCarthy, who, in addition, was too inclined to use his boot. The three-quarter line was most satisfying, the Apsey-Rambow combination being excellent. Apsey was the outstanding back of the side and his enterprise and speedy following-up was a big factor in the fine showing made by the Old Boys rearguard. Always near at hand was Rainbow. Vai'ton, at full-back, played well, but was inclined to sacrifice length in his linekicking for accuracy —this is an old failing. There was no outshining member of the Hastings passing division; all handled well without undue prominence. Cameron, like Hardy, • had a trying time of it behind the pack and deserves a pat on the back. Gibbs and Le Quesne combined well with the three-quarter line, of whom Gillies and Simpson were in form. Dyer proved satisfactory as last line of defence. He was inclined to misjudge the pace of the oncoming Old Boys in their following-up and consequently had to put in some quick saving work out of which he came with flying honours. To single out any particular player among the forward division is a difficult task and one that might mean an injustice being done, for both packs of forwards played well without the spotlight being focussed on any particular member. Tipping, Burton and Flowers were certainly prominent for Old Boys in the line-outs, and McDuff was excellent in the loose, with Burton and Renouf in close attendance. For Hastings. Burnett shaped well, ns did the hard-working Palmer and Fredsberg in the thick stuff, with Collett and Wellwood invaluable in the lineouts. M.A.C. Surprise Celtic. A general re-arrangement of the rear-guard worked wonders for M.A.C. and the improvement brought about was remarkable. They completely surprised Celtic, who, though making their first official outing of the season, were nevertheless in good trim, for they had been taking matters very 1

seriously. After a game full of thrills they came close to merely sharing the honours with the Maoris, who staged a thrilling last-minute effort to overtake the five points lead established by Celtic. The fine showing of the ex-collegian backs was largely due to the excellent play of the two five-eighths, McKay and Staples, both of whom were more or less given roving commissions, and they were in almost everything of note. They were fortunate in having so unselfish a player as Edwards at half for ho continually fed them with the ball. McKay and Staples showed plenty of pace and football sense. There was no hesitancy about their play and their judgment was first-class. Celtic found them most elusive and dificult to subdue. Spady shaped very well at full-back. His sense of anticipation was good. The three-quarter line was not over-worked on attack, but on defence proved very sound. The ex-college forwards, too, showed a big improvement, their handling being better than on the opening day. Jury Thompson played an outstanding game and even improved on his performance when he went into the threequarter division towards the close of the second spell. He gave promise of being a most useful centre. Meafou, too was in great fettle in the loose and his bustling was never effectively curbed. The mainstay of Celtic was unquestionably ‘‘Tilt’’ Geddis, who came out of a particularly gruelling game with colours flying high. He used fine judgment throughout, was safe, and varied his play delightfully. McKenzie and Evans did not combine too well with the outside hacks and had they done so. then the line would have been more effective than it was. Simon, the promoted Hastings junior, gave a creditable performance at full-back, and his line-kicking was most accurate. What a great pack Celtic posses! With practically the same players as was fielded last year the forwards showed outstanding promise, with all co-operating to make an effective machine. In the tight as well as the loose they played as a pack and there can he no doubting that they will contribute very largely to what, success Celtic attain —on Saturday’s play that success should he fairly considerable. They certainly have proved to be the most mobile pack seen in action in Hastings this season.