RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 152, 14 June 1935, Page 10

RUGBY FOOTBALL

CLUB COMPETITION Standard of Play Declines M.A.C.’s CLOSE CALL

(By

“Omni.")

Play generally in the eighth series of club championship matches at Hastings and Napier last Saturday was not particularly exciting, though the standard of play was quite fair. A high wind and soft grounds were the main causes of the decline, The most exciting game of the series was at Hastings, where iVI.A.C. had to extend themselves to overcome Havelock North the Villagers getting on tup of them in the first spell and then fighting tenaciously alter the interval. It was not until the last five minutes that the Maoris gained the lead and so kept their position on the championship ladder. The forwards waged a great duel, the spoiling tactics oi the Villagers being unexpectedly el; iective, they breaking up the Maori back movements. Small, Coghlau and Jago kept on the ball all the time, with Ferguson in the leading role, herguson Is a real battler and was good on both attack and defence. The Maorr forwards were very even, but appeared to take things easy for three parts ot the game, this confidence was almost misplaced, for they had to infuse a lot of pep into their play before they could compel the Villagers to relax their grip on the lead. Reid, Thompson, Barber, and Greening were the best, in the rearguards there was really no one outstanding, Gloyn and James being the best of the Villagers, while among the Maoris, Kuru deserves mention. Celtic’s Continued Success. Un the adjoining area Celtic convincingly disposed of Napier Old Boys, the latter being a very weak side, both in the forward and back divisions. With the wind behind them in the first spell Celtic put on 13 points, and though the ex-students collected six points alter the change-over they never really extended the competition leaders. Neither set of backs was good, though Old Boys fared a little better than the home set. There was lacking combined play and individualism was rife, though even here it was not brilliant. Bowers the Celtic, odd man in the pack, was excellent and performed exceptionally well all the way. Next in order of merit were Hannigan and Oalnau, both worrying the opposition with their fast following-up. the Old Boy pack was even, lacking the dasn and leadership of Rolls Marists in Good Form. Last Saturday the Marist fifteen gave one of their best performances of the season to run out comfortable winners over Hastings. Some of the Marist passing bouts were of the clock-work variety, and it was difficult to recognise in them the side that had gone under to Pirates the previous week. A strong southerly breeze blew straight up the ground, and Le Quesne winning the toss elected to play with this breeze against his side. Where two teams are evenly matched, wind is a factor to be considered, and in these circumstances it is good policy to take first use of any advantages. Battling against this breeze during the first half took all the steam out of the Hastings players, with the result that their second spell effort was For once Fredsburg was beaten for the ball in the scrums, and for most of the first half the victors were busy chasing thfi Marist rearguard. Quite early in the game a swift passing bout from a scrum sent the Marist backs right through for Benson to score a glorious try. Playing C. Le Quesne at first fiveeighth was not a success on the day, and it was the failure of he and Wright to come up smartly that allowed the opposing rearguard such freedom of movement. At the base of the scrum Dyer stood up to a very heavy afternoon’s work, and it is good to see this player employing either foot as occasion demanded clearing kicks. Dyer is the only half-back in the competition that is two-footed, and for him it is unnecessary to run in half-circles to get the kicking foot into action, as do some of the others.

Wing threequarter McNab, with limited opportunities, did very well, running in very determined fashion and proving difficult to pull down. In the pack Wilson made a good first-of-the-season appearance, and with Fredsburg and Collett attracted most. For Marist J. O’Brien continues to be the most prominent forward, and on Saturday Ireland and Armstrong came next. Actually the whole rearguard did well and there were none outstanding, although special mention should be made of wing threequarter Alien’s solo try and J. Reid’s long run in the second half that gave Hannan a gift try. A Picnic Game,

Hastings Old Boys and Eskvicw had a picnic game on No. 2, ground, neither side being at full strength, and for most of the afternoon the blues were busy in their opponents’ territory. Half-back Hardy gave a very smooth performance, initiating many fine rearguard attacks, the handling of all the backs in this respect was good, and Lowe on the end the threequarter line had a. regular field day to score three tries,' one of which McCarthy converted right from the side line and against the strong breeze —a magnificent kick. Irwin, Palmer and Flowers were the pick of the winners’ front line, but there is room for a lot of improvement in the whole eight. Perhaps they are keeping a little in reserve for the second round.

Eskview struggles on, and no doubt they will see the competition out, but they are not quite up to senior standard. Eact Saturday the mainstays are Stanford, Kurupo and J. Le Quesne, and without these the side would be completely lost. There is a prospect of a sub-union being formed north of Napier, and such a proposal should

prove entertaining to Eskview. Next Saturday, Hastings Old Boys, who will be minus Apsey, will be thoroughly ttested by the rugged Marist pack. Senior Curtain-Raiser. Senior curtain-raisers are not popular in Napier, that is with the participants, although the public like them very much. On Saturday Tech. Old Boys and Pirates provided the curtain-raiser, and both sides played without any great enthusiasm. The total scoring comprised penalty goals, and Bill Johnson secured three of them for Tech., who on the run of play deserved to win. In the second half the greys staged some nice passing bouts, but something appeared to go wrong just when a try appeared to be a matter of course. In these passing movements it was noted that Bob Johnston, the eighth man in the pack, invariably took a hand, and so gave the wing threequarters an overlap, but a faulty pass, as stated above, consistently spoiled the movements. Peterson at first five was in his best form, and Wright and Jane rendered valuable assistance, while the promotion for the day, Byford at full-back, was very safe. Pirates, as usual, were at sixes and sevens, the only consistently reliable back they have is full-back Lopdell, while McKenzie, Frank and Gunn were the prominent ones in the forwards.

The Referee's Corner. This week the obstruction rules are to be under discussion, and the following points should be noted: — (a.) No player running for the ball shall charge an opponent also running for the ball, except shoulder to shoulder. A player who is not running for the ball must not charge or obstruct an opponent not holding the ball. (b.) A player overtaking an opponent also running for the ball must not push him from behind, unless he is stooping to pick up the ball.

(c.) No player shall hold an opponent who is not carrying the bail. Note.—Pulling any part of the clothing of an opponent should be dealt with as holding. (d.) No player shall charge, push, or hold an opponent at the line-out on the ball being thrown in from touch. (e.) No player with the ball in his possession after it has come out from a scrummage shall attempt to force his way through, his own forwards. Penalty.—Penalty kick awarded at the place of infringement. Should a player who has just made his kick be deliberately obstructed by an opponent, the referee should award, at the option of the opposing team, a penalty kick or scrummage at (a) the place where the obstruction occurred, or (b) the place where the ball alights, with the proviso that (1) if the ball lands in touch the place under (b) shall be 10 yards in from where it crossed the touch-line; (2) if the ball lands in in-goal or in touch in-goal, the place shall be 10 yards in the field of play from where it crossed the goal line; (3) if the ball crosses the corner post, the place shall be 10 yards from the goal line and 10 yards from touch. This rule, giving the enhanced penalty kick, was framed with the distinct intention of coping with one of the undesirable features of Rugby football, and if carried out as the framers intended, must make for cleaner and better Rugby. (a.) If an attacking player obstructs an opponent in in-goal a touch-down should be awarded.

(b.) If a defending player obstructs an opponent in in-goal, a penalty kick should be awarded at the place of infringement if, in the opinion of the referee a try would not have been obtained. If the act of obstruction prevented a try being scored, the referee ehould awwd it.