Rugby. A LEAN PATCH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 236, 18 September 1936, Page 12

Rugby. A LEAN PATCH

Bay’s Defeat by Manawatu and Wanganui AUSTRALIAN TOURISTS (By “Omni.”) Hawke’s Bay’s Bugby representatives during last week struck a lean period, going down to defeat first to Wanganui and then two days later to Manawatu. The match 4 with Wanganui, played at Hastings in a downpour of rain, was the one that could have been won had players adapted themselves to the conditions.

The same faults as were shown in Wellington were again visible, rather suggesting that our forwards are not as quick to profit by experience as one would naturally expect. 1 left the ground convinced that Hawke’s Bay forwards do not want to know anything about wet weather football, but I am afraid that until they do they will not climb very far up the Rugby ladder. In Hutchinson and Davidson Wanganui possess two very fine forwards and it was to tho forwards that Wanganui owed its win.

Watching Hawke's Bay at .Palmerston North two days later, one found it difficult to realise that Hawke’s Bay were the side that Wanganui had defeated. At Palmerston the Bay put snap and variety into their work and looked winners all the way, but they lost by a point. A Good Record.

Manawatu this winter have a very good side as their record on tour and at home shows, but it was surprising to note that they had very little knowledge of blind-side play. On Saturday Hawke’s Bay scored two tries on the blind side, the first one in the first five minutes of the game. Mauawatu relied a lot on their forwards to smash a track, after which would come a quick heel from the ruck and the bail would be dispatched to the wings as quickly as possible. Ou one end of the threequarter line was Waugh, a very speedy young fellow who on one occasion left the Bay backs as if they were hoppled. Strong Back Line

lu passing, it was interesting to note that the Manawatu rearguard was almost a North island one, as halfback Brinsdon hails from Auckland and is shortly going back there. Thurston was with Victoria College, Wellington, and is going down that way again shortly. Fletcher was a New Zealand representative under the rival code and he too is reported to be going back to Auckland before Christmas comes. Ron Gillespie was once a Bay representative and Dormer, the full-back, was last season a crack five-eighth at Wanganui College. Gillespie did not play owing to injury and his place was taken by Buick who was in Hawke’s Bay with the Waikato side recently. So far Buick has not played in a club game in Manawatu and his selection caused some comment.

Good Bay Passing. There were many blight incidents in the game and some of the Bay passing uuuls were as good, as 1 have seen anywhere, but to see four tries lost by forward passes was, to say tlie least, exasperating, more especially as they were ip tnree instances not discernible from the side-line. Possibly tho best performance on the Bay side so far as the forwards were concerned was Colin Wiisou’s, who made some fine dashes and generally kept c.ese to the ball all day. Bowman and O’Brien were also very conspicuous as was Hannigan, who led many line forward rushes. All the rearguard played soundly with Clothier aud Bradley in brilliant form. In the hooking department Bay were left badly in the early stages, but picked up later on. At heeling from rucks Manawatu were as good as any team I have seen this year, while Hawke’s Bay in this art were like novices; it is not for want of reminding either. Manawatu Forwards.

Very good Manawatu forwards were J. Finlay, Crawford and Williams with L. Findlay an enterprising loose forward. At half Brinsden just sent the ball away to his supports and attempted nothing else. Thurston and Fletcher were sound. Campbell, who replaced Dernier, proved an excellent substitute. The Test Win.

New Zealand walked off with the Bledisloe Cup in good style at Carisbrooke last Saturday. Many people Lave asked me if it was necessary for the All Blacks to win both games and the onswer is, no. After the Wellington victory a draw at Dunedin would have been sufficient. On the familiar turf at Carisbrooke both Watt and Gillies turned on excellent games, although Gillies was aided in his efforts by the failure of his opposite to come up smartly. Lewis, who marked Griffiths, was afflicted with the same complaint,

and it is inadvisable for us to regard the result as a definite indication in regard to the coming Tests with the Springboks. An Otago critic informs me that Reid and Dalton were two splendid forwards and that Jackson was not far behind this pair. Vic. Cavanagh. Otago representative coach, was particularly impressed with the Dalton habit of coming through the centre, -and to a friend mentioqpd that, he wished Otago had a pack of Daltons. The result of the second Test serves to show that a New Zealand side to give of its best, must have prior training together. As for the Australians, I think they have proved the critics to be entirely wrong. Clearly they are not the best side ever to leave Australia. This fact was proved a long while back, yet there are New Zealand critics still busy making excuses for them such as heavy grounds in the first three games. Napier was the third appearance and the ground was in perfect order. The great weakness with the Australians is at half-back aud five-eighths.