RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 29 April 1922, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Ihe first series of matches has given a try out" for the various teams and an indication of their strength On pie ent appearances it looks as though Hawera. in the south, and Clifton in the north, will be the strongest teams again this year. Opunake, with the Ifwersons from Auckland, were looked on as likely to upset calculations, hut they were not strong enough on the first match against Hawera. They are ll°?? g tea?' A ho«-«ror, and if they can get tho crack Aucklander to coach them cnere is no reason why they should not go on improving, and later prove more than equal to the task. For the good or the sport it is to be hoped they will extend the best teams to the utmost Only so can teams produce their strongest form. Keen rivalry is' absolutely essential, especially when the provincial team comes to be pitted aga-inst metropolitan teams with their facilities for efficient training and it is here that a player like Ifwerson has scope to do much good for the game. Such a player has been in the midst of good, classy football, and should be able to pass on his knowledge and experience to his less fortunate fellow players, There are a number of such men, and if they were requested to do so, the game would materially benefit, both from a club and a provincial point of view. In the .senior match, Hawera v.'Opunake, there was a large attendance of supporters of the game. For the beginning of the season they made quite a creditable display.. The final fccore was somewhat unexpected, Hawera winning by 20 points to 6. The home team have to thank their strong forwards for a lot of the success by their hard graft. Their backs made also a creditable showing. The visiting team's strength lay in their backs, some of whom played well up to form, but th« brightness of their forwards was considerably dulled by the strength of their opponent's pack. However,' there was hardly the difference between the two teams whicn one might expect. From a perusal of the scores, Opunake, as we have said, are a team who are likely to considerably improve during the season. Talking of protests, a hint of which is apparently in the air, it will be of interest to recall, as two veterans m the teams concerned did the other day, a play-off between Hawera and Warm ate about lttd'6.~ One of the. then Waimate forwards, afterwards a New Zealand rep, told the writer that m the yeni mentioned, when the final came to be played, A. CJood and Lambie, of the Waimate team, were absent witii the JNew Zealand team in Australia, and Hawera included in their team a ci-acn. three-quarter named llobson, who, it was averred by the former team, was not eligible, and they protested. The Union uphold the protest and ordered the match to be replayed, and on the second occasion the two N.Z. reps weiu back and Waimate won. Tho seven-aside tournament at Kaponga brought out the- keenest competition yet seen- at any sports gathering. There was a specially good trophy, Mr Casey's handsome shiel'dt, and entries came from all parts. The football display was very good indeed. Reverting to the 1893 .protest incident, a member of the then Hawera team explains that, his recollection of the occurrence is that the Union gay© authority for the player mentioned to take the field foi Haewra, anu that atterwards they chagned their by-laws and ■came under the same: as Wellington. They later reversed' the' decision.. He adds that he cannot recall ifi the second match was played, but he Hvelieves it was not. A public appreciation: in London of the late Mr Wormald, of Lancashire, speaks of his association * with football and of the memories of the-: 'Eighties which his death recalls to. many old Kugby football men. "In tho days when the Hunts, the Steels, the Fairs, of Swinton, and the Sawyers of Broughton," it states, "were upholding the honour of Lancashire, Joe Wormald was in the front ranks of all the great lights. For many years he was skipper of the Manchester Football Glub, and for several seasons captained the' Lancashire County team, which he- often led to- victory. While still in his teens he played for the North against the South, and was perhaps a little unlucky not to gain his international cap. For a forward he had a remarkable; turn of speed, was a fearless tackier,, and was probably the best scoring forward of his day. Joe Wormald. was far- more than a sportsman, far more than= a successful business man; he was one of the kindest hearted .and most, lotrable men who ever lived, always ready in word and deed to help those in sornaw or distress, always a peacemaker when strife existed." Our 'Opunake-1 correspondent, writing of the junior match, Okaiawa v. Opunake, says: A laugh was raised when Tuwhaka kicked the ball: His boot came off and flew, through. spa«e considerably further than the Bali With about ten minutes to go the spectators were astonished to see-this same player calmly walk away from, the field, probably in disgust.

(From Our OKaiawa Correspondent). The opening day was- fairly successful for the local club,, two out of*the three teams winning-.. The' seniors did not take the field, at quite theiir anticipated strength. 'Harris- and" Manu were suffering irom injuries,, and a newcoiuei, .Peart, was on the' sick list, and Roberts was unable to., take. the. field. Should these players, be available next week the back division, will h& strengthened considerably,. The juniors surprised our supporters by winning by such a large margm against a team always hard to beat on their own ground. The third* left here minus a manage!, and with only nine players. The weather may have had' something to do .with some of the boys, not rolling up, but it is to be deplored, that the committee did not arrange for same one to go with them. The boys need every encouragement, and it is to be hoped they will be better looked after in future, also that the boys will roll up at practice on Wednesday and so assist the committee to get the team organised.