THE NATIONAL GAME

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 164, 12 June 1926, Page 4

THE NATIONAL GAME

(By “Croi

The North v. South match at Wellington to-day-. All Black Cupples is now farming at Cambridge. The sum of £790 was taken at the Hawke’s Bay-Wairarapa match at Napier. Official figures published by tho Hawke’s Bay Union show that 8093 fans were in attendance at the June 3 Shield fixture, as compared with 8100 last year. No less than 750 patrons at theßanfu,rly Shield match at Napier possessed honorary members’ privileges or complimentary tickets. Tyree, the old Kia Toa, Manawatu and Bush representative, is now assisting Athletic in tho Wellington competitions. Crossman, the diminutive, but brilliant wing three-quarter, who toured New Zealand with the New South Wales team, recently suffered concussion of the brain in stopping a forward rush. Crossman had been proving tho mainstay of tho Randwick team for, in addition to his try getting ability, he is also a reliable goal kicker. He was leadng tho list of point scorers in tho Union premiership at the time of the accident which sent him to hospital. A feature of the Hawke’s Bay-Wai-rarapa game was the manner in which the big forwards of tho champions handled the leather in smashing, penetrating rushes, which swept all before them.

A kick by Nepia from behind his own goal line in tho Shield match went out at half-way on the full, but apart from his wonderful kicking, his play was considered, as not being such as to enthuse over. All Black Jim Donald, who figured in tho five-eighth line for Wairarapa, is reported to have come out of the experiment badly. The Daily Telegraph says: Reid, a big hooker, played well in the loose and kept on the ball,but the green front rankers did not appear in the same picture as the home pair who hooked the oval consistently and cleanly.— Portion of the description fits Reid, the dashing player who assisted Old Boys and Manawatu last season, but from point of stature there appears to be something wrong. Harvey, the Wairarapa forward who experienced such indifferent fortune on the tour of the Old World, was going great guns in the Shield match with Hawke’s Bay when he sustained a kick on tho head.

Blake, who played a sparkling game in the opening Shield match against Wairarapa, suffered a bruised thigh muscle, which prevented him figuring against Wanganui. The Southland Union requested the Otago Union to amend the date of the annual fixture from a Wednesday to a Saturday for, despite tho fact that tho general half-holiday in Invercargill is observed on the Wednesday, it had been found that Saturday was the better day. Strangely enough Palmerston North, which is similarly situated, finds Saturday tho best sporting day. Poneko gave Petone, the leaders in the Wellington competitions, quite a strenuous time for the honours’ at their meeting last Saturday. Two penalty goals and the conversion of a try by Mark Nicholls gave Petone an 11 points lead at the interval, Poneko securing the three points forthcoming from the second spell by way of a penalty goal. After a struggle against tho inroads of professionalism lasting 30 years, Yorkshire has carried off the Rugby Union County Championship. The last timo Yorkshire won was in 1890. A soutliorn statistician registered 103 line outs in the AVellington-Can-terbury gamoon Thursday last. There were also 32-set scrums, while Wellington received 11 free kicks and Canterbury seven. Captain A. A. Alexander, who is ono of tho members of tho Indian Army Hockey team at present in the Dominion, is a former Rugby player. For the first seven aside tournament ever held in London, 49 teams entered and the displays were so fine that the critics were loud in their praise of the new kind of Rugby. They are now asking for moro in the interval between cricket and football.

The New South AVales Rugby League has* given 94 sportsmasters season tickets, 384 schoolboys season tickets and 128 footballs to primary schools. It also pays out of pocket expenses to the masters for travelling with their teams, buying oranges, chewing gum, etc. By 19 points to 13, the British Army defeated the French Army at Rugby, at tho Stade de Colombes, Paris. It made the third win for the British Army, tho French having won two games, while one match was drawn.

It was the opinion of Alark Nicholls after tlie AVellington - Canterbury match on Thursday week last that Oliver, of the red and black fifteen, appeared to be a very hard man to follow and affected the combination of tho side. Oliver has, however, been included in the South Island side to opposo the North to-day. The ex-All Black and N.Z.E.F. player, AV. A. Ford, who figured at full-back for Canterbury against AA'ellington, is considered to be one of the most versatile players in New Zealand. Ho usually figures in the role of wing three-auarter. The advantage in height and poundage of the AVellington forwards gave them an advantage on the line-outs and nearly three parts of tho scrums in tho Canterbur y-AVell ington match. Dickson, tho 1925 All Black, was not available for tho Australian tour, and

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for the South Island team. For the second occasion this season, Linwood and Christchurch played a drawn game last Saturday, the scores being 9—9. In tho first round they finished up 6—6. _ Ponsonby ran up 36 points to Grafton’s six last Saturday, while Grammar emerged with an eleventh hour victory over University, three points separating 1 the teams at conclusion. College Rifles, who had gone under to Marists the previous round, turned the tables by 12 —8. In the match played as a benefit for the Otago representative forward, Len Williams, who was injured in a club match last season, Otago beat North Otago by 24—6. It is expected that Williams will benefit to the extent of £250, H. E. (“Ginger”) Nicholls played one of his best games to date last Saturday. He nipped round tho scrum nicely on two or three occasions, but his passing is stated to be still his chief fault. Gilbert, full back for Ponoke, is reported to have been the star back of tho side on Saturda3 T , not making a mistake the whole game. Walters, last season’s "Wellington representative full-back, was head and shoulders above any other back seen in action in the Wellington-Berhain-pore match last Saturday. Darby, who has been figuring on the wings for Oriental since his arrival in Wellington, filled the fullback position last Saturday with better results. v Walker, a member of the Dunedin Pirates Club which ran University A to within four points, was responsible for all 10 of his side's points. Two free kicks —one from half way and a field goal constituted the points. Dr. Stanley, who is one of the best three-quarters New South .Wales has produced in recent years, is to go to England- shortly, states the Sydney Sportsman. There are estimated to be 114 teams playing Rugby in Dunedin every week, thus representing 1710 players. Five tries were registered by Pirates against Taieri on a sodden ground last Saturday, the running champion, H. D. Morgan, being responsible for all. A Dunedin writes tips the following as probable to represent Otago in the early representative matches this season: —Stevenson, Webb, Robinson, Wise, Dickinson (if mended and plaj'ing), Pacey (or Mitchell), St. George, Knox, Hiridenach (or Malloch), Maule, Sontang, Burt, Dunne, AleMeek in g, Jackman. Tlie game to-day is not nearly so hard as it used to be. Why, I re; member the timo when the Kaikorai team did not have its line crossed for some years. Then tho first score against it was a potted goal by Jack O’Shea, centre three-quarter for University. Tho old song “The Alan Who Broke the Bank at Alonte Carlo” was all the rage, but the Dunedin people changed it to “The Alan Who Kicked tho Goal’ Against the Kaikorai.”—E. E. Booth, ill an exchange. HO AY TO PASS. THE JIAIAIY RA T AN AY AY. Don Sandman (Army team and South Island representative) says: “There is only one way to pass, and that is tho quickest way. It must be done in ono movement.” In explaining his theory he said that many half-backs unconsciously gave a swing of their arms in tho opposite direction to which they were going to pass. Consequently, when they did pass they were seconds too lute. One of the best methods for a halfback to learn to pick up a ball quickly is to kick a ball up against a wall. It comes off at all angles and gives a man good practice. All passing should bo snappy. Jimmy Ryan always taught us that when a man was running up to take a pass he should look for an opening. Then when he gets the ball, he is able to cut out a man or two in liis stride. A man should always run straight when he has the ball. I would sooner seo a man run a yard or two straight and be ‘dumped’ than run across the field.” “Sandy” learnt his football at tho Christchurch Normal School, and was in tho team which put up a record by scoring 243 points against 3 (a penalty). He is now coaching the Aierivale third grade team.

IN LOAVER GRADES.

THE CHAAIPIONSHIP TABLES. . THIRD GRADE. At the opening of the season nine teams signified their intention of participating in the third grade competitions, but on the opening day it was found that Jaekeytown had been over optimistic in their declaration, while Feilding were also doubtful starters. AVhle Jaekeytown failed to take the field, a win by default being temporarily credited Bunnythorpe, Feilding fulfilled their engagement against St. Patrick’s, only to suffer a reverse by 16 —0. To cope with the situation, the fixture list was amended and Bunnythorpe were deducted the two'points and awarded a bye, while, with Feilding defaulting two further matches, the yellow and blacks were automatically withdrawn from the series and the teams which they were to have met credited with two points weekly. Five of the seven opposing fifteens have been thus credited with their points, leaving AVest End and St. Patrick’s still to secure their bloodless victories. With six matches

decided up to and including Saturday last the positions of the competing teams are as under:

FOURTH GRADE.

The fourth grade series have been subject to interruption so far as tho school teams are concerned and, whereas some of the fifteens have played all their six games to date, High School and Feilding High School aro two matches in arrears owing to their having been in vacation. Technical School, however, have fulfilled all their engagements and at present hold tho lead, but Feilding are but a point in arrears with a match in hand, while Feilding High School have won all four matches played. The position, accordingly, is obscured. Following aro the positions of the team up to and including Saturday last: Points Ch.

*Jackeytown withdrew at the opening of tlie season and have not actually played in a match. ’‘High School’s two losses were forthcoming from defaults, no points having been scored against them in the other two games played.

P. W. L. Points Cli. D. For Ag. Pts Ivia Toa ... G G — — GO G 12 Old Boys ... 6 5 1 — 43 15 10 Western U. o 3 1 1 28 29 7 Bunnvthorpe 5 2 2 1 23 23 5 St. Patrick’s 6 2 . 13 1 26 41 5 Woodville 6 1 3 2 6 28 4 West End 6 1 4 1 35 62 3 Eeilding ... G 6 — — 0 16 — 46 26 14 6 220 220 46

p. Technical W. L. D. For Ag. Pts School ... G 5 1 — 136 33 10 Feilding ... 5 4 1 1 43 20 9 Feilding H.S. 4 4 — . 182 3 8 St. Patrick’s 6 4 2 91 33 8 Woodville G 2 3 1 27 59 0 High School 4 2 2 — GO 0 4 Feilding O.B. 5 Kia Toa ... 6 2 3 — 31 56 4 2 4 . 22 128 4 Western U. • 6 1 5 — 6 266 2 Jackeytown G 54 26 20 2 598 598 54