THE NATIONAL GAME

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 176, 26 June 1926, Page 4

THE NATIONAL GAME

Hawke’s Bay oppose Wairarapa at Masterton to-day.-Hawke’s Bay is making overtures to tlio N.Z. Union for a match versus the All Blacks prior to their departure for Australia. The gross takings at the interisland match were £1620 and the net £1563.

Mark Nicholls has now been chosen as an All Black depresentativeinfive different years, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925 and 1926. He thus equals the record of W. J. Wallace and J. Steel.

It is the opinion of the management committee of the New Zealand Union that next year a series of trials should be held prior to the interisland match to determine the team to tour South Africa in 1928, for the team will have to be selected on the basis of 1927 form.

It has not been decided whether the match,_ Hawke’s Bay v. Canterbury., at Christchurch on September 18, will be a Ranfurly Shield fixture. Many and loud have been the complaints over the selection of the South Island team. It is interesting to note that D. Stuart, who hooked in the inter-island game, had not filled the position since 1907, when he played for Timaru High School. A Christchurch writer maintains that, on the splendid form displayed by the Otago forward, C. Sonntag,in the inter-island game, he was entitled to a place in the New Zealand team over Cyril Brownlie or Kirkpatrick. Commenting upon Kingi, the Taihape half-back, who has secured a place in the Maori team to visit Great Britain* and France, an exchange recounts the following: “Kingi is a clever little player and he was the hero of a humorous incident at Christchurch. Kingi had apparently been knocked out, lying inert on the ground, the referee whistling for the ambulance. His comrades crowded round and the art-

ful little dodgor told them in Maori that “ho was all right, but wanted a breather!”

The Te Mori Rose Bowl game finished local enthusiasts with football of a spectacular nature, risks being taken to such an extent that one wonders what would have happened had they been attempted against some of the star pakeha sides. However, this much could be said for the participants in the match, they certainly attempted to make the contest fast and open for the ball flew about in electrical fashion.

The selection of the players who are to do honour for the Maori exponents of the code in' the old Rugby world of Britain and the new world of France •was, as is always the case, attended with a few surprises. On the basis of AVednesday’s gamo, Potaka can be considered very lucky to find a place, although much must be forgiven him in view of the shocking exhibition by his inner, Peina, who could do nothing right. Presumably, the selectors had something other than that performance to judge him by. One of the most prominent forwards in AVednesday’s game ywas “Lofty” Lewis, his towering advantage on the line-outs assisting to this end. However, he made full use of his height and in this respect was an asset of value to the blacks, while his general play was very fair. Unfortunately for him he was not one of the successful candidates.

A burly hooker in Peihana promised to be a certainty for the Maori tour, his general work, apart from his success in the hooking department, making him appear to be vastly superior to Stewart, the much smaller and lighter Otago candidate. Peiliana slowed towards the end, while his legs appeared to bo giving him trouble and such may have influenced the selectors in their decision.

Apparently only 13 players remained to bo selected prior to the Te Hori Itose Bowl game on Wednesday, the other 15 having been already earmarked by the selectors. Consequently the prospects of the majority of the participants were nil from the commencement. Batty, the fast Grammar Old Boys’ player, struck the writer as far superior to Haupapa or Tatana in liis general play, but, whereas they were favoured, he was passed by. Many local enthusiasts considered Akuira, the Old Boys’ player, a possibility, but, despite the excellent' game he played, Ivingi, who had been originally selected to play in the match, but who was unable to fulfill his engagement owing to'a hip injury, was given one of the places, the second half having been already selected. Ray Bell, the Southlander who has already taken part in somo 69 representative games for Southland, South Island, Maoris and. New Zealand, will fill the position of vice-captain to the touring team, W. Barclay, the Hawke’s Bay player, filling the major

AMONG THE PLAYERS.

NOTES FROM ALL SOURCES.

(By "Cross-Bar.”)

role. Bell will prove a handy man, for he can occupy almost any position, back or forward. In club football about the only position he has not filled is full-back.

The brown-skinned tourists have a heavy programme in front of them when they reach Europe. They play seven games in France for a kick-off, and then twice that number in England and AA’ales, returning then across the English Channel to the. land ‘ of “parlez vous” and “mademoiselle” to play Bordeaux, Limagos, Bayonne, Pau, and Beziers in quick succession, finishing up the crusade with a final fame in Gay Paree. They play in all 7 games and the actual playing tour extends from September 12 to December 26.

“Jock” Richardson, the famous All Black, is now the secretary of the Southland. Boxing Association. “Jock” has not abandoned football, although he has made but one or two appearances this season, but from now on he will play regularly, and ho should be available for the Southland representative team.

The appointment of Porter as captain of the All Black side in view of Nicholls’s excellent leadership, in the New South AA r ales match, and the general opinion that the latter is the better general of the pair, must come as a dirpriso (writes a Rugby scribe). If Porter plays the same stylo of wingi forward game in Australia as he did j in the inter-island match he is going j to be penalised, and this is a dangerous position for a captain to be in. As the time for the All Black contests draws closer, enthusiasm is becoming more marked, and crowds greater than any that have watched the old code should see the New Zealanders at play (says a Sydney writer). A few Moascar Cup contests may be | expected in the r.ear future (states an j exchange). Challenges must bo in by ; .Tune 30, but so far only one school has ; made a bid for the trophy—Palmeri ston High School, who did not chali lenge for the cup last year. Napier , Boys’ High School, beaten 21 to 6 by the natives last year, will not bo a contender for the honours this season, but almost certainly New Plymouth Boys’ High and Mt. Albert Grammar will be in full cry after the coveted award, for the Taranaki school was beaten only 3—o last year, and the northern college ran the holders to within 12 —8 on their own ground. [Palmerston North have now waived their light to meet the holders of the trophy.] The Bay team to line out at Masterton was the same as on the first meeting of the provinces this year, except that G. Yates replaced George Nepia who was not available. A Hawke’s Bay writer considers that AA r . P. Harris, the young Marist custodian, might have been tried out—he is an improving boy with a nico conception of the full-back game, and is very sure in fielding and powerful in kicking, both feet. The senior members of the North and South Island Rugby teams were K. S. Svenson and Ron. Stewart. Svenson was in the North Island team in 1921, and represented the South Island in the following year.. The last inter-island match was his fourth. Stewart played in inter-island football before any other member of his side. He represented the South Island in 1923, after having been an emergency the previous year. _ Had Maurice Brownlie taken part in the last contest, he would have been' the _ only player who had taken part in interisland matches without a break since 1922. Mark Nicholls also played; for •the North in 1922, but since then he has missed two of .the games. Once an All Black, always an All Black. This truism was amply demonstrated at least by one All Black who participated in the Pirates-Star battle (says the Southland Times). Jock Richardson stood out head and shoulders —and body too—over the others in the matter of “big football” play. His tackling, kicking, line-out work and general tactics were as good as of yore, and if he can be induced to take part in the rep. games, will be a great leader for the forwards. Jock has lost none of his dash, and would have been a certainty for inclusion in the South Island and New Zealand teams had he been available.

If the Frenchmen accept an invitation next year New Zealand will have two international sides in the Dominion in the one season —New South Wales and France. It is to be hoped that it will not mean the picking of two separato All Black sides as was the case in 1921 when the B team was easily beaten by New South Wales. Lucas (Auckland) has advised the selectors that he* is unable to make the trip to Australia with the New Zealand team. He has been replaced by Brown (Taranaki).