RUGBY FOOTBALL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 236, 4 September 1929, Page 10

RUGBY FOOTBALL

MANAWHENUA’S BAD DAY. VISIT FROM~SUB-UNIONS.' (By “Cross Bar.”) Saturday proved to be Manawhenua’s bad day, both its senior and junior representatives suffering defeat. In their three appearances to date, Manawhenua have sustained reverses on each occasion, their scoring aggregate being 45 for with 81 against bad. Matters had appeared promising enough at tho opening season when Manawhenua ran Wairarapa to within two points, but the margin Mattered the blues, apparently, for there was a 21 points difference at the second meeting. Few home enthusiasts hoped for victory against Hawke’s Bay on Saturday, particularly as the selectors had elected to play Bull behind tho scrum —W. Parata being unavailable —with Bevan* at the centre. It seemed like courting disaster and such duly came to pass. While the Manawatu seniors were waging issue with Hawke’s Bay at Napier, tho juniors were opposing Wellington at Levin, but the city players proved too strong in the rearguard for the homesters, although there were but five points between them at the conclusion. The game with Wellington on Saturday marked the second appearance of the Manawhenua juniors for the present season. Strangely enough, iheir scoring activities have been restricted to nine points at each appearance. As they had beaten Wanganui y—s, the blues are one point down on the aggregate. Local enthusiasts were furnished with an interesting game —even though it did not attain great heights—at the Showgrounds on Saturday when a combined team from the Oroua and Te Hawaii- Sub-Unions visited town. The visitors did not prove to be the happy force expected and the Manawatu”rearguard threw the ball about too freely for them. No less than 11 Manawhenua members have figured in the scoring contributions to date this season, Fletcher, who has registered a penalty goal and two goals rrom tries, topping the list with a modest seven points. Tatana, with three conversions, and T. Parata and Strange with two tries each, attend him with six points. It is rather remarkable that, although Manawhenua have taken part in only three matches —two being away from home —no less than 26 players have been called on to date . Three backs in Johnston, Strange and Bevan, and four forwards in latana, Confad, Miles and Parsons are the only members who have taken the field on all three occasions.

Manawatu A’s record this season reads cpiite a favourable one, for Saturday marked their fifth appearance for their fourth victory, their one reverse having been in the return meeting with Horowhenua when a matter of four points separated the sides in a free scoring game. To date, the green and whites possess an aggregate of 95 points for with 58 against them.

As has been witnessed in former years, the number of piayers called upon to wear the green and tvhite jersey of Manawatu during the course of the season attains little short of phenomenal figures, and' Saturday saw four players who had never previously been included in the A team —although why the selectors alone can tell —which brought the total -up to 41. With a total of 4i players figuring in five matches for Manawatu A, it was only to be expected that the scoring contributors would likewise be numerous. The records disclose that* 16 players have assisted towards the compilation of those 95 points. -Fletwho is one of the three players who have figured in four of the five games —McKenzie and Ormond being the others —tops the individual contributors’ list with 20 points front seven goals from tries and two goals from penalties. Whereas Fletcher’s points were distributed over the four matches, Carrington registered 1.1 at his one appearance —against Southern Hawke's Bay—a total which was equalled by Cochrane in two games. Whereas Carrington’s points were forthcoming front two penalty goals, a goal from a try and a try, Coclirano secured a try and a goal from a try against Southern Hawke’s Bay and added two crossings on Saturday. Strange, who figured in the first three matches Manawatu engaged in this season, had the satisfaction or recording a try at each appearance. Saturday saw him contribute two crossings against Hawke's Bay at Napier, but they were tho first furnished by him in the Manawhenua ranks to date, although he has proved a consistent scorer in club football. Page, who registered two crossings against Bush, has still to effect liis nrst crossing for Manawhenua.

Walker, who boasts of a great scoring record in club football, was . not afforded the opportunity of donning the green and white jersey for Manawatu, yet he stepped right into the Manawhenua ranks to contribute a crossing at his first appearance on Saturday. Such is a wonderful illustration of the methods and tactics of the Manawatu selectors as compared with the Manawhenua selectors. It would seem that a re-shuffling in this department will be necessary next season.

Spectators at the Showgraunds on Saturday were treated to an excellent display of lower grade football when Wanganui Technical Old Boys and West End Old Boys, the champions of their respective districts, supplied the curtain-raiser. While the visitors ran out the winners by 24 points to six, there was nothing like that difference judged on the actual play, for West End more than held their own in the second spell; indeed, they did everything but score for quite a period. However, the homesters lacked the finish of the Wanganui rearguard who handled the ball like veterans, jinked, side-stepped and dummied like experts to the manner born. It was delightful football at times, and although the visitors had their record broken, in that they had their line crossed, it was easy to realise that it would be quite possible for them to run up an aggregate of 200

points in club football without having their line actually crossed. THE SUB-UNION GAME.

The manner in which the combined unions’ tefim entered upon their task against Manawatu A on Saturday at the Showgrounds made it appear as though they would prove serious opponents, particularly when they secured the first crossing. However, with Manawatu settling down, it became very evident what the outcome would be. Lack of ball from the set scrums considerably curtailed the activities of the Oroua-Te Kawau backs, but on the few occasions they secured the hail cleanly the handling was too disjointed to be dangerous. It was consequently all the more unfortunate that Goldfinch was an absentee from their ranks. Birkham, at full-back for the subunions, bore more than his full share of the brunt of things but, good as he was, he did not attain the heights of Wasley, the green custodian. Hie Kia Toa player displayed plenty of initiative throughout and was not guilty of making a really bad mistake. No doubt the selectors would realise the error of their ways in persevering with S. Bramwell for so long. Dais, on the right wing for the visiting combination, was very willing in the early moments of the first spell when tho ball did come his way a little, but he still requires some of the rough edges to be moulded off. Moffatt, on the left wing, was a dangerous attacking player lost to view owing to lack of ball. With It. Scott retiring at the interval, after having played quite serviceable football, Moffatb went into centre and he gave probably the most effective bit ot solo work of the game when he jinked his way right through the ' greens on one occasion. However, opportunities like this one came ail too seldom.

Another of the Scott family figured in the five-eighth line together with Smith, and they made a very fair pair of five-eighths, but with the ball in the open they seldom threatened much danger. Tattle, who acted as donkeyman, did not appear to be of the same calibre as Fuller, who did duty lor Te Kawau against Oroua during Show week.

Parsons, rover for the combined team, is a solid forward, but he is more’ of the oldscltool type and would do quite well in all prouability in the support lines. Beard and Simpson also proved useful types, but the side did not give as good a display as was expected. While there were two or three defections from the ranks of Manawatu as usual, the gaps were satisfactorily filled, Ormond sportingly turning out once again when needed, although he had been passed by in the original selection. While the rearguard took some timo to settle down, they went quite well later and, well fed with ball by Bowler and 0. Hight, they kept tlie opposition on the move. The inability of Fietcher to make the trip to Napier resulted in his being available lor the local game, and his kicking meant a good deal in the first spell. While his uisplay lacked robustness at times, some of his sharp thrusts paved tho way to scoring movements, i)ewe going quite well with him in the handling bouts. Shapleski got the ball away smartly and what this player lacks in inches lie makes up for in enterprise. , Of the Manawatu forwards, Waldin, McKenzie and Baker were prominent in tho open, although the latter pair were apt to wait for those opportunities, McKenzie being guilty of getting offside repeatedly in a glaring manner. However, he is a dangerous man when in possession of the ball and next year should find him a top-notch forward, provided he puts his shoulder to the wheel more. Galpin, who led the home team, Bowler and O. Hight levelled in the thick stuff, the manner in which the last-named got back to save on occasions being truly remarkable, he wisely running back on an acute angle—tactics which are all too seldom employed bv forwards.