RUGBY NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 147, 21 May 1930, Page 9

RUGBY NOTES

SATURDAY’S TRIAL MATCH. COMMENT ON THE PLAY. (By “Cross Bar.”) The early visit of the British team necessitated the annual trial game between Horowlienua and Manawatu being played earlier than usual this year. Saturday's trial of strength between the two councils brought with it victory to the local representatives by a seven-point margin—the greatest since 1927. Conditions had promised to be excellent for the game, but the afternoon brought with it heavy rain and the playing of a curtain-raiser match oil the ground did not, unfortunately, improve matters. On their showing while tho ball was comparatively dry, Manawatu might well have won by a far greater margin had it remained line. The two spells were almost a direct contrast in that Manawatu had approximately 80 per cent of the play in the opening half, while Horowlienua came more into their own in the final 45 minutes. Manawatu’s efforts in that first spell were productive of 10 points frCin two convertoed tries, but there were occasions when only bad luck kept them out. Dame Fortune, however, proved somewhat fickle to Horowlienua following the change over, for they went very close to scoring more than once, they having to be content, finally, with a penalty goal. The Manawatu hookers worked well together in tlie first spell with the result that the rearguard received plenty of ball and tiiey handled it very effectively, some of their efforts approaching tho spectacular. Positions were, however, reversed in the second spell, but the movements of the homo backs did not carry with them the same thrust and they seldom secured an attacking position as a result of a handling bout. The outcome of the match naturally played a part ill the determining of the 19 players from whom Manawhenua’s elect to oppose the Britishers will be selected and in the meantime the basis of inclusions is: Manila watu 11, Horowlienua 8. Of the rearguard members it would appear as though Johnson and AV. Parata, of Horowlienua, will go oil to higher things, but apart from T. Parata (.the rover) it is difficult to determine the composition of the frontal division. Braiiiwell, the Manawatu full-back, acquitted himself very creditably, although ho did not probably display the same sureness in handling the ball as did Johnson, his vis-a-vis. Page was the outstanding wing three-quarter, ins determined running enabling him to simply burst through the tackles of Johnson on more than one occasion, while his handling showed marked improvement. Handling is, unfortunately, Strange’s weakness ill tlie meantime, but he could do much to rectify such a practice in private. Taylor, the Horowlienua wing threequarter, who has gained inclusion in the 19, possesses a great pair of hands, while his kicking is powerful, but he does not strike one as a real scoring winger. . Ur the inner men, Fletcher, Riddell and Akuira, the Manawatu trio, were distinctly preferable to Bevan, Westwood and Bull. When on the move the green men speeded up in a hash, whereas the Horowlienua were all too slow in their hand-ons, they taking them, more often than not, when llat-looted. Shapleski, the Maanwatu donkeyman, went very well, more particularly in the first spell when he was obtaining the ball from Ins hookers, but AV. Parata is the more rugged, while lus superior physique enables him to take a more active part in the heavy work than the light green half. Such will no doubt influence the selectors.

Gleeson ,the Manawatu rover, proved quite an excellent general, apart from Ins general play being good, but ho was facing a tough proposition in T. Parata, and the burly Horowhenua rover will no doubt be found figuring in the role against the .Englishmen. The pair had some mix-ups at the 6ide of the scrum and there was a good deal of playing the man when not m possession, but it invariably occurred when the referee was on tlie blind side. All of the forwards who have gained inclusion fully earned their places, including the two Horowhenua players, and wnieh two will be dropped on the day is in the meantime difficult to determine. O. Hight and J) itzgerald, the two Feilding representatives, played in great style from end to end and, presumably, it was only their lack or weight which led to their being passed by. Tatuna, the Alaori repiesentative, did not turn out for Horowlienua on Saturday, but apparently his form in the inter-club competitions fully merited his inclusion in the 19. , . . Since the amalgamation of tlie Horowhenua and Manawatu liugby districts for representative purposes, the two councils have met on 11 occasions and in the meantime the honours rest with the southerners in an unquestionable manner, for they have won seven matches as against Manawatu’s four, and have scored lo< points as compared with 113 by the wearers of the green and white uniform. The 1926 season was Maiiuwatu’s worst, tor in tliao year they lost both trial games by 9—30 and 3—22 respectively, whereas in the initial year of amalgamation Manawatu, following upon their losing the first game 6 —16, had won the second contest 10—18. , e ... Manawatu made up some of then leeway in the 1927 season when, after again entering upon the inter-council activities disastrously by losing out in a free scoring game by 14—16, they won the return game by 18 —9 which put them seven points up on the two games. However, the pendulum again swayed in Horowlienua’s favour in 1928 when the southerners won both games by 15 —6 and 9 —3, which gave them an advantage of four victories and a margin of 48 points over Manawatu. Last season saw a change in the old order when Manawatu won the first game by 15—14 only to lose the return contest by 14 —18, which further extended Horowhenuu’s margin in scoring points to 51. The upward trend was halted on Saturday and, with Manawatu securing a seven point victory, Horowhenua’s margin of wins was reduced to four and their scoring points margin to 44. Of the Manawatu players who figured in Saturday’s contest, Akuira, wTio participated in the second trial in 1925, is the only local member remaining of those who took part in the initial contest following the amalgamation being brought about. The same player, together with 11. Crawford, again ligured in the first of the trials in 1926, while Aides and Galpin made their appearance in the second game that season. Akuira and Crawford gained inclusion in 1927 —the former in tho first trial only—while Shapleski enme in for the second match. Twelve months later Strange, Conrad and C. Hight made their first appearance, to join Akuira, Crawford, Miles, Galpin and Shapleski and all eight figured in Saturday’s match. Akuira who, from point of length of representative appearances, could

well be termed Manawatu’s veteran, has registered lo points in inter-council matches, live points having been credited to him in 11127, six in 1928 and lour on Saturday, Fletcher, who made his debut in 1928, gained 11 points in the two meetings with Horowhenua that year, while next in order of those who participated in Saturday’s game comes Strange with nine points from three tries —one in each ot the games last year and one on Saturday. It. Crawford recorded a try in each of the two matches in 1927, while C. Higlit gained one in the first game last year. Page opened his aceount, so far as the inter-council series are concerned, on Saturday with a try. This player represented Manuwatu in the first intereouncii trial last season. GAMES IN PALMERSTON NORTH. Inclement weather and the counterattraction of the representative fixture at Levin robbed football in Palmerston North of much of its interest on Saturday. With the grounds sodden and the ball greasy, accurate back play was not to be expected, and for the first time this season the brunt of the work fell on the forwards. Under such conditions bright football was not expected and in lew eases did it materialise. An exception was the Senior B fixture at the Showgrounds, where Kia Toa met Woodville. With a margin of 24 points in the Palmerston North team's favour, it will be seen that the game was one-sided, particularly as the tally includes seven unconverted tries. However, the striking feature of the game was the safe and pretty handling of the Kia Toa backs. They impressed, even on a wet day, as being a ]K)tent scoring medium, and the positional play and speed of this division should make it an obstacle to far better trained and fitter teams than Woodville. . The visitors’ strength lay in their forwards, but against a resourceful team, which scorned the usual wet weather tactics, the efforts were in vain, and in the second half of the match Woodville played a purely defensive game. The match between Massey College and United in the Senior B division, while more even, lacked the interest that is always created by an open game. It was a dour forward struggle throughout, played for the most part in the rain, on a heavy field. At times, indeed, it became too dour, and on one occasion tlio referee was called upon to warn two players who were taking it too much in earnest. Massey College had the more aggressive pack, which tells the story of the game m a nutshell. The backs on both sides were particularly fiegligible, and used their hands more than their feet.