RUGBY FOOTBALL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 251, 20 September 1933, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL

THE CURTAIN LOWERED. THE FINALISING GAMES. (By “Cross Bar.”) Although the senior team of the Palmerston North Old Boys Club experienced a very indifferent season, the junior fifteen encountered a much rosier path and their season’s activities brought them the Rogers Cup, as the winners of the junior seven-aside tournament held annually on June 3, the Broome Shield, as the winners of the junior inter-club competition, and the Rogers Cup, which is ottered as a “sudden-death” trophy. In view of the fact that it is the fourth year in succession in which the blacks have won the seven-aside tourney, the second occasion in three seasons that they have won the junior championship, and the second year in succession that they have won the “sudden-death” competition, it is apparent that some of those members might well have been included in the senior ranks. True, they may lack, size and weight, but they would without doubt give the senior combination more vim and dash, for it cannot be gainsaid that the few juniors who were promoted to the higher grade to fill vacancies at the beginning of the season proved themselves well worthy of the elevation. In Bunnythorpe, Old Boys were opposing a team which had all the weight and height of a senior combination, but the lighter blacks made up for this deficiency by their superior finish and dash. The Old Boys forwards got through their work well on Saturday and they fully deserved their victory, even though the scoring margin may not have been quite a good guide of the run of the play. The dash which Moxon and some of his partners put into their play was delightful, while Stubbs, at inside five-eighth, played a winning game throughout, s.ome of his cut-tliroiighs being splendid. First use of the wind probably played a part towards Bunnythorpe’s defeat, for they could not force matters in the second spell after battling against the wind in the opening spell. However, while J. Powell, Duthie and H. Waugh got through some good work, it was all too .much of an individual nature to be fruitful. The forwards, with W. Powell getting through a lot of hard work, were fitful and it almost appeared as though they had slackened up in their training. PAST WINNERS. Although the Rogers Cup for the junior sudden-deatli competition was first offered for competition in 1913, it lias not been Bunnythorpe’s fortune to figure as a holder of the trophy. The honour of being the first holder was secured by Feilding, but in the two succeeding years the Huia Club won it. There was no play in the period 1916-1918, but Kia Toa were the first holders after the war. It was then won by Jackcytown prior to High School coming in for the first occasion m 1921, and the schoolboys retained it in 1922. Linton stepped in in 1923, but in the past decade the holders have been local combinations with this year’s winners’ name figuring frequently. The holders of more recent years have been: —•' 1924. —Kia Toa 1929.—Kia Toa 1925. —Old Boys 1930.—Kia Toa B 1926. Old Boys 1931.—High School. 1927. —High School 1932. —Old Boys B 1928. Old Boys 1933.—01 d Boys MANAWATU CONTRIBUTIONS. • TO NORTH ISLAND TEAMS. Although inter-island trials have been conducted continuously since 1902, with an earlier one away back in 1897, Manawatu’s contribution to the teams has been far from impressive, for only four players have been drawn from this union in the three decades. A. Carroll, who later went over to the League code, first represented the North Island in 1919 and again in 1920 and 1921. In the two latter years he went from the North Island team into the New Zealand sides and, strange though it may seem, he is the only Manawatu representative who has played for both the North Island and for New Zealand. However, he was not the first Manawatu player to gain inclusion, for L. J. Furrie gained inclusion in 1904—two years after the annual fixture became established. D. Whisker followed in his footsteps in 1906 and J. MeNae in 1907, and now after a lapse of 12 years Manawatu’s fifth representative, R. McKenzie, has gained a place. D. Brophy, one of the most brilliant rearguard members that Manawatu has produced in the last decade, was unfortunate that he did not rank as a North Island representative, for he filled the role of emergency for the North Island in the 1925 game at Invercargill, but was not required. This player might well have attained a high position in Dominion football had not injuries interrupted his career. W. Dustin, who represented Manawatu for several years, attained the honour in 1912 and 1913, but lie was then playing with the Wanganui Union. Manawatu’s contributions to the ranks of the North Island teams have been: 1904, L. J. Furrie ; 1905, D. Whisker; 1907, J. McNae; 1919-20-21, A. Carroll. STILL HIGHER HONOURS. Although Manawatu’s band of North Island representatives is restricted to the above, it might well have been better had the inter-island fixture been held in 1893, for in that season this union supplied three members of the New Zealand side which toured Australia and won four of their five matches. There was then an interval of 11 years before Manawatu again secured representation, for it was not till 1904 that Alex (“Paddy”) McMinn won a place in the New Zealand fifteen against the Britons in the one Test played, which the Dominion won by 9—3. A brother of the 1904 representative, Arch. McMinn, also gained Dominion honours at about the same period but whereas the one wore the fern leaf in 1904 the other had first worn it in 1903, then missed the 1904 season but came in again in 1905. However, Manawatu cannot claim him for its own, although lie did later play for Manawatu, for Arch. McMinn, who was a wonderful wing forward whereas his brother was a hooker, was nominated by Wairarapa. Another 16 years elapsed before A. Carroll, after gaining a place in the. North Island side, passed into the higher company and he -repeated the performance in the following season. He was thus associated with the successful trip to Australia in 1920 and opposed the redoubtable Springboks in 1921. The sixth and final Manawatu representative to wear the fern leaf was A. D. Law, who went to Australia with the 1925 All Blacks. Like McMinn, Law passed direct into the New Zealand side without having participated in an inter-island match. Possibly the fact that the 1904 fixture was held at Dunedin and the 1925 game at Invercargill may have had something to do with it, for the writer does not profess to know the circumstances surrounding their omission. Manawatu’s contributions to All Black teams are : 1893.—5. Cockroft, J. Mowlem, G. Shannon. 1904. —A. (“Paddy”) McMinn. 1920-21. —A. Carroll.

1925. —A. D. Law.

THE INTER-ISLAND MATCH. RECORD OF THE GAMES. Saturday will witness the staging at Wellington of the inter-island match and the announcement of the team to represent the North Island, while giving Manawatu enthusiasts satisfaction in that R. McKenzie gained a place, would cause some surprise by reason of the fact that so many of the “old brigade” have been given places instead of endeavouring to unearth younger talent with a view to safeguarding the future. However, on paper it reads a formidable combination and it will be surprising should the North Island not register a second successive victory on Saturday. The record of the game is:

Played 27, North won 15, South won 9, drawn 3. Points: North 447, South 291. NORTH ISLAND TEAM, CHOICE OF NEPIA A BIG BLUNDER. SOUTHERN CRITIC’S OPINION. The Christchurch Star’s Rugby critic says: “In choosing the North Island team to play the South Island next Saturday, the selectors have committed a big blunder by putting George Nepia in the full-back position. Harsh critics will bo inclined to say that it is an act of stupidity. Nepia has been playing in minor union football for some years, and his form has not been at all consistent. His inclusion means that younger and brilliant men are discouraged. “Collins (the Taranaki full-back) made a fine impression against Canterbury on Saturday. It is decidedly uniortunate that he was not chosen for the North. He also played sound football in Australia with the All Blacks.” McKENZIE’S SELECTION APPROVED. The Auckland Star says:—

Nobody will cavil much at the choice of the forwards. Having dropped E. F. Barry, the Weilingtomau, no serious harm was done in giving a game to a player who has made a fine reputation this winter, R. McKenzie, the Manawatu forward. But to bring back Athol Mahoney, a 1929 All Black, to oust R. G. Clarke, of the 1932 New Zealand team in Australia, seems to be another foolish move. HAZELHURST’S MISFORTUNE. Rugby players throughout the Dominion will regret the serious accident to the Canterbury player, R. Hazelhurst. This five-eighths has been playing such brilliant Rugby football all the year that his inclusion as No. 1 for the South Island team to meet the North at Wellington next Saturday was a foregone conclusion. It was a fitting termination to his magnificent form throughout the season that one_ of the most spectacular individual feats' seen on Lancaster Park for • many years, a potted goal by Hazelliurst, should have been the cause of literally snatching victory from Taranaki in the final big Ranfurly Shield engagement of the year. INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION. The Manchester Guardian, in an editorial, welcomes the formation of an International Rugby Federation by France, Spain, Czechoslovakia and Italy, at a meeting at Turin, and says: “The British Rugby Unions are not convinced that the game is yet played in France in the same spirit as in Britain. Our unions are not notoriously accessible to new ideas, and their almost fanatical hostility to Rugby League suggests that when the time inevitably comes to tackle professionalism, and payment for broken time, they will not act in a conciliatory spirit. Most British sporting bodies, except cricket clubs, are excessively puritanical about . professionalism. Nevertheless the British Unions’ opposition to brutal play is supported by every lover of football. We hope that the new federation will not start its career under the influences which so harmed the game in France.” THE WALLABIES. SRINGBOIv’S TRIBUTE. The Springbok captain, Philip Nel, paid a great tribute to the Wallabies the other day. In an interview ho said that the Wallabies had earned the full value of their points in the fifth test, and that the definitely better team had won on the day’s play. If the Wallabies had reproduced that form in the fourth test there might have been a different story. He thought that the game, as played by the Wallabies, was going to have a wonderful tonic effect on the South African game. “If we can infuse the spectacular open play of the Wallabies into our South African football it -would l>e a tremendous advantage,” he said. Nel appealed to club captains, coaches, and schoolmasters to introduce this type of football, in order that it might bear fruit in South African and international football. He said that he admired the Wallabies’ outlook on the game. Their sportsmanship was excellent. He was glad that Dr. Ross had played. The Australian captain’s exhibition at full-back was wonderful. Nel said he was of the opinion that the combination of the Australian backs in the fifth test would be difficult to beat. It was with the greatest regret that he bade the Wallabies farewell. DR. ROSS PLEASED. In an interview, Dr. Ross said that the Australian test victories would have a most beneficial effect on Rugby in Australia. The Wallabies had left Australia with what were considered weak forwards and strong backs, but the tour had revealed that the strength of the team lay in the forwards, whereas the backs, except in one or two matches, had not come up to expectations. Dr. Ross paid a tribute to Neser, who was the referee in four of the five tests.

Where played. Won by. Score. 1897 —Wellington ... . North ... 16—3 1902—Wellington ... .. South ... 20—14 1903—Auckland . South ... 12—5 1904 —Dunedin .. Drawn .... .... 3—3 1905—Wellington ... .. North ... 26—0 1906—Wellington .. .. North .... 9—5 1907 —Christ church .. North .... 11—0 1908—Wellington ... .. North .... 12—5 1909— Wellington ... 1910— Christchurch . South .. South ... 19—11 ... 14—10 1911—Wellington ... .. North .... 19—9 1912—Napier .. North .... 12—8 1913 —Christchurch .. South ... 25—0 1914—Wellington ... .. South .... 8—0 1919—Wellington ... . North .... 28—11 1920—Wellington .. 19 21 —C h r listen u r eh .. North .. North .... 12—3 .... 28—13 1922 —Auckland .. South .... 9—8 1923-—Wellington ... .. Drawn .... 6^-6 1924—Wellington .. .. North .... .... 39—8 1925—Invercargill .. .... 16—5 1926—Wellington .. .... 41—9 1927— Wellington .. 1928— Christchurch .... 31—30 .. South .... 15—14 1929—Wellington .. .... 29—20 1931—Wellington .. Drawn .... .... 20—20 1932—Christchurch .. North .... 28-10