NOTES ON THE GAME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 222, 19 August 1936, Page 14

NOTES ON THE GAME.

MANAWATU TOURING TEAM. (By “Half-Back.”) The Manawatu touring team con-' chided its southern programme with the match against Canterbury to-day and returns to Palmerston North tomorrow. Although the team failed in its quest to lift the Ranfurly Shield, it gave a good account of itself in the match with Otago and many of the shield-holders’ supporters had visions of the coveted trophy changing hands, but it was not to be. The team were beaten by a converted try and two penalty goals to a converted try. Summing up the merits of the two teams, the Otago Daily Times points out that when the Manawatu side took the lead in the second spell by 5 points to a penalty goal, and with their forwards playing with the greatest dash, there was an uneasy feeling among local followers of the game that on the third challenge the shield holders were to lose the coveted trophy. Then Taylor kicked another penalty > goal and Watt put the issue beyond doubt with a brilliant run to score. That was a few minutes before time. Otago were awarded eight penalty kicks in the first spell, and after Trevathan had missed with three shots lavlor was tried and he kicked a fine goal. In the second spell Otago were awarded seven penalty kicks, and from one of these Taylor, as stated, was successful. Manawatu did not have one penalty kick awarded them in the first half and only two in the second. As the score ended in favour of Otago by a try (converted by Taylor) and two penalty goals to a try scored by Gillespie and converted by Powell, it can be seen that the greater part of the score against the visiting team was the result of their infringements, chiefly at tlie scrums. . Discussing the individual Manawatu players, the Times says that the bustling, fast following Manawatu forwards, with Sullivan, Powell and McKenzie always in the thick of the play, kept the opposing team very busy right through the spell. They beat the blues in the line-outs —ineffective though their work was at times—and they

gave Brinsden, scrum half, a good share of the ball from the scrums. And some of the movements from the scrums spelt danger to the blues. Thurston and Fletcher, the five-eighths, had some thrust in their running, but their passing lacked finish, otherwise the result might have boon different. On more than one occasion the Manawatu backs came away and had a man over in support when their passing broke down. Their backs did not drop into good line, and they were at times inclined to pass flat-footed. Waldin, full-back, played a sound and serviceable game for his side. He had a good idea of position and he kicked well, and collared soundly. The Manawatu three-quarters did hot have many opportunities, but no fault could be found with their tackling, and that can be said of the visiting team as a whole.

At the meeting of the management committee of the Manawatu Rugby Union, last nigiit, it was announced that M. F. Henry, the Manawatu and Palmerston North Old Boys forward, had been transferred on promotion to the King Country. Henry lias been a stalwart of Manawatu Rugby for a number of years, and has proved himself one of the best forwards the union lias produced. A hard worker always, he has shone both in the light and loose play, and he has undoubtedly left his mark on football in this district. In appreciation of his services, the management committee decided to send him a letter of congratulation on his promotion and to place on record a minute of his outstanding services |to Rugby. An extract from the minutes of the last meeting of the New Zealand Union states:—“The New South Wales Union wrote suggesting that the amended kick-into-touch rule be observed in matches played by the Australian team in New Zealand. This was agreed to for this present tour.” E. It. G. Stcere, former Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand representative, was married on Monday, to Miss Bessie Owen, of Napier. Mr Steere, who is now stationed at the Hutt, was honoured at a pleasant function in the dress-ing-quarters at McLean Park, Napier, on Saturday afternoon when, on behalf of members of the Napier High School Old Boys Club, for which he formerly played over a number of years, he was presented with a handsome salad bowl. More than usual interest attached to the arrival of the Australian Rugby team in Auckland by the Aorangi on Monday, for included in the personnel was J. D. (“Bill”) Hammon, who two years ago-assisted Auckland to win the Ranfurly Shield from Hawke’s Bay. He was then wing three-quarter in the Grammar School Old Boys’ fifteen, but has developed into a fiveeighth since. Another interesting personality to New Zealanders was T. C. Pauling, a young New South Wales forward, who is a son of the late Tom Pauling, of the 1896 and 1897 All Blacks. The latter is one of the six or seven New Zealand Rugby representatives who have played both for this country and for an Australian State or the Commonwealth, haying represented New South Wales against Queensland in 1898 and 1899. It is reported that the West Coast team which will play Canterbury at Christchurch on September 12 will probably spend some days at Ivaikoura, “freshening up” for the Seddon Shield match with Marlborough on September 19, and for the match with Otago for the Ranfurly Shield, if the trophy _ has not left Duiiedin, on September 26. The Australian Rugby tourists will open their New Zealand tour next Saturday, when they meet the Auckland representatives at Auckland. The following Wednesday the Australians will meet Wanganui and on Saturday, August 29, Hawke’s Bay will try conclusions with the tourists at Napier. It is many years since a Rugby player and a cricketer has captained Wellington in both phases of sport, but this honour has been achieved m the last 12 months by J. R- Lamason. He led the Wellington Plunket Shield team last season, and was skipper of the Wellington Rugby fifteen which defeated Hawke’s Bay. Lamason has lost something of -his dash, but he is still a very useful man. He is frequently accused of being a “shiner,” but Lamason is a player who uses his head. His only handicap is his lack of pace. Whether lie will hold his place in the Wellington team is problematical, but the fact that he was appointed captain would seem to indicate that _ the selector will be loath to drop him. The obsession among some inside backs to continually punt ahead instead of retaining possession among one’s own players lias spelt disaster on many an occasion. It is recalled that years ago the famous Otago old player and referee, Jimmy Duncan, was coaching a side which included a well-known representative inside back. This player had developed a habit of punting ahead to a gap to such a degree that on occasions he completely overdid it, to the disgust of his fellow players and coach. After one particular "match and at the subsequent practice on Tuesday evening, Duncan said to the player, “That kieiking of yours on Saturday was no good to the team on attack and you will have to spend next Saturday afternoon learning how the game should be played.” So the player mentioned had to look on on Saturday afternoon, watching his team play the right kind of football. As he was a prospective representative player his disappointment can be well imagined. There are very few inside backs who know how to successfully exploit the punt ahead and follow through. Many piay try to copy, but very few can equal real experts, for precisely the same reason that it was well-nigh impossible—so it was said by those who knew—to copy with success the late Victor Trumper’s unorthodox style at the batting crease.