NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 155, 2 June 1937, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

representative team. The Manawatu representative team to meet Wanganui on Wednesday next (June 9) will he announced by the so e selector (Mr J. A. Colquhoun) at the conclusion of the club matches on Saturday. The personnel of the team will he posted on the notice board at tie “Standard” office. A Promising Addition. Although early indications of the strength of the Massey College team, as shown in the match with Woodville on Saturday, might not have been veiy promising, as the game progressed the College side demonstrated tnat in the senior competition they may be a force to be ‘reckoned with. With littjc sting in the forward play and ragged ness in the work of the backs, the first section of the match gave the indication that the Woodville team might, with a little luck, take the honours of the day. Heavier and taller forwards were elfectivelv countered by the kcGii v\ oodville pack, and though they had pracically all of the ball from the scrums and the line-outs the College backs could do little l with it. Later the ' ior-wards-produced! a vastly different style of gamo and the backs, though still not

working as a line, demonstrated some brilliant individual efforts. Using Height. Again on Saturday, Campbell, the full-back for Massey College, • showed his knowledge of tiie value ot a high kick in giving liis men time to be on the spot when the ball lands. It was noticeable that his opponent Reynolds aimed at length and the line, often gaining his objective with fine efforts, and on others having the satisfaction of seeing the opposition side have to kick the ball out 35 yards or so up the field in front of him. Campbell, however, put ample height into many of bis kicks and while the ball was high he and other members ol bis side were planning the downfall of the AVoodville player who might take it. Campbell showed line judgment in the first half, when lie bad to take a scries of kicks from the opposition with sun shining directly into li is eyes. Not one, was missed. Reynolds was applauded on a number of occasions for excellent work, but be showed a tendency to try to beat players instead of using bis boot when lie was unsupported. When collared lie bad no one to pass to or assist him. Such a predicament may led to disaster. Speedy Winger. Twenty-two of age, Robinson, one of the wing-three-quarters playing lor the Massey College side, showed a very fast pair of feet. This is bis iirst year at Rugby, although he has played senior grade hockey for the College team. Robinson lias a lot to learn, but be is willing, plucky, and not slow in picking lip the game. He was in his first competition match on Saturday, and if his performance maintains its standard lie should not be standing on the bunk watching others play. Incidentally, Robinson is a track runner and was placed third in the Manawatu and AVest Coast Amateur Athletic Centre’s championship meeting, while lie was second to AVatt in the New Zealand University tournament. Knowledge First-hand. Massey College seniors arc lucky in having as a coach one who is only just off the field of play, Mr F. Sherwood, a member of the staff of the Department of Agriculture. This is bis first season out of active participation in the game. He was a representative forward in Auckland and was associated with the Auckland' University team for four years. At the end of last season be came to Palmerston North and, being a university man, naturally drifted toward other/ university players. At Auckland be .made a very fine job of the secretaryship of the Auckland University • Football Club and earlier this season was one of the mainsprings in the organisation of the Spillane Cup tournament at Palmerston North. College Players.

Among the Massey'College forwards those who caught the eye were Sutton, Terry, Thurston, Irving, Green and Dixon. Of the backs, Stewart and Fr.aiicis, first and second five-eightlis respectively, with Blytli at half, appeared to be. the host. The Woodville Side.

A new face in the AVoodville team on Saturday was that of Skinner, in the forwards.. It was his first game lor the sicie tins season as on previous Saturdays lie lias had certain interests in aviation to occupy his attention. He pinyed a good bustling game. Ansiii was brought from the wing threequarter position to that of half-back. He sent the ball out well when he received it, which was not as often as Blytli did on the other side of the scrum, and on the whole did quite well. Practice at shooting the ball out quickly would improvo bis play at that position. Burlaee, AV. McKinlay and Carpenter were the pick of the AVoodville pack, Carpenter,' ; a promoted junior, appears to be the makings of a good forward. Of the backs, the Booth brothers and Reynolds were the best. Taking Up Hockey. Having suffered somewhat at the hands of injuries at Rugby, Hutchinson, a member of the AVoodville pack at the beginning of the season, has decided to throw in bis'lot with hockey. Like a number of others lie cannot afford to be incapacitated and prefers to take up a spore—admittedly a good one —where injuries, if as frequent, may not at least be as serious.^ If the game between Kia Toa and Old Boys was lacking in the spectacular it certainly must have appealed to the keen follower ot the code as providing a splendid demonstration pf tackling. In the second spell Kia Toa definitely had the upper hand, and Old Boys secured a glimpse of enemy territory on but few occasions. But the twelve points which the blues put on could easily have been doubled had the defence of the blacks weakened. There were some on the sideline who said that Kia Toa were unlucky, but that is hardly the case; it was Old Boys’ solid tackling that stemmed the tide.

New Player’s 111-Luck. H. Orinond, who played for United last season and has been in Taranaki until recently took bis place at centre for Old Boys on Saturday for the first time. Unfortunately, he did not get the chance to even warm up, and he sustained an injury in the first few minutes and had to retire. limes, who filled the' vacancy, played a fair game. Good Hooking.

There was not a great deal of difference in the Kia Toa and. Old Bovs packs—if anything Kia Toa were the lighter—but Old Boys bad to do a gi'eat deal of extra work, through faulty handling in the backs, and in the scrums Kia Toa secured the leather by a 3 to 1 majority. _ Crawford certainly had on his hooking boots and on the day proved that ni6 nomination for the All Black trials has been entirely justified. Holding On Too Long. Thomas, who lias been watched closely this season as a possible first five-eighths for the representatives, was just a little disappointing on the 'day. Admittedly some of his runs were tricky and ground was gained, but he showed a desire to go on with it instead of passing on when he had drawn the opposition. His field goal was a good piece of work and, coming within a minute of the opening of the second spell, it took Old Boys, and the crowd too, by surprise. * On defence he is right down on his man. McKenzie’s Top Form.

R. M. McKenzie, the All Black, is obviously determined to put bis weight against the Springboks in the Tests. Playing easily liis best game ol the season, he stood out on Saturday as the best forward on the ground. It was lie who paved the way for Kia Toa’s first try when he sent out a 20yard pass like the shot out ot a gun tor It. AVasley and Barnao to do the rest. Throughout the game he was feeding li is backs when circumstances deemed it wise to do sp. His Day Out.

Old Boys’ best forward was probably It. Cutler, who was continually on the ball. That he is dangerous near the line was proved when he scored from a scramble, gathering in the leather and pouncing over in the twinkling of an eye. He is not the build of a representative, however, and does not always play as he did on Saturday. A Well-Worked Scrum. Students of Rugby are well aware of the fact that the good forward is

often the one who is not seen at his work. It is probable, therefore, that Knyvett and Ewart, of Feilding Old Boys, who were not spectacular in the game at Feilding on Saturday, were chiefly responsible for the excellent management of the scrums. The screwing and hooking were a complete success, and Dewe, who was swifter in action than usual, got possession of the hall from practically every scrum. The pack carried out their job with credit to themselves and to their instructor, against a heavier pack, too., Good Inner Backs.

Pawson took liis' passes from Dewe without making a mistake throughout the game at Feilding, and he sent on to Ball with precision. Seldom, in fact, has Pawson played bettor. The BallBramwell combination, however, was scarcely satisfying. No penetration, aud a too orthodox method throughout allowed opportunities to pass by. Some sudden changes in the way of attack would have been better, .probably. Seeing that Feilding Old Boys got so much of the ball, they might . have been expected to make better use of it. Directional punting was not a feature of the play'. Spoiling Tactics. Spoiling tactics arc quite legitimate in Rugby, hut spectators do not like this kind of play. St. Patrick’s inside backs played the game of endeavouring to intercept their opponents’ passes, and they played it successfully. They arc not to he criticised for this style of play. Feilding Old Boys should have had a counter method to defeat it. They failed to unfold this, when the occasion demanded it.

Speedy W.ing Three-quarters. Mullins is such a good three-quarter that it is a pity, lie had to stand down on Saturday, but there was little fault to find with AVaugli and Henry Dewe, both of whom scored tries. AVaugh is always slow to get ro liis maximum speed, while Dewe is icry fast off the mark. To race round the brothers Gillespie < and then throw off the opposing full-back to score was one of the most brilliant incidents, as it was certainly the most sensational of the game.