NOTES ON THE GAME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 245, 14 September 1938, Page 15

NOTES ON THE GAME.

KING COUNTRY MATCH. (By “Front Row.”) Although King Country Rugby patrons regarded the match with Manawatu on Saturday as one of the best played in their district for many years, the display from the spectacular point of view was really disappointing to the Manawatu followers. It was mainly a forward tussle and was not nearly so entertaining as the previous week’s match against Auckland, played at Palmerston North. It was quite evident that King Country footballers generally lack a knowledge of the finer points of the game. Certainly Manawatu only won by two points, but had conditions been more to their liking they would have done much better.

A Good Forward. The best forward in the Alanawatu team was undoubtedly Y. Fleming, who, as was the case last AVednesday, was continually breaking through and leading punishing foot rushes. BAlcCashin also went well. Of the backs, Edlin again impressed, and the Alassey College winger, Stewart, played a great game. He tackles well and runs with determination. Hansen, a 6ft., 19-year-old player, was the best forward among the homesters, and Crossman was the best of the backs. Despite reports to the effect that Crossman played his best game for three years,' the Afanawatu players were really disappointed in him.

Griffiths in Wanganui. The All Black five-eighth, J. L. Griffiths, has been transferred from the Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, to the Wanganui branch as relieving officer.

Hawke’s Bay Play. “The centre kick was used to good advantage by the wing three-quarters, Apsey and Fox,” states a Hawke’s Bay writer in commenting on the Wanganui-Hawke’s Bay match of Saturday last. “Very few opportunities came their way and on most occasions the defenders were numerous. All eyes were on Fox and liis many supporters must have received genuine pleasure from tho manner in which he scored his try. It was not a difficult one, and he completely fooled the fullpack by propping and then continuing to grass the ball without being challenged. It was Ward’s day. He just missed the ‘hat trick’—three successive tries—even though his tally was three Ward (side-row) made his name while’playing in Southland under simi : lar conditions and against Wanganui his handling of the ball was uncanny. He rarely made a mistake and ho was seldom out of position when a reverse pass was required to open up the attack.” Fourteen Morkels.

Mention of the English Rugby team playing somo time ago in Johatiiiesburg brought forward a comment by an-English writer that it was odd to run through tho Transvaal team and not seo the name Morkel in it. I here

was a time,” ho wrote, “when, no Springbok fifteen was complete without two or three Morkels. Perhaps the most famous of them was Duggie Morkel, who was a marvellous placekicker. The Alorkels could put a firstclass team into the field —and did (almost) on one occasion. For some charity a strong Western Province team played a team composed of 14 Alorkels and a man called Jones. The Western Province played in white, tho Alorkels in blue, and Jones in yellow. In spite of this handicap, Jones was the man of the match. He scored the only try.” Hawke’s Bay’s Challenge.

In view of the challenge by Hawke’s Bay against Alanawatu on September 24, the following personnel of the Hawke’s Bay side which trounced Wanganui last Saturday is of interest. The team was: M. Dyer, E. Apsey, W. Palmer, R. Fox, C. Le Quesne, H. L. Bradley, L. Clothier, J. Dallimore, R. Ward. P. Smith, A Bowman, C. Wilson, L. Hannigan, D. Dalton, E. Jackson. “Only three times previously have Hawke’s Bay registered a higher total against AVanganui than they did on Saturday, when they won by 29 points to three,” states a Hawke’s Bay writer. “Talcing into consideration the atrocious state of Nelson Park, Hastings, “ Hawke’s Bay’s effort must be ranked as one of their best wet-day performances for many years.”