RUGBY NOTES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6630, 8 June 1928, Page 5

RUGBY NOTES

(By “Tho A FEW NOTES ON BACK PLAT. Generally speaking, the back play of the average senior team is so orthodox that ordinary tacklers have no difficulty in chocking .any move by tho attackers. , Scrum after scrum, match after match, back teams adopt the same positions and the same method of attack. With monotonous regularity the ball goes from half-back to five-eighths until it is kicked, or one of tho backs is tackled with it in his possession. It must be remembered that when a scrum is formed, back teams arc in a very orthodox position and if the defenders arc even the shadow of tacklevs it is a most difficult job to get through. Short Kick. Now and again we sec a second fiveeighths or a centre kick with the object no doubt of allowing the other backs to reach the ball. The kick is usually made too strong, too far from the opposing back team with the result that they are able to turn and reach the ball as soon as the attackers. One week’s practice, twenty times a day running as fast as possible and making a short kick will improve any back to such an extent that almost every time it is attempted in a game itwill turn to great advantage for his own side. Fielding a Ball,

Every player can improve himself in this by practice. If the ball is on tho right side the right leg must be back and vice versa. Commence Ny moving up slowly to a stationary ball and half scoop and half pick tho ball up, with the right leg in the rear. Gradually increase the pace until you arc going as fast as you can. After practicing this fifty times you will find that you automatically change stop, if necessary, so that the right leg is always to the rear When proficient at fielding a stationary ball practice with a ball rolling to you and then rolling from you. It is worth it as a good many hard knocks will be saved from attacking forwards.

It is in, what appears to be a small matter such as lidding a ball, that groat, players arc made. Eighty per cent of the backs in club football will take and kick a ball as well as the backs of the New Zealand team at present on tour in Africa, and it is fairly safe to assume that the majority of the New Zealand backs would not run a hundred yards under eleven seconds.

Success in one department of the game clears the vision and gives confidence which is a big asset to any player particularly a back. If you cannot find time (twenty minutes three or four days a week before work) in the winter practice in the summer. Walker In Action.

It was more than ever apparent on Monday, that Manawatu football has sustained a. severe loss in the removal to the capital city of Walker, the exKia Toa winger. Ho was undoubtedly the star man of Oriental “A”, who annexed the Thompson-Payne cup from his old club. ■ He has improved his game considerably since ho left here, indeed he has been described by- an enthusiastic football writer in a Wellington contemporary, as “swift as a swallow.’’ In the final and semifinal which saw “Ones” win the senior cup on Monday, Walker scored both of the tries against ’Varsity and the sole crossing against Kia Toa.

Palmerston North Does Better. Palmerston North clubs did better at this year’s sevea-a-side tournament than they did in 1927, when not one town club won a final. On Monday, St. Pats and Old Boys won the junior and third grade sections respectively, while Kia Toa contested the senior final with Oriental “A”, and Terraco End “A” were in the primary school’s final with Rongotea. Old Boys Versus Woodville. Old Boys had some useful cantors against Woodville on Saturday. The dark blues made a very poor showing in the first half when tho blacks ran up 21 points against them. Their forwards, usually their strong department, got the worst of it while their rearguard as a combined force was negligible Individually one or two of them showed up, but there was little attempt at co-operation in defence. They showed up to considerably better advantage in the second spell, however when tho blue packmen took quite a fair share of attack, Charles and Eados being prominent in most of the rushes. Considering their avoirdupois the blue packmen showed an inability to apply their weight to the best advantage, Erin Go Bragh.

Congratulations to St. Pats, on annexing the Kogcrs Cup at the seveu-a-side. Their win was in the nature of a surprise, calculated to disorganise the punters. The greens played good football throughout, and deserved their win. They upset the popular calculations w’heu they defeated Old Boys “A” by eight points in the semifinals. Rose proved to bo the pointgetter for the team on this occasion, when tho ex-High School five-eighths scored a try, converted it himself, and kicked a penalty goal. Eoso also scored a lino solo try in the final against Bunuythorpo and finished oil his effort by converting it himself, He is a player who is distinctly an asset to St. Patrick’s club. A Well-Deserved Win.

The greens, as a team played well together and displayed all that keenness and dash which distinguishes their liftecn-a-sido play. Their forwards wore such only in name, while Palcnsld a promoted third grade player, as donkey-man, gave tho backs plenty of leather and took his part in the flying squad very well indeed.

Olf-sidet.” ) The Maroon Jersey. While it must bo admitted that St. Pats deserved their win, Buunythorpe, the semi-finalists, in the junior section, looked very like securing the honours. The country seven displayed surprising form, their defeat of High School being especially meritorious. Gibbs, the maroon half was a splendid defensive back, and a tower of strength to his side, while W. Clcvcly who hunted with the High School pack last year, played one of th& best forward games on the ground. L. Smith, on the Bunnythorpe left wing, was a very dangerous three-quarter, proving an exceptionally hard man to tackle. How Do You Do, Mr. Conrad! After Peilding had been congratulating itself for weeks on having a nice racecourse for Mr. Conrad to work upon, somebody put a horrid rumour round i;hat Mr. Conrad wasn't going to work, there at all. The Manawatil Rugby Uuion had given its chief iodine officer instructions to lay in fresh stocks against the coming of the big man and they were all going to bo wanted. Kia Toa were so overcome by emotion at the absence of Mr. Conrad that they beat Old Boys before they realised what they had done. I Then all at once Peilding began to look bright and happy, and call Palmerston 1 North a suburb. Yes, the dreadful rumour wasn’t true. Amongst those present on Saturday, second instant, 'was Mr, Conrad looking very chic in a black and yellow football jersey and cricket boots with All Black shorts to complete tho ensemble. Whereupon our doggerel rhymster suggested the following: — How do you do, Mr. Conrad, how are youf We’ve been waiting, Mr. Conrad! How are you? Our skies w r crc looking grey Till w r o heard you’d conic to stay. Now we’ll wallop Kia Toa. How do you do? The Also Bans. \ High School and Old Boys “A”, who were both hot favourites for junior seven-a-sido honours, came to grief after reaching the semi-finals. Both wore teams possessing.fast clover backs, who could play the seven-a-sido game, but in the two contests that saw' them go down, they lacked the sting which distinguished their opponents. The school boys were equal on crossings with Bunnythorpe, only the two points of a conversion separating the teams. It was unfortunate for School that Fletcher, when he scored school's second try, did not make an attempt, to ground the ball nearer the posts, and thus give the goal kicker a better chance. The School five-eighths was still on his feet when ho crossed and it was probably only over-anxiety which made him low'cr the leather in the corner.

Well Done Rongotea. There was no doubt that the best team won, in the primary. schools seven-a side. Rongotea, who annexed the Boon Cup last year also, were a line combination of young players. The country boys had a day of big scoring. Coming through a bye in the first round, they beat Manchester Street “B”, 23-nil in the second, Newbury, 29-nil in the third, and Lytton Street, 31-3 in the semi-final. The solitary six points scored against them during the day, ertsne from a penalty kick by Ward in the iinal and a try by Kitchen against Lytton Street in the semi-linal. Rongotea’s line was only crossed once during the whole course of the tournament, and they emerged with the excellent record of 96 points for, and C against. The speedy manner in which these schoolboys handled the ball and their excellent rearguard tactics, might well be an object lesson for older, and presumably wiser teams. The'fact that this team came from a comparatively small country school renders their win all the more meritorious and reflects the greatest credit upon the master in charge of the coaching (Mr. C. Biggins). The school is fortunate in possessing young players of the stamp of Burgess, Gloyn, Parker, and Freckhngton —boys who should prove distinct additions to the ranks of the SubUnion teams, when they leave school. Athletic on Improve.

Athletic are distinctly on the up grade as was shown to their holding Kia Ton’s conquerors to the comparatively small margin of five points. Kells is undoubtedly in his place as rover. Hutchins, Payne and McQueen were a trio of grafters all through the piece. Burstcll, who filled the vacancy on the wing three-quarter caused by E. Taylor’s temporary incapacitation, went well while his form lasted. His try in the first spell was the result of a determined dash topping off a nice little movement initiated by Field. Robb ■was prominent in a number of good movements, while Fcarulcy as the last line of defence gave a convincing display. Hard Luck Woodville.

One cannot but sympathise with Woodvillo iu losing the third grade scvcn-a-sidc. They did not open their account in the liual, but they went very close indeed to "it on several occasions. The country seven played fast open football, and looked like the winners until they met Old Boys. Still the Woodvillo fifteen is at the head of the third grade ladder so that the country club has fresh fields to conquer.

A Nov;' Half-Back. Nelson JlcKnight who has definitely settled in Palmerston North has joined up with the Athletic club, and will be seen behind the pack on Saturday. Nelson played half-back in Auckland a couple of seasons back and his brother is well known in the Hughy world uu north.

Athletic ... 6 0 6 0 23 154 0] The Peilding Pack. | With last Saturday’s acquisition; Peilding's pack now includes a hefty! quartet in the two Hights. Bow'lcr and Conrad. With Darragh Bros. Ltd. and Kelly their back combination reads very well on paper though the spoiling tactics of Athletic did not give them many chances on Saturday. TE KAWA. Teams for Saturday. Seniors v. Hui Mai at Sandon. Leave Eongotca at 1.30 p.m. Gust (2), Amadio, O’Connor, Scott (2), Goldfinch, Puller, K. Vile, J. Walsh, K. Algar, Petersen, H. Towcli, Waiteman, Bastin, Barnaby. Juniors v. Huia at Eongotea. Knight (2), Gust (2), Burne (3), Mudford, R. Saunders, Wilson, Sexton, O. Gardner, H. Duker, Dixon, S. Gould, E. Boyce, D. Thompson, M. Rowe. Thirds v. Huia at Bangiotu .Bus leaves Eongotea at 1 p.m. J. Eichfield, H. Eadcs, J.' Liggins, P. Wright (capt), E. Wright, E. Parker, G. Frecklington, J. Major, S. Poupard, W.' Gloyn, E. Gloyn, E. Gust, Pedley, Martin, Pedlcy. Awahuri HI. in Te Kawau Union on Saturday to assemble at Awahuri at 1 p.m. sharp. Chectham (2), Mikkclsen (2), Hansen (2), Cribb (2), Petersen, Dewar, O. Farrell, Hamilton, Montcgomerie, Matthews, Hari, Colo, Lewis, Simeon. TE KAWA FIXTURES For Third Bound. June 9—Hui Mai v, Eongotea at Sandon, (Mr. S. Eeeve); Awahuri v. Oroua Downs at Awahuri (Mr. J. Hughes). June 16—Eongotca v. Awahuri at Eongotea (Mr. E. Spry); Oroua Downs v. Hui Mai at Oroua Downs (Mr. L. Sim). June 23 —Eongotea v. Oroua Downs at Eongotea (Mr. E. Spry); Hui Mai v. Awahuri at Sandon (Mr. S. Kecvc). Junior. June 9—Eongotea v. Huia at Kongotea (Mr. E. Spry); Oroua Downs v Awahuri at Oroua Downs (Mr. L. Sim). June 16—Awahuri V. Eongotea at Awahuri (Mr. J. Hughes); Huia v. Oroua Downs at Eangiota (Mr. G. Fitzgerald). Juno 23 —Oroua Downs v. Eongotea at Oroua Downs (Mr. L. Sim); Awahuri v. Huia at Awahuri (Mr. T Lewis). Thirds. Juno 9—Huia v. Eongotea at Eangl* otu (Mr. G. Fitzgerald); Awahuri v. Hui Mai at Awahuri (Mr. T. Lewis). Juno 16 —Eongotea v. Awahuri (Mr. E. Spry); Hui Mai v. Huia at Sandon (Mr. C. Sanson). Juno 23—Eongotea v. Hui Mai at Eongotea (Mr. E. Spry)’; Huia v. Awahuri at Eangiotu (Mr. W. Hughes).

Third Grade Honours Board. P. W. L. 15. for ag. pts Woodvillo .. (5 5 0 1 300 15 11 St. Pats ... C 4 1 1 8(1 33 . £) Bunnythorpo 0 4 2 0 5(3 S3 8 Feiiding ... C 3 3 0 57 50 G Feilding H.S. 6 3 3 0 74 43 6 W.E.O.B. ... 6 2 3 1 71 55 £>! Old Boys A 0 2 3 1 (39 57 5 Old Boys B 5 2 3 0 11 45 ■ 4 Kia Toa ‘ 5 2 3 0 23 90 4