In The Rugby Field

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6915, 22 May 1929, Page 9

In The Rugby Field

It is a long time since there has been such a reverse in the senior championship ladder as took place on Saturday, and it probably the first lime that two championship leaders have been beaten simultaneously on adjacent grounds. An Interesting Position.

With Fcilding Old Boys only a single point ahead of the four teams on the second rung, and with a. bare two points between the head and foot ot the ladder, the championship is in a most interesting position. From all points of view the closeness of _ the field is an excellent thing for it stimulates interest in both public and playLast season, the fourth playing Saturday found Kia Toa at the head ot the ladder with eight points and an unbeaten record, Old Boys next with six points and sharing the second rung with Fcilding. Well below these three came Athletic and Fcilding Old Boys with two points apiece, while Woodvillc had not opened its account. This season’s position, therefore, shows much closer competition and u plain intimation that last year’s form cannot be taken as an indication, of 1929 possibilities. Juniors Also

There is close competition also for the leading positions in the junior grade, and only a single point separates the three top rungs of the ladder. Old Boys, who have unquestionably a most promising liftccn, have so far an unbeaten record, but they have not yet met the schoolboys, who until last baturday were on even terms with them. With the entry of the second Massey College team this coming Saturday, this grade will be brought up to the same numerical strength as last year. The Honours Board. • Following is a table showing the six top scorers in the senior grade to date:

After Saturday’s display it is apparent that there is urgent need for reorganisation in. Old Boys’ camp. When the season commenced it was believed that with the number of good backs available the club would have no difficulty in fielding a strong attacking combination. If Saturday’s rearguard is unable to adopt different tactics the club selection committee would be well advised to make some drastic alterations.. Borrowed for the day from the junior grade, Fletcher was th? one player who was consistently solid in defence and attack. His passing was excellent and liis kicking judicious. Bose’s inability to tackle made his selection as full back hard to understand. Bennett, who will be on the bank for some time, was sadly missed. It is hardly likely that the club will persist with Sutherland after his display. Had the winger anything like a pair of hands, Old Boys would again have headed the ladder. Page would have been better in the position. If the black backs were not playing to instructions, it would seem that the veteran Akuira is forgetting how to open a game up. His habit of heading for a bunch of opposing forwards when in possession of the leather will never win matches. Riddell, on the scene agaiD, combined well with Fletcher, but failed to show judgment in his use of the short punt. Too many players seem to overlook tho fact that possession in football means as much as in law. The black vanguard was stolid and failed to counter the tactics adopted by its oppoisitcs. For consistency in keeping with tlie leather it would be difficult to separate Snell and Nield. A Merited Victory

The victory gained by the 14 Feeding Old Boys on Saturday was a well merited one. If the honours were to bo apportioned the forwards would take the major share. With no advantage in weight they held their opponents. bustled the black rearguard, and when occasion offered threw the leather to and fro in a manner which turned Old Boys into onlookers. The Feilding backs took no risks with Akuira and Co., standing well up and successfully stifling time and again the blacks ’ efforts to open up. Watson as a rover was a successful spoiler, though referee Campbell was particularly lenient in his interpretation of the offside rule. McLeod had ms kicking boots with him. Of the 35 points_ he scored, a dozen were from place-kicks. Massey College Promises Well. In keeping Old Boys to a score of 23 —3, Massey College put up a remarkably fine performance, considering that, the members of the team only arrived in Palmerston North from all parts of New Zealand on the Saturday morning, and their appearance on the oval was the first time they had been togcthei. For most of the boys it was the first game of the season. From the form displayed it would be a safe surmise that before' many weeks the Massey College teams will be facters to bo considered in the decision of the junior competition. Old Boys were perhaps lucky to have met them so early in their career. The Third Grade.

The third grade competition is in an intercstsing position. Old Boys A, like their club mates in the junior grade, have so far an unbeaten record and are in sole possession of the top rung of the championship ladder. The blacks have a clear two-point lead over Feildiug High School, St. Pat’s and Bunnytliorpc, who have six points- apiece. Feilding High School and Bunnytliorpe, however, have played only three games ns against Old Hoys’ four, those last two teams met on May 11, when the

country team won by B—3, but owing to tho official referee not being present to control the game, the management committee of the Rugby council decided to strike out the result and have the game played at a later date if necessary. Tho position at present, therefore, is that these two teams arc a game behind the remainder of those in the competition. Championship Ladder.

Woodville and Feilding

The blues were fairly beaten on Saturday by Fcilding, but they did not deserve to be beaten by 16 points. In an up and down game, they had Fcilding defending on numerous occasions and at least twice lost tries which appeared certainties. McKenzie, the big double blue forward, was the first man who threw away three points by endeavouring to pass when within liveyards of the line. With his formidable weight and fighting qualities he could easily have repeated his earlier performance of bullocking over, and with considerably less opposition, lie elected to transfer, however, with a clear opening in front of him, and as is so often the case in critical moments,, his pass wa3 lost in the ruck. In the final five minutes of the game, the Woodville centre, Redwood, made a good opening which a little determination would have turned into a try. He also elected to get rid of the ball to a marked man, with the result that the unfortunate recipient of the transfer was quickly dealt with and nothing achieved. Hard-working Woodville Pack

Credit must go to tho Woodville pack as a hard-working, fast-breaking team. They are a weighty crowd, but arc not content to rely upon that alone. Eaclcs and Charles, the big hookers, arc a great pair of woikcrs, while in Jones and McKenzie (a promoted junior) the club appears to have unearthed some promising material. Dean, who replaced Eades, is also a big customer and a useful toiler. Hutchinson at the side of tho scrum played an energetic game from whistle to whistle and contributed not a little to the breaking up of the Fcilding attack. This player’s claims as a representative rover will have to bo considered if .he maintains his present enterprising methods. Dark Blue Rearguard Fails

The veteran “Snowy” Wigzell turned out for Woodville again, and at the base of the scrum did some useful work on occasions. His backs, however, failed to take advantage of the leather when he gave it to them.

In the eighths’ line, Gillespie vvas useful as an individualist, but not as a unit in a combination. Goodwin, his partner, gave some shocking passes, although he grassed a few Fcilding men capably enough. The Woodville rearguard, as a combined force, gave its forwards very little support. Shapleski Does Well

Feilding backs were not a great- deal better, but with Shapleski behind the scrum, they saw more of tho ball than did the double blues. Kia Ton’s old donkeyman is decidedly an acquisition to tho yellow and blacks, his work od both attack and defence being very sound. His try was the most attracfivo piece of work seen during the game. He had bad luck also on several occasions when he tried stock tactics near the line.

Fcilding forwards had stiff opposition, but they fought the game all the way through. They had tho better of matters in the set scrums, perhaps owing to tho loss of Fades from Woodvine’s hooking duo. For the forwards tho game was an exhausting one, as there were numerous sudden changes in the scene of play, with a lot of hard work in the loose. Simpson is a new recruit who acquitted himself well, while Lynch, the two Hight brothers and the veteran Bowler were always to bo found in the close neighbourhood of the ball. Mulled Passes

Feilding backs, in common with the rearguards of the other senior teams, appear to bo suffering from a chronic inability to handle the leather as a combination. As individuals they have several useful members, but in concerted action their effectiveness is nullified all too often by bad passes and a weakness in accepting good passes. Four playing Saturdays have nowpassed, and it is time that, some improvement was noticeable in this direction. Too Much Energy

During the course of the game there were several instances of too willing tackles which were developed further after the plavcr caught in possession had got rid of the ball. The whistle might justifiably have been used to chasten the ovcr-energetic on occasions. A player should be encouraged to take his man and leave him under no misconception as to his destination, but once that is done he should not proceed further with the matter. Among the Casualties

The ball gave up the struggle early in the Fcilding-Woodvillc game and had to be replaced. Footballers arc usually not worried by this sort of thing to the same extent as cricketers, but on this occasion the call for “new ball was very obviously justified. High School’s Draw-

nigh School fielded a scratch team on Saturday against Feilding Old Boys and as a result could only secure a draw. This cannot be taken in dis-

paragement of Old Boys, who played quite a fair game and were considerably strengthened by the inclusion of Gibbs, a re-graded senior, who was one of the stars of Fcilding Agricultural College first XV some three years ago. Unusually hard luck dogged Bradley, of the School team, who in as many minutes essayed twice to drop a field goal. On both occasions his kick had excellent direction, but struck the cross bar to bounce back into the field of play. High School have shaped well so far this season, and until Saturday . had been sharing tho top rung of the junior ladder with Old Boys. With then show engagement against To Ante a month away, they have some big stuff in front of them and will need everything they can muster. Athletic Climbing.

Athletic won its match against Kia Toa in the first half. It was quite a solid and thoroughly determined 16 that donned the green jersey, but long-range kicking is of little avail unless there is a smart follow-up, and in hesitation in getting away after the ball was the Athletic pack's big wcakess. To Kia Toa it proved a godsend, for the fumbling backs were often given two chances ot getting rid of the ball. The form shown by Fearnlcy was something to watch. When the leather did get the past the three-quarter line, it was generally quite safe. It may or may not be a significant fact that the Kia Toa 14, after the ordering off of Thompson after a biici | conversation with the referee, Mr. Hands, gathered the game to itself and ran up the points more rapidly than had their opponents —significant in this way, that from then on, tho Kia Toa backs were enabled to move more freely land Athletic’s tendency to get off-side iwas checked. Evidently, the departing donkeyman had dropped a word in the 'ear of tho whistle-holder.

Nevertheless, it was Athletic’s day and the result will doubtless hearten the new team to further effort. ‘< ‘ Diehards ’ ’ Disorganised.

The “diehards” were evidently sadly disorganised by the absence of Grifien, Parsons, Ilcize and Crawford and the necessity for having to call on no lower than half a dozen “spares.’ In this respect the opposite side was fortunate in meeting the Kia Toa main body so depleted in numbers, but no excuses were forthcoming.

HOROWIIENUA.

Meta Johnson is the mainstay of the Oiaki team. His line kicking, to say the least, was brilliant. It is a treat to soo Pratt back in his old place among tho Shannon senior pack. Hannah is a good tip for representative honours, und is a lino forward. The Shannou pack was on its game on Saturday, Dalzell and Williams being prominent. McKenzie played his usual game, but still hangs on too long. Walls was good. Ho is rather inclined to go through the scrum witft tho ball. Send it out, Harry, there is no need to be under everyone else so often. Picard improved on his play of the previous week and Goodwin hud a day off. This hapens to the best sometimes Gray was a vast improvement as fullback.

Mason played wadi for juniors, though his goal kicking was atrocious. The Levin ground wants attending to badly. It will probably bc : done when tlic rep, fixtures are arranged. Tokomaru is getting some wins this season. Good for Toko!

Tries Pen. Con. P.G. Tl. McLeod (F.O.B.) 1 5 7 0 32 Walker (O.B.) .. 8 0 0 0 24 Cuff (Fldg.) .... 0 4 5 0 22 Rose (O.B.) .... 3 0 3 0 15 Strange (Kia T.) 5 0 0 0 15 Mullins (Kia T.) 0 1 5 0 13 Blacks Should Be Better

P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts Old Boys A .. 4 4 0 0 87 30 S Fcildins; H.S. . 3 3 0 0 CO 40 0 St. Patrick’s ■ 4 3 1 0 40 S 0 Bunnythorpe . 3 3 0 0 72 12 0 Kia To a 4 1 1 21 20 5 W.E.O.B 4 O o 0 21 34 4 Old Bovs B .. 4 i 3 0 2S 81 - Feilding 4 i 3 0 0 58 Wcodville ... 4 0 3 1 15 87 1 Athletic .... 4 0 4 0 0 3 0