RUGBY

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6901, 2 July 1932, Page 8

RUGBY

Football id the Mud

Tlio Manawatu Rugby competitions were continued last Saturday under unfavourable weather conditions. The grounds were heavy after rain and further showers during the afternoon made the hall greasy and hard to handle. For the most part the games were confined to the forwards and while in two of them the winning margins were small, Feilding accounted for United by 15 points to nil.

' At the end of the day Feilding Old Beys were two points in the lead for the senior championship, Palmerston North Old Boys and Kia Toa being next with United and Feilding two points further down. With only two games to play to complete the second round, there are no less than five of the six teams still in the running for the championship.

KIA TOA-OLD BOYS GAME The star game at the Oval was that in which Kia Toa defeated Old Boys by eight points to five. The double blues thoroughly deserved their victory, which came as the result of superior play by their forwards. Territorially Kia Toa had much the better of the game and the winning margin might have been greater. At the same time, however, Old Boys might ca.uly liave pulled tho game out of the fire in the last few minutes.

The Kia Toa forwards were ably led by McKenzie and Findlay who revelled in the conditions and who were prominent all through the game. The forwards went well together. They used their weight to good advantage and packed solidly. This really gave them the game for in other departments the teams were evenly matched. The Kia Toa backs played well and though they did not attempt to open the game up much, they gave their forwards every support, particularly with judicious line-kicking. Kia Toa meet Feilding Old Boys to-day and if their forwards pack and work as they did last Saturday, they will bo a very hard team to beat and they may easily upset the championship loaders. Two of Old Boys’ main forwards in Henry and Youlc were absent through injuries and the forwards were not as convincing as they have been in other matches this season. The black forwards were outweighted by the opposition but they tried every inch of the journey and had the fates been kinder the match might easily have gone their way. Jordan and Yortt in the tight work and McNeil in the loose appeared to be the blacks' best forwards on the day. With the Kia Toa forwards dominating the play and keeping the game tight, the Old Boys’ backs did not seo much of the ball. Irvine, at hall, stood up well to the heavy work though he might have been wiser to have left the field after receiving the knock which made him very groggy. The other backs were quite safe on defence, in which department Olliver stood out.

“Curly” Fletcher, the Old Boys’ centre, has left for Auckland and may not return. He has been a great asset to the Old Boys’ Club and to representative foomu.ii in this district. As mentioned before in these columns, with chances in big football in one of tho centres, Fletcher snould go far as he has all tho attributes of a first-class player. Old Boys and United meet to-day on tho Oval for the early match and if conditions are favourable a great game should result.

MASSEY COLLEGE-FEILDING OLD BOYS GAME Massey College put up a great light against Feilding Old Boys and though beaten by two points, had, if anything, the better of the game, particularly in the second spell during which Feilding Old Boys were on tho defensive for most of the time. It was a fast game and thero would have been plenty of back play but for the shower which fell half way through the first spell and wdiieh made the ball too greasy for accurate handling. The College backs played a defensive game for the first three parts of the match and they stood well up to their men, giving tho speedy green backs little space to work in. The Collegians handled the ball remarkably well but lacked the ability to put the finishing touch on some promising movements. The forwards played exceptionally fino foot'll, Thej worked well together and

Last Saturday’s Games Reviewed

combined to effect in some fine dribbling rushes, one or two of which went tho length of the field. In the lineouts Massey College were superior to Feilding but honours were about even in the set scrums. Le Quesno and Cooper were not up to their usual form but McDonald, Wolfenden and Gibson played their best games to date. The full backs, Mitchell and Trass, were Tight on the job. The Collegian handled very well while Trass was instrumental in saving his side from defeat. He stopped a large number of forward rushes and his line-kicking was very good. Bramwell was patchy on attack but his accurate kicking saved his forwards a lot of extra work. Dcwe appeared to be the soundest of tho inside backs while N. Amadio, on the wing, played his usual sound game, and his goal kicking was worth four points to his side. The Feilding Old Boys' forwards were very subdued and they let the College through a great deal.

Metcalfe, the College half, got through plenty of work and he lost no time in getting the ball away to nis backs. Douglas, at second five-eighth, played his first game for tho College. He is a Scots College player and captained the first XV. for two years. He is an acquisition and was perhaps the best of the College backs. MeShcrry was sound as first fivc-eiglitli, while Chennels, on the wing, maintained the improvement he is showing each Saturday. College had a territorial advantage m tho game and were unlucky to lose. Feilding Old Boys won by two points and their victory may bo attributed to better line kicking and the sound play of Trass. The College showed much improved form and whilo the backs played with better understanding, the dribbling of the forwards was the feature of the game. They have not won a match yet but it will be ; surprising if they do not upset someone’s “apple cart” before tho season is over. College is down to meet Feilding to-day.

FEILDING’S CONVINCING WIN AGAINST UNITED It was anticipated that the FeildingUnitcd match, which was played behind tho Showgrounds grandstand, would be hard-fought and that the issue would bo in doubt until the finish. The ground, however, was almost reduced to a quagmire by the rain and it was not very long before it became apparent to the handful of spectators that Feilding were going to dominate the play. Feilding had six points on at the interval and they added another nine points before “no side,” finishing with a margin of 15 points, which came as the result of five tries. Under the conditions accurate handling and fielding of the ball was out of the question and in the second spell there was a fair amount of wild kicking. It is worthy of mention that four of the kicks at goal struck the upright above the crossbar and while threo of them rebounded into the field the fourth went outside the posts. Tho game was mostly confined to the forwards and Feilding were more at homo under the conditions than United. It was the same with the backs and in this department tho visitors mado the most of their opportunities. To sum up, United wero outclassed on the day.

EULINGS BY NEW ZEALAND KEFEEEES’ ASSOCIATION a. ■ -■■■«< Following are some questions and replies dealt with by . the executive of

tho New Zealand Referees’ Association: — (1) In a 3-4-1 scrummage is tho ball out of the scrummago when it is clear of the feet of tho second row forwards ? Answer —Yes! (2) When the ball is clear of the second row forwards can tho back row man detach himself from tho sciumniago and pick up the ball without retiring behind it? Answer —Yes' (3) Can tho half back play the ball as in the position of question i? Answer —Yes!

(4) The new rule appears to be that tho ball is out when it has crossed the touch line 'and has been blown back into tho field of play by the wind. In the caso of a player standing in the field of play and reaching over the touch lino and taking the ball, which is in touch, on the full, what is the ruling? Answer —The ball is in touch immediately it crosses tho touch line in its flight! (5) Wlieu does the advantage rule begin to apply from a throw in from touch, the ball being thrown in straight and the necessary five yards. If from a line out a player knocks on, should tho refereo wait for the advantage? Answer —Yes, the line out ceases wnen tho ball has been thrown five yards and has alighted at right angles to the touch line. The advantage rule can then ho applied!

(6) From a lino out B half back gets possession and puts in a kick (over the heads of his own forwards) which does not go more than ten yards, and, following up quickly beats an opponent D for possession. May he then pass it to his forwards B 2 or must they be ruled offside being previously within ten yards of D, who was waiting to receive the ball? Answer —The half back may pass the ball to his forwards if ho passed them before they moved forward towards D.

(7) Similarly in general play if the kicker, B, follows up his own kick, which goes more than ten yards, and beats D for possession, who is waiting for the ball, are offside B players within ten yards of D still to be mlcd against if they accept a pass from B 7 Answer —Yes, in this case they arc to be ruled against.

PRINCE OF WALES CUP GKEAT MAORI MATCH TEAM TO REPRESENT CHALLENGERS Tho following Maori players have been selected to represent the challengers (Tai Hauauru) in the Prince of Wales Rugby Football Cup match, to be played at Palmerston North on Juiy 9:—

M. Johnson (Manawhcnua), M. Downs (Wanganui), T. Himona (Wairarapa), R. Watson (Taranaki), C. Hohaia (Taranaki), T. Robinson (Taranaki), R. Potaka (Wanganui), W. Parata (Manawhcnua), T. Parata (Manawhenua), J. Walker (Wairarapa), M. Taiuru (Wanganui), J. Flutey (Wairarapa), K. Weterc (King Country), P. Parai (Wellington), E. Ropata (Manawhenua), L. Kawc (King Country), J. Malcolm (Taranaki).

BUNNYTHORPE TEAMS AWAHURI v. OROUA DOWNS The following teams will represent Bunnythorpo Football Club in the Rugby competition matches to-day:— Juniors v. Batteries at No. 5 Showgrounds at 1.15 p.m.: H. Jefferies, R. Mitchell, J. Pinfold, G. Guard, C. Pinfold, D. O’Shea, C. Pentecost, W. Webb, F. Burton, P. Eastwood, E. Duthie, F. McKinley, .Tames, J. Powell, W. Sutherland, hi. Thomas, W. Powell, I. Waugh. Fourths v. Feilding High School at roilding High School grounds at 2 p.m.: F. Groves, C. Hyde, G. Grant, J. Bowyer, M. Hyde, W. Davies, J. Burton, It. Bowyer, A. Cantwell, Vautier, Taylor, C. James,' A. Gee, J. Gawlcr, G. Gurney, Redshaw. Tho following players will represent Awahuri against Oroua Downs to-day: C. Cribb, W. Cribb, Lawton, W. Graham, Goffc, J. Graham, W. Cole, McGregor, Cornwall, G. Mataki, D. To Oko, R. Tait, C. Hancock, A. Te Oka, N. Cathcw; emergencies, D. Lewis, K. Lewis, K. Heta.