AUSTRALIA'S RUGBY TEAM FOR BRITAIN

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 153, 1 July 1939, Page 13

AUSTRALIA'S RUGBY TEAM FOR BRITAIN

IS THE PACK TOO LOOSE ?

A CRITIC, WRITING IN SYDNEY REFEREE, HAS THAT OPINION FORWARDS LIKE ‘‘WILD BILL” CERUTTI WILL BE MISSED We can be confident that the 1939 Wallaby Rugby Union team for Britain will blend into one of the finest Australia has ever sent away, writes V.C. Davis, in the Sydney Referee. Mr. W. W. Hill, president of the N.S.W. Rugby Union, has expressed openly the opinion that the team will be better than the 1927-28 Waratah team which went to England.

There may, however, be some difficulty on the tour if big heavy forwards are encountered, as is likely. The Australian vanguard, as a whole, averages 13st. 111 b. a man. Of course, a higher poundage average can be fielded in a pack. It looks as if the Test pack would; be just over list, a man.

cided early so that a real team can be built up. Actually Smith impresses as the best five-eighth we have, and while he can play good football in the centres, it remains to be seen if he is as deadly there as he is in closer to the scrum. Richards and Collins are known to have the ability to turn on sterling five-eighth play, and with Carrick a specialist at inside centre, it may happen that Smith will settle down at outer.

The selectors have gone for the fast, rather loose type of forward. There are few really accomplished scrummagers in the team. A Cerutti or a Hutchison might have been a valuable acquisition in this respect. Luring the tour, no doubt, men will dovetail in more satisfactorily as time goes on and a more general solidity should be acquired. It not, there may be some trouble from the dyed-in-the-wool forwards such as we have seen in recent films from the Old Country, notably the English pack. ft will be realised by the members of the Australian touring party that forward play in Britain takes on a character that it does not always have in Australia. For one thing there is more scope in Britain for dribbling. The hard Australian grounds make dribbling very difficult if the weather is line. Men like Ramsay and Windon will come into their own with their bent for footwork.

On the other hand a combination which might well turn out to be the best back line Australia could field, is Ramalli (half), Smith (five-eighth), Carrick (inner), Carpenter (outer), and Kelaher and Nicholson (wings).

Surprise of Kelly’s Omission. There have been many men omitted who would have worthily represented their country. One of the most surprising of these omissions was that of Rus Kelly, who would have been worth his weight in gold during the tour, supplying a bulk, solidity, and dash that would have gone a long way towards strengthening the vanguard." C. Cooke, the Queenslander, is a man who possesses somewhat similar qualities. He had been showing excellent form, too, and must be considered unlucky not to have gained selection. W. H. Cerutti, who obviously did not have the selectors’ fancies during the trials, would have been most valuable on tour, supplying a rugged strength in the tight and an expert scrum knowledge. In the case of these three men their ages, 28, 27, and 29, apparently militated against them. Walker, McLaughlin, and Schulte, must be considered Ymlucky, as they were touch and go. Age Was Tower's Handicap. C. IT. Towers, still Australia’s greatest centre, was passed over because of

Youth a Keynote. Keynote of the selection has been youth. Oldest man in the contingent is 28 years of age, and two-thirds of the players are under 25 years of age. Although some of the older players showed in the trials which immediately preceded the selections that they were perhaps better than some of those chosen, the selectors have stuck rigidly to the plan of giving youth its chance. Of the team as a whole the impression one gets is that a strong Test side can be fielded. If this side can be mouldeded along correct lines (as it should be easily enough), it may become a problem for the British teams. The -touring side's advantage of combination and match practice win be a big factor. As far as the backs are concerned, British Rugby followers can expect to see some dashing play. Wingers in Carpenter, Nicholson, Porter, and Kelaher, are all capable of playing brilliant football. Carpenter may yet find his most effective vein as a centre. Great Things Expected of Oarrick. I have a feeling that Carrick will prove one of the greatest successes of the tour. If he can reach true form, he should be worth going a long way to see. A possible star of the first water, he is keen and willing to learn. Ramalli is another youngster who cannot yet record a vote at the poll, who may be expected to do many memorable things in Britain. Already he is considered as one of the finest half-backs this country has been blessed with. Gibbons is not far behind him. That department will be strongly filled unless injury interferes. Captain of the team, Vayro Wilson, is a forward. He possessses an ideal temperament for such an onerous position. The team should be happy under Jus pleasant yoke. The fact that he plays either in the first or second row of the scrum will not help him in watching the trend of play. He should, however, be ably assisted in this regard by Gibbons, at half, who is the vice-captain. Delicate Position May Arise. Rather an intriguing position arises by reason of the fact that the selection committe of the team will be the manager (Dr. W. F. Matthews), the captain (V. W. Wilson), and vicecaptain (E. C. Gibbons). This will be in respect of choosing the halfback for the Test matches, Ramalli has ben showing form slightly in advance of Gibbons in Australia this year and it may happen that Gibbons will be on the committee voting when Ramalli and himself are running neck and neck. However, form of the hour will determine this and other matters. Both are splendid players and Gibbons is well worthy of the honour of being a selector. It will be interesting to see upon what lines the Australians will base their game. One believes there is a trend to get back to basic principles and that the large range of briilance which the team will undoubtedly possess, will be based on solid foundations. The influence of Dr. Matthews will play an important part in this respect. One can visualise, however, the position arising where Australia will find the British packs very stiff propositions. It is in this phase of the forwards that keen attention will have to be paid to making the most of the material available. Much of the effectiveness of the team will depend on how the inside backs function. The question of where Smith is to play will have to be de-

age, his 32 years making him indeed a veteran compared with those who are to make the tour. Towers stood out head and shoulders in the final trials, a wonderful tribute to his skill after so long a football career. But he was not one of the lucky ones. We understand out here that there are in Britain many very speedy wingers, even to Cyril Holmes, the English winner of the British Empire Games 100 yards in Sydney last year. Our men are fast, particularly Carpenter, but we shall still have a certain amount of concern until we gain an inkling of just how fast the British flank men are. Anyhow, speed on the wing depends on ability of the inside backs to get the ball out. Carpenter’s Clever Running. In the case of Carpenter it will not be absolutely disastrous if he is outclassed in pace. He has shown a few natty tricks in the art of beating a man faster than himself. His procedure in doing this is very reminiscent of the hare when dealing with coursing dogs. British Rugby men, I feel sure, will be pleased with the Australians in the team. One and all they are fine types of young men, developed in the best of Rugby football schools and traditions. We, for our part, will feel they have done a god job if they carry on that spirit of sportsmanship that has become synonymous with Australian Rugby and Rugby the world over. The game is the thing and they play the game for the game. Naturally they will be none the less keen to win, in fact, it is their greatest ambition to win all the Test matches on the tour—if that be possible, as it was to great New Zealand and Springbok teams. The excitement which preceded the announcement of the team simultaneously in three cities (Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne) was contagious. Now that they are in or out o£ the team, the players feel happier. The lucky ones are keenly anticipating what will be one of the greatest and most memorable experiences of their lives—a visit under the auspices of Rugby Union to the Motherland*