FOOTBALL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 1 September 1923, Page 8

FOOTBALL

RUGBY

(By “Drop-Kick.”)

Last Saturday’s game at the Park drew only a very small .crowd-ofs spectators, 1 who, however, seemed well satisfied with the exhibition put up by the two senior teams. The was a farr one, and at times very exciting, especially during the second .spelL the-iiavals had a lead of six points at half time; but the Old Boys never' let up m the second spell arid' ran. out -easy wmners at the finish by 27 points to 12.. For the winners fsewman- was only Grant played a really good gamo and acofed* three good tries. ; ■ Clark also did wjell and got through a good .afternoon’s work itf fine style. Irwin, a junior, put up a very creditable performance on the wing. Duff gave his best display, - cutting m nicely and sending out well-judged Pa ßhncoe on the other wing did not get much to do; his fielding was riot too good but he never let his side down. Cadzow at half did well and sent the leather out to his backs when ever pos-

Bible. , Peart was in great form and was tlio j "best, forward on the ground. . . 1 Langbein played well and his goal kicking was very good. : Everett on the wing also grafted hard as did Bolton and Kenning. 'Ricketts played his usual game. _ . For ftival Wolfe played full back in the first spell and exchanged places with Wallace in the second. This was not a' wise move as both players were doing all right in their respective positions and their team had a lead of six points. Wallace went all to pieces when shifted and could noh do anything

right. The Whitwell brothers did their share especially in defence. , Best was not as good as ana was caught in possession several times. .Tellvman a junior was inexperienced, but considering it was his first senior game did fair work. Monigatti was the same as ever a - hard toiler all through. Watson followed up well and . got , among the Old Boys’ backs, doing some

good spoiling work at times. Brien was a hard grafter; as also were A. Bennett, J. Bennett, Savage ’ and the two juniors, Howat and Mitchell.

Priest was conspicuous in the loose and worked hard in the tight. Old Boys were without the.services of Snodgrass, Saxon and Barrett; whilst Rivals were without Nermann, Brownlee, and Stewart. The first test: match last Saturday apparently showed the New Zealand selectors that the All Black backs were weak, as they have used the pruning knife very freely, five out of the nine being dropped for the next test. 5.' A great deal of interest was caused locally in the test match, with ’the local player, F .Snodgrass in the team and everyone seemed anxious to know how he shaped. From various newspaper reports his display was not good .and he has been dropped for the next test game.

One and all will agree it was a great disappointment to the followers of the game here who only hope Snodgrass will be given another chance. His chief fault was waiting to intercept passes. If he can get rid of this habit he has a good future in the football world. The second tesf takes place in Christchurch to-day. The Nelson junior representatives left * for Blenheim this morning ,„and play ■Marlborough this afternoon: The team

chosen is a good one and should put up a creditable performance. -Wakatu A and .Royers are on equal

terms for the junior championship, each side having defeated the other being tho ' only loss recorded by the two teams. The play-off should be interesting and no j doubt a large crowd will turn up to see ] the game. The Nelson .Rugby Union has not dp- • cided whero the game shall be played, but in “Drop-kick’s” opinion the match ( should take place at Nelson or ‘Wakefield. ______ I'

I i t ■ By Veteran. J < — 1 < Old; Boys’ supporters must liave been 1 very gratified on Saturday when the | wearers of the white jersey decisively ] accounted for Rivals ,to the tune of 27 j pointk .'to 12. ' t ' V ' > The first spell was a mere rough-and- ] tumble'medley, with all the luck of the f gamb' kgainst Old Boys. However, after ( the-votange-hin had been emptied, and , Langbein had changed his boots on to ; the right feet, Old Boys came into their ’ own; their, vanguard, led by Peart (who was easily the best forward on the ) ground}* completely dominated the game 1 and Rivals were on the run till the final 1 ( whistle sounded. 1

It was " a line exposition of vigorous and concerted forward play, in which, I besides Peart, Lahgbein, Everett and j Ricketts .were most conspicuous. ; The backs, with the exception of dark > and a junior on the wing, were as depressingXal the forwards were exhiliratmg. Cadzow, behind the scrum, instead of snapping up the ball as it came out to him seemed to suspect some “catch” about it, and repeatedly backed away from the object of his suspicions. Duff, while very neat in handling, pays far.too mpeh' attention. to impend- 1

ing tackles and neglects his supports. On i i Saturday- he repeatedly nullified pronjising openings he had nfiade, 'either by blind passing, or by kicking when he should have galloped. While on the subject of kicking, “Veteran” ventures the opinion -that there is far top much of it amongst -local backs. It must be heart-breaking to a pack, of-forwards to see the hall, .of "which they.'jiavo just gained the possession for- their backs, immediately hooted into the arms of the

opposing • side. '- AnywherO out of the home twenty-five, the function of the backs is to handle. . Otherwise, why not fifteen forwards-a side?; ;- "■ Although Grant scored eleven points for -his side, lam not handing,,out any floral bouquets this week- Instead of wading in to make opportunities, this player was far, too disposed to stand off and-wait) for theih—-cotlainly three duly arrived which he utilized to the full; but the tactics are" bad.' w.‘ Clark, as bn previous'occasions, played'abnost useful'game,ifor his -side. 'Ho iscapable of playing’in any:position, except, perhaps, sci'iim-half for which h e via a trifle too Jaggy. ’He is ' certainly'an t ideal-trover, thoroughly capable of look- i ing after himself, which, .'Of ‘ course, is

always convenient, sometimes even in a football match. Amongst the onlookers there were those who saw, understood Jndo laughed—but on po occasion at ohms- expense. Though Rivals were not at full strength, that fact does not altogether .

: excuse their display on Saturday. All . played hard individual games, but the weakness lay in complete lack of ■ system and combination. Amongst the forwards, packing, and control of the ball (indiscriminate booting marred several chances) were out of business for . the day; which suggest that some of tho '• offenders in the latter direction might well leave their hoots at home. ! Priest, a splendid type of forward, conspicuous throughout'the game, was their best; rather too conspicuous on one or two occasions through a slight inclination to “pepperyness.” . Monigatti played an intelligent game behind the pack. Intelligence being so little acquainted of late with the football game> it is well worth while keeping an eye on Monigatti, who is a far be tier player than many of thoso who , to-day are cherished in the hearts of tho selectors and football fans. Wolf is a back of great possibilities, i but for some reason or other doesn’t seem quite “to get there.” Ho has nearly all the requirements of a rattling i good centre-three-quarter; speed, dash, ■ weight (rather too much of the last); and can handle and kick a ball with tho I : best. Just what is lacking—well, Monigatti has it. I Mr Batchelor controlled the whistle,

■ except on thoso occasions when it blocked. | SEDDON SHIELD \ [To the Editor.] 1 Sir, —There will be many locally who will agree with the comments passed by officials of tho Bui lor Union on the remarks made at Blenheim recently. ,

As tho Buffer Union points out, “people who live in glass houses should not throw stones,’ ’and as a former Blenheim resident, it is very amusing to n e to find how innocent they are clown I there, according to their president, of fill the littlo practices' of which he so

readily accuses tho other unions. It is a remarkable thing that while tho Shield stays in Blenheim, it is the finest stimulation possible to Itugby in the Seddon Shield districts, but as

soon as it goes somewhero else, “the Shield has served its purpose, is a menace to Rugby in these districts and should be thrown overboard.” The claim that Marlborough lias never been guilty of securing profes-

sional coaches, of more or less importing players, of setting up citizens’

committees to raise funds, makes amusing reading. They have had a coach over from Wellington on several occasions, and 1 have tho very best of reasons for believing that they sent him a cheque for his services, which to his credit , ho told them to hand to the local hospital. They may not have actually set up citizens’ committees,

but only last week the Marlborough * paper reports the president to have ‘ slated that “it .was. the business peo-

ple who benefited, by the holding of j i lie Shield, and if they wanted it ,tliey 3 were tho ones who should subscribe + the funds to send the team away.” In- , cidentally the sending of tho team dc- \ pends largely on the raising of these ( fuuds or else Marlborough won’t go.

As to tho professional player element, a I have a fairly accurate knowledge of j what has happened on various occa- j sions. Proof? Naturally I cannot give ] it to you, but neither can Marl- j borough prove their similar charges j against other unions. <

As a Nelsonian, however, always c anxious to see our teams do well, I f do frankly admit that I think we went \

too far here last year. There are many people who are absolutely opposed to paying a professional coach for each match, of boarding the players and paying wages in some cases, and of trying to cram a month’s training into five or six days. By all means let us have a coach, but after all, is it net a matter mainly of physical fitness arid practice with each other in handling the ball, tc. • Out of curiosity I have enquired how the cricket and hockey associations manage when teams go away for cups or shields (and both of them are

•cf-mpetang in a higher grado than the Rugby .team), and find that when the Pricket team brought homo the Ha wke Cup, every player paid every penny of bis Own expenses, and it is a more expensive game to play than Rugby. Tho hockey team has been away four times in four years, and a very large proportion of the expenso has been borne by tho players themselves, tho small amount raised having been secured by

entertainments ,etc. In two instances annost the wholo cost has been met °.v the players. If ono sport can do it, why not others, and in any cas with the Seddou Shield, a good return floin tho gate is assured when a team challenges, while these other sports receive nothing.

I am, etc., NATIVE