RUGBY FOOTBALL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 7 August 1926, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

NOTES AND COMMENTS

NEW ZEALAND'S FULL-BACK D. 11. L. Stevenson, the Otago University and All Black full-back, is probably oilo of tho best all-round men in New Zealand University sport at the present time (says a. Dunedin writer).. Stevenson commenced at the Otago Boys’ High School, where he was captain of the junior cricket eleven in the annual match against Southland, the opposing captain being tho Varsity centre, E. H. Diack. Stevenson later went to Napier Bays' High School, where he was captain of the first eleven at cricket and also a member of the first fifteen. On coming to Otago University it was not long i*cfore he made his mark, and in 1923 lie won a place in the New Zealand University ilngby side that played in Sydney. On that tour he played in several positions, and played both at wing tlirrequarLer and wing forward, lie has been full-back for Varsity A for the past three seasons and has represented Otago since 1924. lie began to attract attention elsewhere by his fine play last season, and this year his position in the Soutli Island team was practically assured. In tho football sense uf the word, Stevenson is a comparatively young player, and lie has years of football still ahead of him.

Don Stevenson has been a prominent figure in amateur athletics, and though the. field events are his special forte lie accounted for the mile championship of Otago some three seasons ago. lie has competed with considerable success at the New Zealand University athletic championships, and last April, at Dunedin, ho was runner-up to C. E. Low, the Rhodes Scholar, in the long jump championship, doing 21ft 7fin. Stevenson is the present holder of the Otago long-jump championship, having cleared round about the same figure in that event last March. In addition to being both an athletic and llugby Blue at Otago University, Stevenson was no mean cricketer at Napier Boys’ High School, and had he devoted his attention to the game he would probably have figured with dis linction in it. , LAST SATURDAY, The Nelson pack played with combination and there was not a weak spot in it. Taylor is coming to the front rapidly as a forward. He was good in the scrum and beat the biggest forward on the linemore than once for possession. loung was good at every phase of forward play. His accident on Monday is to be deplored. His place in the reps, will take filling. * Brownlee was always, handy and made no mistakes when near the line. Bert Snow gave a heady display in the Nelson vanguard. Reed and Garvin, although not long recovered from illness, were distinctly good. _ / McGinley was coolness itself/at fullback. Ho Jacks anticipation, but his speed pulls him out of tight corners. Mahoney was dashing, but i was inclined to hold on a fraction too long, Boulton headed many forward rushes for Old Boys, and was their best man in the loose.

Everett played another good game and upheld his reputation as a clever forward.

Tibbie and Chainey justified their promotion from th 0 junior to tho Old Boys’ senior pack. Snodgrass was in his best form with the boot, kicking a couple of good goals He missed a try only by inches after a characteristic run, •

McGregor was nippy and unselfish at five-eighths. He always plays for his side. His mistakes are like angels’ visits.

The Rival-Waimea game was worth watching, in spite of the fact thatßiV i their “regulars” missing and Waimcas were shy of three men. Hurley was quite a success at fullback.

Wallace, left wing, was a thorn i n the side of Waimea. He scored two fine tries and lost others by inches. Quirk aud Bell were satisfactory at centro and right wing. Quirk is not afraid to score.

Hogg and Kennedy combined well at nve-eignths. Hogg should play more often than he does.

Biggs, Rival forward, broke through cleverly on several occasions. Eden showed form and was at the head of many Rival rushes. Mcllwraith was on his mettle, and no fault could be found with his display as wing forward. He made several strong runs for the Waimea line. ° Cross and Savage played grandly in the Waimea pack. The former is of line physique and has pace. He should train hard.

Chalhes and Stringer were also in the running, and put every ounce into it. , wc ,m lla “ an oif - d;i y with his field goals. The law of average will probably stand by him in the next mafch. He is a brainy skipper. College A’s were unable to obtain a century against Old Boy thirds. The final score was 63 to six! SEVEN-A-SIDE The Nelson senior seven well deserved their win. Greek met Greek in the second game when College and Nelson contended! Bach side crossed the line once, but Iteed s three goals carried the day. -Barton gained one uncommon try for Ne son. He was chased by the field and stopped dead, the pursuers dashed past him, and Barton “followed on” and scored.

Skjellerup scored a good try for Old Boy junior against Wesley by a powerful run from halfway. When Blincoe crossed the line for JNelson and grounded the ball, he made no mistake about it, the ball was well and truly grounded. lapawera made a brave showing in tfio junior seven, and ordy went out in he semi-final by 3 to 6 against Wakatu. ilollyninn scored the winning try just on

HERE AND THERE Arlie Woolf is playing for Berhamporo seniors in Wellington. Hie average age, weight, and height comparison between the 1925 All Blanks and the 1926 League team is nteres'.irig. It is as follows:—Ah Blacks, age 24, weight 12s ffily height sft 10 in. League tc “V, , » 2 &> Knoi; s f t iojin. lue iaihape and Wanganui representative game proved the finest Rugby game seen in Wanganui this season, oil 1 l ?, u o l1 tJlc score ended Wanganui •' laihape 11, there was practically notiiing between the teams. Sixteen of Wanganui’s, points were put on by Bert Delves, who played one of the most brilliant games of his football career. r» ui ’>''g the game the ex-AU Black, E. Beilis, dived at an opponent and struck tlm man with his head. It was thought at first that Jie had injured his spine, but his injury proved to bo concussion.

Here is a new light on W. R. Irvine, one of the hardest-playing forwards in New Zealand, bv a. writer in the Sydney Daily Telegraph W. M. B. Laycock, the New South Wales forward, who played in the front row against

New Zealand in the second Test, bad the muscles of his shoulder badly shredded in one of tho fierce rallies. Entering the next scrum, the Light Blue forward uttered an involuntary groan of agony when the stolid New Zealand hooker, W. H. (“Bull”) Irvine, put. his weight on the injured shoulder. From thence onwards during the game the New Zealander endeavoured to make it as easy as possible for the New South Wales front-row forward. In a game fought out so strenuously, with no “beg pardons,” this incident, told by Laycock to his team mates after the game, stands out like some glittering jewel in :a sombre setting. Irvine is popular with all the Light Blue players who have met him, both on Sydney and New Zealand Rugby fields.