RUGBY FOOTBALL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 31 May 1930, Page 15

RUGBY FOOTBALL

MAX SHIELD ANNUAL MATCH BETWEEN TOWN AND COUNTRY TO BE PLAYED AT RICHMOND PARK On (lie King's Birthday, Tuesday next, Uio annual match between the Town and Country representatives will bo played on the A. and P. Association's grounds at Richmond. A great amount of interest is taken in this annual match, as beyond being a test between the best of the town and country players, it is possible to get a line on candidates for representative honours. The match really serves as a trial. Given a fine day a large crowd will make the trip to Richmond where spectators will bo able to view the match from the grandstand. McGregor back to old form. It is not only about the non-inclusion of Dalley as half-back in the. test tryout that Christchurch is perturbed. Some followers of the game are advocating that N. P. McGregor, an All Black on several occasions should be given a chance on the ground that he is rightback to his best form. Commenting on a club game last Saturday the "Times" said: "Of (ha Christchurch backs, McGregor took the eye right through the piece, and it is evident that he is back to his best form. His tactics throughout were excellent, and he and Mullan were very clever in making the play for their forwards. McGregor proved as elusive as in his earlier days and onoccasions "sold a dummy" and sidestepped his way through a ring of opponents. Though he has had a great career in big football, McGregor is well on the right side of thirty, and it seems ridiculous that an experienced player s'lowing form equal to his best shoulct not be considered in matches where experience and ability count most, and where inexperienced players or previous failures are too apt to fly into a state of mental chaos. The bigger the occasion the better McGregor plays, and the Canterbury selectors have- the opportunity of showing the New Zealand selectors that form, performance and ability are the essentials upon which a selection must be based. Mullan again proved his worth on Saturday and his work was uniformly good during the periods when his forwards were on top and when they were defending. An especial feature was his use of the touchline, while he and McGregor were wonderfully sound on defence. Hart scored two more tries on Saturday, both being examples of sheer opportunism. His backs were unable to give him more than one chance—which he accepted—the other he made for himself with a short punt. Hart impresses more with each appearance, and outside a classy set of backs lie would be a wonderfully prolific scorer."

Forwards of the "Cloth." Rugby being the national game of New Zealand, and in which all classes of the community participate, it was by no means unusual for the Church to be represented in the Possibles v. Probables trial games. At the Palmerston North trial the Rev. G. V. .Gerard, a Bush Union player, replaced one of the plavers at half-time, and was responsible* for some fine play in the loose. Three or four vears ago this player was playing good football for South Canterbury, and in 1925 he gave a good performance in the annual inter-island game played that year at Invercargill. However, he lacks 'about a stone of the weight necessary for an All Black packman. Other clerics who have played in big Rugby in New Zealand in recent years are the Rev. Father McCarthy (halfback for the i 923 All Blacks), Rev. Father Kane

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(coul.re-thi'eoqmirlcr, 1921 All Blacks) and the Rev. P. Matono (1926 Maori team that toured England).

Marlborough representatives. Discussing the prospects of candidates for positions in the Marlborough representative team tho "Express" slates: — With the first rep. mutch—versus Nelson at Blenheim—only a, little over a fortnight off interest 'is turning on the selection of the provincial team. It is apparent that wo are short of backs in particular this year while several outstanding forwards of last season are amongst the missing. First appearances arc that it is going to be difficult to assemble a good representative side. Play in Club machos has not been very encouraging, but there are still two Saturdays and the seven-a-sido tourncj' in which players have opportunity to como up to scratch. In the forwards Washington, Mowat and Devine will be greatly missed. However, there are a number of quite good forwards available, though they do not include such potential try-getters, perhaps, as Washington and Devine. Satherley and Pcrsson as hookers and D. Hammond as lock will probably form tho foundation of the scrum. For the remaining positions there is useful material in Bptham, "Gundy" Woolley and Drake (Moutere), Sharpie, Francis and Greig (Flaxbonrne), Gill and Glennie (Central) and Gainsford (Awatere). Amongst other good forwards are Wells, Geo and R. Hadfield (Central), M'aher, Tapley, and Kilmartin (Awatere) and Small and Irving (Flaxboume), but they are not yefc up to representative standard. Small is a very likely forward and is worth looking after. A contest for the. wing forward job is likely between M. McDonald, S. Fleming, and L. Patchett. Tho latter has got to improve a good deal, however, to oust either of the others. If Fleming secures the appointment McDonald will prove very useful in the pack if he puts his heart into his work there. He is big and strong, and would give great lift to the scrum.

But the backs are the problem, the only position about which there can be no dispute being that of fullback. Beyond all quibble 11. Cameron is the best man; but E. Bartlett must always be borne in mind as a game and improving player, whom it is almost essential to include in any team as an omergency. Of the half-backs at present in action Simonsen is undoubtedly the most outstanding. Hastilow (Moutere) is coming along nicely, but Jacks experience. If Loo Newman came back to the game and reproduced last year's form he would no doubt hotly contest Simonsen's claim. For wing threequarters there are philips, J. McDonald (if he does not go to Canada with the rowers), Barclay and McLean. Barclay is a useful winger, but does not make his own chances; while McLean cannot hope to get a red jersey on his present physical condition. Ho would be a handy goal kicker. K. Roberts may be regarded as a candidate, but he is not a try-getter. At present all that can be seen for the inside positions are Potete (late of Nelson Club), McLaughlin, Slater, and, perhaps, R. Linton. The three first appear to be worthy of a trial. Potete is a safe conveyance, while McLaughlin will give the attack thrust. Slater is possessed of great speed and will bo able to follow the central boy better than any other inside back.

Spong's two kicks. During the match at New Plymouth, though he handled the ball as much as any man in the British team, Spong. stand-off half, kicked it twice only, and on those two occasions he could do nothing else. How many New Zealand fiveeighths can lay claim to such a record? THE WAIRARAPA MATCH PRENTICE NOT PLAYING FOR ENGLISH TEAM.' (By Telegraph—Press Association) MASTERTON, This Day. # F. D. Prentice, Captain of the British team will not play in the match against Wairarapa and Bush districts to-day. D. Parker, Welsh international, is now included. G. R. Beamish (Ireland) will probably captain the side.