FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18489, 28 August 1923, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME. K NOTES AND COMMENTS. The following ; ■ representative matches will be played bv the Auckland team during the remainder of the season :— September I—Against Otago: v. King Country, at Auckland. _ ' _ , ; Rentemlvr Now; South Wales, v. Thames Valley, at Paeroa. , September Wellington. ■■ ,\ TEST MATCHES. ; September I—Against ' New South. Wales. at Christchurch __ , September Against New South Wales, at Wellington. ~ The selectors of the New Zealand teams .for the test matches against New South Wales have, at last, officially recognised the qualifications of Lucas, the Ponsonby and Auckland representative .threequarter, who has been showing such brilliant form in tho representative matches. Following on the experience of ■ the first test match at Dunedin on Saturday, the selectors have telegraphed to the Auckland Rugby Union the interesting, though somewhat tardy news, that Lucas has been selected for the second test match, and is to piny for New Zealand against New South Wales at Christchurch, on Saturday. The selection of the 20 players for the second test match against New South Wales to be played at Christchurch on Saturday, affords greater satisfaction than the selection of the fifteen for the first test. Tho dropping of Steel, Snodgrass, and Tilyard need create little surprise, for none of these players has the calibre Of some of Chose who were overlooked. Mackereth, of course, was not included in the 'final fifteen for the first test. The displacing of Mill, the clever Maori halfback, Righton, the Auckland forward, and Gemmell, the Maori front ranker, must cause considerable comment, but it must be remembered that the selectors have to try out a number of promising players and give them a chance to justify claims to consideration for test-match play, not only for" the present tour of New South Wales, but, of more importance, the New Zealand team for England next year. The Back Division. The fullback could not bo improved upon, Sinclair, of Otago, having justified his inclusion. The threequarter line, which of needs must have superior pace is a better " three " than the trio who played in the first test. Lucas, who has been selected for the line, has already been referred to. Peina, the Maori threequarter, when on his game is brilliant, and should suit Lucas and his stylo to a nicety. Ford, of Canterbury, will play on the opposite wing, so that as regards pace the present threequarter lino should be yards faster than the first, test trio. Pace in the backs in an essential qualification against a speedy side like the Australians. # Four five-eighths have been selected to trainbut only two will be . finally chosen. The choice should rest between Dr. Perry, of Otago University, and Bell. The former has been playing brilliant football, and Southern critics agree that he is the superior of Fea, the Army and South Island captain of last season. If this is tho case nothing further need be added. H. NichoUs is an unknown quantity here, but he appears to have a number, of admirers s in Wellington. Potaku, of courso, is the fourth man for the threequarter line, and may be a last moment selection. The halfback, McCarthy, has been playing fine football for Canterbury and it is only right .that he should be retained for the important position behind the scrum. ' ,;■_. A , Great Pack. Too much praise cannot be meted out to the forwards. It is one of the best packs that New Zealand 'has ever had the nride to produce. Every player is an All Black, or has such high qualifications. It will not be so much a question who to put in as who to keep out! ; Taken on the whole the final fifteen to represent New Zealand for the second test should be a great side, fast and clever in the backline and powerful in the pack. . ■ The inclusion of Lucas, in the second test match against the Australian visitors will bo received with acclamation by supporters of Rugby in Auckland, who have consistently regarded the qualifications of the young Ponsonby player for test match honours. The Hhrald has persistently advanced the claims of Lucas for test match play, consequent on his fine form in all representative contests this season. His latest game, in the position of centre, this time, against North Auckland, at Whangarei. on Saturday,.again confirmed his qualifications for big football.. In the absence of V. Badeley, through injury, in x the Auckland three-quarter line, Lucas played centre, showing all his characteristic style in pace, precision and dash. A versatile player of the best type, Lucas can play equally well on the* wing or at centre. Whatever position the Ponsonby player occupies he is always in the picture. Against North Auckland ho had special opportunities of displaying his versatility, pace, stop, side-step, and swerve, much to the' disconcertion of the North Auckland backs, who failed to anticipate this clever will-o'-the-wisp, who, " like a snow flake on the river moment here; another there, a sudden dash, then passed forever.'' '

Northern Players. Accompanying the Auckland team to Whangarei, in anticipation of seeing and securing talent for the Auckland provincial team against New South Wales, was Mr. V. R. Meredith, the sole selector of Auckland representative teams, Mr. Meredith was not enchanted with his prospects of securing promising players in North Auckland to strengthen the Auckland side > to meet the Australian touring team, which is anticipated to be the real test for Rugby supremacy for Auckland. ' The one back of promise in the North Auckland team was Harding, of Northern Wairoa, who was an eleventh hour selection for the team against Auckland. Playing in the centre of the threequarter. line, Harding showed promising form, but he' is not yet in the New Zealand class. A | season or so of representative football should bring this player out, but the time is not yet. None of the other North Auckland backs were impressive. Ridings, of Whangarei, and Moslem, of Whangaroa, who played on the wings of the three-quarter line, displayed only fair form. Possibly had they not been, playing behind a beaten pack they would have stood out better. C. Fletcher, of whom much was expected, suffered with the rest of his backs in that he had little or no assistance in attack, and was repeatedly beaten by the pace of the Auckland five-eighths. Going up into the pack in the second spell Fletcher showed that he had lost little, \ if any, " of his old dash and. determination in modern forward play. Brown, the native halfback, played a plucky game against overwhelming odds. The forwards were well served with the Finlayson brothers, Greville, the ex-Auck-land forward, Heywood, Wairoa, and Emerson, of Whangarei, but the pack lacked the complete combination of the Auckland forwards, who played magnificently once they settled down to their game. In the second spell, the Auckland forwards lamentably slackened their efforts, for North Auckland to bustle them, for a period, into a rabble. This 'lapse was the only weakness in the Auckland pack, which, this apart, played a great game of modern forward play. Kn'<rht has never played better, his fast following up, good footwork, and dash were distinctive features of his all-round play. O'Brien also played & great game, excelling in the tight and in the loose. while handling like a back to make play for the rearguard line. The Star Back. The backs rarely ever played better, if that were possible. Gregory, at fullbacK, was perhaps less certain than ; usual, but he made good recovery to save his side. The threequarter line was almost complete in its combination. The passing, fielding, and running, with the ucst phases of the Welsh system of reverse passing, were enacted with rare dash and daring execution, the pace of the players and the clever side-stepping completely nonplussing their opponents. Lucas was again the star back on the side. In ad-

dition ,to his fine '.; all-round v display, Mho Ponsonby -. threequarter scored ' three tries, . and was ; instrumental ,I in opening up two for. his confreres. Wilson thoroughly- justified his inclusion in the A team; the pace and dash of the College Sines' threequarter ; being- ■ fine features of his play, "malloy also played a good game, and scored two tries. Cooke stood out brilliantly at times, for fast open' play c ,iiis cutting in " and clever contact with ; his . threequarter line being mainly instrumental in assisting the threequarter line to scoring efforts, Cooke scoring two fine tries. Tfwersen played; his customary high standard ; game, while his goal-kicking was exceptionally good, three goals from . the extreme edge of touch, against a strong cross-breeze, being Vto his credit. Wright, at halfback, was ideal in the position, the Grammar half getting the ball away with ; that delightful precision in one-action movement which invariably characterises his play. •-, Match Against Otago. V; The representative match on Saturday will be that against Otago. It was fully anticipated that the Otago-Auckland match would be a real Rugby test of the season, but, unfortunately, Otago is touring with a comparatively weak side the best team being unable to make, the extended tour North. The defeat by Canterbury in the opening match of the tour need create no surprise, when the circumstances are considered. Otago, however, should put up a good game against all its apponents on the tour. The match against Auckland will be one of these, and should the Southern side not be as strong as might have been it will, give a good display of modern Rugby. Mr. W. J. Wilson and Mr. Alex Macdonald, tho wellknown All Black, will accompany the team as joint managers. • BOOKING FOR SECOND TEST. I. LONG CJHRISTCHURCH QUEUE. [BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.! CHEISTCHUECH. Monday. Sales of seats for the second Rugby test against New South Wales commenced at 8.15 a.m. and it was not until after eleven that the end of the queue was reached. Constables were required to regulate the traffic.'- '■ •' ;'■'•;.; ;■ : .N'-