THE RUGBY GAME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23010, 11 April 1938, Page 20

THE RUGBY GAME

TOUR OF SPRINGBOKS WHY HOME TEAMS LOST LACKING IN LEADERSHIP [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Sunday "Tlie cause of our defeat in the test matches against the Springboks was mainly attributable to lack of leadership" was the statement made by Mr. A. E. Gibbons, president of the Waikato lhigby Union, at its annual meeting. "The Springbok tactics far outshone ours," Mr. Gibbons said. "Nel was a great captain, a real student of the game, with an uncanny knack of picking his opponents' weaknesses and playing to them.

"We must develop as captains quick-think-ing men, thoroughly versed in Rugby tactics," continued Mr Gibbons. "Of late years our methods of play have got into a groove—brilliancy has been sadly lacking, the combination of forwards and backs in passing rushes and defence have gone, together with our sweeping dribbling rushes. Wo will have to relearn the style of Rugby we played up to ten years ago. "From Auckland we hear the cry of 'harder football,' but my opinion is that over the last few years representative football has been vory hard, but clean. In the games in which I saw the Springboks play I could not see any difference in their standard and ours in this respect. Nobody could call the match at Hamilton soft Rugby." From the South, where amended rules had never been popular, had come the cry that ihat was the main cause of the defeats of New Zealand and provincial sides, said Mr. Gibbons, who did not hold this view. He considered that in club and sub-union play the amended rules made the game much more attractive, for players and spectators. "Tho most popular cry of all is that 'wo must develop hard-rucking, pushing forwards,' " said the speaker. "To differ from this view will bring the wrath of per cent of Rugby followers on my head. However, there are limits to all things. Our Waikato and King Country forwards, although lighter, held the Springboks in the tight, duo to fitness and proper mthods of scrummaging They outshone the Springboks in dribbling rushes.

"Compare this with the exhibition in tho [ third test. After the parrot-cry about our forwards had been bandied from one end of New Zealand to the other, wo saw our men not playing their natural game, but getting their heads down and pushing like a mob of cattle in a pen, when the Springbok threequarters were sailing past our backs. They pushed themselves to a standstill and gained nothing." Tho fact that a series of hard trials was held early in the season, when tho players had to be trained to concertpitch, was considered by Mr. Gibbons to be one of the main causes of New Zealand's failure. The trials created a long list of casualties, and it was only natural that the players went stale. With ever-trained athletes the worst place in which to house them was near the sea in luxurious conditions, and yet this was done. As a consequence, the third test side was sluggish in the extreme.

The following officers were elected:—President, Mr. D. R. F. Campbell; secretary, Mr. T W. Thompson; treasurer, Mr. C. Speight; selector, Mr. J. McKenzie; auditor, Mr R. English; delegates to New Zealand Ruiiby Union, Messrs. A. St. C. Belcher, A. E. Gibbons.

CLUBS HOLD PRACTICES HARD GROUND CONDITIONS . . The various clubs affiliated to the Auckland Rugby 'Union held practices on Saturaf/,ern°on, rhe , weather was very warm wane the hard surfaces made siren hour play almost impossible. There were large attendances at all grounds, this giving an indication that there is a general all round keenness among the! players. Some of the clubs will play friendly matches during Easter and the senior competition will commence next Saturday week TAUPIRI SUB-UNION [FROM OCR OTI'N CORRESPONDENT] TATJPIRI, Sunday There was a good attendance of delegates and players at the annual meeting of the Taupiri Sub-Union. Mr. M. Welsh presided. The president's report revealed that the past season had been a most, successful one. It was decided to enter a team in the Stag Competition, and .to form a senior club which would govern that team. The following officers were elected:—Patrons, Messrs. N. K. Taylor and M. "Welsh; president, Mr. M. Welsh; secretary, Mr. A. Button; treasurer, Mr. S. Egan; auditor, Mr. J. Porteous; delegates to Waikato Union, Messrs. A. Gibb and M. Welsh; vice-presi-dents. Messrs. D. Riddell. F.' Harris, A. Ta.pp, E. Thompson, C. M. Gleeson, D, Rnmney, R. Taylor and Mrs. E. Lowe. HUNTLY CLUB OFFICERS [from our own correspondent] HUNTLY,. Sunday The president, Mr. F. Harris, presided over the annual meetine of the Huntly Rugby Football Club. The election of officers resulted:—Patron, Mr. F. J. Harris; president, Mr. H. Roxburgh; vice-presidents, Messrs. T.. Shaw, W. T. Bond, C. Bailey, R. Warren. F. Harris, H. J. Challenor, A. Berry and E. Smith; secretary, treasurer. Mr.j H. Curnow; delegates to Taupiri Sub-union, Messrs. R. Harris, H. Roxburgh and H. Curnow. OPENING IN CHRISTCHURCH [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday International rules were played in all games when the Rugby season opened yesterday with friendly matches playpd on hard grounds. Following were the results:-—Syd-enham, 12, Temuka, 8; Athletic, 8, Technical, 7; Christchurch, 12, Albion, 8.