RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7450, 26 May 1911, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SPECIAL ARTICLE HEELING AND WHEELING Bv W. Jouxs (English International Forward, and Gloucester County). Jfc Tins of ton Leon said, I thin::. Try several noted authorities on Bio Rugby j'umo of football that IHo pivot of the v-'hoSo side » ini', forwards. Granted that Mm halV-backs make tbo opening for scoring trios, os a rule; granted boat the three-quarters are fcho men v/ho will chiefly havo the chances of getting over Uu* goal-line; granted that tho full-back is.tho last hope of the defence: yet tho fact remains uiioonirovorted and uncontrovertible that, if the forwards of u team are beaten by their opponents, the odd.; arc about twenty to one that the pi do w:.‘.h the beaten forwards will lose tho match. Fine backs behind winning forwards can do gloriously; fine backs behind moderate forward*; may just about pull a match out of tho fire; but even fine banks behind hopeless forwards aro of little use, sinco they -novor get any roai chances of scoring. For ono axiom of tho Rugby game is absolute, viz., if the backs do not got tho ball they cannot pcssibly score. And how aro they to got tho ball if their forwards aro continually being beaten for possession of it by the opposing eight? Now, as -of course you know, tho opportunities for tho forwards getting the ball com© most of all when it is placed in the scrimmage, or when thrown out of touch. However, just for tho moment, lot us keep our minds fixed upon tho first of these opportunities, those which occur from tho ball being scrummed. Xu that event wo may take it there are three methods by which tho forwards of ono side may get possession of the ball as against their opponents. They may (1) push it before them right through tho scrimmage; or (2) heel it out behind them to their own half-backs; or (3) wheel tho scrum, and go, off at a tangent, so as to speak, carrying tho bail with them as they'go. BUSHING THROUGH THF) SCRIMMAGE. ■ Of these three methods the first naturally depends (upon the strength of tho forwards as against the to thorn in tho scrimmage. You cannot possibly go right through, pushing tho ball before you with your feet, unless tho combined strength of your own eight exceeds that of your opponents. This phrase "combined strength," does rrofe necessarily mean that in the aggregate your men weigh more in stones than your rivals. For tho power of any eight forwards in the scrum depends on other factors besides mere avoirdupois. There the using of your total strength in the right way, and at tho crucial moment; there is tho knack of getting that fulcrum which just allows you to give the effective push at tho proper minute, so as to get every ounce of advantage out of your combination; there is the perfection of understanding between all your fellows as to what to do and when to do it; there is tho determining on such a formation of tho scrum as shall best suit tho particular men on your side who aro to be in it. But, given the strength I spoke of just now, in whatever way you obtain it, for tho scrimmage, you will find that a real hearty solid shove, clean through the opposing mass, is a wonderful way of making progress up the field and working towards tho goal. But one caution is very necessary for forwards doing this, and perhaps even more for tho man leading them —all such solid pushing through tho scrum is not of the least use if you have lost control of the ball itself, or, as it is oftener termed, if you leave tho ball behind you. Indeed * it is a smart # and frequently effective trick of some ■eights, when they find they are not quite equal to their rivals in solid pushing; power, to allow those rivals to break away through tho scrum whilst they themselves remain, behind, and manage cleverly to keep; tho ball with them. Then a quick turn and on goes tho ball towards the goal l which least expected it lifter what liad happened in. the scrum! WICEELINCr TUB SCRIMMAGE. But. as a rule, tho clean rash through, is nowadays seldom seen ina match, between two really pood and ‘■veil-be-, lanced teams. Each side is too keen in keeping its eyes (or feet) on the .ball to allow those tactics to bo carried out very often. Rather does a forward-eight depend on its power and ‘ability to heel out tho ball to its halves, or to whewl the scrum and take fcho ball with it. ■Wheeling tho scrimmage demands both a certain amount of sheer strength and a keen insight on the part of the .man leading* tho'forwards, as to tho critical moment to make his move in that direction. There will always bo jnst one fraction of a second when tho opposing forwards sv-ill be off their guard as to this policy during the pushing. And if the rival leader can infuse into his followers at that very second the knowledge that he means.to wheel the .scrimmage, and in which direction, ho may bring off a fine performance which will end in his side gaining a try. But cue or tiro matters need specially waiphing in these respects. Tho wheeling 'must bo smart, immediate, and combined: tho halves must ‘be ready to follow up at. once: most of all must the wheelers see that they have the ball at their own toes ore they make their move, or all its value is lost. Having made their wheel, and thus got off with the ball, tho forwards should dash onwards quickly land resolutely, making the very utmost of tho advantage they have thus gained, whilst their opponents are turning and following them up. If the fcrmn has been wheeled cleverly and effectively it might to result in tho gam of at least ten yards to tho team that has succeeded in doing it. And tea yards gained are always very useful; but never more eo than when you arc near your own line, defending it, or near your opponents’ lino in the attack. A good scrum-wheel in those positions generally means either obtaining a try or saving one. ifEBEING THE BALL. Probably to-day, however, tho best work of the eight forwards, at. any rate in our English teams, is done in regard to their heeling out. . For even a pack that is not famous for its strength or weight can manage this part of the business, if only it gets possession of the ball after it comes into the scrimmage. Heeling out depends mostly, in that case, on your forwards being keen, active. triciiy, and quick with their feet when manipulating the ball. It should bo passed back from tho front rank of forwards to tho next ono, ami again by them to the lest, lino, and by those cent out not too hard to the half who. is working the scrum and eagerly waiting for it. Heeling out is not the simple matter many spectators fancy, oven when a team of forwards gets tho ball under control. Lot me explain what frequently happens, and show you the mistakes to bo avoided. Forwards, in heeling out the ball, do so too often in a desperate, hurry, and kick it backward indiscriminately. Hence it emerge® from the scrum too ■hurriedly and awkwardly for tho half to seize it firmly, and dispose of it to the best advantage, ere be is pounced upon by tho watching halves of the opposing sido. Then most of the gam from tho .movement is los.t immediately;

or oven worse than that happens if the half bo a bit Hurried, for ho often throws it recklessly from. him, and m.u do infinite damage to his fceam an t u [J oTuae other hand tho heeling forwards mav work buck tho ball .so slowly that their opponents, having grasped tho fact that they themselves have lost all control of tho oval, are enabled to make preparations for circumventing the iieeiftrs-out from using their advantage when tho ball does at iu-.t rcaoa halves, and so again tho movement 1= deprived of most of its force. AO, booling out is a scionco in itself: ono whica all forwards, who wish to become more than mer* machines in I' l - p/Tinn, would do well to study and practise far more vigorously than most forwards do now aFORMATION OF THE FORWARDS. I have said nothing yet about the iorraatiou «f the eight forwards m tho pack. Indeed, strange to say, 1 have ■■■■’uellv known forwards who thought it (S'Ju’t inciter what way they 'got down,” so long a.s they did get down and push strongly. But. those who ha'e i’(.'iu> through big matches, through in- , ..it - or famous county contests, know "differently. It matters extremo-

'Tiw! leader of Iho scrimmage should sill lo in what manner his men shall enter it, how they shall combine, how they shall stick to each otacr in tho mas-, how they shall arrange tnemselves. Tiiroc —two —throe is a favourite arrangement for reliable iorwards. But it may be varied effectively to tliros-three-two. if you think your men work bettor thus, or if certain weights ami dispositions lead you to favour this latter plan. You should see your forwards are clear a.s to understanding your cries to them, cries of advice, encouragement, warning. They should know exactly what this or that word means, coming from you or oi Iters directing the pack dur-ng the play. And it is not necessary—often much otherwise!—that your words should be such as your opponents can comprehend at once, just as easily as your own men. Another thing most important to teach your forwards is to break up the scrum cuiokly and promptly when they aro told to do so. Tf the ball comes out on the other sido of the scrimmage, .it ■ our opponents aro wheeling and contiollinv it, if their halves manage to •mt away with it, then it becomes ot tho highest moment Hint your own forwards'should break up the. scram as speedily ns possible and. follow aftei* the ball." ~ This leads me to offer you another piece of advice. Always insist on your forwards following-up at once, and as rapidly as possible when tho bail -s kicked, carried, or driven towards your goal by other means. There is nowadays, as it seems to rue, too much lackadaisical following-up by forwards generally; English teams have certainly, as a whole, deteriorated in this matter of Into years. The quick following-up of forwards has ever had an immense result in the game, and always will have. But to-day too many fdubs depend on their three-quarters doing all tho running, nnd allow their forwards to take matters too cosily in this respect. NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.

I have ■sometimes been asked wherein I think England's forwards aro lacking, as compared with these of our sistercountrios. Well, wo are superior in some things, of course, hut they do certainly beat us in others. _ The Scottish are better at actual dribbling; they control tho ball with more surety when in the loose. But I doubt whether they are better at solid pushing in the scrum and they aro certainly not out superiors at heeling out. The Irishmen are tho best of all forwards for pure dash and fierce rushes with the ball down the field. But their great fault is that, in their impetuosity, they often over-run the ball, that is to say, they do not carry U with them at their tees with that certainty and precision that tho Scottish forwards do. Yet I know nothing worse to stop on any field than a real wild, strong Irish rush of eirhfc tynical forwards rYom the Green Isle. Indrod, if onlv they could keep the ball with them it would always be ten to one on their scoring a try against onv side before long by those tactics. Solidity of weight and solidity of push, havo. as a rule, been the characteristics of English international forwards. But, being such we are often a trifle too slow to beat the resolute and quick Irish forwards, whilst for the same reason we are rather too heavy and clumsy to be quite equal to the more dashing masters of the dribbling method from over the Tweed. "Whilst England can produce excellent forwards she will ever have a .good chance against any of her rivals; when she can't she will be beaten. That is as certain as anything can be at football.