RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9720, 24 July 1917, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

NEW ZEALANDERS AT LEEDS COMMENT BY ENGLISH SPORTING WRITER.

I have not been greatly struck hy the Quality of the football ulaved by the New Zealand soldiers 1 have seen in this country (wrote “W.L.S-’’ in the Manchester "Sporting Chronicle" in May). They have had plenty of experience of the came with their clubs in the Dominion. but, to be candid, they have neither the appearance nor have they the methods of skilled performers. Big follows they are in , the pack and heavy enough for anything; (hey do not spare themselves in the .-.lightest; hut all the same, they have not played with particular effect, and then again the backs have proved extremely moderate. Remember we have accepted a very high standard by which to judge Now Zealand loothall —that, set by D. Gallaghor’s men of a dozen years ago. We recall what that wonderful and muchdououuccd forward and his fellows could do fore and aft. and judge other colonial skies accordingly. They did show us the great possibilities of Rugby football, but in their demonstyationslj was next to no kicking. They could kick when necessity arose; men like Wallace and F. Roberts and the late Robert Deans were splendid; but heads and hands rather than feet wore used! Their short passing was often so rapid as to be. most difficult to follow. The soldiers I had seen play the A.S.C. at Richmond—only six of them were engaged at Leeds, O'Brien, E. Roberts, Muir, Seeling, Sheehan, and Sellarsr—and in the charity game with Yorkshire, practised methods as old. as the hills, as the saving is. ' A PLAGUE OE PUNTING.

The idea of kicking and following in the hope that a back would blunder and give them a chance was one popular method: driving for touch was another, and more ground was gained by the latter means than by any other. Even the captain. E. Roberts, would beat a man or u cotfple-of men, and then instead of looking for a well-placed comrade would mint towards or into touch. Hardly a decent, run. was put in by a New Zealander during the whole game, and I would dearly like to know what Charles Seeling. who appiVciates the value of passing and running, and did hi» level best, to provide for his backs, thought about it all. The - amount of kicking spoilt the match. . Straight punting was the last thing the Mao inlanders .should have < attempted against Northern Rugby Union players; the latter , necessarily know more about that than any footballers. They cannot be beaten at catching and profitable returning of. the ball. The conditions were, indeed,' so strange to some of the county men that they did not appreciate the advantages -of the touch lines, which was open to' them by way of change. The straight kicking of the New Zealanders W.-.S glee 'o Die Acrkshiremen. who if they did take. some time to settle down, were too, clever for their visitors, whom they should have beaten by a far greater mirg.il. I was amused at the formation, ( or rathcr transformation, of the New Zealand pack. They endeavoured, to bewin with, to scrummage 222.3 —2. Muir was an extra, half-back rather than the wing-forward he had* been catalogued. Well, that did not wbrk against 3—3—2 Stiffly and strongly formed by Yorkshire. The visitors were at sixes and sevens, with the result that they could not get the ball. J. Brittain, of the King's Navy, was kent busy collecting from the heeling—by the way, this young sailor-man was none too, scrupulous in the master of inserting the ball in the scrummage, and it was a particularly cheeky effort which Mr Gil, Evans penalised—and it became obvious that an alteration would be necessary. In the end a 4—3 formation was adopted, still against 3—3—2, and still. without much success in getting the ball. YORKSHIRE SCRUMMAGE OFF.

The Yorkshire scrummagors, apart probably from Bombardier G. Rees, know little of the lino-out; they accordingly elected to scrummagq instead of throw in. It is likely that they would have done just as well as their opponents had they lined out, but with the extra man power in the pack it paid to scrummage. There was some harmony in the side, and much of the work of the halfbacks, Brittain and Parkin, a really clever pair, and of Campbell was skilful. . The Australian stood in a class l-y himself, and played one of his best gaiu.es. The fast going suited him. He was instantly into his stride, and ran and swerved, and beat men and passed and took return naescs with effect. In many ways Campbell’s exhibition was a study in adaptability.. He never hesitated to proceed .even outside of his wing man. Lyman, of Dewsbury, for the purpose of making good or .with the object of receiving a return pass. There, was method and profitable method about his movements. On the other hand, W. A. Davies was not so good. He had not been in regular practice of late, and I rather fancy ho felt the effect of one or two tackles. At any rate, after beginning cleverly, he rather faded out. Hugh Davies thus got few chances, and Howie a tall, speedy opponent, looked well after him when he did obtain possession. Lyman ran well; and, behind all, Lyons, who has thriven on military service and filled out into a powerful little chap, was good, after a’shaky beginning. Ho is still a fine runner who glories in the side-step. ' The forwards were against a tovrsy lot who spared nobody; hut the home pack quite appreciated the conditions, and the men who can get the best of a Yorkshire eight when matters are being “mixed.” as they will bo "mixed” whore keen Rugby is played, will be hard to find. Beames, of Halifax, was very good in the loose, and Bombardier G. ■ Rees got through a variety of work, wherein he found opportunity to help his threequarter backs. Private F. Godward did not spare himself, and one beautifullythrown pass of his formed the genesis of a fir-.' try completed in the first half by Lyman. Sergeant Wray (Bradford) and Webster were often noticeable for fine work. NOTABLE NEW ZEALANDERS. The New Zealanders must bo given credit for pertinacity and for good defensive qualities if not for brilliance. Thev backed up and spoiled and tackled and kicked for all they were worth, but the back nlay was, not clever. In the pack Pilkington earned one vory good try with a short dribble and dive for the ball. Williams, a big Maori, scrummaged hard, and Seeling was always useful. Newman, a sturdy chap of the Pilkington type, had an eye for an opening. but did not obtain many chances. Sellars was a hard worker. Muir was nominally wing forward, but b« really nlayed half-back. He got one senseless dig into Lyons after the tall had left the' latter —a Northern Union referee would have ordered him to the rails had it been a Northern Union competition match. Muir and MacLeod, who reneatedlv got off-side by following "the ball, would have been more effective had thev played the game. ■ Roberts worked untiringly but kicked unreasonably. He would be a great footballer if he would only pass more. I should have liked to hare seen Howie supported by J. D. Cam obeli; the New

Zealander looks a player. O'Brien and. Torrance defended well, but Moffatt, the full-back, was slow. THE, SCORING. In the first half Newman and -Bilking ton pained tries for. New Zealand, the '-- ■. i- point being converted by Langford. , , . . j/arkin and Lyman earned tries tor Yorkshire, and,if he failed witn the kicks Lyons placed a penalty goal. In the second half Yorkshire had the better of matters. Parkin am} Lyman added tries, and Lyons kicked two goals, the County, winning by 19 points to 8. The match was watched by a fairly large number of people, but it is scarcely likoly that it impressed many of them. The standard of play, as I said was not bright, and a .pre-war duel between Leeds and Huddersfield would have produced much better tactics. Rugby football was never intended to he of the kick and chase type. . ... Considering bow unfamiliar Yorkshire were with the rules, and having regard to their superiority on the run of the game the. team did. nearly as well as could have been expected. Were the sides to meet again the Dominion s representatives would have a bad time.