PLAYERS and the GAME

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12423, 17 April 1926, Page 17

PLAYERS and the GAME

RUGBY JUDGING by the form shewn in the first of the season games on Saturday the standard of Kugby m Wellington this year should be high. Several of the teams have been strengthened by new players, and in .all the clubs there seems to. be hard competition for places: • Present indications paint to Petone, ’VaTsity, Oriental, and Old Boys being the leading quartette, with Poueke, Wellington, Berliampore, and Athletic not far belind. Marist, Sclwyn, and Hutt may be the weakest of the sepior teams, but of course football gives plenty of scope for the hard trier, and grit and determination are often the deciding factors that pavo the way to victory. Sehvyn, although at the bottom of the list last season, fought every inch of the way, and any success they may have this season will bo applauded from all quarters. • * * « Mark Nicholls has jumped into form quickly, and on Saturday played up to his best. His two tries—it is seldom that ho does score were the result of clever pieces of work. In the £ret x he ' “sold .. the . dummy” to almost the whole o f . tho Poneke team, and he hashed across the lino before they realised what had happened. His kicking was also good. Ho converted three tries and kicked a penalty. • * » Geoff Nicholls was the weak link in the Petone back lino. H. E. Nicholls, who made a welcome reappearance behind the scrum, whipped out his passes cleanly and gave his backs plenty of time to get on the move, but Gecdf vsas the sturpbling block. He may fill the bill when, the combination gets going, but one'would like to see Corner first five-eighths, with Fitzgerald centre. • ■■ • • * McKenna, who- locked the Petone serum, is a solidly built player - who likes to be in the fray all, the time. With King, Haddock, and : Arthur Parker he was always well- up at the business end. was a notable absenteo on Saturday. * • *- • • O’Callaghan, a junior player, who is the secretary of the Petone Club, has been given a trial on the Virig, land indicates that he will be a player above the average. He has a splendid opportunity, for he will cot be starved. • » • » L. Johnston is still the star hack of th« 'Wellington side. On Saturday he did a tremendous amount of work in both attack and defence, and con-' tributed mortv than his quota towards the victory of nis team. •i* * • ’Vansity have plenty of men to choose from, and on Saturday tried about 20 men. It i& understood that of last year’s backs, Love and Walpole (fiveeighths) and Malfroy (wing) will hold their places. South is almost certain to be centre three-quarter, and Mackay to be the other winger. The half-back has not been chosen. The forwards under that fine captain, Martin-Smith, will b* almost the same as last year. •*• ' • Foitthn were not at their full strength against Petone. They were evidently experimenting with their rack line, which did not work well together. H. Tilyard and D.. Algar were outstanding. Algar was tried at five-eighths, ana got. through a great deal <5 work. •*' • • Noble-Ad * ms, tho now ’Varity fullback, is a fine typo of player for that position. Ho kicked very hard and .accurately, gathers in the ball nicely, and is extremely cool. 'Varsity needed a good frill- back last season; it appears that they have him now. •** \ : •

There are several good full-backs in Wellington this season. Walters (Berhampore), Maloolm (Old Bojb), Henwood _ (Petone), and Noble-Adamo .(’Varsity) are above club average- \•• a #

H. A. Tristram, from Coventry, England, and a Warwickshire repre.sentatfve wing-three-quarter, turned *xit on the wing for Poneke against Petone last Saturday, but got few opportunities of indicating Bis class, line same can be said about Dodder, an erstwhile Dunedin player, who occupied the other wing position, 'Tris--1 tram showed that he has speed. • * * • J. R« Lamason, last season’s wingforward, is a notable absentee from the Old Boys’ team this season. Lama*o® is at present school teaching in Marlborough, and should prove a decided acquisition both to the football and cricket circles of the province,' • v ,* mm. Fast, exciting, and essentially spectacular football should be the order of • the play at Athletic Park this afternoon', when the annual ©even-a-side tourney will be staged by the Wellington Rugby Union. • • « Yates, the well-known Hawke’s Bay fall-back, has joined up with Athletic, and both as full-back and plaee-kicker should prove worth his weight in gold to the blue and blacks this season. s' • • • "With good material drawn from a number' of provinces Training Collegewill be able to place a strong team in the field in the Benior B competition. *,• • • The majority of this season’s -fifteen are Palmerston North .High School bid boys, and include a number of Manawatu senior players. '* . • • • Barling, last season’s full-back of the Old Boys’ senior team in Palmerston North, will be turning out for'the students this season, while other ex-senior players from the same club attending ,Training College this year are MeSweeney (wing-three-qunrtcr), Stannard (wing-forward), Tier and Fuller (five-eighths), and Burr and Snell (forwards). * * • » Sparks, a big forward from Te Aute College, Banks and Insull, • ex-New Plymouth High School forwards, and Atkins (half), and Joblin (forward), last season ’Varsity players, are also available. Stailnard, Fuller, Tier and Burr are } the only members of last year’s fifteen available this year. • * * * A practice was held on Thursday afternoon when several of the new players nhowed good form. The Students appear to have a fast, and clever hack division, and the forwards are a very solid and hard-working pack. South, the Hawke’s. Bay ropresentatie centre, and the Wanganui rep. wing-three-quarter, are also attending Training College, but havo joined up with ’Varsity A and Marist respectively. * t • • Although no definite arrangements have been made yet, it is highly probable that a New Zealand University team will visit Sydney fairly early this season. Victoria College players will doubtless gain good representation, but th'* greens will bo considerably weakened in tho competition matches-

“It is help of this nature which enables tho schools to carry on so sue. ccssfully,” says the executivo of tin. Primary Schools’ . Rugby Union, in thanking tho Wellington Rugby Union for its assistance. The union provided each team participating in the competition with a ball; donated £lO towards tho tournament funds, donated thu representative team with caps, and also defrayed tho travelling expenses of teams taking part in tho competition. • • • # Thirty-eight teams entered for tho various competitions conducted by the Wellington Primary Schools’ Itugby Union. The winners were:—Senior, Terraco School; junior, .Newtown; tJiinch Uoscneath; fourth, Brooklyn No. 2. •*• ' • » The officers of tiro Primary Schools’ Rugby Union this year are:—President, Mr C. Robertson; vice-presi-dents, Mr E. C. Peltham ; management committee, Messrs W. B. Brown, E. G. Cousins; and S. M. Hancox’; lion, secretary, Mr XV. Olilson; hon. treasurer, Mr Sceats; delegate to the W.R.U., Mr W. H. Stninton; hon. auditor, Mr G. R. Kidston. ,

* ( A # » A. Falwosser, the crack Hawke’s Bay three-quarter,-played for the Star Club in the Taranaki soven-a-side tournament .last/ Saturday. •*• • - It is, stated that A. West, member of the 1924 All Blacks, will be donning tho Waikato jersey this season, and that L. F. Cupples, a prominent member of. the 1924 team, who is residing at Cambridge, is 'another probable member of the side. • • • O' Canterbury are looking forward to 1 a most, successful season. Dailey, Robilliard, and McGregor, will form the nucleus of a strong back division. These three are the only members of Cafttevbury’s contingent of the All Blacks of 1924 to play this season, although Parkbr may turn out. Harris, the full-back, and Elvy, the wing-three-quarter, are later All Blacks! who will again turn out, and should have claims to representative honours. Dickson, the big Otago forward, who represented New Zealand last year, will be a valuable Addition to a pack that is always a good combination.

•*■ • . Prominent players from other provinces who will appear in Christchurch football this season are G. McK. Dickson, tike New Zealand forward and exOtago ’Varsity captain, who will turn out foi Old ■ Boys, and ,1. Loveridge, ior tho past 'couple of seasous a Taranaki rep. three-quarter, who will'wear the ’Varsity jersey. ** • • * Prospects for a splendid season have never been brighter since the palmy days.of the Rugby Union game, before the introduction of the League code (says the Sydney “Telegraph”). The sterling showing of the team which toured New Zealand against the All Black side in the test match at the en.l of the tour was a revelation to expert New Zealand critics. The team which played on that occasion is to be strengthened this year, as Ted Thorn was unable to take the field in A'ucklahd, and players of the calibre of V. Dunn (A.1.F.) forward, C. L. For (captain of the premiers), A. C. Wallace, O. B. Nothling, and A. W. Ross (the University champion) are now to‘, lie considered. • * • • f How should a footballer train ? Here, in brief, is what some Canterbury men say : N. P. McGregor: “Get out into the fresh air of the mornings, and go for a long walk.'” S. F. Wilson: “Eat plenty qf good, plain food, and don’t be frightened of of it. Do plenty of walking, and a little sprinting.” Brian McCleary: “Cut out the soppy stuff; eat real decent food.. . '. You’ve got to use your head before the game.” O. Turpin: “Cut out the smokes, and the potatoes, too/’. C.. S. McCully: “CutVout the drink, and forget jhe smokes.”

The New Zealand tennis players are doing well in the New South Wales championships. At the time of writing Smyth and Seay had both been defeated by J. "Willard, the third man on the New South Wales ranking list, and an Australian Olympic representative. Wilson took Aubrey Sieler (No. 6 on the State list) to five sets before he went under. Andrews defeated Dunlop and Betts, who are not in the first rank.

Tho visitors surorisod the local critics (says A. G. Moves, in reviewing the performance of the New Zealand tennis team in Sydney). When it is considered , that they get few chances of measuring rackets with outside players, their standard is very high indeed. One thins; which took the eye was the fine physiquo- of all the players, and also, let it ho said, their fine sportsmanship. In their first match in this State the men of the Silver Fern made a fine impression. . . Andrews produced a fine forehand drive, a stroke which was a feature of the New Zealanders’ play. With a reverse American service he was a hard man to deal with,- and with the benefit of the match play in this contest he should give our best something to think about. . . Smyth is a very solid player, and knows the doubles game, with the result that he turned to account any weak strokes made by his opponents. His service is not strong, but it so well supported by excellent stroke play that it carries him through, and ho rarely looked liko losing it. . . Seay is a left-hander with a delightful style. His .service was accurate and always well placed, ami bis forehand drive was a thing of delight. Ho volleys beautifully, and gets close in, and while lie is not over

pulled together exceptionally 'well, and after a few matches against the other senior teams should give a good account of themselves. They are a youthful crowd, which is all to the good, as some of the older clubs are given to retaining their old warriors long after they have seen their best day’s, and the strenuous senior game should he the privilege of youth. On the other hand there are some old players who are as good as the best, and their experience is valuable to the younger players.

The best piece of news to Soccer is that the Basin Reserve has been secured for the season, and the association has at last obtained a ground which will he the venue of all the big games which command good gates. Tho few games played there last year showed that people will go, and see Soccer if proper accommodation is provided, but they will not go to Association* Park, where both grounds nre in a dreadful state and there is not a scrap of shelter. No. 2 ground, on which Y.M.C.A. had q preliminary canter last Saturday, is had enough, hut No. 1 ground constitutes a real risk ■of injury to players, and no team could be blamed for refusing to play on it. The polo ground at Miramar is in an infinitely better state, and a senior game will probably be played on Hutt recreation ground, ns the management committee bns been able to secure a ground there from the Lower Hutt Borough Council.

entitled to consideration, but the latter might, hlso make a good right half, or he given a try at left hack if Montgomery does not take the position, T. Wotherspoon, tile old Thistle half, will be back' again, and will possibly have McDougall for partner on one side, and the other may be chosen from Rusterholz (late Institute) and Beveridge. McDougall - is newly married and talks of pulliqg out, but his services are needed by his club for this season. , . \

Tho Thistle forwards will he something like, Cunningham, Logan, Loth-, ian, Pattprson, and Crundwell, but Frew, who ha* just com# over from Newcastle, and played'against the Englishmen last year, may be given a place in the forward line. If he shapes well he and Patterson would do better than a Patterson-Crundwell combination. - The other wing, Logan and Cunningham, with Lothian at centre, should make the attack very strong. They will give Brooklyn a hard spin to-day. • *■ *, • Y.M.C.A. had not fixed up their team at the time of writing. Prince had not returned from holidays, but it was hoped to see him with McGirr at back. Ewing will probably be in goal, vice Tarrant, who went to pieces at-the end of last season. Trott and Pearson will bn at half, with j.Kwvibly Robins or Eaton for 'bird man. Campbell is a 11011-starter for the present,

SOCCER .To-day the Socoer season opens in earnest, but the clubs .will take a week or two to settle down/and we are not Expecting to see anything brilliant to' cofmmenpe with. Y.M.C.A. haye decided and wisely top, to run only one senior team, which will give them more material to select from, although they are by no means settled as to who will be in the team. To fill the vacancy in the first division Brooklyn have deservedly been promoted. (The men up the hill have

The Thistle Club’s management committee or selectors have a ticklish job in front of them in appointing the first division team, hut it is hoped that the whole of the players will be thoroughly loyal and stand by the selection. - They have two excellent. gohlies in McYegn, who was custodian last year, and Murray, who performed for the Wanderers,' now merged into the Thistle. • They have both had experience in the Scottish second division, knfl have only been in New Zealand two or three years. Jack should he sure of the right-back position, although Wotherspoon is

ODDS AND ENDS Randolph Rose, who was in » clangtoil on Saturday and Sunday, prior to leaving for Auckland, visited Hataitai Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon ior the purpose of saying good-bye to the six rinks of Masterton bowlers, who were playing a friendly game. The play was stopped for a few minutes, in the course of which the company present wished Rose the best of luck and ;ave him hearty cheers as he left the green. * * • * I was wrong the other day in my statement that Clarrie Grimmett will be the first New Zealand-born member of the Australian Eleven (says an English writer). 1* am indebted to the famous writer who hides his identity under the non-de-plume “The Gentleman in Black” for the correction. The first New Zealander to play in Test cricket for Australia was I’. U. Groube, who was horn in Taranaki,, and played for Australia in the memorable Test at the Oval in 1880. > Grimmett’s birtli.place ■ was Wellington, where Mark ■ Nicholls, of All Blacks fame, first saw the light. • • • » H. D. Morgan, who was athletic champion of the Southland Boys’ High School in 1918 and 3919, now holds both New Zealand and New Zealand University titles in hurdling. Added to his - 440 yards Dominion hurdling title ho now has the 120 yards and 440. - yards Now Zealand University hurdles championships, which ho won at Dunedin on Monday He won the; 120 easily by 10 yards in 16 l-sseo against the wind, and' the 440 yards hurdles by 30 yards in 5 8 4-6 sec—two-fifths of a second outside his own record. He was also Second in putting the shot, in which his actual put was 33ft 2in.

It has taken many years for the Oxford Blues Committee to become convinced that hockey is worthy of a full Blue The first inter-Varsity match was played in 1890, and in 1894' a half-Blue was given at Cambridge. Oxford did not follow suit until 1-901, and seven years after, in 190 S, -the full honour was substituted aj Cambridge. Ever since then the Oxford Blues Committee have been criticised for not following the example. Many! people thought the full Blue should have been awarded during 192324,■ when Oxford were unbeaten, crowning their record with a win of three clear goals over their hereditary rivals at Beckenham, A young Invercargill player who was a member of the volunteer crew that 'vent Home in the Matakana,. referred interestingly to several“games in which the London New Zealanders were eii- ■ -aped. He himself took part, nnd ho state*] that though the team included several first-class men it was made up of men with less experience of big Rugby than l should be the case if it was to mould into a good combination The Londdp Enzedders were defeated by the ,Air Force 19 to 3, hut they inflicted defeat on the United Services by 6 points to 3. Richmond, a well-known club team' which included three English internationals, met with defeat by 6 points to 3. The London N.Z. team included Dr A. E. Perry, the well-known

but it is hoped to see Ballard' at left wing again, in. spite of his assertions to the contrary. Nicoll© is fit and will bo the right winger again,. while Orr, Stork er Badcock may be selected for the two inside places. They tried a youngster who played for Petone last year, and he was worth trying again. Roberts, who played for South Auckland last year, is coining to Wellington soon, and will probably sign on for Y.M.C.A. . * J * • • Newman, of the West Coast, who •played a brilliant game, at Christ church against the Chinese team, is now at Porirua, and will play for Hospital. It is hoped he will be as good as expected. * * • •

Diamonds, who meet Y.M.C.A. today, have secured Trotter, who has come up from Canterbury. Trotter is one of the best centre forwards in the Dominion, and will be a great asset to Diamonds. He played a great game for Canterbury last season, when the southerners heat Wellington so decisively at the Basin. Diamonds will he one of tho strong combinations of the A division this season. • * • • Institute have retained' most of their players, but will have some changes. They are drawn to-day to play Hospital, upon whom they sprung such surprises last year. '«* * • Manats’ goalie, hacks and halves arc unchanged, as are the forward wit’i tho exception of the right winger. Barton has been transferred to Frnnkton Junction, hut there is a possibility of his return shortly. Meanwhile it iv douhtful who will fill the position. There aro two or three aspirants.

land xep., the veteran ‘‘Tiny” berg, V.C (hero of the attempt to swim the English Channel), who turn*fc*d out to fill a breach on occasions, Randall Booth (the well-known Wairarapa wing three-quarter who played against Southland last season), and Jack O’Dowd (who alsj played against Southland for AVairarapa last season)—. these two having been members of the “Matakana's” crew.

The following grounds for the hockey have been allocated by the City Council this season :*—Newtown Park, one ground; Kilbirnie Reserve, one ; Karori Park, seven; Tanera crescent, one; and Pirie street reserve, one. • #'#•'#

George Ceruti, lightweight one mile Aoulliag champion of New South Wales, has been matched to row Jack Mason, of New Zealand, for £IOU aside. The engagement is to take place on the Whangarei Harbour (North Auckland), about May 6th. Ceruti entered the professional ranks in 1920, and was trained by George Towns and later by “Billy” McDevitt. He had charge of “Billy” McDevitt, and acted as pacemaker to well-known scullers, when McDevitt was preparing for his race with Major Go outsell for the world’s sculling title year. Mason is champion of North Auckland, apct is a heavyweight, scaling about I2st. - Reg. Grier, Queensland’s swimming champion, who lowered the existing N.Z. records for 100 and 220 yards, states that the warm water of the tepid baths, which the Auckland Club swimmers use, is conducive to fast times. He oonsiders some of the locals as swimmers of possibilities, and thinks that the general advance in form by the young swimming club , members augurs well for strong competition by the | Now Zealanders for Australia’s best during the next few years. • • * * The New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association has approved the following records:—loo yards: N. Dowsett, 57 2-ssec, made at Auckland on March 23rd, 1926; 220 yards ladies’ breaststroke. Miss Gladys Pidgeon, 3min 40sec, made at Auckland on March 13th, 1926; 100 yards, intermediate, giTls,.Miss M. Farqiihar, lmin 9 l-ssec, made at Auckland on March 23rd. 1926. • * * • M

Walter Marshall, the groundsman at Trent Bridge, the famous Notts ground, is nursing the pitch which is to be exclusively re(ser\ed for the first ' Test match as assiduously as if it were a newly-born baby. It is on precisely the same site as that on which the first Test was played in 1921. Applications for seats have been received from all of the Empire. Night and day gangs are at work completing a new cantilever stand at lord’s, which will cost £50,000. It will' accommodate an additional 3000 pedplo. There has come to Vancouver a heavyweight boxer from New Zealand, inthe person of George Modrich, who claims the championship' of the Dominion (writes a correspondent of the Melbourne “Globe”). Modrich has been hailed by the Press here as a possible Frank Slavin or Jim Tracey, but it remains to be seen whether he can'produce “the goods.” Canadian, newspapers are wondering whether Modrich is going to achieve fame for the British race. Modrich produced a docu-. ment hearing the signature of Mr J. P. Aldridge, secretary of the New Zealand Boxing Association. > It read as follow^: —“My council has allotted you the heavyweight title and it has further approved your contest with Eddie Parker as being fpr the title. Ymir application for a licence has been granted, and I will forward you the form as soon as I have copies printed, etc.” It is not often that % first-class Soccer player turns to Rugby. The N.S.W. Union is getting a recruit from the Soccer ranks in the person of G. Storey. The name Storey stands very high in (the inner circles of Soccer in this State, ami people begun to think the family were part of the game. He has plaved akainat England, Canada, China, Queensland, Victoria and New Zealand. Tom Saul, who has challenged Major Goodsell for the sculling championship of th© world, is recognised as peing a* cleveiT oarsman, and on© who has an excellent chance of lowering the colours of the champion. He is exceptionally fast over a mile, and is the champion over that distance in Australia. Saul, Who hails from the Made ay River, studied under George Towns, the mentor of Goodsell. *■ > •