RUGBY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12471, 12 June 1926, Page 17

RUGBY

Educated at Scot’s College, tVellington, where he was skipper of the first XV. in 1921, Tait comes from a good Rugby nursery, and lias certainly showed promise of building well on to the good foundation that was laid in him at college (says the Napier “Telegraph” of a recent Hawke's Bay representative lecruit). Since playing senior for Celtic he has been making a consistently steady advance, with tho result that ho got into the Bay team to go South last year, and this year improved on this by getting in the shield team. He is very fast, and can handle well, but on Thursday he did not get many chances, ns most of tho play swung toward Grenside’s wing. Strong endeavour is being made by the Wanganui Rugby Sub-Union to have the To Mori Rose Bowl match played in Wanganui this season. At a spoial meeting of the sub-union, : t was resolved that the use of the Spriggtns Park ground be. offered free to the authorities controlling the Rose Bowl fixture. The Te Mori Rose Bowl match is one of the classic games of the North Island Rugby year. The match this season will have a greater significance than usual, as it will be from it that a large number of Maori players will be selected for the tour of France. Owen Grossman, the brilliant New South Wales Rugby Union wing threequarter, while playing for Rpndwick against Sydney University at University Oval recently, was badly injured, and taken to hospital with concussion of tlie brain. Grossman represented New South Wales against the All Blacks in 1923-4-5. Although small, he is an exceedingly dangerous winger, and when in possession of the ball, his dashes along the wing invariably bring the crowd to its feet. He lias beep the mainstay of ihe Ralidwkk team for some time, and, in addition to his try-getting ability, he is also, a reliable goal kicker. I his season he ' easily heads the list of point scorers in the Union premiership. Crossman holds tho Kerr Cup for the sprint championship of the New South Wales Rugby Union. • • * • Encouraging the young idea! The Now South Wales Rngby League has given 94 sports masters season tickets, 384 schoolboys season tickets, and 128 footballs to the primary schools. It also pays-out-of-pocket expenses to the masters for travelling with their teams,., buying oranges, chewing gum, ' etc. • • • * In connection with tho nominations for the New Zealand team to go to New South Wales this year the New Zealand selectors asked players to supply information regarding weight, age, position, and any other information ‘‘that might be useful to the selectors.” Under the last heading one Dunedin player stated : “Handsome ; unmarried (with hopes); nice voice; children problematical: good solo dancer; don’t smoke or drink, but sometimes play noughts and crosses'; an elder of the church, and deprecate the use of strong language on the football field”; and as further infor - mation said: “Can now definitely state that the Exhibition is closed.” • • « # For the first seven-a-side Rugby tournament ever held in London 49 teams entered, and the displays were ao fine that the critics were fulsome in their praise of the new kind of football. They are now asking for. more ip the interval between football'' and cricket. • • • • Country football in the Southland district is an eye-opener to those who have not already been privileged to witness any of the country teams in action. On Thursday astonishment was expressed at the type of forward available from the Button ions—not only in physique, but also in playing ability. Aa a result of the injury to a shoulder in the match with Old Boys, Harold Godfrey, Christchurch Club’s star forward, not onjy missed his place in the Canterbury team against Wellington, but is likely to be out of the game for at least three weeks (says the “Sun”). Godfrey has torn Sevan! ligaments of the shoulder. • « • • Watching Lucas closely when he is participating in back movements one can see the headwork which is responsible for Ponsonby’s position as senior club team in Auckland (says the “Waikato Times”). He draws his opponent every time, gives a perfect pass and very seldom is put down, but immediately gets into position for the in-pass from his winger. On another occasion he was running almost directly behind Ifwerson, called for the ball, and was immediately going in the opposite direction to all his opposing backs, naturally leaving them standing. He is certainly a very brilliant player and a view'of his methods will surely do our younger players good. * • » • A new Rugby Union has come into being in Kenya Colony. There are four clubs affiliated and it is hoped to have matches played in the colony bv touring teams. It is hoped to have avisit from a South African students’ team in the near future. At a representative game against a visiting naval contingent over I9OC European, attended. * . • « • Nepia showed that married life has not impaired his kicking powers and did some hefty booting—in fact, some of his kioking was marvellous (says the Napiar “Telegraph” of this famous player’s performance against Wairarapa). He was sinking his foot into the leather with the power of a steam hammer. One k'ok from behind the Bay line went out at half way on tho full, and another hefty boot from just inside the 25 went out in the Green quarter, the crowd gasping at the terxifio kicking power of the genial champion. Apart from his kicking, however, his display was not much to enthuse over, his tackling and rush•topping not being too sure. -•• • • Among the- old bands who watched the Canterbury-Wellington Rugby match, there was the sort of murmur of recognition, associated with the meeting of an old friend, at a trick successfully worked by the Nicholls brothers (says the “Sun.”) The hall shot from the scrum, and “Ginger” Nicholls, with a smack, assisted its progress, knocking it between his two legs, which were well apart.. Directly behind him stood Mark Nichols, waiting. Mark gathered up the ball, and, free for the moment from opponents, tried one of his famous drop-kicks. It is a trick they often have worked before (Marist will remember!), but it was new to many people in Canterbury. • • • m

The following caustic criticism of the new serum rule is from the pen of “Pakeha” in the “Southland News”:; —“Before the last meeting of New Zealand referee representatives w# had a sound working rule for tho set-scrum. The ball had to be put Into the middle of the scrum before a foot was lifted or advanced. Now the men in front may have their feet up. and goodness knows what will be the result of this silly concession to some crank who talked tho votes around to his sida. Front row men

(will now have to be shod with steel and greaved with leather to with- , stand the lashing that must necessarily result. The ball will more readily j go through the scrummage, and the i referee will be further harassed.” • • • S Fore and aft the great Bay team went like champions (says the Napier “Telegraph” of the Hawke’s BayWairarapa Ranfurly Shield match.) The big, fast forwards bustled the I visiting backs incessantly, and con--1 tinualiy opened the play for their own rearguard, many times joining in the passing rushes themselves. In fact, undoubtedly the feature of the game was the wav both Bay backs and forwards handled the leather in smashing, penetrating rushes swept smashing, penetrating rushes, which swept all before them. It is difficult to particularise as to individual form in the game. Corkill, Cooke, Blake and Grenside _ played splendid games for the Bay in the backs, and as an attacking chain it would be difficult to conceive anything more effective than this fastmoving, penetrating set judiciously fed from the base of the scrum by the ever inimitable Mill. Mill fed his backs in great style, flinging the ball out from all positions, and letting it go like greased lightning. With an electric-tension half continuously shooting the leather out, Corkill and Cooke had ample opportunity, and both played slashing games on attack.’ Corkill running dead straight and cutting in nicely at times, while Cooke, although in actualset, passing rushes notshining,; was like an eagle in pouncing on a chance offering. « • • « By 19 points to 13, the British Army defeated the French Army at Rugby, at the Stade de Colombes, Paris. It made the third win for the British Army, the French having won two of the annual encounters, while one ■ game was drawn. • . * • Willie Shortlnnds, the popular halfback is at his best, and with Jimmy Still not available, “Shorty” must stand a great chance of getting picked for the Maori touring team (says the Napier “Telegraph.”) The M.A.C. full-back was also responsible. for a great game. The forwards were all evenly balanced, playing the JRme as it should be played, and each man doing his host for victory. » * • * - Much can be done by the referee to make the game more attractive for both, players and spectators (says the Auckland “Star.”) Under the amended rules of Rugby, there is greater scope than ever for commonsense rulings. The “revised version” of the Rugby Referee’s Handbook dealt out a healthy knock to the moribund referee whose' chief qualification was to reel off the role book like a phonograph. Generally, this type of Rugby controller was not worth a kettleful of stale fish when it came to giving practical effect to the multitude of clauses and sub-clauses which he knew ■off 'by. heart. * •- • « * There is no doubt that Auckland excels at the open game, but up against a big pack, controlling the ball, there would probably be a different story (says Hie “Waikato Times” of the Auckland-Waikato representative encounter.) Nevertheless, they must be given cred.it for a brilliant exhibition and moreover one that the pnblio enjoys. They have a happy knack of initiating passing rushes frofn aTm'ost any position and the forwards appear to concentrate more on getting the back machine in motion than on the dribbling game. Altogether 114 teams play Rugby in Dunedin every week, this total representing 1710 players. • • • • Playing with practically all emergency haoks, ’Varsity has drawn with Old ; Boys and beaten Meri vale (says ■the ' Christchurch “Sun”). Obviously the logical thing to do is to adtl an emergency pack, and clean up the competition. ; . « • ■ « • Followers of the game in New Zealand who do not know “Bill” Meredith are very few, for he is one of “the” referees of big games in the North Island, and has been in the limelight in this capaicty for the past 24 years (says the Auckland. “Star.”) As a matter of fact, he is in his twenty-fourth year as a referee, and is assidijbtasly keeping in form in order • to ’complete a record of 25 years of continuous refereeing before making his exit; ' W.J.M. was. a . player in Wanganui, hut was incapacitated by injury to a knee, and took up refereeing in 1913, since when’ he has been an enthusiastic referee .without any break in his service. He started in Hawke’s Bay and continued the good work in Wellington and Auckland^ • • * * The appointment of M. F. Nicholls as captain of the North Island. team over C- G. Porter is a hit of a surprise, but it is generally recognised that Nicholls is the shrewder head of the pair, ip made a big name for generalship in England, and has enhanced this since his return. His skilful leadership of the' Petone Club this season has been a feature of local fixtures. He is not a player who is likely to be overloaded with the burdens of the captaincy. . # The Wellington public are looking to seeing Cooke in action to-day. They wapt to see the Mill-Nicholls-Cooke combination which was a great success in England. • • • • There will he two giant packs opposed to each other in the inter-island match to-day. It will be interesting to see which pair of hookers get the bigger share of the ball. “ • • • • The inside backs of the South Island team, with the exception of Kilby, will be playing out of their usual positions to-day. Dailey, » half, is playing at first five-eighths, McGregor,, first fiveeighths, is filling the position of second, and Olliver, usually second, is going out to centre. Still good players should be able to adapt themselves quickly. In the 1924 tour Nicholls played both first and secondfiveeighths, and Cooke played at second and centre. In the 1905. team Stead played in every hack position excepting full-back. « • • • The Wellington Union are to be congratulated on staging the senior A v. senior B match as a curtain-raiser for to-day. It will give the selectors an ideal chance to size up further players. * • * * The moulding of a good scrum for the Hawke's Bay match on August 14th will have to be engaging the attention of the local union in the near future. Nothing must be left to chance. • • * • The appointment of Mr H. Harris as one of the managers of the Maori team to tour England and France will be hailed with general satisfaction by Rugby sports—administrators and enthusiasts alike—throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand (says the “Southland Times”). Mr Harris has been connected with the game in New Zealand for a period extending over 40 years, while his efforts on behalf of the Otago Rugby Union in assisting tlie control of its destinies range

from 1897 to the present season—3o years. In 1897 he first gained a seat on the O.R.F.U. management committee. Four years later he was appointed to the treasurership and retained this position on the Otago Union until 1912, when he was elevated to the presidency. After a ten-years’ tenure of the premier office, he voluntarily retired, his services being tangibly recognised by fel-low-sports of Otago. Since then he has sat continuously at the weekly gathering of the union as a member of the executive, and it is safe to say that during this long tenure of office he has been largely instrumental in bringing the game in Otago up to its present high standard. There is a provision in the Rugby rules that is not generally ’known, and the Law Book draws referees’ attention to it on page 5 (says the “Otago Daily Times”). It reads: “If a player is injured in taking a fair catch—that is, in; making a mark—and is unable after the lapse of three minutes to take his kick, a scrummage is to be formed on the mark.” We have no hesitation in saying that this is an unjust regulation, and can only be in existence because the authorities reverse the British custom of believing every man to be innocent until he is proved to be guilty. Evidently it is imagined that if the kick could he transferred to another player, a good many markers would become mysteriously injured, and the goai-kiekers of the team would be endeavouring to increase the score. Perhaps, after all, it is the easiest way out of the difficulty, but in case it should he forgotten we remind you of the regulation. .• , • a • C. B. Thomas, the ex-’Varsity and Wellington representative, is hack in Wellington and will be turning out fof Petone next week. He is a splendid type of dashing forward. . The proud position of president of the English Rugby Football Union is nowadays held for one season only, and as successor to Mr H. E. Ferens (Durham) the natae of James Baxter (Cheshire) is to be submitted by the executive to the forthcoming annual meeting to hold office for 1926-27.- The distinction is one that is well merited, for Baxter, who will shortly complete his fifty-sixth year, not only assisted Birkenhead Park and Cheshire, apd figured, in the "North fifteen, but' was ; “capped" against- Scotland, Ireland, ! and Wales ip.-tho season of 1899-1900. After his county on the committee,: h'erias last summer; appointed a.,vice-president, while he has’ rendered . valuable service in the, thankless role of a member of the se- 1 lection committee. #•• . • R. Samson, of Hastings, issues,’ a: metrical challenge to Canterbury:— Fes I Come ye Canterbury braves, The best from every olan, And make us yield “Ranfurly.’s Shield;” ~ . , If, Canterbury, you can. ._ ■ . ! -' s * - I But you . will find the task is. hard, , ; As others have before; It will not .roam; from “Home Sweet Home,” . Right on the Hawke’s Bay shore, • We all well know your players’ worth, Their doggedness as well, But just like a “flashing comet” We’ll go from bell to hell. And as the referee sounds “Taps,” We think you will confess The Bay won’t yield “that darned old shield,” It’s at its right address!