The Wellington Representative Team.

NZ Truth, Issue 60, 18 August 1906, Page 2

The Wellington Representative Team.

In selecting the team to meet Canterbury this afternoon, the writer is constrained to say that the' selectors have scarcely done justice to their position, m that they have failed to make proper use of the material at hand. This remark particularly applies to the vanguard, which might shape all right against the southern scrummagers but will have a stifier problem on hand when the Auckland contest comes up for decision next month., If the newspaper reports of the Auckland v. Canterbury -match are to be accepted as a reliable guide, the northern forward brigade ran over the southern contingent, and this circumstance forces one to conclude that it is Wellington's game t-a put the solidest division m the field- if they measure of success is to be hoped for. Granted that it is hard to fairly judge the merits of one scrumming division until after we have had an opportunity of seeing how it shapes against, the southerners, one can say with confidence that the strength of the homers' forward brigade could be inproved by the inclusion of two weighty toilers who would assist to give greater cohesion and stability to the pack as a whole if it is called upon to resist the smashing, bustling attacks such as the \ Auckland forwards are reputed to Lc capable of putting into execution this season. If the Auckland Vanguard is the red hot set it is claimed to be, then our men will get all the stimulus they want to bring out the full measure of their powers, individual and collective. It is all very well to race about the field for try-getting purposes, but the team playing soundly and solidly generally gets there first. •

The chosen men are undeniably pacy and quick m the open, good tacklers, fair dribblers, excellent on the lineout, expert back-spoilars, and possess a decent knowledge of scrum tactics,, but their shoving powers and capabilities m the direction of holding their own m the tight against a stronger pack are very much open to question. Should they crack up, what chance will our fleet footed backs get to make use of their powers. A strong attacking division, the Wellington backs would, m those circumstances,

have to take up the role of defenders and God knows they would have .their hands full m stemming the assaults of the northern battery. It would probably speil a "Rugby Tsushima" for Wellington. The writer thinks reconstruction necessary, and an infusion of capable new blood by the. addition of genuine gritty triers of the Gilchrist-G-albraith-Brenchley type would make for much good. If the selectors are shook on the fast pack, why do they not include Calcinai or Wilson, who are not only rattling fine players m all phases of open play, but are consistent grafters m the solid from beginning to end of the game. As for Watkins*" the writer admits that when' he is up to concert pitch there are. few forwards m New Zealand than can excel the Old Boys' front-ranker ; but the stubborn fact remains, nevertheless, that he is not m tip-top condition - at the present time, being as fat as a pig and miies slower m pace than iast vcar. The selectors are probably m ignorance of a young player called Standeiv iv ths Southern team, who is acknowledged by some of his opponents to bo the best hooker m the senior championship combinations: As the selectors never think of giving an eye to a. match m which the Southern men are eri.e^ged, it is useless In expect them to have any • knowledge of the capabilities of its representatives, Standen is also reputed to "«foe above the. average m other departments of the" "forward came. ' ' ' •

Past' ■ reputation has 1 gained for "Bumper" Wright a pilace m the team. He has played one game--against' Melrose^— after a spell on the bank of ihree months, and on that occasion he was certainly degrees below his eatriy. season's form. The Petous scrum \sas not an adhesive one. even with "Bumpers inclusion as lock ; yet. on 'that one performance the selectors elect to make experimental tests. Tom Cross and Jack Sperieer are good selections, and either, if m. the proper humor-, take a lot of beating- anywhere. Callum is an improved hooker and does his big bit both m the ruck and loose. Manning'' and. Byrne blossom out muchly m the open and perform expertly on the line-out. Neither, however, strains himself by over-pushing. In the loose, the pair •can hardly be excelled and the opporition backs arc likely to complain-on the score of their repeated^attentions.

As for the bfick '' -clivisi on^vi^Jije' selectors wfyoqp tlvvt/they, hu*#*^&>ljene-. Poneke-All Bjl&c& r -<c^i^n)&sj^ oni. -The dfe^sitldjtv however, exposes ti^ faßaoy.. of cijthft claim. G-eorgft. Spencer -5 merits as; a sure defender^give him iirst, place ■.«.- mongst aspirants for full-back honors. His services m place-kicking should prove.invalua&le, otherwise Ryan,'; of Petbne, must have seriously disputed his claims as guardian of the goalposts. Wallaceys m his- right, place, but Mona Thompson's inclusion \h.£s been cavilled at . m ".mab}( quarters.. The writer is not shook on his. performances m chainpionship^matchesite date, but the probabilities .are that* his pace will stand -his. side m $co&. stead should the baqks -get, chances toopen up the play. Ranisden should have been replaced by/ either Evensoa or Mitchinson at centre c irt : tlie threequarter line, the latter being quicker and cleverer, m the watching and support of his wings. Walsh has demonstrated beyond doubt that his defensive qualifications are. of a high ordfjr, while m attack lie is & strong aactor to be reckdned with. If W&teb. is playing against Auckland and cur boys are licked forward, they /will know his worth before th> Avhistlsr goes for no-side. A solid defender, ot his calibre is invaluable m any t-c'ani. Though not on the pacy side, the Poneke representative is a hustler a,nA his weight and strength tell heavily; m the tussle against opponents) Mitbhinson's superb displays m the several club matches this season hay« been rightly rewarded and under the skilful tuition of Billy Wallace' he has blossomed out into a top-notch«r. There is not a headier back m Wellington to-day than Mitchinson. The selectors, however, have not put him* m his correct position. \ It is this scribe's humble opinion that a rearrangement m the direction of playing Green behind the scrum, Freddy Roberts and Walsh' at fiveeighths, and Mitchinson- at centrethreequarter would- have panned out better. The Petone lad is a wonderfully 'smart and trickey performer for his age and inches, and all the talk about the necessity oi having some one of mattirer experience behind tl\» scrum m the big contests is absoluta rot. Why, G-reen has repeatedly dem* onstrated that he knows as much if not more than many players ot present-day colonial reputation. Ho is. abreast of all the fine points m. half-back play. The argument raised that his defence is on the weak sid» won't stand for a moment whea gone into thoroughly. At making openings neither Wallace nor Roberts can give him many points. Gardiner's selection as winger is not altogether satisfying and Sullivan oc, Hardham should have had the preference. Summed up -the picked team, might come out of this afternoon's ordeal with flying colors but it is by no> means a certainty that the same result or anything like it will eventuate at Alexandra Park Jiext month.,

It is just possible that the select* ors would obtain more satisfactory! results m the choice oi our representative team were they to distribute themselves over the, various battl* grounds and liote the form of promising ptayers m the weaker combinations. The present system ot two and sometimes three of the present selection' committee disporting themselves on the touch-line at the Athletic Park every Saturday is scarcely fair to these young players. One of the selectors has never seen

*a match off the Park this season and how he expects to arrive at a judicial conclusion as to ' the merits of men playing with, say, Southern or Wellington , or Victoria College is a riddle which he alone may be capable of solving. Individually, there are perhaps just as good men m those "combinations as m Poneke or Melrose -, or Petone.