WELLINGTON.

NZ Truth, Issue 973, 19 July 1924, Page 8

WELLINGTON.

What promised to be the game of i the season last Saturday was marred by atrocious weather conditions. The two teams concerned, Petone and 'Varsity, have shown some excellent back play this season, but the looked-for sparkle was marred by a howling gale. By agreement, between the captains, the game was played ln four spells of twenty minutes each. The game was not altogether unln- > terestlng and there were times when the spectators — what few there were— witnessed some bright play. Had the weather been better there is no doubt that the game would have been a spectacular one, for notwithstanding the I gale the players were up against, they threw the ball about at every , opportunity and made tho best of . their chances. The Petono backs lost the strongest , link In their chain when Mark Nicholls i left with the All Blacks, and instead i of being the noted straight runners p that they were, on Saturday they were quite the reverse.

Graham, at first five-eighths, was off -color and on many occasions was caught with the ball m his possession.

Hawkins, on the wing, was m dashing form, but even he at times . did some silly things. His biggest asset is his dash, and few will deny that he has plenty of it, too.

H. E. Nicholls gave '■ a very creditable display behind the scrum, but was handicapped a. lot m not having decent supports. His kick which converted Petone's first try was a peach, and showed that his judgment is not lacking., when it comes to kicking goals against a cross-wind.

The forwards were a very even lot, with Reid and Haddock the most prominent.

Corner played a rattling game m defence, but as the wind blew the passes about so wildly- he didn't have too much show to display his prowess m attack. .

'Varsity's ; outstanding back was Walpole, and it is a pity that he does not receive the support from the centre that he should. On many occasions he breaks through the . opposing backs, but it is very rarely that McKay is with him to. receive his pass

Of 'Varsity's forwards, MartinSmith and O'Regan were outstanding.

Oriental this year have been a lucky and yet a singularly unlucky team. Lucky kicking: enabled them to defeat sortie powerful teams, and yet it was a lucky kick that caused their colors to dip to Marist last Saturday. 'Varsity also got* the decision over them by a kick. In the former it was a lucky kick indeed that converted a try and spelt * victory for the green and whites by. two points. The veteran Murphy did the trick, and it is just such a trick as may be expected from a man who misses simple placements again and ; again. The game was not inspiring— quite the reverse m fact. Apart from the inability of either team to rise to the 1 -iights of the, Rugby: game, the howling gale made even ordinary back play a pure gamble. ".■•■_*. Oriental were minus the services , of Brown, Moflitt' and. Hume, and fielded a light pack., Simmonds, who locked the scrum, is the only burly pack man, and his girth is of little use to the side In close work, and a positive handicap, m the loose. Hall is a better pack man than wingforward. Ories have tried several men In this position this year without success. The trouble seems to be that so far each man has essayed the role of an obstructionist and a sort of Spare part to the pack instead of roving and opening it up .. a la Porter. . ; ■ •*-

Pringle played his usual .solid game, and was ably assisted by Poulter. Chambers played a bright game at half, and is capable of big things if placed amongst a" set. of real attacking backs. V ' He should vary his play occasionally, though. . Juno, at centre, gets through a great deal of, work, and shows a nice turn of speed on occasions. King, at full-back, tried to be too clever at side-stepping and fell a victim to a fast-following back, who kicked the ball from his hands to go on and score. „-*■" The Marist pack bunched well. McCrae, oh the field, is handy, perhaps for indicating what way the wind blows, but not , necessarily where the ball goes, v . ■ • Hopkins is a good, fast wing-for-ward, and persistently worried the opposing, backs. '.-'■; *.';.*:''.'■ Murphy was the, hero of the day by virtue of his goal kick, but apart from that he was stodgy. .He should make a good referee next year. .;v Conhop was easily the green s best back, and played a forceful and clever game His persistent following-up was justly rewarded by the valuable try. ''.'./•