WELLINGTON OFF ON SECOND ROUND

NZ Truth, Issue 1079, 29 July 1926, Page 15

WELLINGTON OFF ON SECOND ROUND

Play shows No Change In Championship

(From "Truth's" Special \ "'.< ■ To a certain extent most o cause ' of the] heavy wind prevail] rare battles were witnessed. Ath point lead. ; : j ' r A THLETIC> particularly m the second" J\. : spell," proved superior to Marists.,; ' ' Marists' team is' comprised, mainly; of young, inexperienced players and • these appeared to be stage -frightened throughout the game. : . . ';/ This remark applies m the main to, the inside backs who, throughout, were lamentably weak m tackling and who invariably lost themselves .when the ball came : ;ihto''their.pdssessjon.' . ; ■- On ' the" other hancj, Athletic backs tackled gamejy and l always gave the' jimpressiori that individually they' make a point, of assimilating what is handed out to them by: their coach m the gym,nasium.-. . " . •'■ '.."'. Every, man on the Athletic side makes a bh*d of being with the play. It was noticeable that. Marists failed badly in' this important matter and it ■was no uncommon thing to see the majority of the greens standing watching what might , be . the outcome of a passing rush by their opponents. ..; It was; riot. that they lacked fitness, but merely the absence of the knowledge that each man must sail m and do' his bit. 7 ''■■: Waiting for opportunities will never ,get a team fart . ' Whinliam £&ows Promise F is' quite safe ito. say that the best , back on :,the ground was Whinham, who wa's making his second appearance m senior A football.. This slim lad is regarded as being a near double for Bert Cooke, the famous All Black.- " He has the, same nippy style of gathering m the ball and of running through opponents and it is pretty certain if kept m hand -will, eventually make his mark. In the second spell he was the undoing' of the Marists team by the way We made openings for his wingers to score, Taylor, the small full-back, was -more, or less brilliant throughout the game. 'He' takes risks, but he is gifted with the required speed and skill to get safely out of dan- ■ -ger. \ ■ .>:•■, ■'_.'■' • Will Taylor fit the bill for such a match as. Wellington ,v. . Ha\ykes Bay is a question which is, disturbing . all Wellington', supporters. , ,_ "Truth Has "reason tp^beiievethat' the selectors will Experiment and place a heavier, man m this position. . „ There" appears justification for such an action m. view of the type of player our team will be pitted against. ; : .Gemmell's try m the Maori match would give .the selectors an idea of what is likely to happen, to a light'fullback. . ..-,-r ■-.-.— r- ..-:■-.- ..-- :-t..^. The big ,Bay 'forwards would not bother to side-step — they simply run over the opposition and it is only a big man who has a chance to upend them. Grenfell is the style of man ; the selectors might have m mind for this position. Sutton Best "Winger OUTTON played a splendid game on . the wing on Saturday. He has all the qualities for this job, namely, speed, fearlessness, . an,d . brains. "Truth" will be amazed if Sutton does not go on tour. . . '' f Tait, on, the oiiposite wing 1 , is likely to be chosen" and whilst admitting that he has m an outstanding degree at least dne of the qualities attributed to Sutton, "Truth" is not satisfied that'VTait really gives it a'gp if there is apparent opposition ahead. In this match on SaturdaVi "Truth" counted seven occasions when Tait-was given almost a- clear field but' instead of tucking the/.ball under; his wing and going for the line he elected. to hesitate and nearly every tiriie tie thi'.ew p way what • appeared to 'be certain tries. . • :■ . ; ■ - ". ■ ■••..- ' „. Sutton acted m., just the opposite fashion. "Truth" does not personally lenow either Sutton or Tait and the criticism ds giVen purely, to assist' in Betting together our strongest team. If Tait makes good at the Bay, "Truth" will fie quick to admit its judgment was at fault respecting him. The green forwards combined very wellv-and when they wanted it they jgot : the bajl from .the scrum. They were, however, run roff their. ; feet through being : let down by their backs. One of the best' forwards on the ground was_-E. Barry. He is only m his teens, but lie has weight and the ability to u so ifc '■•-...' Next season ho should reach rep. honors. ; •'-''■'}:. • Murphy had more than a share of hard work irh keeping down the score against, his , { King 1 was- the, other outstanding forward for* Marists, but the pack as a whole was far from disgraced. ■ Old Rivals > DETONB and Ponoke have m the past 1 provided spme rare battles, but the latter team 'is, not up to the standard usually sent out to do battle for the club. /;, ■ ' . They are but a shadow of the club's past. This fact is no. doubt hard' to bear by such players as the Shearers' and Tilyards,-who have been associated with Poneke.ifor many years. . Sid Shearer was ordered off the field . and his side remained one man, short throughout, the .second spell. ' ' ; Sid Shearer has given his best , years to Wellington Rugby arid . while not -holding out excuses for his doings on Saturday, "Truth" knows from those who have frequently played against Shearer that he is 'a hard player and it is this hard play that creates the impression that he is roiigh. There is another point, too. It is this: The best players on a side are always made the centre, of. attack as far as opponents are concerned; ■ ... The man with a reputation receives all the attention of those opposed to him. He ''would not be human if. at times he did not retaliate and mete out a little of what he himself gets because of his reputation. •. The hard-stuff at Petone was not monopolized; by Poneke by any means. "Ginger" Nicholls during. • the ;Jast two or three matches has proved that he is back to his old form and that is saying much." ,-'••' Rumor has it that; "Ginger" will not be available.' for the match at Napier, but it is to'lbe hoped this is without foundation i'-for-. there is no half m Wellington at the present time m the samo street ,V f as the little man from Petone. ■■ . :^;J. : ,-;:^ .... ... , ..,';> „:■. "■ . '■''■ A. Thomas was the best 'forward participating m the match at Petone. . . '■• ■ * ''

Wellington Representative,) of the matches were' spoiled be 'ing on Saturday. However, sonu hlstic stilt maintain their foui ; 'yARSITY and" Oriental had a hare tussle at Newtown Park : and-al-though-i victory : went to the , students •by 8 points to 1 nil there : wp.s ' not thai difference m. the actual, play., 'Varsity unlike their opponents, made use oj , the opportunities that •popped along. South is .playing spectacular football these days and it will not be surprising if the .selectors "try him m th« - centre position m ; v some'. of the important matches, ahead. '.■ At. time of. writin&v'. these, notes "Truth" is >"no^:iiwfire : .©f what tht selectors: propose, doing." •':•. "':'' ;South is not -accustomed to. the centre position, and if Grehfell went bacl< to full-back', he .abuM.'not^be replaced

as centre by a better player than South, ' ' I: ' . ' . ■'■■ "'' .\ . O'Regah will hold his own with' any forward playing ' m Wellington to-day. He is always fit and he is" iio 1 ordinary hooker. „ . ._. ' >, -■•■ . ' All the same the filling of the front row "possies" is no easy- matter .and.. the Bay will; .require the gods against them to fail to beat our men for the ball. 'Here ih Wellington there is ah in.clinatioij. tq : ,b.e carried away by the doings of our reps, against the All Blacks and against the Maoris. These matches cannot be a safe guide and the sooner •Wellington supporters realize that the better. .Teams; about to leave New Zealand .are never at their best and from what they do. when they leave these shores it is pretty certaih ( they are nowhere near their best. In' making- this statement there is no intention to detract '-frpni . the fine form' shown by our selected fifteen. The point; is that m HawkeLs Bay our team wilf be up against players who have the combination work almost perfect. ..• . ;:. ' ■ Berhampore Again I\ • ■ / ~~- -. ■-: • ■■..■■■•:.:- ' N s their match with Old , Boys, Berhampore V displayed;. something of the promising form they gave us earlier m the seasort. The "hill" forwards dominated play, right, through the. game and when playing against the wind 1 m the second spell they excelled themselves and turped what looked liice defeat 'into victory. '. •/" Lang was at his best; m the blue backs, but : - he was not well supported, otherwise ••;;' Berham pore's '..■; score .must have Amounted-, higher m .the first, spell. Walters was very safe- m the second: spell and it is- to his sound defensive work that his^sid© owe victory. . ' Hutt put? it across ' -Wellington, on Saturday arid - this makes i < -.the" battle for the "wooden spoon"' all the more interesting;. Hutt now lias a • onepoint lead over 'Wellington' and Wellington has # the "same . advantage over Selwyn. ' ' . ' ■ '