ENGLISH RUGBY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18751, 3 January 1923, Page 2

ENGLISH RUGBY

MODERN STANDARDS COMPARED. HOME PLAYERS AND THEIR METHODS. By G. G. Aitken, New Zealand Rhodes Scholar. HOW STANDARDS VARY. Although the football season will now bo practically over, I know that Rugby is an evor-greon subject in Now Zealand, and therefore I hasten to give you a few impressions of English football as it to one who has always been used to the New Zealand game. I was told, when I left for this country, that I would find the game slightly different, and might have some difficulty in settling down into new methods. I am bound to admit that tho game as played here varies from our own game, but, ns this is rather an early stage at which to compare tho relative standards of the two games, I will content myself with pointing out in what ways the English game differs from our own. To date I have played in four games and witnessed another, and the following points have been most striking:—ln the first place, I haven’t yet seen a man ruled off-side, although tho number of infringements has boon considerable. Tho referee in every case has evidently ruled it a forward pass, and has given a scrum. In a game I played in yesterday a man was clearly 10 yards off-side, but the referee, ordered a scrum. England would be a happy hunting ground for Now Zealand wing-forwards. I can imagine some of my old friends and opponents revelling in it. The first thing that forced itself on my notice was the amount of talking that went on during the game. The day after I arrived in England I went to Twickenham, to see Gloucester play Harlequins. When I arrived the game had just begun, and from the noise that was going on I thought that the game had turned into a brawl,, but was told tbat such was tho usual state of affairs. The captain of each side, nearly always forward, shouts instructions to his forwards from the thick of tho scrum, while the serum half puts everyone wise as to which side of tho scrum the ball is coming in on. It is rather disconcerting, playing in such a noise, for no instructions can bq heard clearly, so 1 supposoThe only gain is a moral tone which a side gets from hearing its captain s voice. Scrums are much more frequent than in New Zealand—almost every breach of tho rules is punished by a scrum. Much time is lost in putting the ball into the scrum. Whore our referees would give a free Kick against “lifting,” tho English referee orders another scrum. A FETISH OF .THE SCRUM. They make a fetish of the scrum, almost every forward movement resulting in one. All the lino-outs ore bunched; tho only forwards I have seen standing out on the end of the line-out are colonials. Yesterday, in tho Oxford trials, I was playing wing three-quarter, and threw the ball over the heads of (he bunched forwards to Shaknouis, a South African freshman,, who is showing great promise. Pie was unmarked, and opened up tho game among the backs, the movement resulting in a try by the other wing. Another difference I have noticed, and which I think is an improvement on tho New Zealand ruling, is tho enforcement of clean handling. If; for instance. a full-back, in attempting to take a‘ high boll, drops it or even recovers it before it touches the ground, a scrum is ordered. I know that the South Africans in Now Zealand last year were surprised at New Zealand’s laxity on this point. The strict enforcement of this rule certainly makes for clean handling. Of course, the advantage rule depends a lot on the referee, but so far I haven t seen a referee hero who gives the salno liberal interpretation of* the rule as we are accustomed to in New Zealand. In most cases tho game has been stopped before it can bo seen which side would have gained the advantage. I am surprised at tho absence of kicking here. It is only on the rarest of occasions that a back is called" upon to field a high punt. KICK INTO TOUCH RULE. Of course, the new kicking into rule in New Zealand causes a great deal of kicking towards the middle of tho field," but even before that I think we had more high kicking than they do here. When a back docs kick ho takes dead aim for the line, and usually gets it. Taken altogether, I think this absence of kicking is a good quality, for it leads to more handling by the backs, although the cross-kick could bo used to greater advantage. With this absence of kicking there is also an absence of marking, which I think is an improvement on cur play, for in my opinion a man should mark a ball only when ho or lis side is in a tight corner. So far • I have seen only one mark in five games. THE OXFORD TRIALS. We have just completed our trials, which were run as follow: —Monday, senior trials* Tuesday, freshmen’s trials; Wednesday, final trials; when a first fifteen was selected to play against the rest. There is considerable competition this year for all positions in the back division, barring full-back. At present T. Lawton (Queensland) is playing full-back, and, although ho is a.splendid stand-off half, or first five-eighth as we would call it, it looks as if he will have to fill the vacancy. John Wallace, tho Now Smith Wales centre, who played so well in New Zealand last year, is playing half and doing well, but it is doubtful'if he wilj get a place in the first fifteen, ns there is great competition for this position. The three-quarter lino for next Saturday is as follows: Pitman. Old Blue and English international: M'Pherson, Scottish international; David. Old Bine: and myself, on the other wing. Kittermaster is playing stand-off, or first five-eighth. I don’t know who the forwards are, but Shaknonis, whom I mentioned before, is sure to be in. He is short for a forward, but very miggety, and an absolute wizard when ho gets the ball at his foe. The Wednesdav before term commenced I wont up to Lincolnshire to play for Blackheath against C’rnnwell Aviation School. On our side was C. N. Lowe, tho celebrated English winger, who has represented England more times than any other player. I was surprised to find him a very slightlybuilt man, short, and weighing only about lOi stone. His play was rather disappointing, but that was due to the fact that he was ulaying centre, a position he never occupies in big football. He has a remarkable hurst of sneed, and is very nippy, but I don’t think bo would show to advantage against JaeV Steel. We had very little opnosition in this game, winning by 70 points to nib Training facilities at Oxford are admirable. Each college has its own ground, and the grounds are at present m beautiful order, although I am assured that conditions in the middle of the season are os had ns on the dav of the third test match at Wellington against the Springboks.