RUGBY, FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20706, 2 May 1929, Page 4

RUGBY, FOOTBALL.

By' F.fiLL Back,

UNIVERSITY v.' ALHAMBRA.; - The game, at Gatishrook on Saturdaybetween Universits>iA. and Alhambra will be remembered by/those who saw it ns' one of the most exciting club matches seen in Dunedin for a few .years. Moreover, as one spectator-rematfied to me, as we left the ground, there: jhave been* dozens of interprovincial gameriplayed at Carisbrook which have not nearly approached the Blues-Colours’ match in the standard of football or the excitement aroused. It "was a. gruelling battle, with-the packs on both sides sticking to their work with grim determination, and with the backs on both sides getting- plenty-,pf the ball It -was a close scoring match; and when the Colours took the lead in the second half the excitement became intense and . found relief in bursts of cheering as the play swung backwards and forwards When Stevenson, the Blues’ full-back, was having the shot at goal from a.penalty which would give his side a, point-,’lead, it was. remarkable the silenpe- .which fell on the ground,, going to show/how ferise was the situation. Stevenson/missed a fair-chance shot, and in this connection it may bo added that Callander missed two easier penalty shots, success-with one of c - which would have brought victory to his side. Still, that is the luck of the game,— a not unimportant element, as every footballer knows, ... Looking back on the play away from the tumult and the shouting, there can Tie no question that seldom have we seen a :- more sustained, desperate, forward'.tussle, neither side weakenedi.up to the very.last whistle. It cannot bp. denied that' followers of the game wero disappointed with the otandard of our club play, on the pre-; vioug Saturday, but the match/at.-.Caris* brook showed that in these two clubs alone we have forwards and backs, equal , to anything in the Doininion at the pre- , sent time. It brought - the standard back to our very- highest.* -The team work of both packs was excellent. .The packs played as one mas, as'the saying goes, in the tight work, and one side and then the other would have the advantage. The hooking from, the scrams could probably, ■be fairly stated as about equal: In the: open the Colours’ forwards bad a slightadvantage in the short dribbling rushes, -« but when it came to picking up and driving in solo runs through the. opposition,, the Blue forwards easily . had the advantage. In the second spell Douglas, Henley, and.Hindenach showed out in solo efforts to gain a lot of ground, and it was the run by Hindenach which brought the winning score to his. side.' In line out work the Colours showed better tactics than the Blues, the ball being repeatedly knocked back to Davis, who then threw outfield to get his backs moving. The after . play was , not very clean, but the idea was there. It is an idea featured by the All Blacks, and Cliff Porter- could exploit it well. There was one aspect of the forward play in which, I think, Stevenson, the Blues’ cap- , tain, failed in tactics. That was in the short throw in when the Blues bad the ball, and play was on their, side qf the halfway. The Colours’. forwards, wanted the play tight, arid' the 1 Blues thus made it tight for them.. With the speed of the Blue backs their dide should go in for the long, throw* ih, even when well inside their territory,' and, on the run of the play on’ Saturday, it .would .certainly have paid'the" Blues better to have Heaved the ball well- out ..in the-line .play. In. straight-out-taking of, the ball in the throw in I noticed Hurley• (Alhambra) and Henley (University) doing good work. As stated, both packs stuck to their game in great style. Walker was a fine wing-forward for the Colours, and did an immense amount of collaring, and H. Davis, Souter, and Lloyd (lock) formed a solid basis foi: the scrum work. On the ■ Blue side Hindenach and Douglas had plenty, to do in the front rank for the Blues. They did .it, well, and. towards the end of the tvere' coining but 1 into' the open and ,lesding i rushes.. Henley and Aitken also showedjout/Brib the laSt-nairie'd' is inclined to," lose v his' head,’’ the saying goes, in the stress of an exciting situation. * Jolly, - wing-forward,, was always in the picture, and the try- he gave Webb in the first half was the result of quick thinking and accurate handling. Stevenson played a sterling game at full-back for the Blues, and in the second half partiijfilarly he had his hands full, so to speaK' He had some collaring to do, and well, hut it was his fielding and puntingl'to the line which : proved, of Such' greatiseyvice to his side. One ■or two low/Kckqßil. an opposing player, but, ’ the bounce ITiclcily favoured the Blues, I may be wrong, but I -imagine. Stevenson has lost pace when running. His knees are, however, so heavily bound up that . this may cramp his, action. I have al- -- ways held that Stevenson is one; of the best all-round fullbacks we have ever had in Dunedin, and naturally enough. I am always, pleased, to see him justify any judgment, Horsley, centre, was the best of the other backs. He is a strong runner, a powerful • kick, arid a determined _ trickier, and he wag seen to , advantage in each of, these departments of the game : op Saturday. Horsley does not pass too well yet, but he is improving every Saturday, and he is acquiring the “ Jack Murray ” touch of straightening up an attack and getting his supports into line. He bad no alternative when he found Webb several, times covered by two or three Alhambra, men, but to cut in and play infield, and the first try scored on the afternoon, was-., the result of this play. M’Clymont, wing three-quarter, was well rwatchcd, arid ■when he got the ball- he was seldom clear. The defence were -not slow to run in be-' tween the man with the ball and M’Clymont in a passing rush, and so smother the movement, Webb was not the Webb of the previous Saturday, and seldom; saw the ball in the second haif. Huughton and Loder, five-eighths, played fair games, but Haughton has been seen to better advantage. Excuses can be.made for Loder, as the Colours were getting to him almost as quickly ns the ball, and it could be seen that these tactics : were breaking down His confidence. . He was fumbling hia passes a little towards’ the end of 1 the game, when, however, he made some tricky solo runs, one of which almost took him over the line. His short punting also helped his side. M’L'ean, half-back, had a strenuous time behind the scrum. He was suffering from au injured ankle, and was. handicapped to this extent. Hia de-fensive-work, nevertheless, was very sound. Walker hampered: his passing to some . extent, Hut he threw out smartly to Loder whenever' he got the'chance. The defence of the Blues’ inside backs weakened badly when Wyllie was almost over in the firsthalf, and _ also when Davis (half-back) and’ L. Griffin went clean through to the line.

The Colours had apparently given some thought to the system they should adopt on defence, and when the ball came from the Blues’ ’scrum they simply went for the man, quite .realising that) the ball would come to him fo. due course. As a consequence', both and-'-Haughton, had their play' badly.i. hampered.-'. More variety in the baqk play of--the' .inside backs would have- beer; aa advlfiitage'. Davis, the built Alhambra halfback, played a particularly fine game for' the Colours; He vantejil his -play splem’ didly. and'fed his; backs''from all positions. His defence his passing .from the scrums smart and well timed, his work at the line-outs well judged, and bis f rubber kicking to the line very effective, t was easily the best game I have seen Davis play. Callander’s kicking and handling were excellent, but his passing to L. Griffin was too straight across and too slow, and the" Blues followed- L. Griffin : payed a useful game', arid it was a spark of football genius which caused, him to cut in in-the second half,- his run carrying him right to the line. Johnston (centre) 'was not a great deal in the picture, but. Wilson, wing tbree-ciuarter, justified aJKthe good Things , said about, nisi play. . He takes the ball well, is very speedy, and in the first spell made several slashing runs, along the wing, Webb, on one occasion at least, being unable to overhaul him. Wilson also made a spectacular break away in the second spell, punted, and caught Stevenson over his line before he could get in his kick, a force down resulting. W. Griffin, fullbark, kicked well. His field'ng once or twice was not very clean, but he quickly recovered the ball, and played a serviceable -all-round game. SOUTHERN v. DUNEDIN. Although they suffered defeat by 25 points to d points, Dunedin, put up a

solid defence at times to the colours’ team. Southern played a vastly better game than on the previous Saturday. The midget half-back, H. Todd, replaced his brother behind the scrum, and fed his backs well. The Southern backs, moreover, _ soon settled down, and showed a .combination which was quite unexpected .after their match against University B Their first five-eighths, It. Wilson, the ex-High School player, was always prominent until he got hurt and had to retire an'd he showed excellent judgmentin sorile of his attacking movements. -’.South-ern.-will miss this promising young player for ;the time being. Sutherland, second five-eighths, who Used-to play with the Clyde Club, also ■ played a sound panic, and showed., pp ■ several times with, good runs. He and Wilson teamed together excellently. Gushnie (centre) ■ played • a fair game, and so did Inglis, on the wine Strachan, the; other wing three-quarter, was the star of the Southern side', and looks like filling a long, felt want in their ifirst fifteen. iStrachan scored four tries, .and every one wag well deserved. His football career will be watched with considerable interest. He has only to go ,pn as he is doing to put himself in the very first flight of Dunedin three-quarters. His style of running., for the-line brought ,up recollections ■ of. the powerful wing three-quarter, Niool'MDonald, but he is faster than M’Doriald. and plays with more judgment. F. Hill, A. Wilson, and Harrison 'worked hard in the scrums. Larking, who ’showed ‘ iip so well in the pack on the previous Saturday, was played at wing-forward, but did not seem very comfortable-- in his new position. The All Black, Hore has not yet struck form and is inclined, with one or two others of the; Southern forwards to kick .too hard iri'the loose rushes.

The Dunedin forwards lacked combination, and this, was where the opposing pack had the advantage. The Blues came' away well in - loOse, dribbling rushes on more than one .occasion, and both: the tries scored came as a result of forward rushe?. Delahunty, Ford, and Roughan were conspicuous in the loose play, arid,.so was J. Toomey at,'.times. Toomey' ! was hurt in.the rush which. Delahunty finished off. Broome, played a plucky game behind the. scrum V;arid Hayes, five-eighth;, shaped well at times, but-,the other backs, did not follow the 'Tun .'of the play too ‘well, ant] were inclined Tb pass recklessly. Hayes, full-back, dir)' not kick with his usual strength He stopped the heavy, fast-running Strachan once in the second spell in plucky fashion,,- qnd just failed to get across to him on another occasion as he was dashing for the line. TAIERI v. UNION. On the North Ground a somewhat one-, sided contest was witnessed between Taieri and Union. The latter started well, placing their opponents on the de-‘ fensive within the first 10 minutes of play, but from that point to the end of the game their attacks did not seriously test the defence of the Taieri men. Taieri have a solid team, . .with good staying power and, full of dash all through, and their- engagements with other city teams .will _be worth watching. It is to the credit of the Taieri district that it can v boast four grades—first, second, third, and fifth—which indicates the fine sporting, proclivities of the youth in and around Mosgiel, and the possibility of good teams coming forward from that quarter in the future. All the backs played-splendidly on Saturday. Wilkinson seems to be in bis right place on’the wing; he has a lot of speed and - tackles,without hesitation. The forwards are hefty and-solid, though they, did- not make the best use of their weight. ' 1 The weak points’ in-the -Union play were' lack of combination among the backs and a serious all-round dwindling of effort after the first half-hour’s play. Johnson (back) was an outstanding player, resourceful and quick, but he received poor support. This can be remedied with practice. The forwards came to the rescue of their side several times‘ with good drib-' bling rushes, which regained them some of their lost ground.. ’ Trie ’ game" was interfered with bv the onlookers encroaching on. the west .line—/ this is a common practice on the North Ground—-and .the referee (Mr J. M'Coinbie) twice held up play until the line was clear. KAIKORAI v. UNIVERSITY B, The sound tackling of both sides was the feature of the match between Kaikorai and University B at Bisbopscourt, the match; resulting in a draw—eight all. There were few concerted back movements,’arid the game, was really a hard struggle between the forward packs, which were evenly • matched. It Was, nevertheless, an excellent game from the spectators point of view, for there was so little between the teams that the issue was always in doubt. Both sides lost opportunities. The outstanding player was the University full-back, Muir, who fielded cleanly, kicked with judgment, and refused to be bustled. He extricated his side from several dangerous situations. The other backs tackled well aud played soundly, ..But nonq. stood out. Allan and Blue were perhaps the • best of a hardworking pack. ■ Dotting did a lot of good work behind the' Kaikorai • pack, and Braithwaite showed distinct promise in some of his, play,;. Roes] was inclined to attempt too much on his own/ Sonntag and Miller both played well in the forwards, none of whom shirked the. hard work. PIRATES v. ZINGARI-RICHMOND. This match, which was played at Taluma Park, did not provide many thrills. Pirates won comfortably at the end, hut their diap’ay lacked finish, and the team has not yet settled down to a good working combination. Faulks, was played at fqjl-back, but- was not very comfortable in the position, and Cheyne was tried at wipg three-quarter,; where he played 'a fait-'-game until he was hurt and had to go off. Boutery (half-back) and Giles (five-eighth) 'shaped well, and were in most of the attacking movements, ati Fraser,:- wing three-quarter, played a plucky game, and engaged in several duels with liis- opposing three-quarter, Orr, honours/ being about equal. Moore played a/fine game in the vanguard, which, I-understand, will be strengthened by new players in a week or so. Glendiniug was -also well on his game, and was in front ;of several rushes. The Zingari-Richmond team lacks combination. but-, it-has some sound individual players. Titchcner gave a really good display at full-brick, and got through' a heavy afternoon with great credit. Orr also played-/soundly at wing threequarter. Caradus,, five-eighth, is a clever but-he got few chances, the play to him: being ragged, and generally when he' was -in.- a- hopeless positionr If well fed 'Caradus would prove that he, has plenty of .football ability. Lowrie was always prominent in the forwards, and the veteran Garaide worked in his usual solid style. As salready. .stated, the. absence of numbers by which players could be easily, distinguished -saves one ■ player from being mentioned for several deliberate attempts at tripping.- , I NOTES.; As a result of shoulder injuries received on Saturday, F. Toomey (Dunedin) arid A. Wilson (Southern) will be out of the game for a few weeks. Prebble, the solid Southern half-back, js not yet sufficiently recovered from his. illness to be able to take his place behind the Southerners’ scrum. There were four forwards wearing hpad guards ixj, the. University A side on Saturday—Hindenach, Douglas, Henley and Aitken, and as the numbers on their jerseys were very, dulled, it was difficult to pick fcherii up. It might be said that dull numbers are better than none at all—and there are players in the competitions who do not wear them, —but if they cannot be deciphered they are not worth wearing. 'The question of easily seen numbers is really a matter for the Rugby Union to look into. The official guide, giving the names of players and their corresponding numbers, is issued under the authority of the union, and the union should see that the numbers on the players can be. read by those who buy the guide. . The Southern Club_ have in Strachan one of the most promising three-quarters seen out in Dunediu for a year or two. He is over 13st, fast, knows how to use his weight, and he goes for the line with the greatest determination. He takes his passes well and can scud;along a pass also.

I was very pleased to see that Mr A, M'Donald, the Otago and 1905 All Black forward,- had been appointed a member of the New Zealand Selection Committee. Mr M'Donald recognises a working forward when he sees one, and from what 1 know of his ideas regarding the value of a scrum, and the importance of its strength, he will be in entire disagreement with one : of his co-selectors, who; gave voice,: to, the -weighty pronouncement prior to the selection of the-New Zealand team-which-went to South Africa, that he did riot care' if the All Blacks did not hook the ball from the scrums, it did not matter. As the games turned out it mattered so much that a spectator of the fourth test in South Africa told me that Dailey, scrum half, was exhorting and imploring his forwards from start to finish to stay in the scrum and hold the opposition. That was the way Al’Donald was taught to play the game, aud all other good forwards of the old days.. It was rather interesting to note at the meeting of the committee of the Otago Rugby Football Union on Monday night that the . High School Club was the oulv objector to the proposal that Dunedin referees should put the ball into scrums instead, of, as at present,-players. The action of the High School .is probably actuated-by the desire not to interfere, with the English, laws of the game,-under' which. the New- Zealand Rugby Union plays. Nevertheless, I imagine it; would be in the, interests of ’ fairer play’ if referee did put the ball into scrums. However distasteful it may be to have to admit it, there is no doubt that the football saying is true that ■' players are a ' v ays, out to beat the referee.” Some , cn ,\ do": beat him, too, when putting the ball into the scrum. On Saturday i noticed a player throw the ball well into the feet of his own forwards, but as trie lefeiee was on the other side of the scrum he could not see what bad hap penea.

- S. S. Dean, chairman of the New Zealand Committee of Management, says that the idea of sending a New Zealand team to Australia this year is to give the young players a chance and try them out m view of the. .visit of the English team next year. That being so, the personnel of the team;will be read, with much interest.

I notice a member of the Committee of Management of the New Zealand Union made the following statement at the meeting last week:—“Let there be no mistake about it. We shall want our very Lest team to repel the British invasion.” Now, it would be very intersting to know on what grounds the member made this assertion. It can certainly not be on the form shown by English teams in recent years when they have met the All Blacks in battle array, and form is the recognised guide. The failure of her forwards to stick it out cost Ireland the match against Scotland at Lansdowne Road (says the Dublin .correspondent of .the London Sunday Tirnes). Up to, the interval £he Irishmen looked well on the road "to victory, but the forwards_ completely.,'cracke'd up. in the last 20 minutes, in which period ’ the Scots had matters all their own way) Tt was a fast and : interesting game, but it Stopped short of beihig' a, great contest, both sides being guilty of many mistakes. -There was little of the. spectacular about 1 the play, which,. howeVer,'.’was hotly and strenuously contested.' , Thbugh the Irish-' men:-had more of the play, there is no doubt that the Scots welLdeserved, their success,-, and it was the best-display given by; Scotland for some seasons. f “The- ,'anouncement that Mr James Baxter-. - is to act as manager! for the Rugby r Union side that will! J ;tpur New Zealand /'and Australia next-, year lie a guar anted: that, whatever the reß.Ults"from a playing-point of view, the todr will bo a success from the social and -‘ diplomatic ’ standpoint,” states the Athletic News. “He was • immensely popular with-,-;-the members of'Cthe' team that went 'to- the Argentine under his. guidance. It via understood that, an open invitation was given to anyone else who favoured the position, but although there were other .candidates, it may'be taken for granted -once it -was known -that Mr Baxter was' 'prepared- to act; ih a plenipotentiary), capacity again no One else had much hope' Of-securing the appointment.” . Two or-threi. important matters regarding'the rules of the- game will , come up for discussion at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union. It seems practically certain that -the old kick into touch rule will be reverted to for the rest of the season, in view of. the visit of the British team next year, and the question of doing away with the wing-forward and the introduction of the 3—2-r-3 formation will also, no doubt, come up. So far as the present. New Zealand formation is concerned - ! see no fault with it—provided, of- course, that the forwards are workers, and not shirkers. When we come to the, wing-forward, however, he is not generally on the field to. play football, hut to prevent the other-. fellow doing so. He, in fact, is a spoiler, and could be- done without. Reverting to the kick into touch rule, I have always held the opinion that it-would be very dominating to have a vote of tho players on this point. It may be argued that there are many players nowadays who do not know a great deal about the old ruler: If, however, it ia introduced and played; tintil the end of this year they*’ would have a knowledge of its. effect,'and; they could then be asked to: vote on which system they preferred..-, . Matheson, who played!.in the University A rearguard last season, is now.playing centre thr •’-quarter with Auckland University. N. JP. M'Gregor has decided to have a spell from the game for at least a year. He had rather a stiff gruelling on the Sruth African tour. In the fifth match he received a nasty injury to his back, and in a subsequent game be injured hie knee. He went on playing,- and thus made the injury more serious, and he was .not fit again until near the end. of the tour. Four New Zealand representatives are playing this season for Ponsonbyf-Swain, Palmer, M'Williams. and Rigbton. Steel, the famous All Black wing-three-quarter, has laid aside the jersey for ever. Steel has scored more tries for New Zealand teams than any other player who ever wore the silver fern. Two injuries to the shoulder last season helped Steel to decide that the bank was the safest place. It will be strange to see a Grammar fifteen without a Badeley leading the backs (says the New Zealand Herald). C. Badeley has now definitely retired, ending an active football career of much distinction. The Badeleys have been one of the most noted Rugby families in New 'Zealand since the war, and.the All Black five-eighths has retired ’ with a record worthy of the best traditions of New Zealand Rugby. Writing of the play of the Welsh forwards, in the match-against England the football contributor of London Field says: They were strong without a doubt; but they showed very little skill in. the arts of open play, and the fact that players were frequently dodging about for positions in the scrummages did not speak well for their organisation. But in one phase of forward play. they set an example to which the England forwards might well give more attention, and- that was in jumping for the ball at the linesout and knocking it back to the waiting scrum half. Both the New Zealand team of 1924-25 and the New South Wales team last season demonstrated the value of this mauccuvre to the frequent discomfort of Engljsh sides, but for some odd reason English players have so far given little hood to it.