RUGBY FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22295, 22 June 1934, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

~;'; TO THE EDITOB. Sib,—l,3m a regular visitor to the football matches at Carisbrook. iam surprised at the way : the. ball is put in the scrum by senior teams. Last Saturday was the worst exhibition, and this by the leading teams. The ball hardly went into the scrum fairly all the match. Once it went in correctly near the end of the game when a University player who replaced Dunne put the ball fairly in the scrum. Although the referee must have seen the ball being knocked out of the side of the scrum by the bookers, be took no notice of it.

The University had a wing-forward out, and he was repeatedly offside; but " S ot away with it. I. thought the wingforward was abolished. If 60, why is University A coached to play one? Why do two of the University backs tackle a man after he has kicked the ball and so prevent him from following up? 1 have followed the University team for a good numberof years now,i and I cannot understand why it adopts such tactics. r watched the Christian Brothers High School play M'Glashan College to-day, ana I noticed how well the ball was put in the scrum. If boys can do it,'-so can men. The St. Kevin's, College football team from Oaniaru plays here next Tuesday, when.the public can expect somegood football.', It always seeiiis strange now school teams put on the beet football and the ball goes fairly into the scrum. Who is to blame for the faulty scrum work? The referees? Some penalise a player for passing the ball when lying on the ground and others let it go. I Know by my Rule Book who are right.?—l am, etc., A 40 Yeabs' Fouoweb. TO THB EDITOB., Sib,—As one who has witnessed Rugby football throughout the South Island, with the exception of Southland, during the current season, I am somewhat surprised at the nominations, or rather, lack of nominations, put forward by the Otago Rugby Football Union. In previous years it was rather the custom of the union to nominate all who have a good chance, all who had a "rough" chance, and a "few who had no chance of selection. This year the union seems to have determined on a policy of extreme modesty. As the teams Possibles v. Probables for the South Island have now been chosen, I am in accord with the notes by "Fullback" in this morning's issue. I have certainly seen more than one full-back in Otago who was at least entitled to nomination, if not a trial game, to say nothing of selection. With " Full-back again I entirely agree regarding the lack of nominations for the half-back position. He pertinently asks, What will happen if neither of those nominated comes up to standard? From my observations this season I shall be more than surprised if either of them shows form nearly approaching interisland standard, while two local half-backs in Simon and Francis, who "are head and shoulders superior to the chosen two, are not even deemed worthy of nomination by the Otago Rugby Football Union.

I consider that this season Otago has the two best half-backs in the South Tsland in Simon a*n.cl Francis. , I prefer the former on account of his sturdinesg and defensive qualities. • The latter appears the faster of the two, but iu view of other nominations the Otago Rugby Football Union would have been quite safe in nominating both, leaving it to the selectors to decide between them. Fortunately the New Zealand team to tour Australia will not be chosen by the Otago Rugby Football Union so that it is possible that some Otago players may yet receive reasonable treatment.—l am, etc., Traveller. Dunedin, June 21.