RUGBY FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22632, 25 July 1935, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

By Full-Back. July 31.—Otago Sub-unions v. North Otago, at Dunedin. August 3.—Otago Sub-unions v. Southland Sub-unions, at Dunedin, August 7.—Buller v. Otago, at Dunedin. August 10.—Southland v. Otago, at Invercargill. . . August 14.—Otago v. Wanganui, at Dunedin; . August 17. —Otago v. Wairapa, at Duu«dii« ■ _ _. August 24.—Southland v. Otago, at Dunedin. ■ - .._ , September 4.—Otago v. South Canterbury, at Timaru. •__,■,.■-. , September 7.—Otago v. Wellington, at Wellington. ' ~ ' September 11.—Otago v. Waikato, at Hamilton. , ~ .. ". September 14. —Otago v. Auckland, at Auckland. ~ ' September 18.—Otago v. Taranaki, at Taranaki. ■. ' ' September 21.—Otago v. Canterbury, at Christchurch.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Dear " Full-back,"—A First Grade player having played this season in the Otago Union, nan he be transferred to play in a Second Grade sub-union for the final match? This player has not changed his residential address, which is in the sub-union district. Is it necessary for him to ao so?—I am, etc, Anxious, Berwick. 1 am not quite clear what is meant by the "Otago Union." If the Otago Rugby Union is. meant, then it would certainly not permit the transfer of a senior player to a junior grade. To suggest a transfer for a final match, under the circumstances related, is even more unfair, if that were possible. "Green Island."—Thanks for information. " S —' UNIVERSITY A v. PIRATES The game between University A and Pirates, played at Carisbrook, provided iome bright patches of back play and a solid struggle between the forwards right through. The A team won by 15 points to 8 points, but had their backs made, full use of all the ball they got from the serums they would have added to the score of their side. As. it was, Fookes scored one try from a good piece of passing, Gillies,, (first five-eighth) scored a try and potted a goal, and MacFarland kicked a penalty goal and converted try. Fookes turned out-again for the Blues for the first time this season, but he found Manning, the .opposing centre three-quar-ter, a hard man to get past, and he only broke through once or twice. The collaring, indeed, of the Blacks right through was very sound. MacFarlajid played another fine game at full-back, and though he did not have as much to do as Taylor, who also played a fine game, he had in the, second half to extricate his side from more dangerous situations. The line kicking of both full-backß was excellent. . Jones and McCarthy, the wing threeauarters, had a fair share of the ball, the latter particularly, but they were always well covered, when they received their passes. M'Carthy made a good run after he had broken.away from a weak tackle and enabled ;Pookes to score .near the ' corner flag. M'Carthy simply runs straight and allows himself to be tackled. A " hand off" would, I imagine, be useful to this player. Gillies, first five-eighths, was again the mainstay of the Blue backs, and tised judgment in all his work. He varied his play well. M'Kechnie, second five-eighths, was sound, but could send out his passes more smartly, and Howden gave a good exhibition behind the ecrum. Howden has improved wonderfully in his last few games.- Once he can learn to " speed " the ball:from the scrums and not cause Gillies to bend down to take his passe?, he will prove of even greater value to his side. He was injured a few minutes before the end of the game and left the field. ■ \ • "'• Chapman, Green, Lopdell, and Simmera were a quartet of solid workers in the pack. Green' showed a" tendency once or' twice to get offside. Anderson did not play, his place being.taken by Harrison. - \ '.*. ' / . The* Pirates team gave a good exhibition of forward. play, with. Stuart and Grant always, prominent, and Bannatyne keeping, closer to the ball than in some of his previous games. The Pirates backs were not frightened to throw the ball 1 about, and in the final quarter of an hour tested the defence thoroughly. Saxton played a plucky game behind the Blacks' scrum, .and made some good breakaways. He, too, Howden, could improve in his passingVfrom the base of the scrum. Martin, first fiveeighth, again proved his worth, and got through a great amount of work. He tried the short punt and follow through with effect towards the end of the game. The Black three-quarters should have come into straighter line in the passing movements. Thompson, Valentine, and Geary played fair games.. The Pirates team is to be congratulated, on the manner in which it tried to; open up the game. It staged a great passing rush, started by Martin near the halfway flag, in the second half, Bannatyne being collared right- on the Blues' line. Half a dozen Pirates players «* handled the ball in this movement. In the first half; and for a part of the second, the Black pack were beaten for the ball in the scrums, but they stayed on well, and were _ giving Saxton the ball towards the finish.

SOUTHERN v. ZINGARI-RICHMOND The bustling Zingari forwards kept the Southern forwards busy in the early match at Carisbrook, and the hill team were only beaten by six points to three points. It was not a very interesting game to watch, and it is rather remarkable that Southern had 14 penalty kicks awarded against them as against four awarded against Zingari. As on the previous Saturday, the Southern forwards gave Simon plenty of the balk but it seldom got out to the wings. D. Trevathan, the first five-eighth, appears to have become so centred on his line kicking that he is in danger of losing his attack in the open. G. Edwards was played at second five-eighth, but his handling was weak, and Smith, the centre three-quarter, also showed a weakness in handling. Smith, however, staged a clever piece of play when he gave Turnbull a try early in the game. Bolton was shifted into the fiveeighth line in the second spell, G. P-d----wards going to full-back, and he strengthened the attack of the Southern rearguard at once. He* brought a muckwanted thrust to the inside backs, and it was really as a result of his efforts that his side scored the winning try. Turnbull put plenty of dash into his running .with the few chances he had, but Black, on the other wing, is inclined to hesitate when he comes to an opponent. His passes infield when he was blocked were erratic, and he lost two possible chances for his side by simply chucking the ball infield. The greater burden of the play on the Zingari side was left to the forwards, and they acquitted themselves well. It was not their fault that Zingari did not win. M'Donald. behind the scrum, was tod slow in getting the ball away, and his play lacked decisiveness. Caradus, first five-eighth, was slow off the mark, but he made one or two thrusts through the defence, and on one occasion he gave a wild pass when he had well penetrated the defence, and lost a fine chance for a score. Caradus's passing was his weak point. Procter,> on the wing, got lew chances, but he was always ready and anxious to get into the play. It was rather surprising to see Black run round Procter in the second half. The other backs were solid enough on defence, but their play otherwise was mostly of a eolo nature. Watkins Fleming, and Lowrie were noticeable in the forward play, but for that matter all the Zingari forwards played a hard, solid game.

KAIKORAI v. UNION

Although play was inclined at times to become ragged, the game between Kaikorai and Union, which resulted in. a draw, 9 all, was open and fast, and in its final stages provided plenty of excitement' for the handful of spectators at the Caledonian Ground. On the run of the play the result was a fair indication of the 'merits of the two teams, although during the final 15 minutes of the' match the Blue and Blacks were beginning to

gain the upper hand, the backs combining m several dangerous thrusts that kept the defence on the alert all the time. Although their handling and passing at times left a good deal to be desired, it must be said to the credit of both sets of backs that they made every endeavour to open up play and to link up with the forwards. As on the two previous Saturdays, the disposition of the Kaikorai players appeared to be more or less of an experiment, Laing being tried at full-back, and Homer on the wing, while Francis was back at his old position of scrumhalf. Later, when M'Ewan was injured, Laing moved up into the forwards. _ Both sets of forwards worked well, the Maroon pack having, perhaps, slightly the better of matters in the tight play. Henderson and Murray were the outstanding backs for Kaikorai, the latter s try being a sound effort', which rounded off consistently good play throughout the game. Oliver made.several good opportunities for his .wings, both of whom, however, were .too well marked to allow them to give of their best. Francis served his backs well "from behind the scrum, and with two good penalties to his credit, was responsible for six of Kaikorai's nine points. Eodgers and Allan were a pair of tireless forwards. „ , Vorrath, Thompson, and R. Garden were the pick of the Union pack, and among the backs, Burgess played a sound game, running with plenty of thrust, and making several good openings. Silver played a fine game at full-back, and his well-directed and lengthy line-kicking got his side out of difficulties on several occasions. • • DUNEDIN v. ALHAMBRA Dunedin and Alhambra met at Tahuna Park, the Dark Blues winning by 9 points to 5 points. Each side scored a try and Dixon, the Dunedin full-back, potted a fine goal. . ■;: ■', ' There was plenty of life m the game, the forwards staging ■. (rood loose rushes and also hard scrummaging work. Sinclair, the Alhambra ! half-back, was the best back on his side, and but for his solid defensive work Dunedins score would have been larger. .Williamson, centre three-quarter,* was also, noticeable for sound defensive play. . The Alhambra backs could not, however, link up in penetrating passing movements. ' The Alhambra forwards missed Campbell, who was not available. Souter was the most prominent forward in the colours' vanguard. •■ ' ' •„ Treacy, ( the Dark Blues' first fiveeighth, again put some thrust into his play, and he made one fine ■ run'' to give T. M'Donald a try. As stated before, Treacy is very smart off the - mark and takes some following, and Aldous, second five-eighth, did not anticipate the direction of his colleague, and consequently the openings made by Treacy were hot taken advantage of. The Dunedin backs, like the opposing rearguard, did not-come through with many offeetfVe passing, movements. Croal and Collett were the best of the Dunedin forwards. ; ' *, •'.'•• ON THE WAY HOME SCRUMMAGE WORK. On the voyage to England on the Rangitiki the All Black forwards will be coached in scrumwork/ by means of a "scrum machine" of the type used in coaching a number of school teams •at Home. This device, which is arranged to take the weight of, a full scrum with three men, in the front row, has strong springs to indicate the degree of weight applied on either side. Mr Meredith ordered it by cable (states the New Zealand Observer), and it was shipped by the Rangitiki, which arrived at Auckland last week. When it was unloaded, Mr Meredith, in consultation with the chief engineer of the Rangitiki, had it placed in position ready.for use as soon as the forwards find their sea-legs. The case in which the scrum machine arrived from London was addressed: "V. R. Meredith', manger, New Zealand All Blacks." Before the case was shipped some stevedore or watersider .had added in large printed letters the.words: "You can bring-your All Blacks Home, but you can't beat Ireland." ~ ■ NOTES Hore and Vorrath, the Otago representatives in -the All Black team, will leave for thfe north on Saturday. v The game between Taieri and University B was rather remarkable for the fast that whereas the score was 13 points to 3 points in favour of Taieri in the first half, there was no score in the' second. The play in the first half was fairly interesting, but the Taieri men were too strong for the opposition. In the second* spell the game was ragged, the Taieri players going too much on their own. Rae, the University, half, gave admirable service between forwards and backs in the match against Berhampore on Saturday (says the Post). Many of the University scoring movements originated from his fine work. A good move failed in the game between Petone and Hutt at the Hutt Recreation Gorund. While Petone was attacking strongly a scrum was ordered right in front of the posts for an infringement by Hutt. H. R. Pollock immediately took up a position straight behind his half-back, who, as soon as he received the ball, shot it back between his legs to the waiting first five-eighth. Pollock, in his anxiety to capitalise a golden opportunity, hurried his pot at g*al and missed by yards. The trick is by no means new, but it still remains good. A goal results five" times out of six. Tindill, of Athletic, is a master at this type of play, and during the past two seasons he has kicked many goals from scrums. [Can anyone claim that a score obtained in this manner is worth more than a try?—"Full-back."] Christchurch were without G. F. Hart and J. Manchester on Saturday (says the Press). The latter arrived at the ground, stripped, ready to play, but was not allowed to take the field. His injured hand, although it has improved greatlv, was still bandaged. There is one important rule in the game which both referees and players should, tq save trouble, closely observe. It reads: —"No player shall pick up the ball, after a tackled player has released it, or when it is on the ground after a player has been tackled, until it has been played with a foot. Homer was played in the three-quarter line for Kaikorai last Saturday, but was not too happy in the position. This lad has shown promise as a half-back, and should develop into a more than useful player if given the' opportunity in that nosition. i

Dear Full-back,-r-The following is my selection of the best team to represent Otago against Southland:—Full-back. MacFarland; three-quarters, Watt, Smith, Black; five-eighths, first D. Trevathan, second M'Kechnie; half-back, Simon; forwards—front row, M'Donald, Quaid, Campbell; second row. Green, Murphy; back row, Niven, Chapman, Bartlett; emergencies. Gillies. Procter; forwards, Neiper, Anderson.—l am, etc.. All Black,