RUGBY NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27090, 26 May 1949, Page 3

RUGBY NOTES

Comments on Players The North Otago Rugby Union’s selectors will have their last opportunity on Saturday to select the representative Town team to play Country on June 4. Both senior matches will be played at the Show Grounds. The Old Boys’ back line worked in close harmony last Saturday, but failed to gain much ground because of the shallow formation adopted by Excelsior. G. Johnston and A. Berry, centre threequarter and wing respectively, played solid games, and both were responsible for good runs. Both players were resolute on defence. M. Collings, first fiveeighth, endeavoured on several occasions to cut through, but in this he was unsuccessful. The backs outside him were well covered, and had he passed out they would have been caught without gaining any ground. Collings could have used a kick to better advantage, A. Currie played another sound game in the forwards, and he scored Old Boys’ only try. F. Diver, Excelsior’s half-back, was the' most consistent player on the field. His stab kidk proved a continual source of worry to Old Boys, and other players could adopt Diver’s backing-up tactics to advantage. He also made several good runs and never failed to take advantage of any opportunity offered. I. Nuttall, full-back, played an improved game on that of the*previous Saturday, whilst D. Alexander again showed promise on the wing. E. Sawers, first five-eighth, could have passed out to better advantage, while L. Tempero was also inclined to hold the ball too long. G. Ovens again proved himself a valuable forward, and K. Nuttall was always to the fore. Athletic more than held the measure of Maheno last Saturday. The forwards showed a marked superiority throughout, and gave the backs a feast of the ball from scrums, rucks and line outs. T. Tindle and P. Connolly, who both played their first games of the season, fitted in well in the pack. The inclusion of these two players appeared to strengthen the forward play of Athletic, and it will be interesting to see how the packs compare when next Athletic and Excelsior meet. R. Collett, at second five-eighth, played his best game of the season, and was unfortunate in not scoring more than one try. The Athletic backs were still slow to move, and did not show their real class until well on in the second spell, when three tries came from back movements.

The Maheno back line did not impress at any stage. The defence was sound in the first naif, but on attack little ground was gained. S. Turner was injured early in the first spell, and as he is the key man to the Maheno line, this may have been the cause of the trouble. The Maheno forwards were frequently penalised for offside play in the first half, and this cost them nine points from penalties kicked by Halvorsen. P. Wilkie, who was also injured late in the second spell, played an outstanding game in the loose. His rush-stopping was of a high standard, and time and again he dived on the ball at the feet of the oncoming Athletic forwards to stop their penetrating rushes. The Maheno team did not show the form expected of it after its win over Old Boys on the previous Saturday. The draw for Saturday is:— Senior.—Excelsior v. Maheno, Oval, 2.45 (Mr L. R. Hill); Athletic v. Old Boys, No. 2 2,45 (Mr R. Hedges). Junior.—Old Boys v. Enfield, at Enfield, 2.45 (Mr J. Cossens); Excelsior v. Athletic, Oval, 1.30 p.m. (Mr A. Patterson). Third Grade-—Excelsior v. Maheno, No. 3, 1.30 p.m. (Mr E. Lapslie); Athletic v. Old Boys. No. 2, 1.30 (Mr D. Grant). Fourth Grade.—Athletic v. Enfield, No. 3 ground, 2.30 p.m. (Mr H. J. Barnett). Sub-union Draw The Waitaki Sub-union draw is:— Ngapara v. Otelcaike, at Ngapara (Mr H. Thompson); Georgetown v. Kurow, at Georgetown (Mr W. Grant); Duntroon v. Tokarahi, at Duntroon (Mr T. Watson). Teams for Saturday:— Ngapara to play Otekaike, —McCone (2), Direen (2), O’Brien (2), Shields, Hood, Dobson, Dalziel, Addison, Tavendale, Louden, Rawson (2), Kennedy, Williams, Watson, Newlands, Eckhold.