Taieri Rugby Fifteen Maintains Winning Run

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27390, 16 May 1950, Page 7

Taieri Rugby Fifteen Maintains Winning Run

By the Sports Editor

Sports Commentary

By its victory over Pirates on Saturday which placed it at the top of the competition table—University A, two points behind, has a match in hand—the Taieri team has given Rugby on the plains its greatest fillip in years. It is a very long time since the first fifteen of the country club has enjoyed such a winning sequence, and with the keenness and fitness apparent among the players its chances of being “in at the death ” when the championship is decided cannot be disregarded. The team possesses a doughty pack, whose play is characterised by a dash and vigour which have compensated for a slight lack of finish that experience should overcome; it has a leader in All Black Peter Johnstone, whose play has been an inspiration to his men, and a back line containing several players of promise.

The match against Pirates was not spectacular but it provided first-class forward play and a few bright back movemerfts considering the greasy ball and the soft turf. In the first half, the Taieri forwards packed too high, but an all-round improvement was noticeable in the second half, and the feature of the plainsmen’s forward play throughout was the way their pack held firmly together no matter how hard the powerful Pirates pack tried to battle through. Johnstone and his fellow-All Black opponent, K. L. Skinner, were the outstanding forwards in the game, both revealing form equal to the best New' Zealand standard. Their duel in the line outs in the second half was worth watching, and it goes without saying that Otago, and probably New Zealand, will be well served by this pair in matches to come this season. Taieri has both experience and youth in its lively, bustling pack. The forwards did not move quickly to the ball in the first half, but what a change after the interval! Supporting Johnstone grandly in excellent. dribbling was A. Price, a young Green Island break-away, who has made steady progress through the grades. Formerly a member of the King’s High School first fifteen, he was a Fourth Grade representative two years ago and a Third Grade representative last year. ■ Other young forwards of ability are D. Young, a powerful lock; L. Kovaleski and N. Hunt, who came into senior football from the South Taieri Third Grade team last year; and B. Young, a hard-working front-ranker. D. Wallace and G. Johnstone, of course, have been members of the team for some years, the latter one of three brothers in the side. J.’ Johnstone is in his second year of senior Rugby and is a full-back showing considerable promise. He is not yet so deft in the use of his right foot as with his left, but he kicks accurately, has speed, and takes jhe ball beautifully. In view of the uncertain handling of D. Murray at second five-eighth, Taieri might be advised to give young Johnstone a trial closer to the scrum, where his speed and handling ability would certainly be of value. J. McLeod, the Taieri first fiveeighth, was a major factor in Taieri’s victory. This competent footballer has benefited from his experience in Ranfurly Shield matches last season and the way he nursed his forwards on Saturday was an object lesson. He kicks well and judiciously, and displayed ability to size up ap opening in the defence. McLeod was not favoured with the best of service from the half-back. T. Thomson, in the first spell, but the latter’s passing improved in the second snell and combination developed accordingly. The side has a clever player in K. Frew in the centre, and though on the light side, he is an excellent tackier. D. McFarlane, a Second Grade player making his first appearance in senior football, shaped promisingly at wing three-quarter, and ■ displayed pace and ability to beat a man when he scored the try that put the issue beyond doubt. As usual, L. Couper’s placekicking was an asset. The enthusiasm v of the Taieri team is, indicated by the fact that although the’ players, are drawn from Momona, Brighton, Green Island, Outram and Mosgiel, there is almost invariably a 100 per cent, attendance at practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The coach is A. Cursey, a former Taieri forward who- played for Southern during the war years. First British Rugby Team A Rugby correspondent, “ Sonel,” writes concerning the first British team that visited New Zealand in 1888. It was recently stated in these columns that A. E. Stoddart. of Middlesex, was the leader of the side. “ Sonel ” mentions that the British team played in New Zealand during the months of April and May, 1888. winning all nine games. The team then went to Australia and played several matches. It returned to New Zealand and played 10 more matches during ‘September and October of the same year. The original skipper of the British team was R. L. Seddon, “ Sonel ” adds. Seddon was drowned in the Hunter River. Australia, while out sculling, and Stoddart was then appointed captain. “If Seddon accompanied the British team on its first tour of New Zealand, then your paragraph would not be quite correct. I have an idea that Seddon was drowned in between trips, and if you can put me right on this I will be obliged.” Accox-ding .to the files of the Daily Times, “ Sonel ” is correct. The first match of the British team’s tour in 1888 was against Otago on April 28, the visitors winning by 8 points to 3, two goals and two tries to a goal. The British team was:—Full-back. J. T. Haslam; three-quarters—A. E. Stoddart. H. Speakman and J. Anderton; half-backs. W. Bumby, J. Nolan: forwards —R. L. Seddon (captain). W. H. Thomas. T. Banks. R. Burnett. T. Kent. H. Eagles. C. Mathers. S. Williams and A. J. Lang.

The Otago team consisted of:—Fullback, W. Thomas; three-quarters—W. Noel, T. Lynch. C. J. Davie: half-backs, J. B. Thomson, D. Simpson; forwards —E. E. Morrison (captain). C. Beck, A. Gibson. I. W W. Hunter. R. Martin, W. Turnbull. W. McFarlane. J. R. Montgomery, and H. Treseder. A second game was played on May 2, when the British side won by 4 points to 3, R. Keogh taking Simpson’s place as a half-back. Before the third game on September 22, which was drawn witho'ut score, the Eritlsh team had played in Australia. When Seddon was drowned, Stoddart took over the leadership.

Attractive Football The Aim

“The tourists are obviously out to play attractive football, just as Prentice’s team did in 1930,” wrote a .special correspondent of the Daily 'Times after the match at Nelson. “ The forwards are lively, good in the tight, keen scrummagers and for their height effective line out players. Their loose play is good, and McCarthy and Roberts take the eye as particularly dangerous opportunists. When Preece (fly-half) cut in they were always there in support but whether McCarthy’s timing with Preece was at fault through playing with a strange fly-half for the first time or not is hard to say for he is apparently brilliant with Kyle. McCarthy was gen T erally just the little distance in front that constituted the forward pass and checked the movement. He is not likely to repeat that error. “ Rimmer the half-back ran top much from the scrum but when running he takes the eye as a likely player. Preece is a sound player, with good hands and feet, but stands very deep. Matthews was more effective than Macdonald at centre. Both wings, Thomas and Lane, were impressive, with Thomas scoring 21 of his side’s 24 points. Cleaver, at fullback, looked the complete footballer, fielding, kicking and running well, and at times coming into the threequarter line to finish a movement. One such effort was spoilt only by a foot in touch. “Apart from Thomas’s place kicking, the game did not rise above mediocrity, but it is difficult to believe that Kyle, Williams, Black, Willis and Jones will not improve the scoring capabilities of the side." The side at Nelson was composed of players who were considered fittest to play, and once practice and combination overcome the elementary mistakes which brought promising movements to nought, there are players in the touring side capable of rising to great heights." Basketball In Central Otago With flourishing clubs in Queenstown, Tarras, Hawea Flat, Cromwell, Bannockburn, Alexandra, Ranfurly, Middlemarch, Roxburgh, Tapanui and Lawrence, indoor basketball, mainly because of the early efforts of the Physical Welfare branch of the Department of Internal Affairs, is now one of the most successful forms of recreation in Central Otago. This area has been controlled by its own association for women and a sub-association < for men for the past two or three years. The Women’s Association, with Mr L. R. Mclntosh, of Alexandra, as president. and Mr F. Foot, of Cromwell, as secretary, is making vigorous efforts to select a team to represent it at the next New Zealand Championships In Christchurch. Two years ago it fielded a team when the championships were held in Dunedin and performed creditably in the minor association competi-. tion. It is regarded as having a good prospect of winning this title in ' Christchurch.