POOR FOOTBALL.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12718, 8 August 1934, Page 5

POOR FOOTBALL.

EIULLER BEAT BUSH 9—5. a JUDE AND UNENTERPRISING.” weather cleared up wonderful- [ for the representative Rugby •n on Saturday between Buller Bush (says the Westport News). ?r the heavy* over-night rain and 1 the playing ground on Victoria are in fair condition, i»b was exed by the large crowd present the two teams would put on a bright display of Rugby. Their hopes were not fulfilled, however, and the game proved one of the poorest and most uninteresting representative fixtures played in Westport for some years. The visitors, after their good showings against both Marlborough and West Coast, were expected to play their best game against Buller but, although they managed to get within four points of the locals 7 score and had a fair share of the game, they could not in any way be considered to have given a good exhibition. On the contrary, save for one or two efforts, their play was decidedly crude and unenterprising. SPOILING TACTICS. By the above remarks, it should not be taken that Buller were a class ahead of the Bush or played spectacular football. One has seldom seen a Buller team show to such poor . advantage and. after their promising form against West Ooast, their game on Saturday was positively shocking and raised great consternation among those optimists who were already banking on them bringing the Seddon Shield back to Westport this season. . It was a case of two teams playing on top of one another, with the Bush team’s spoiling taotics breaking up whatever Buller back play threatened, while the visiting backs themselves lacked the necessary combination and thrust to ever make them look really dangerous. The Bush forwards proved a tough lot and they compared more than favourably with a meek Buller nack of forwards on the day. Ormond, in nis best hooking mood, gave the Buller backs a feaart of the ball. FORWARDS TRY HARD. The best feature of the Bush team’s display was the fine, hard exhibition given by their forwards, and the hard tackling of their backs, fhey never really looked like defeatmg Buller bu£ all the same they appeared a combination that would never let any opposing team run up a score against them and their ruggedness would, wear down lots of more brilliant fifteens. Me Sherry, u/t five-eighths, was their best back, both on attack and defence. \ ery quick off the mark he took a lot oli watching, while he repeatedly came around and saved his side when Buller looked dangerous. A- Mills shone out for good play, while V olland, ait five-eighths, and later on the right wing, was responsible for a good showing. L. Roac-h, the visitors’ full-back, a first-class displav in keeping with liis best form when he was playing in that position in the Wairarapa Ranfurly Shield team. A erry, Gowler and Coomber three rattling forwards m a very even Bush pack, in which it would be very hard to discriminate. Lie teams lined out as follows, Buller playing in white jerseys so as not to get mixed ur> with the maroon and sky blue of the Bush team: BULLER. Full-back : J. Simpson. Three.-quarters: .J. Neighbours, T. Connelly, J. Hill. Five-eighths: A. Strachan, G Mason. Half: W. Greer. Forwards: J. Stewart, G. Orman, 11 • Bratt, .J. Caldwell (captain) C George, S. Peggie, S. Lowther,’ C. Robertson. Emergencies: Forwards, G. Phibbs, J Johnson; backs. P. Ahern and H. Power. BUSH. Full-back: L. Roach. Three-quarters: F. J. Mills A Mills. R Mills. . ’ Five-eighths: P. AVolland, J. AlcSherry. Half: D. Keene. Forwards; B. Smith, C. Harvev, - H. Burnes (captain), T. Verry, J Davies, L. Bailey, M. Spring, A. Gowler. Emergencies: Forwards, B. Coomber, C. Kendall; backs, W Reeve G. Harris.