CORNER BOWS OUT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19126, 22 September 1936, Page 7

CORNER BOWS OUT

GREAT ALL BLACK HALF PLAYED 24 N.Z. GAMES When M. M. X. Corner, tire Grammar, Auckland, ami New Zealand half-back, walked oil' No. 1 ground at. Ellen Park last. Saturday alter his team had been defeated by Mnrist. a colourful Rugby career came to a close—a career which started as it. schoolboy Soccer player, and ended as a Rugby international. To-day “.Merv” Comer, is 27 years of ago —young in life. but. a veteran in Rugby. Few players who have won the All Black jersey have had 1 such a remarkable. Rugby record as Corner. Now golf lias claimed him. Even so, lie does not intend to break away completely from Rugby. His interest in the Grammar Old Boys' Glob will be. fully maintained.

When •Corner was a small hoy at the Belmont, Primary School at North Shore his one dream was to he a soccer player of note. Bet ween 1929 and 1922. lie, played splendid schoolboy soccer for llelninnt, and in 1.G2.2 he captained the Auckland primary school soccer representatives. After leaving Belmont, Corner went to tlie Auckland Grammar School and for the first two years there he played grade Soccer for North Shore.

If was in 1925 that Corner first started to play Rugby. He started as a first live-eighth, hut. finished that season behind the Grammar 1A pack, when Boh Meredith, son of Mr. V. It. S’. Meredith. manager of the 1935-36 All Blacks, was injured. The 1926 season saw Corner behind the serum of the Grammar Old Boy’s fourth grade, team. Inside three years lie had by sheer merit, won his way through tlie grades and in 1929 he took the field with the Grammar seniors. That same year Corner first won an Auckland jersey, having outplayed every club half until his position in the Auckland side was assured. CORNER, AT HIS BEST

Tlni camo the zenith of Corner's Rugby career— l.lio 1930 season, when Dougins J rentioe's Brilish team toured New Zealand and. played grand and spectacular Rugby and roused 1 such enthusiasm that the, greatest crowd a football attraction in the Dominion had ever known crammed into Eden Park for the third test. Over 45.030 people saw Now Zealand wiir that, day by 15 points to 10. That year Corner played in three of the four test matches, being chosen, for the second Test at Christchurch after the dismal failure of the famous Jimmy Mill in the JLrst test at Dunedin when the. All Blacks were beaten. In his lirst appearance in air All Black jersey. Corner played, an outstanding game, and was carried shoulder high from Lancaster Park, amid a tumult of shouting and applause. Then came Corner's brilliant game for Auckland against the British team when the home side scored a glorious victory by 19 points to 6. Much of the success of the Auckland team that day was contributed by Comer, who in that match above all others reached really dazzling heights. 11 is exhibition that day was superb. He played many a fine, game after that, but he never quite attained such brilliance, again. The following .Saturday Corner took his place behind the A.il Black semm for the vital third test against lha. Britons. He was a, somewhat, subdued Corner that, day—subdued by the last, English breakaways, notably, Ivor Jones. He did not make the brilliant bursts from the serum be bad made the previous Saturday, but. nevertheless bis service was of almost equal value,, for lie