RUGBY

Southland Times, Issue 22038, 10 June 1933, Page 14

RUGBY

(By

"Onlooker”).

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. "Wager” (Waikiwi). —The last time an Otago-Southland combination played together (all Black trials excepted) was in 1925, against New South Wales at Dunedin. The Southland players in the team were Don Murray, Ted Ottrey, Frank Kilby, Percy Rice, Geoff. Alley, Pat Burt, Bill Hazlett and “Wampy” Bell. New South Wales won by 22 to 17. NOTES AND COMMENTS. The second round of the Galbraith Shield games will be commenced this afternoon. Star meet Pirates and Old Boys, play Blues. Out of seven games played in New Zealand the Australian Universities’ team did not succeed in winning one. Compared with the Sydney University teams which have visited the Dominion in the past the 1933 tourists were much below standard. Practice With New Balls. In order to ensure that the Southland team will not be “left” when asked to play any of the rep. fixtures this season with a new ball or balls, it is hoped that the selectors (who incidentally are also the team coaches) will be provided with plenty of new balls for the team to use during training and practices. The caprices of a new ball compared with an “old ball” team are only too obvious to require elaboration here, and as the grounds in the north are less dead than in the south every opportunity to speed up their play must be given the Maroons. It is good to note that three new balls were produced a few weeks ago for grade football. As soon as these lose their newness more should be produced. Never mind the cost; the results will more than repay the outlay. A Keen Referee.

Refereeing two games, one after the pther, was the lot of “Tiny” Kerse at the Borstal grounds last Saturday. “Tiny” was put down for one game, but discovered upon arrival at the institution that there were two games and only one referee. The ex-Blues man willingly obliged. He got through the marathon all right, but experienced “bellows to mend” at the finish. Talks on Laws.

At the referees’ meeting on Thursday evening it was decided to accede to a request from the Radio Club and broadcast a lecturette on points, rulings and interpretations each Saturday evening. To-night, commencing at 8.10 p.m., Mr Jack Ewart will deliver the first talk on Law 19, “Charging and Obstruction.” Jim Hamilton Looks On.

Jim Hamilton, jun., of Bluff, captain of the University A team (Dunedin) and member of the New Zealand Universities’ side against the Australian Universities, was an interested spectator at the Country Da}' fixtures on Rugby Park last Saturday. It is hoped the S.R.F.U. will see that the three selectors are sent to Dunedin to witness the Otago—Southland SubUnions’ game on July 29, not one selector as suggested at last week’s union meeting.

Otago Will be Strong. “Otago will be able to field a very strong representative side this year,” Stated an Otago rep. player to the writer during the week. “The backs will be found in the main from the Otago University side, and will be faster than last year’s set.” N.Z. Union Criticized.

Regret at the abandonment of the formation of an Imperial Rugby Commission was expressed at the annual meeting last month of the South African Rugby Board by Mr A. J. Pienaar, the president. It had been the intention, said Mr Pienaar, that this commission should meet periodically and act in an advisory capacity to the International Board, but this proposal had been abandoned. The fact that the commission had not come into being was due, in his opinion, to the shortsighted policy of the New South Wales and New Zealand Rugby Unions in refusing to accept it. He hoped that the commission would not be permanently abandoned, and was satisfied that a great step forward had been made by all the Unions concerned in agreeing to accept the International Board as the ruling authority.

Rugby In South Africa. The development of South African Rugby on the lines of the game in Great Britain, without cup competitions and with friendly interprovincial fixtures taking the place of the Currie Cup tournament, was forecast by Mr Johannes Louw, president of the Transvaal Rugby Union, at the annual meeting of the Union in Johannesburg.

Wellington Prospects. Wellington have a wealth of representative players from which to pick her backs for coming fixtures without taking into consideration at present the quality of new talent, of which there is an abundance. There are also some fourteen forwards, all in fair form so far, who have represented Wellington. Of this crowd there are five present All Black backs and two forwards, a fine nucleus of a good side. Of four representative half-backs Tindill and Kilby will be the principal contenders. Seven or eight good five-eighths, with Page, Griffiths, Robins and Killeen the prospects, are available for the five-eighth positions, while Macdonald and Chesterman should sort themselves out of the four or five good centres about. The wing positions provide the greatest opportunities for newcomers. N. Ball is making a slow start at showing form, and Fuller is in and out. However, there is plenty of promising material about. There are four good candidates for full-back in Lilburne and Pollock, the All Blacks, and Masters and Creswell. Both Lilburne and Pollock can play closer to the scrum, but both appear essentially full-backs on present form. Canterbury’s Strength.

The Canterbury representative side should be a fairly good one (says the Christchurch Press). The selector has some very useful material at his disposal, but will have difficulty in one or two positions—especially those of full-back and wing three-quarter. Noble, of the full-backs in the senior competition, is outstanding, although all are quite good in club matches. The two seen on Lancaster Park recently— F. French (Sydenham) and A. Bullivant (Merrivale) —played well, but were not altogether reliable. French, when he rises to the occasion, is magnificent. He is a tower of strength to Sydenham, but is still nothin the top flight. Bullivant has a very powerful and accurate kick, but he, too, lacks that combination of solidity and brilliance which is required to make a player a first-class provincial representative. Referee Tackled.

Amusement was caused during the Marist-Grammar Rugby match at Eden Park on Saturday (says the New Zealand Herald). A Grammar player was making for the opposite goal line, pursued by a member of the Marist team, when the referee, running in front of the latter, was promptly tackled by him and sent headlong to the ground, amid laughter from the spectators.

COUNTRY DAY. SUB-UNION PLAYERS UNDER REVIEW. Country Day 1933 will always be remembered by the brillance of the Town team’s backs. Their play was a delight to watch and can have only one result in the future, an improved standard of back play generally in the South. . Although the maroons succeeded in defeating the Eastern Southland representatives decisively enough, they were not represented by the best Town team. Berry and Donnelly were not available in the forwards and Mitchell and Pickering, who were included in the original selection, were also not available. As events turned out the Town team was strengthened by the inclusion of McKay and H. Smith. This pair worked very well together on the right wing. Before Saturday McKay’s form was little out of the ordinary. Now McKay must be regarded among the first choices of wing three-quarters for the Southland team. • With Neville Mitchell and Don Grant playing well up to representative standard, and Geddes, McKay, H. Smith, R. Smith and Sharp all “in the boom,” the Southland selectors arc going to have a hard task sorting out their fiveeighth and three-quarter lines. Herbie Smith’s first appearance in Invercargill football was nothing short of dazzling. His play even eclipsed the display given a few weeks ago by “Brushy” Mitchell against Star. Whetherthe Southland selectors decide to play him in preference to Mitchell as centre remains to be seen, but whatever they do it is certain that places will be found for both. They are a pair of champions. Central’s win over Western was well earned. The Reds played with much more dash than the Sports Trust holders and on that form will beat them again. M. Forde and M. Thornbury, the Central wings, impressed as a bit above the average run of country wings. Forde is fast and handles well, but he has “nothing on” Thornbury whose dash over ten yards or so is good. With good backs inside him Thornbury would score plenty of tries. W. Wilson, at second five-eighth for Central, proved to Western that he was not as slow as his uniform would have him look. His try in the first spell was the work of a back who knew his football. He shaped better than Calder on the day and showed more initiative. Calder was well marked, but with Brosnan, at half, made some nice play on occasions. Brosnan was easily the best of the country halves seen out. He plays heady football. Of the Central forwards W. Boyle, J. Murphy, R. McLeod and F. Casey were the pick of a rugged and dashing lot. Boyle has possibilities, and plenty of reserve energy too. He needs to curb a tendency to break too quickly from the scrum and thus penalize his side for dffside play. Murphy was a hard worker in the tight and frequently showed up in the open. On the whole the Central forwards played well together and did not shirk the hard rucking. , u Of the four teams from the subunions Eastern were far and away the best side, and on that form there is nothing surer than that they will depose Western from the sub-union championship before very long. They struck a pretty hot side in the Town team and then put up a good showing. Western disappointed. The selectors will have to work a vast improvement in the team if they are to go very far in their Sports Trust games this season. The Light Blues could not. be recognized as the same team which won the trophy from Eastern last year. George Purdue was short of a gallop and showed nothing like his old form. He used his weight and kept up with the play, but seemed to miss the good company he has been used to. Gil Porter was another “prominent” who shaped like a fish out of water. We all know his reason for playing fiveeighth in the Western team, but there he appears to be wasted. He is too slow for the position and would serve the team better at full-back. This is not a reflection on the work of McKay, the Riverton boy, who played a splendid game at full-back, and incidentally was the best country full-back seen out. The fact remains that if McKay and Porter changed places the Western team would be much better off. McKay is better than the average five-eighth and _ has shaped with distinction in the position before. It is hoped that when the Country team (combined) plays Town in the annual trial, Porter will be played at full-back. He will require the practice if he is to be selected as fullback in the Southland team. Max Harrington was the best Country centre, although Fitzgerald (Eastern) who had a man’s size work watching H. Smith all day, was little behind him. Frampton did not get the best of services from Buxton (half), but performed in a tradesman-like manner all that was asked of him. He is a footballer. Buxton was more or less hampered by a disorganized scrum and consequently the ball did not come out too wtll at times. His defensive play was very good . , , .j In the Western forwards, outside Purdue, the best were Fowle, Hoffman, Forde and Mair. ’ Fowle shared with Pawson, of Eastern, the honour of being the best of the country forwards. Both of these players on Saturday’s form are fit to represent Southland. Dashing types, they work tirelessly in loose and tight and are ever ready to open up play. Pawson possesses unusual pace for a big forward and is a rare opportunist. The Eastern forwards as a whole performed very creditably and it will not surprise if more than one of their number does not “make” the Southland team this season. Pawson, Matheson, and Herron were most prominent in the open, but Penny and Southern were the hardest workers in the heavy stuff. Southern impressed with his good work and there appears to be little doubt that if he speeds up a bit he will play himself into the Southland team again. He and Pawson look to be the most likely to cause the selectors any thought. The Eastern backs were not quite up to standard. Their defence inside was reasonably good, but the slowness of the wings weakened the back line. McCaughan, at half-back, shaped well for a youngster. He will serve Eastern better later on.

Good young material among the Town players included Ferguson (Waikiwi) Watts (Old Boys), Riddell (Star), Hawke (Old Boys), Willcox (Pirates), and McColl (Star). It would not be too much to say that Bob Ferguson is fit for any company. But for Mitchell and H. Smith bobbing up in the same season Ferguson would have been the type of centre three-quarter the Southland selectors were looking for. He might yet command more attention before the season closes. H. R. Watts, who played on one of the wings for the Town No. 2 team is an unpretentious type, but full of football and not likely to let a side down. He will undoubtedly strengthen the Old Boys’ team.

E. P. Hawke continues to play up to form and at present appears to be Girvan Thomas’s most serious rival for the Southland half’s position. Behind a good pack of forwards Hawke would be seen to good advantage. He should be given a trial behind the Town pack before the Southland team is selected. For a “raw” young forward Willcox, the tall and fast Pirates forward, displayed a lot of promise in the lineout work against Eastern. He took very cleanly in the lines and made a good job of feeding Thomas. He will improve. McColl’s inclusion in the Town side was regarded rather lightly but after

seeing his good scrumming and ball control while dribbling, there were many prepared to say that the Star youth is a good forward in the making. He has no pace or dash to speak of but is undoubtedly a good worker in tight and loose. Jack Mattingly put a bit more pep into his work. Up till Saturday he had been showing little of the dash in the open that characterized his play during the past two seasons. TOWN’S FINE EXHIBITION. In conquering Eastern by the useful margin of 14 points, Town gave a display of handling of a greasy ball which will probably be ranked as one of the finest exhibitions seen on the ground for many years, says the Mataura Ensign reporter. The playing area was heavy- owing to recent rains and the ball was liberally coated with mud. Despite these natural drawbacks to accurate handling, the Town backs made few blunders. Their movements were most attractive to watch and it appears that a welcome change has come over Rugby football in Southland, its more spectacular features being demonstrated by probably as fast a set of backs as could be found anywhere in the Dominion. Eastern were in no way disgraced. Admitted to be deficient in pace, the Blacks could not cope with their dashing opponents. The forwards more than held their own, with Pawson, Mathieson and Southern always to the fore and not one slacker in the whole pack. McCaughan thoroughly justified his inclusion behind the scrum and gives promise of further development. Grant was the king-pin of the rearguard, despite a weak ankle, being splendid in defence. The repeated thrusts made by the fast moving Town backs found him along with several other Eastern backs baffled, and more than once Grant, O’Shea and Fitzgerald were left standing. A team continually on the move and with pace to burn must break through some time or other. On the day there was no doubt as to the better team. The general display gives rise to hopes that Southland will have a fine side again this year. FOR THE SELECTORS. SOME NAMES TO CONJURE WITH. Now that the first rep. trial is over it might be just as well to sort out a few names which stand out as likely to cause the Southland selectors (Messrs Strang, Mitchell and Lopdell) most concern when the time for selecting their teams comes along. It is probable that a pronouncement will be made any day regarding the players required to go into special training for engagements ahead. Here are the “likelies” from which the first Southland team will be chosen: Front row forwards.—L. George, R. Donnelly, C. George, J. Mattingly. Pack forwards.—G. Purdue, T. Metsalfe, R. Berry, C. Pawson, E. Fowle, W. Southern, J. Murphy, I. Galt. Backs.—G. Porter, J. H. Geddes, A. McKay, R. Pickering, H. Smith, N. Mitchell, D. Grant, R. Sharp, R. Smith, Girvan Thomas and E. Flawke. Sub-Unions’ Team. For the Sub-Unions’ team those worthy of consideration on Country Day form are: Backs.—Porter, Forde, Thornbury, Harrington, Fitzgerald, Grant, O’Shea, Wilson, Calder, Brosnan. Forwards.—Boyle. Herron, Penny, Pawson, Purdue, Murphy, Southern, Fowle, Matheson. In addition to these, Northern players on last year’s form for consideration are Crosbie, Bruce, Sherriff and Richards. AUSTRALIAN ’VARSITIES. TOUR COMPLETED. The Australian Universities’ team completed their tour of New Zealand with the Canterbury College game at Christchurch on Tuesday. They failed to win one of the seven games. Following are the results of the games:— v. Auckland University, lost 23 to 27. v. N.Z. Universities (Ist Test) lost 8 to 28. v. Victoria College, lost 15 to 21. v. N.Z. Universities (2nd Test) lost 0 to 25. v. Otago University, lost 3 to 25. v. N.Z. Universities, (3rd Test) lost 8 to 44. v. Canterbury College, lost o—ll. Points for 57, against 181. THE REFEREE. HIS MAKING AND FUNCTIONS. The following paper was contributed by Mr Fred Wallis, of Gore, to the Eastern Southland referees at one of their meetings recently;— Essentials: The chief one is referees should first concentrate on personal physical fitness. Lack of ability to keep right up with the play during the whole game is one reason for much of the criticism levelled at referees for slowing down the game and levelling it to the point where he can effectively keep with it. Secondly ability to obtain and keep the respect of players. Position.—The position on the field should be as near as possible in the centre of the field in general play, on the blind side, preferably in touch, when close to the corners and welt back from scrums in order to have a proper and uninterrupted view of all the players concentrated in and around the scrum. In line-outs invariably on the touch line and close to the goal line slightly on the defenders’ side of the play. Functions—Actually a referee should not be an encyclopaedia of the rules waiting for opportunities to air them. While he is possibly the most important man on the field he should be the least obtrusive. He should accept the role of rigid justice between two sides and only interfere and blow his whistle when he sees that one side obtained a territorial advantage through an infringement of the rules. He should see that every man plays the game in the spirit of the laws and should never hesitate to put down illegal or intentional rough play. Too often referees allow doubtful tactics to pass in the hope that they won’t be repeated. A warning followed by more drastic action is the proper procedure and should be applied without hesitation when the necessity arises. The game should be made as attractive as possible and to this end it is imperative that players should not be given the benefit of the doubt in lying on the ball or preventing an opponent on the ground from getting off the ball. Country football suffers in this respect when compared with town football and referees could do a great deal to bridge this gap by dealing promptly with offenders in this respect. A referee should also have a well defined line between onside and offside. Invariably the offside offender is given the benefit of the doubt and spoils what could and might be good football.

A valuable hint to referees was given by Mr E. Kelly on the occasion of the recent meeting with representatives of the Invercargill association. Mr Kelly suggested that referees would do well to view play from the point of view: “Does it matter? Did he mean it?” This is a valuable hint to referees and contains a great deal more than the words at first reading suggest.