PAGE OF RUGBY HISTORY

Southland Times, Issue 24460, 13 June 1941, Page 8

PAGE OF RUGBY HISTORY

1924 ALL BLACKS UNDER FIRE

In the Star-Marist match at Rugby Park last Saturday, J. Robertson, the Star full-back, did a thing that no back, and most certainly no full-back, is supposed ever to do. He speculated by taking a flying kick at the ball. .As a matter of fact it was the best thing that Robertson could have done in the circumstances and the speculation came off. There are exceptions to most rules and the rules of Rugby are not exempt. The incident recalled a bit of Rugby history which may seem somewhat ancient to the present generation of footballers, though it did not happen so very long ago after all. It concerns George Nepia and the 1924 All Blacks before they left on their record-break-ing tour of the Old Country. As a sort of “pipe opener” the team was sent to play a few matches in New South Wales. The All Blacks lost the first Test and then the floodgates of criticism were thrown wide open. Much of it was concentrated on Nepia, but Mark Nicholls and other members of the team came in for their share. A member of the 1905 All Blacks, who saw the 1924 team play in Sydney, sent an almost pathetic appeal to the New Zealand selectors to get rid of Nepia at all costs or he would surely let the side down on the grand tour. GOVERNMENT ACTION SOUGHT The All Blacks did something to dam the flood of criticism by winning later matches in New South Wales, but when they returned to New Zealand and were beaten by an Auckland team 3-14 (the All Blacks had had a rough trip across the Tasman), then the torrent j of criticism assumed Niagara-like proportions. While the critics, and especially Auckland critics, were shouting themselves hoarse an incident occurred that must be unique in the annals of New Zealand Rugby. Jimmy i Mill, one of the half-backs in the New Zealand team (the other was W. Dailey, of Canterbury) was among the ■ most severely criticized of the All Blacks, and a movement was started . | in Auckland to have B. Wright sent to [ I Britain, not in place of Mill, but as a ; i sort of stand-by to fill the breach ' I when, as the critics were convinced, ; i Mill should prove a dismal failure. The i Auckland admirers of Wright were ■ prepaied to put up good hard cash to I the extent of £5OO to pay Wright’s j expenses. But the unique move in the | whole business was the attempt made to induce the Government of the day to bring pressure on the Rugby Union | to have Wright added to the team. Of ; course nothing came of the agitation, j The Government, naturally, would not i allow itself to be drawn into such a I controversy and the team sailed with- , out Wright.

It may be wondered what the con- | nection is between Robertson’s specu- > lator and this bit of Rugby history. I The answer is that among the welter | of criticism levelled at Nepia was the [ accusation that he occasionally took a ; flying kick at the ball, one of the ■ things that is simply not done. Before ■ the tour of Britain very few in New ! Zealand regarded the, 1924 All Blacks ) as a great side, or realized that Nepia ■ was destined to become one of ths greatest full-backs the game has ever known. It was certainly never expected that the team would create a record that might be equalled but could never be beaten, a win in every match of the British tour. !

TOMORROW’S GAMES

The chief game at Rugby Park tomorrow between Star and Pirates should provide a close and interesting contest. When these teams met in the first round the result was a draw, six points each. Star has probably improved a bit since then and it would not be a great surprise if it succeeded in beating Pirates, which has not turned out to be quite as strong a combination as its form in the early part of the season seemed to promise. Last Saturday Pirates had the bye. In its two previous matches it beat Bluff by only 9 points to 6, and was defeated by Marist 0-6. Last Saturday Star was beaten by Marist 8-14, but on the King’s Birthday holiday Star beat

Bluff 23-3. Of course, too much reliance should not be placed on results of previous games, but in the case of Pirates and Star they do suggest two evenly-matched sides. The other game at Rugby Park is between Marist and Invercargill. Form indicates a comparatively easy win for Marist. Out of six matches it has played this season Invercargill has had only one victory, against Bluff 9-6, not a very remarkable win. Last Saturday Invercargill was beaten by Mataura 0-9. So the odds are in favour of Marist, but Rugby has its share of that “glorious uncertainty” that is usually associated with cricket.

There should be a good game at Bluff between Mataura and Bluff and the result is not easy to foretell. With its win last Saturday to hearten it Mataura will no doubt face Bluff with increased confidence, but on the other hand Bluff will have the advantage of playing on its own ground. It should be a keenlycontested game whichever way it goes. Southland Leads

The report presented at the recent annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union revealed the interesting fact that the Southland Union raised more money for patriotic purposes by matches held last season than any other union in the country. Southland’s total was £333, Otago raised £3ll, Auckland and Canterbury £307 each, and Hawke’s Bay £194.

Noted Player For Invercargill The Invercargill senior fifteen will be assisted by a former Auckland representative player tomorrow. He is Frank Paton, who has taken up a position in Invercargill as an instructor under the physical welfare recreation scheme. Paton, who will play at full-back tomorrow, has gained distinction in several games. In addition to representing Auckland at Rugby, he has played senior’ soccer and cricket, and is one of the best table tennis players in the Dominion, having won the New Zealand, the North Island and the South Island singles championships. He has also represented Auckland province at basketball.

Canterbury v. Army At Lancaster Park, Christchurch, tomorrow, a match for the benefit of patriotic funds will be played between the Army team and the Canterbury provincial team. The Army team promises to be a strong one made up of representative players from various provinces. It will probably include the following former Southland players: R. G. Mahony (three quarters), R. H. Ward and A. C. Spittle (forwards).

Representative Dates The Otago Rugby Union having accepted the date suggested by the Southland Union, the first Otago-Southland match this season will be played at Invercargill on July 26. Otago has suggested August 23 as the date fox- the return game in Dunedin, but it has still to be confirmed by the Southland Union. The management committee of the union will no doubt reach a decision on the matter at its meeting on Monday.