Cooke Outstanding in the Rugby Trial

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 972, 15 May 1930, Page 15

Cooke Outstanding in the Rugby Trial

CLEVER BACK PLAY AUCKLANDERS DO WELL Special to THE SUN PALMERSTON N., Wednesday. If today’s North Island Possibles v. Probables Rugby trial at Palmerston North is any criterion, then New Zealand still has skilful and accomplished backs, but the forwards, though good in the line-out and loose, show too great an ability to break before the ball is cleanly hooked to their lialves. In fairness to them, however, it must bo admitted that conditions called for quick breaking, but even so. there is no excuse for forwards allowing their opponents to break through their ranks and pounce upon their halfback. Combination is not expected in a trial match of this description, and consequently nobody was disappointed, but Corner, Mackenzie and Cooke, the inside backs, gave glimpses of what they are capable of when they get acquainted a bit more with each other’s play. Despite a tendency to deliver erratic passes early in the game, Cooke was quite up to his old form, and completely eclipsed all other five-eighths. His infallible intuition was very much in evidence, and a pleasing feature of his game was the manner in which he supported his backs after initiating passing movements. In this respect, his backs were lacking. Cooke #as frequently left without support and though it was sometimes due to his cutting-in tactics, this could not always be claimed. Cooke “sold the dummy” and side-stepped Ruru very prettily on a number of occasions, and was seldom tackled in possession. His defence was unimpeachable. THE FULLBACKS Heazlewood was better at fullback than Thomas, who did not strike form. He made a spectacular save in the dying stages of the game when he cleared to the line, well down field after the ball off the opposing forwards’ toes. Heazelwood’s best claim to inclusion in further trial matches is his goalkicking, which is exceptionally efficient. It is strange, however, that his line-kicks are comparatively indifferent. In today’s game he refused to take any chances, and kicked the ball away well before he was in danger. Thomas endeavoured to pass his m6n sometimes before getting rid of the ball. In this, he was not always successful. He is a much better tackter than Heazelwood. Mackay carried out his duties well on the wing, and though starved in the. first spell, he made up the lost leeway after the change over when his forwards gave their backs more of the ball. LUCAS IN FORM Lucas at centre was very steady,, often dropping back to help Heazelwood out of difficulties. In the second half, he combined well with Cooke. Elvy, the other wing for the Possibles, was likewise given few opportunities to establish his credentials on attack. When he did get the ball, he tried hard, but in Fuller he encountered a player who would not be misled by his famous side-step. CORNER PLAYS WELL Mackenzie, first five-eighth, fed Cooke upon every conceivable opportunity. The diminutive Corner looked very frail behind his scrum, but what he lacked in physique, he made up in courage. He was subjected to many buffetings. He took all he got, and came up for more. It was a treat to watch the manner in which he got the ball away to Mackenzie on attack, and to see him go down on the ball at the forwards’ toes on defence. He rais€.d a laugh when he came right through a set scrum with the ball in his possession. If only he had more weight, he would be outstanding as a halfback. The Possibles forwards did not have much success at hooking in the first half, but they were assisted by their opponents in breaking through on to Kilby. Finlayson, Mahoney and Campbell were the best. All three, while working hard in the tight, were equally at home in passing bouts. Porter, who captained the Possibles, did yeoman service and was always j where he was most needed. Porter has wonderful control of the ball in handling, and his speed at feeding his backs was largely responsible for tho large score registered against the Probables. He ably controlled his team, and frequently flashed into a breach to help avert danger. AUCKLANDER DOES WELL Solomon, who opposed him, was the better man on attack, and he was at the head of any forward movements, but he is an individualist more than one of a team. His tackling was par ticularly effective, his defence sound, and he played with more dash than did Porter. Fuller made sure of Elvy every time in the first half, but Strange, the Manawhenua winger, who came on at half-time, showed him a clean pair of heels on two occasions. On the latter occasion, which was right on time, Cooke capped a spectacular movement by accepting a reverse pass from Strange, who had cleverly drawn his man, and scoring after having started the movement right on his own twentyfive line. Ruru was well marked, and In addition, was handicapped by Strings | fellow’s inclination to run across the field, leather than straight. Johnson was handicapped by having to take badly directed passes from Kilby in the first half, but he went better in the second half. Stringfellow, however, proved a weak link in the backs. Kilby shone on defence more than on attack, his badly directed passing being due to the speed of the opposing forwards. He was called upon to take some hard knocks, but he did not seem to mind being knocked about. Batty was excellent in the loose, and he had his head down in the tight all the time. It is a pity that he has not more weight. McWilliams, McKay and Palmer were three hard-working forwards, who were well supported by Irvine and Harvey.