HEFTY FORWARDS

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

HEFTY FORWARDS

BRITISH RUGBY TEAM’S FIRST WORK-OUT GOAL FROM HALF-WAY Special to THE SUN WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Within three hours of landing at Wellington from the today j the British Rugby team boarded a j bus for a practice at Athletic Park, | where the weight and height of the ] forwards, coupled with the team’s gen- ' eral pace and some very pretty handling, impressed an interested I group of’ onlookers. The bulk of the team’s luggage had ; not arrived at the hotel, let alone : been unpacked, and several tourists ! had to use “borrowed plumes.” Neither | Rew nor Prentice stripped and Aar- | void, Reeve and Sobey, having another I engagement, did not participate. I Prentice stood on the —touchline i directing operations, which consisted mainly of light runs to loosen up | muscles. Some deep punting was j tried, while Black and Parker had j place-kicks at goal, Black kicking a ! beauty from dead on the half-way J line and six feet in from touch, though | admittedly he had the assistance of ] the wind. In the passing rushes the bulk of the players showed accuracy in handling, one glimpse of a manoeuvre that may play a big part in the visitors’ tactics being given when Novis, handling at the end of a rush, crosskicked accurately for Parker to field at full gallop in centre. Hodgson appears to be the tallest man in the team, though others may be heavier. The team will undoubtedly put down a solid pack, averaging probably 14 stone. After today’s practice Farrell became off colour, probably through over exercise so soon after landing, but soon recovered. Mr. James Baxter, manager of the team, was present at a meeting of j the Rugby Union Council in the even- | ing. He expressed sympathy with the desire of the Dominions to have a say in the Government of the game and believed that it would not be long before they achieved it. It was agreed that the matches should be of 40-minute spells and that the English captain and manager should have the right to talk with the referees before each game regarding the interpretation of the rules. The only matches that will be broadcast are the tests, those in the cities, that with the Maoris at Wellington and the first match at Wanganui. | When asked why dark blue was chosen ! as England's colours, Mr. Baxter exI plained that it was Great Britain’s international Rugby uniform, and had been worn in Africa and the Argentine.