Rugby

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1043, 6 August 1930, Page 6

Rugby

Game and its* Players*. %

Kahu Steps Out “Baby” Kahu stepped out in last Saturday’s game, Manukau v. City, and showed what a fine forward he is. He was easily the most outstanding forward on the ground with his quick and strong breakaways from line-outs and his great work in the tight. Auckland will not bo short of good locks when it has Kahu and A. Knight at its back. Brilliant Half College Rifles’ halfback, Kirk, played a particularly good game on Saturday, against Ponsonby. His defensive worn was sound and the way he fed n-s backs was a treat to watch. The neat opening he made when he got the ball from the scrum to Albrecht for his unlucky attempt at a field goal was a masterful effort. * * » Unlucky Rifles Ponsonbv’s narrow win over College Rifles on Saturday, was more the result of good luck than good management. judging by the play. Time and again the Dark Blue pack swept down on the Ponies’ line only to have some minor infringement turn the movement against it. The crowning misfortune cam© a few minutes before time, when Albrecht’s attempt at a field goal missed narrowly. * » * Back To* Form Arnold Berridge. City’s skipper showed in last Saturday’s game. City v Manukau, that he is almost back to the form which gained him his representative colours three years ago. He had the defence baffled many times with his jerky, side-stepping runs, and his good defensive work saved his side. With even fair support for Berridge. City’s score would have been much higher. • m • Half-Time Retirement “It would.be interesting to learn what would have happened had Southland been playing Britain in the bleak and miserable conditions of last Saturday, and a request made that the teams I e permitted to retire at half-time.” says a Southern paper. “If Mr. Baxter could have seen the pitiful “plight’ of the 30 players as they shivered into the dressing rooms, he would have had expunged for all time the absurd “rule” that teams must not leave the field of play at half-time. It was certainly a day of days, but all the more emphasised the necessity of retirement. * * • Varsity’s Surprise When Varsity went down to Training College on No. 3 Ground at Eden Park on Saturday by 14 to 6 it caused considerable surprise. Not the least surprised was Varsity itself. The atmosphere of No. 3 ground evidently had a bad effect on the students, who started off in a very lackadaisical manner. There were times in the second half when the forwards, ably led by K. Anderson, tried to pull things together but the backs were handling very badly. In addition to having an off day Butler also had more than his share of bad luck, being beaten bad’v by the bcunce on two occasions when tries were scored against him Many good teams have met their Waterloo on No. 3 ground, the surroundings of which do not exactly make for inspiration.

The Timaru Referee “Mr. A. E. Budd. whdst refereeing of the British Rugby match at Timaru aroused such a storm, is in business at Bluff, where his services are much sought after in sport of any kind He coaches the local football teams, occupies an executive position on the club, and takes an active part in the swimming club He is president of the Basketball Association and a past president of the Southland Rugby Referees’ Asociation. He is also an official of the Southland Boxing Association and the Bluff club, and. in fact, is connected with every spert which reaches his town Strange to say. though he has taken an active part in the referees' association, he has refereed very little himself and never held the whistle in an interprovincial match.” says a Southern exchange.

Competition Games Negiectea The senior championship games wen . esun.ed on Saturday after a lapse or three weeks caused by the playing of representative fixtures and the third test The football generally was of a poor standard and this can no doubt be attributed largely to the slack perbi-f experienced A longer period of rep football now lies ahead, ana it will take up to September 3 to dispose of the fixtures already laid down, Even with B reps, engaged this only provide*for some 30 players, the balance of the senior men being deprived of games unless the unsatisfactory Pollard Cup matches are played. All over New Zealand there is a growing feeling that there is too much representative football. and too much travelling incurred The general experience in the past has been that a good championship compe tition fought to its finish provides much better Rugby than rep. matches particularly tliose played with some of the minor unions But slowly but surely the rep. fixture list seems to be growing to the exclusion of senior football It is the latter f orm of Rugby that keeps most men on the field throughout the season, and in considering the restriction of rep. games th*-* Rugby Unions would undoubtedly be considering the greatest good for the greatest number After all tne main aim of Rugby is to keep as many men as possible on the playing fields ever*Saturday.

The Fourth Test A correspondent. “Terl Makar* sends in the following team wnieh “i! considers, would be ;h* beat 19 players picked to train: vj?* Hart. Cooke. Lucas. Xicholla! Corner. Porter. Reid. Cottn.ll ?■ Knight. Steere. McLean. Batty. Hailed Red, Yellow and Black A gaudy yet strikingly attract*, uniform was sported by the Raw. Thames Valley and King Combined team. which whelmed by the British ourist. ~ Hamilton on Saturday. The yellow and black Jerseys and stock£S reminded one of the Zingari - South Canterbury and Zingmrf-RiJ?* mond of Dunedin—names little k-Il of in the North Island. The Comb 22 fifteen—it was combined in name or>w all players except one being WsJES” representatives were exceed2? smartly tinned for the occaSoiu Rabbiting “Rabbiting!" This involuntary test was voiced by hundred* of aiT tators watching the match at Hamilton on Saturday »* elusive British fly-half. Sponr was downed a yard from the line. up on his knees like lightning .n? made a crawling dive for the toiit down. In the excitement of the mol ment many of the crowd had forgotten that the former infringement had beelegalised. and when it realised its mt«“ take it was quick to shower applaud on the scorer, who**© brilliant efforwas outstanding in the surfeit of bo*? tacular back play that the tom£, Drovided. Off-side Tendency The Waikato wingf orwaxd. Starr would be a demoralising attaekit* player—if he would keep on-side. Oe Saturday, in the match against Britain at Hamilton, he displayed commendable dash in breaking away following up and in dribbling his eagerness to smother the British becks thus spoiling passing rushes at the outset got the better of hi* judgment. Particularly in the second spell, when he was concentrating all his energy and attention on Spong, hi* offside play was so flagrant that Murray the British scrum half, had to resort to the old ruse of kicking the into the scrum to get him caught. The trick worked twice in succession and a section of the crowd expressed their annoyance with hisses when the referee penalised the offender. Indeed, he was very lucky to have escaped so often. Promising Forwards

One of the most promising forwards of the Waikato team is the strongly, built, big-framed side-row man Cameron, who, like many other players in country districts. has little chamce to show his capabilities before New Zealand’s “Big Six." A line type of packman, who i*ossusses weight and pace, Cameron was the shining light of the Combined forwards on Saturday. particularly in the second spell, when they found their feet ax t hurled in attack after attack against the desperate British defence. He was always prominent in leading the forwards in dribbling rushes, coming through the ruck at great speed. His work in the lineouts. too. was a source of annoyance to the British forwards, who were many times robbed of the ball by the big Waikato forward jumping for it and gaining possession. It is rather a pity that Cameron was not nominated for the All Black trials. However, he is a young man and will keep. ♦ • • To Play Taranaki Although Auckland next Saturday will be without the services of Lacac. Corner, Batty and L. Knight, who wfl! be required in Wellington for tfce fourth test, and P. Minns, now on his way to England, the province wi(l still field a strong side to meet Taranaki. The threequarter line consisting «f Hook. Berridge and Jones will be a speedy combination and with S tv? share of the ball from their inside backs should be seen frequently in action Haslam and Jamieson will comprise the flve-eighth line. Again* the British team this pair showed HP very well and wjth the confidence thus gained should now be fairly in tbeir stride. Conway, the Marist half will take Corner's place. He is a tisefid sort and will no doubt welcome the opportunity to show his paces in big football. Batty and L. Knight have been replaced by Anderson and Satheriejr, both useful types. The team should not only give a good account of itself but also ore vide a good open exhibition. Nicholls’s Cross-kick “A. 0.. Titirangi,” writes fjs follow* regarding the try scored by Luca* following a cross-kick from Nicholls: — “ 'Terrace* asks if there appeared any indication that Nicholls prearranged the result of his kick. I distinctly nsw Nicholls give the tip to follow on. whether he Intended a shot at goal is an open question. Discussing tni* at the time, those with me held thit Nicholls meant a cross-kick only. One thing is certain: Lucas was there: and further it showed, what has been apparent in the two matches here, that the Britishers are slow thinkers-" "Sport” contributes the following opinion:—“The opinion of your correspondent ‘Terrace’ re the Lucas try in the British match coincides with my views I was at the back of the UP* risrhts. and it will take a lot to convince me that Nicholls did not take a sm* at the bars, and had any idea of k.csing to Lucas The hall was kicxes high, and was coming within three I of the end bar. when the wind and Lucas, raefng up. caught it on full and scored. To Lucas helouS* honour of seizing the or> port unity .___ without any disparagemenL lishmen were caught napping baaiy. they were bunched and had only man marking the end of the field.

NICHOLLS MAY NOT PLAY INJURY RECEIVED AT AUCKLAND Special to THE SUN WELLINGTON. Today The All Blactus for the fourth T«« on Saturday commenced assemn at Otaki yesterday. The Auckanderj McWilliams and Lucas, are expev today'. , Nicholls also joined the There is a possitility that he .Tj le available for the Test, as n * the musc>s a thigh third Test at Auckland. Bowr everything will depend on n = stands up to work at the pract SOUTH AUCKLAND REPSFrom On» t>«. c« «••»»■*■* PCKEKOHE. TueedaT The South Auckland team to Auckland B on Saturday 1* ■» Fullback Hira , Franklin): » . quarters. Stephens * Manukau). (PukekoheK Fallows i Pukekohe) eighths. G. Lawrie t Pukekohe). T. S. sev (Manukau). halfback. Moyle » uku); rover. W. Pleydell aiuheb forwards. Fulton (Pukekohe). son (Manukau). Keary (Pukekohe'. L" i Franklin). Stanford (\Aniuku (Manukau). Perfect (Franklin) . gencies: Lindberg (Franklin). 1 c . rie (Pukekohe) and Bush < Franm®'