RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 699, 8 May 1916, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

THE GAME IN NEW CONDITIONS. The Canterbury Rugby Union's e.omI petitions for the new season were ushered in on Saturday under conditions j which were not very pleasing but iwhich did not dim to any appreciable extent the prospects of a season of interesting football. It was expected that the union's wise decision to limit the competitions to players under military age at the beginning-of the. year would involve a little difficulty at the start of the season, owing to the radical nature of the change from the old order of things. So the fact, that the first series of matches found some of the clubs not prepared with full teams did not cause much surprise. Now that a start has been made, the clubs should not have much difficulty in filling up their teams, if only they put some energy into the matter. A factor which contributed to the shortage of players in some of the teams was the fact that a Territorial camp for "casuals" was being held. There • were also indications that in some of the clubs the work of organising teams under the new scheme had been left to but a few club officials, the hulk of the older players who are still iu the district taking little active interest, in the matter. This was the only really disquieting feature of the opening of the season. Unless the older players make an earnest endeavour to "do their bit" for the game in its present circumstances, the game will suffer considerably. Teams "On the Bank." Another unfortunate feature was that three of the teams which had been entered for the first grade competition had to go without games last Saturday. This, however, was not the fault of the union's management. Originally the entries for the competition numbered 13. However, the Sydenham Club found itself unable to raise a team in time for the opening of the season; it hopes to be able to compete a little later. The Christ's College lads are on vacation, and so they, too, will be late in starting. That, reduced the number of teams on the list for last Saturday to 11, so that five matches and a bye for one team were scheduled. The bye happened to fall to the Christ-church A team, which is reputed to be a fairly good one. But the Christchurch Club found itself unable to raise a second team, and on Friday one of its officers notified the union's secretary that it would not have a B team to put in the field against. Belfast, as was scheduled. It is a pity that the Christchurch Club did not arrange to play its A team against Belfast, which had to go without a match. The Merivale Club had-also entered two teams, but its second team mustered only six players to play against Linwood, at Lin wood Park, and so the latter team was given the game, by default. Thus Christchurch A, Belfast, and Linwood were left without matches. How;ever, the teams which took the field showed a pleasing keenness that augured well for the success of the. new method, provided they are properly encouraged andicoached by the older members of the clubs. Generally, the play was somewhat scrambling, as was to be expected so early in the season, especially from young players, but it gave promise of better things to come. The public did not attend the games in very large numbers, but then the weather was not of the pleasantest for spectators, although gooil for playing foothall, being cool and rather dull. Pace and Weight Beat High School. At Lancaster Park the principal attraction was the game between Boys' High School and Old Boys, played on the oval. It did not produce any really brilliant play, and there were patches of dullness, in it, but. it was worth watching. The Old Boys, who had amongst them several members of the school team of last year, had advantages in weight, speed, and on the whole, of condition, and the later portion of the game found them wearing down the opposition and obtaining a good winning margin of points. The game was started at. a good pace, with High School doing most of the attacking. Old Boys hooked the ball from most of the. earlier scrums, hut. their half-hack, Thompson, usually missed it—a fault which lessened as the game wore on. The school had a turn at getting the ball, only to find some centre, backs fumbling it. or passing without 1 judgment. High School found that it had to rely on its forwards for the most effective work in attack, and it was chiefly by means of loose, forward rushes that, school troubled Old Boys. . Both of the blue, ami blacks' tries were scored in this way —the first by Reay, wing-forward, from a dribbling rush after a passing movement, by the hacks had broken down, ami the second by Frost, one of the pack, from a loose rush led by Maxwell, another of the forwards anil captain of the team. But of course the school forwards could not maintain their dash against their heavier opponents throughout the game, ami when they tired the school defence proved unequal to the demands made upon it. The school lads are plucky, and with some coaching in tactics and in the handling of the ball they should improve considerably. Their centre backs should learn to take and pass the ball more quickly and accurately, and when they arc moving, instead of practically standing while I hey take or p.ass it. Their second five-eighth, too, should remember that there are backs behind him who might also be trusted to do some work in attack. A fault, in several of the backs is a tendency to kick the ball into a charging opponent, instead of clear of him. The full-back is a likely lad who should try to improve his fielding and his judgment of the flight of the ball as it is coming to him, and not wait, for I lie bounce. It is usual for teams from (he Old Boys Club to depend upon their backs for scoring, and that which played against High School was no exception In (lie rule. Of the four tries scored by Hie whiles, only one was obtained by a forward, and that was the result, of'a school hack kicking Hie ball into a charging forward, Williamson, close lo the goal-line. Two of the ..Me i- l lie-. were scored by Parker, playing in the three-quarter line, simply through iiis superior pace. The fourth, score.l hv Tench, five-oighth, was the best of flic lot. for it finished' off a bout of passing between most of the white backs, Tench getting the ball a second time before he scored. Thai happened near the end of the game,

when Old Bovs ha<, the upper hand. With more practice, especially in handling the ball and in running j straight, the Old Boys hacks should 'develop well. But the team must also | develop its forwards if it hopes for j much success. Marists' Defeat of Albion. j Both Marists and Albion took the field with three players short, and consequently the back divisions were considerably weakened. From the kickoff the game was a continuous forward struggle, in which the greens proved themselves vastly superior to their opponents. Albion owes its defeat to lack of combination in the pack. Individually, the forwards worked hard but their solo efforts gained little or no advantage for them. Rutledge, a last year's third grade player for Lytteltoit was iu good form and kept on the ball well, but he was inclined to go on his own too much. Had his comrades backed him up, they might have scored on one or two occasions. Ballantyne and O'Connor also showed up conspicuously, CRpiecially in defensive work. The backs got little opportunity to prove their skill, but G. Condliffe was at times responsible for this. In the first half especially, the hookers repeatedly sent the ball back to him, but on securing it, he ignored the existence of his comrades who were awaiting their chances. I'liwin, at full hack, was not a success, and on one or two occasions he let his team down badly, through failing to get in his kick in time. The green forwards, who were at full strength, gave a good exhibition of combined play, a-id showed to advantage in attacking. The little defensive work they were called upon to perform, showed that they were not so good in this department of the game. It would be unfair to single i.ut any particular player, for they all laboured hard, but mention must be made of Fitzgerald's keenness in keeping on the'ball, which resulted in his securing three tries in succession, in the second spell. His second try, though, was the result of a fine opening made by Mc.Oormick. Khouri proved to be the main stay of the backs, and was ably assisted by MeCormiek and Donoghue. Marists have the material for a good all-round team, and with plenty of coaching and practice, they should give a good account of themselves during the season. Merivale's Big Score. It was unfortunate for University in its match against Merivale that four of its players were absent at the Territorial Casual Camp, as the large, score which the blues registered against them was in a. great, measure due to these defections. With the 'Varsity team two short in the forwards and two in the backs, both, departments were at a great disadvantage and were unable to combine properly either in attack or defence. The extra call on the players, too, quickly had a tiring effect, so that it is really impossible to state whether the team, if up to strength, would have reached the standard of the opposition. In the early stages of the game, however, the maroons showed glimpses of promise, so that their next appearance should not be such a discouraging one to their supporters. In the forwards, N. Richmond, a last-year senior, worked valiantly, being particularly good in the loose. Another player who should develop is T. Ilaldane, who, as a fiveeighth, found plenty to do and did it well. He was, by the way, captain last .year of the Nelson College fifteen. Another ex skipper is A. G. Williams, who headed an Ellesmere team the previous season. As a three-quarter, he showed himself capable of moving fast on occasions. Merivale, which ran up 64 points, made the most of its opportunities, never slackening up throughout the game. The blues showed evidence of coaching, the backs being really excellent. The forwards, in spite of a lighter and less numerous opposing pack, were not so good, although having the upper hand. The tactics in punting high and following up should have been more productive of results, but many chances were missed by uncertain efforts at tackling. At full-back, Bevis was not called upon to seriously defend, so he indulged in a little "solo" attacking work. On one occasion he ran round the opposition and scored under the posts. He was perhaps the fastest hack, he is also a good kick. It is possible that a few games will see him playing in a position close up. Henry and Ford were also conspicuous in the backs. The necessity exists, however, for improvement in place kicking, some very easy shots being missed.