RUGBY STATISTICS

Taranaki Daily News, 28 June 1935, Page 10

RUGBY STATISTICS

TARANAKI’S SCORING MEN VALUE OF GOAL KICKING SHOWN 71. POINTS TO ROSS, STRATFORD

(By

“Side-Row.”)

FACT is a lie and a half, it is said. Nevertheless, there is no getting away from facts, and the man who can score tries and kick goals consistently for his team is an asset on the Rugby field. Taranaki senior teams have in 63. competition matches this season scored 1421 points, or an average of nearly 23 points a match. From records kept by “Side-Row” it is apparent that the teams that have met with most consistent success have done so because of the inclusion of a reasonably reliable goal-kicker. The outstanding instance is J. Ross, the Stratford winger, who, in addition to scoring six tries in nine matches, has converted 16 of his side’s 38 tries and kicked seven penalty goals—an average of nearly eight points a match. Others are Collins (Clifton) and Richards (Opunake).

An analysis of points records produces striking confirmation of various clubs’ methods of attack, and in more than one case affords proof of individuals’ claims for more recognition.

The Tukapa method of attack, probably the most orthodox in Taranaki, relies on its backs to complete scoring opportunities engineered by the forwards. Tukapa has scored 39 tries this season in' nine matches and of these 24 have been secured by the threequarter line, six by other backs and only nine of the total 39 by the forwards. Boswell and Knott have been the only goal-kickers, Boswell- having 13 con-, versions and four penalty goals to his credit as well as two tries.

On the occasion of Tukapa’s two defeats the three-quarter line was held in check. Two tries were scored against Stratford, ope from the wing and one from the five-eighths, and both were converted. Only one try, converted, was scored against Clifton. The team has thus averaged five tries in each of the other , seven games, and temporary lapses in Boswell’s kicking ability have not mattered. \ . Stratford’s superiority seems to be in* dicated by Its greater versatility. While Boswell has scored 44 points other Tukapa men have .added 115, ..of which J. Sullivan and Gardiner have . contributed 27 each. Ross, has scored 71 of Stratford’s 185 .points, the other 114 being divided among 12 other.players,;none of whom, has 20. points to his .credit. Stratford has scored 38 tries, one fewer than Tukapa,- 21, going to the backs and 17 to the forwards. Stratford, once had a reputation for having a purely forward attack, but these figures, prove that such is not : now the jcase, if-it eyer was. Although Ross has borne the brunt of attempts at conversion and penalty kicks almost exclusively, Collins and G. Sangster have secured’ three field goals, two of which' were partly responsible for the 1 defeat of Patea. While Stratford has conceded only 54 points in nine games Tukapa has had 106 scored against it. 1 • • Opunake -'haS scored only 17 tries, no individual having- more than two to his name, but the coastal team’s high position is due mostly to the efforts of the full-back, Richards, who has not only scored a try himself but has also converted six tries and kicked four penalty goals, accounting altogether for 27 of Opunake’s •85 points. Clifton’s 89 points have been scored by 10 players only, and comprise 14 tries, eight of them converted,, eight penalty goals by Collins and four field goals by the five-eighths. In this ability to score in other ways than by tries lies much of the secret of Clifton’s success. The team has played eight matches but has had only 41 points scored against

While Simonsen and Robson have kicked two field goals each, Simonsen having also scored five tries and Robson having converted three, Collins has been responsible for the winning of most of the team’s victories, but his failure meant the loss of the match against Stratford and, partly, the lack of a winning score against Inglewood when the cross wind defeated three drop kicks by different players and two free kicks by Collins. In Clifton’s case, more than in that of any other Taranaki team, does goal kicking assume its true importance.

Hawera, the remaining of the leading quaintette, has scored 31 tries, only seven of which have been converted. Brown has kicked one penalty goal and Guy has two field goals to his credit, one being a match-winner. Better goalkicking Would have won the match against Eltham. The forwards have scored 18 tries and the backs 13. The capabilities of individuals emerge as the most striking features of othei' teams’ records. The claims of Cochrane, Stratford Old Boys’ and ex-Hawke's Bay winger, to consideration as a Taranaki representative are strengthened by the fact that he has scored six of-United Old Boys’ 16 tries. F. Gargan’s prominence as a forward is supported by his five tries for Kaponga, and Waimate’s defeat of Inglewood is made clearly understandable by C. Whalen’s record of six penalty goals, three conversions, a try and a field goal—3l of his .team’s 102 points. Inglewood has scored 12 tries, the sum total of the team’s points. Other scoring forwards are Garvey and O. Brown (Hawera) and Baldwin (Waimate) with five tries each, Leatham (Eltham) three conversions and eight penalties, while 10 three-quarters have scored five tries or more each. The main scorers are:— ‘ " '.. Backs. • t . • ' • • ? Pts. J. Ross . (Stratford), 6 tries, 16- conversions, .7 penalties, no field goals 71 H. Boswell (Tukapa),. 2, 13, 4, 0 ... 44 A. Collins (Clifton), 0,5, 8, 0 .... 34 C. JVhalen (Waimate), 1,3, 6, 1 31 Richards (Opunake), .1, 6,. 4, 0 .... 27 J. Sullivan (Tukapa), 9 tries ....... 27 N. Gardiner (Tukapa), 9 tries. .... 27 W. Rowlands (Patea), 6,4; 1,0,- ..... 26 L. Edwards (Patea), 8 tries 24 C. Patterson (Kaponga), 2,1, 4, 1 .. 24 Simonsen (Clifton), .5, 0,0, 2 ...... 23 P. Bourke (Patea), 2,6, 1, 0 21 G. Ngaia (Okaiawa), 5,1, 0, 1 .... 21 Hoskin (Old Boys), 1,4, 3, 0 20 G. Sangster (Stratford), 5,0; 0, 1 .. 'l9 Cochrane (Stratford Old Boys), 6 tries' ........ ;. 18 J. Ford (N. P. Old Boys), 6 tries ... 18 P. Collins (Stratford), 2,1, 0,2 .... -16 Guy (Hawpra), 1,2, 0,2 15 Webster (Tukapa), 5 tries 15 F. Gargan (Kaponga) 5 tries .... 15 Forwards. Leatham (Eltham), 0,3, 8, 0 ...... 30 O. Brown (Hawera), 5,1, 1, 0 ...... 20 R. Eva (Stay), 0,4, 3, 0 17 Garvey (Hawera), 5 tries 15 Baldwin (Waimate), 5 tries 15 In addition to his points in club matches Ross scored a try and kicked three conversions in a friendly match against Patea, converted two tries in the Taranaki trial and scored two tries and converted another against Wanganui B, making his total 92 points. Collins’’ total of poihts for all Rugby this season is 55, he having converted two tries and kicked a penalty goal in the Taranaki trial, kicked a penalty and converted a try at the Wanganui All Black trial, performed likewise in the Taranaki v. Wanganui match on June 3, and converted a try in the All Black penultimate trial at Wellington.

Ford has scored 12 tries altogether this season, Edwards 11 and Sullivan 10—33 tries to the Taranaki three-quarter line.