RUGBY FOOTBALL

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16763, 12 June 1920, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL

POSITION OP TEAMS. Tho position of the Rugby competitions in North Taranaki are' given below. Tho Saturday competition reached tbo .close of the first round to-day, whilo tho Thursday competition is in tho second round;

NEAVS AND NOTES. (By “Forward.”) Bettor tilings are in score for Taramuu oil tbo represeniuuvo field tms year was me ease 12 months ago ji cno North v. South match played oil Thursday can be taken as an indication. To ciioo..B the next representative team on that day s play might he difficult, as a number ot men on both sides appeared to be ol even mem. However, tho selectors are to draft the likely players into A andD teams to meet at Eltham on Thursday, July 1, winch precedes by a week Taranaki's next engagement with Wellington at Hnwora. Though Sou til scored four tries compared with two for North it might ho that if the same teams met on a dry ground, and consequently with less .of tho element of luck iu tho play, the result would bo dilforent. Tho teams were well matched, and the chief difference noticeable was in the forwards, those from tho South being more active and keep on the whole. Neither team succumbed to tho temptation 1 to allow tho match to ho a mere mud scramble. Botli sots of hacks used their hands and their heads frequently, and tho spectators did not have a dull rhoraent. There were no glaringly weak spots in either team. 'Though the southern man, Atkins, is not to bo despised, Brown cannot lose his place behind the scrum, hut there is .keen competition for the remaining places. Coleman was quite at home as centre threequarter in tho North team. For the five-eighths’ lino eligible ■ candidates probably are E. Oliver, S. Cameron, Contis, and M'Kenna. Of tho four Oliver is the only ono who lias not yet been given a position in a Taranaki team, but Tns combination of briljiancy and steadiness maKo him hard to overlook. D. Sykes, who played at Wanganui, was tried at fiveeighths on Thursday and afterwards put on the wing, and ho seemed host suited in the latter position. There is just as keen competition for positions in this line as in that next' to the half, however. If Coleman remains cadtre. .Robertson will probably have to he put on one side of him, and it is by no moans clear, which player out of Sykes, Renniall, Hickey ana Williamson would in that case get the remaining position. It remains to bo seen whether H. Oliver’s work as lullhack on Thursday was considered worthy to put his claim for the position ahead of that of George-■ (Olifton) who was allowed to remain at homo on this occasion. Coming to the forwards there wore several good men in ■ the North pack, though they did appear more sluggish as a body than their opponents. It would he difficult to forecast how tho next Taranaki scrum will be formed as Cain (Clifton), and Masters (Stratford) who were not present on Thursday, may he expected to go in on previous performance. Possibly Smith; (Old Boys) may be considered a candidate for rover. Playing in that position on Thursday he was seldom far from the ball. Tho Rugby Referees’ Handbook is a publication which is of use not only to referees but also to players, especially to team captains who wish'to obtain a thorough grasp of the rules and correct procedure on tho field. A supply of the handbook is now in the possession of the secretary of the Referees’ Association (Mr. Roberts), and copies may he obtained from him. The senior matches played in South Taranaki last Saturday resulted as follows : Kaponga (9) defeated Okaiawa (0); AA’aimate (24) defeated tTpunake (6).

SATURDAY COMPETITION. ■f? B & 1 .I* *2 a O ■S ■ . e s ■B £« Ill i 4 At .a o & & Clifton .... .660 0 177 9 12 Tukapa .... .5-11 0 82 11 8 Rahotu .... .533 0 26 48 6 Oku to . * 5 2 2 1 26 39 5 Star .513 1. 6 18 3 United .... . 5 1 4 0 6 .63 2 Old Roys . .505 0 29 62 0 United won from Old Rots on a protost, and Clifton and Rahotu won from Star by default. THURSDAY COMPETITI6.v: Tukapa .... 4 4 0 0 35 9 8 Stratford .. .... 3 2 1 0 m 9 4 F.ithnm .... 3 1 2 0 13 18 2 Inglewood ... 4 0 4 0 6 50 0