REMINISCENCES OF RUGBY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23321, 3 October 1945, Page 6

REMINISCENCES OF RUGBY

SCRUM FORMATIONS

“ This Dave Scott ” SPECIALLY Wlill'T’EN FOR “THE TIMARU HERALD" By "Old Sport” One of the younger brigade inquires "What type of chap was this Dave Scott? I read and hear a lot about his boot, but nothing about his personality.” David Scott was a stocky chap, short of reach and leg. His short arms did not prove a handicap, as his catching was as matchless as his kicking. His tackling was solid and aggressive. One of his specialties was kicking almost parallel to the touchline. He could hit the chalk without wasting a yard Dave was one of the slowest runners in any South Canterbury team, but he had an uncanny gift of anticipation and was always waiting to receive the ball. So marked was this that opponents appeared to deliberately kick for “the sack.” One visiting manager remarked “The man’s a magnet.” That sounds like the perfect full-back: There was never such, and Scott had one weakness—one not advertised by those interested in South Canterbury. His reach and build made it difficult to field a grubber. Unsuspecting, opponents seemed to delight in putting the ball up to him. Quiet, unassuming devcid of showmanship, Dave was on» of our most popular footballers of all time—popular alike with players and the public. A Great Tackler Bob Fitzsimmons is credited with having invented the phrase “the bigger they are the harder they fall” after ne had dropped Ed. Donkhurst, a 25-stone American, with a blow to the solarplexus. It has been the same with footballers. The big men who could bumo or fend off a high tackle usually fell to a chunky opponent who hit them just abov» the knee One of the star tacklers in early days was “Pony” Moore, who came from the Rangitata district to plav half for South Canterbury. According to one of his contemporaries, many big men who fell hard learned to respect "Pony.” Football Nicknames At one time most prominent players had nicknames. Many of these 'had no significance—such as Jack for Arthur Cecil Perry. A good many were too pungent for publication. Some of them were witty with a double application, a classic instance being Angry for the Canterbury forward Cross. He fought hard and talked hard. Canterbury had a “Biffer” Price, but he was a light-weight half-back and his title was no doubt conceived in irony. “Off-side” Mac, “Hard” Kelly. “Fatty” Newton, “Cocky” Roberts, “Scrummy” Mason were self-explana-tory, and there was appropriateness in “Broncho” Seeling. Why G. Tyler <1905 All Black hooker) was styled “Bubsy” was a mystery. There have been “Bumpers” in profusion, quite appropriately named, and not a few “Jumbos” and "Babys.” One of South Canterbury’s best backs and goalsharps was “Baby,” and everybody knew “Tiger.” Otago had its “Fighting Mac,” Taranaki its "Skinny” Humphries, but one jould never understand why Fred Fox, who kicked goals from the side-line even as a “Waimai” bov was christened "John L.” We still have nicknames, but they are fewer and less uncomplimentary. Sleeping Partners It is very' unlikely that many delegates to-day are aware that the Union has many permanent members with voting strength sufficient to rule. It happened in this wise. When the Union arranged to purchase the Athletic Ground it was advised to do so as an incorporated society. Under the Act members had to be registered. After transacting the necessary legal business they handed over control to the elected delegates and have been such silent partners that most people have forgotten their existence. The only conceivable reason for their intervention would be an attenipt to dispose of the ground without investment of the proceeds in some equally suitable area. The Sports Ground Company secured the Athletic Ground from the original holders with a condition that it would be preserved in perpetuity for amateur sport. This contingency remained when shareholders in the ground company presented their scrip to the Union. Among registered members were C. F. Collins, A. Shirtcliff, C. E. Hassall, H. H. Fraser, W. Thomas, T. W. Lynch, and J. O’Leary. Matching Hookers In the days when hooking was a science, it was a selector’s problem to find a pair. A big hooker had to be matched by another big man, or else the balance of the scrum was upset. Either it twisted or the one big front-row man was buckled up. Dan Horgan, who led the South Island scrum in the first of the North v. South series, was pretty tall. Jerry O’Brien, a capable hooker (and one of the last of the dribblers)

was a big man. One of the bestmatched rep. combination were Ned Houlihan and Bert Manning, both short and sturdy. Their build made them awkward to pack against. Watching the slow progress of the ball from present-day scrums, one longs for a return of the foot-passes of "Kelly” Mara. In 2-3-2 days the ball was apt to be out among the five-eighths in the time it takes now to secure first possession. The time will never be more opportune for New Zealand to sue for restoration of the old rule to permit her to play her own formation. Then —passengers and ponies barred—we would be on top of the world once more. Discovered by Accident A good winger was once unearthed in a lucky way. A club scrum was working badly and the writer was invited to look it over in the gym. The lock was in the pillory and he was asked what he thought about it. He admitted that the scrum usually twisted, and reveaied that it always buckled one way. That gave a clue. It was discovered that one hooker was inches longer in the back than the other. The smaller man was withdrawn and a big one substituted. The improvement was immediately noticeable. Then arose the problem of the discarded hooker. As he was a fine huntaway it was suggested that he be experimented with as a winger. Accordingly the team took the field on the following Saturday with two. The tyro never looked back: he was in the reps, next season and ultimately made the South Island team. Scrum Formation Owing to the baxterisation of the New Zealand scrum, which should never have been taken lying down by the New’ Zealand Union, true hooking has become almost a lost art. Instead of two specialists, we have a rake and two supports. About the turn of the century Dominion players evolved a phalanx formation in which weight was scientifically applied and an open passage left for the ball. So long as they put in their pound, seven forwards packed 2-3-2 could hold any eight in the world—and did so. When some packmen became imbued with- the all backs idea results were not quite so good, but that was the fault of the men and not the formation. About 1930 a British team, managed bj' one of the nabobs of the English Union, threatened New Zealand with excommunication unless it adopted the threemen front row. Our executive bowed down and worshipped, and with scarcely a protest accepted new rules which made 2-3-2 impracticable and bundled the winger into the scrum. From that day New Zealand scrummagers have been floundering between 3-2-3. 3-3-2 and 3-4-1 and have been getting nowhere. Or if they have got anywhere it is back towards the starting point, when the method of securing passession was to walk over the ball, pushing the opposition in the process. A Lead From England A recent cable from London quoted some comment ton proposed amendments to the rules) by Sir Wavell Wakefield. Before he inherited the title he was W. W. Wakefield, sometimes claimed to be England's best forward ever, and international captain for years. Here is an extract:— “What we want is a law to stop the ball coming out of the scrum. The outside forward should be allow’ed to follow the ball as it is put in, thus sealing it completely and ensuring that it goes back.” If that means anything it must mean that the outside forward could hook the ball. The law which prohibited this wrecked New Zealand’s scrum formation and marked the first step of Dominion Rugby down the road to mediocrity. A Lean Period The second Springboks caught New Zealand in a lean period, in which our difficulties were intensified by the selection of pony forwards from cities instead of giving a chance to the bigger men from out-back. Now the Rugby architects are specifying the dive passcondemned by the old masters because it puts the deliverer out of action—and are flirting with the four three-quarter line—obsolete 40 years ago. Instead of world leaders in Rugby, New 1 Zealanders have become imitators. Of our football Shakesneare might have written—this New Zealand “never did nor never shall be at the proud foot of a conqueror, save first she did help to wound herself.” “Time!” October 1 marks the opening of the cricket season and the time seems to have come to whistle “No-side.” Several readers have suggested topics for discussion. Some of these would not have sufficient general interest; some others might make lively reading, but are distinctly controversial, and the main purpose has been semi-historical. There is one point on which one Is prepared—at some future date—to risk controversy. That is the decline of New Zealand national football, and what are regarded as the basic causes of obvious deterioration.