A Rugby Causerie

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17924, 27 June 1930, Page 6

A Rugby Causerie

Comment on the Test match, from all' over the country bears put "Lock's" contentions of some three seasons. Age will beat the best of playersj and when the selectors sent out a veterans' team at time when they had the chance of experimenting with young players, they were simply looking for trouble, and, what is more, they got it.'

There can be no question that the Niew Zealand team was fairly beaten upon its merits, and th.e next thing to do is to find a way to avert a repetition of the disaster, for that is the term that most unthinking followers give itikj

As "Lock" prophesied before the /game it was close and the odds in favdui- ' of the British, and so it proved. For one thing, no on© but a McKenzie would have studied Jimmy Mill when there had not been a sngn of first class football about ham this year, and, as a matter of fact, for som|o years'past. ; .';.& v. I

■,■"■'■■ ■■: ■- ■;■■ '-./•,'/• . Evidently Lucas is a bit of a> spent force, for when the. Auckland papers begin; to hint that he is not. the. only threequartjer in the world, the H/jghtli Wonder ' of ' the JJniverse,* Freddy, must be' getting, very bad indeed. ■ >

incidentally, the selectors, seem to be i making, much the same mistake as they 'did .before, and although they have replaced Mill with Comer and Lilburne with Mark Nicholls, have still cluni to Bull Irvine who, ■with 'his partner, was' badly', beaten for the ball in almost, every scrum by the British three. /v'• "' ; ' 7

: T6 "Lock's" mind, !New'Zealand has a chance of pulling off the next 1 test,: but. much will depend upon 1 the; weather conditions for the , British team has' shown that it' can handle either wet or dry going, and that appears to be/more than the < All White backs can do. The crux of th? whole issue will be the third Testsjn. Auckland, for if New Zealand , wins # the second Test, r ßrit ; iih wall be straining every nerv© to get one up again, and if Britain is two to the good,; the All Whites will have their last desperate chance to equaV then* South, African performance and break: even,: The third Test should be a fizzef and well worth. watching, for the. British play a much more spectacular: brand of Rugby than did the Springboks.

Points and Players

Notes t>9 u Lpck r

, Then- there? was the-matter of Hazlett,'' on© ~. of ';'>New Zealand's most shining forwards.- 1 ;, He. "shone" weli and mas more than lucky to*retain his place for July. 5. /•■'■.•

Another factor is that Sobey will be playing in the third Test, arid that will mean the Mill Sill School combination in working order, a type of football absolutely unknown to "New Zealand, for even the touring;' teams never struck any Millhillians in their, travels. "Lock" anticipates some fireworks when that .pair get together and show what is known as the "flatter-passing movement. It js a-brilliant piece \ of play and most unexpected. "Lock" ha s not seen it worked in New Zealand. :

Whilst in Auckland* the other, day "Lock" had the good fortune io run across two very sound critics of Rugby who had seen every'match of the tour and had just returned from seeing the first Test. Th|eir unconcealed opinion was that New, Zealand, : with her present selectors, would be fortunate to win a; Test, Lest it should be thought that they were armchair critics, . one has seen every fixture in. New Zealand international Rugby for the past 10 years in New Zealand and Australia, and the oth§r accompanied (the 1924 and 1928 All-Black teams to England and Africa respectively. Most of; lis will hope that they are wrong.-

Overheard in Auckland when three prominent referees were speaking:— "What chance have you got . ; . of one of thje English games ?." Answer: "None ; until I grow boots on my tummy." /.Number Three:. "Arid even then ... .is about six; lengths ahead of you;" A; little story which speaks ■ for. itself.- ■., '' * .' •'

Local Rugby, will have • its first real trial .against .the ; Mqrrinsvi]le> team on Saturday/ a place of bitter memories to , Thames, for twice the loaal team , have looked like taking, the Peace Cup back,,; and twicfe have hepn disappointed. There being nothing dri the: match this time, they willprobably canter home just to show it can be done. ; : i : '" 1 •; ' : - ;' '■.' j-'-xii

■ Selector McDonald has..■ certainly got the courage of his convictions, and he is deserving' pf considerable praise ' for his selection of, a -few country players, instead of ' keeping on ■!■'" soirie of ; the old hands like the McKenzie clan do.

Space hath no.limit, near or far, Beyond the worlds', we see; One source have all the worlds 'whiohs-'. ) are, v ■,■'. • •-.■• • And all. the worlds to be. '■,■■■' Amidst the dust from' whence they sprung, ' ' Float germs of harm to throat and. lung. ' Preserve your- health, "First Aid"" , assure— ! • Remember Woods''. Great Peppermints. Cure.