RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11729, 20 June 1916, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

NOTES ON THE PLAY. \ SENIOR GRADE. The meeting of Christ's College and 'Varsity did not attract many spectators. The ground was in first-class order and the game was fought out in a most sportsmanlike manner. That College entered tin; field determined to bo victorious could easily bo seen, for thoy got going right from tho kick-off, and the result was soon beyond doubt. Tho College fifteen adopted team tactics, and playing together with a lot of freedom their passing rushes kept tho opposition exceptionally busy. With the forwards securing tho ball 11. Maefarlnno kept his hacks going, and tho passing shown was a decided improvement on former games. All tho backs played a first-class game, passing freely and at tho right time, handling and kicking w.th precision, and following up in splendid style, their display would h'avo been a. good object lesson for sonic of tho other teams. It usually happened that when they started a passing rush a try eventuated. . The iprwarils, playing an. untiring game throughout, put in a good afternoon's work. Thoy tackled well and wore » \y;y sueocssful in hooking tho ball frcai the scrum. 'Varsity started tho game with only fourteen players. h n t Collego were ••sports'' enough to give them the services of ono of their men. Then again Davis, who was suffering from a severe cold (which necessitated his leaving the field at half-time), played fullback, though lie would have'been of much more use among tho forwards. Varsity were given very few chances to phow any combination, owing chiefly to th;> splendid' following up" by the opposition. Tho backs wero inclined to play too close in to the forwards, especially in the first spell, when College had tho wind m their favour. I maintain it is much easier to run in to take the ball than it is to turn and chase it,- Iho tackling of tho backs was very sol:d, h U f, owing to the splendid passing ot Ccl'ego it was almost impossible- for th- 0111 tn stcm the tide> T]]e forwards are a solid lot, and although beaten from the start neve/ lost heart. In fact tney olayed with more determination m the second spell than in the hist, although there were 39 points up p.gamst them. D-v,v a t full back always made sure of his man, hut Jhero was usually someono handv to keep the rush go''n<*. It 'w a great pity ], e CoU ]<l uofc SOQ the game inrough. Dunn and Thomf\ "r , V U 'T qi!ar{Grs had Plentv to do at defending, and tackled in good style. Jre>man at half made a showy run on ono occasion, but was unsupported: he did not get a chance to show his ability at handling the bnl' y he was behind a beaten pack." The tonrards nil played a hard 'game, and it would bo unfair to single out anv particular plavers. Cook was safe at jKH-back for Collego, although he had !ut!o to do in the way of defending. \ atson, Hmumnrsh brothers and Stock played an excellent game, neither one showing the least sign of selfishness in their rashes. , Mat-son's splendid kicking was a feature of tho game. H. Macfarlano at half-back was very tricky, and never gavo his backs a chance to ,get cold, nickine up nicely tnd transferring at the right tinle, he 'ras the means of starting sortie brilliant passing rushes. The forwards played well together. They were sound \ on defence, and the mariner in which they got +he ball out of the scrum was very _ creditable ' Gerard, Straehan, Tothill and Wallis wero always in the thick of it, but all the forwards deserve credit for the display given in this match. ~ ».* LINCOLN COLLEGE v. BELFAST _ Belfast again suffered defeat, this timo at the hands of Lincoln College, but the score against them, 28 points, was not so high as in- the two previous weeks. Tho first reason, perhaps, was that Lincoln College was not as good as School or Old Boys, and secondly Belfast played a much better game tnan'they have done lately. Lincoln Collego very quickly showed themselves to be a good, dashy lot, and very soon rattled up points, but the combination of their forwards was lacking, and throughout tho game .they should have done considerably better. In the forwards there wero a few really good individual players, but collectively they did not play the game as might have been expected of them when their size and weight is taken into account. Tho forwards never used their weight to much advantage, but nevertheless they hooked tho ball in practically every scrum and so gave tho backs many brilliant chances. The forwards were considerably better in the .loose, but wore slow to pick up their chances. Belfast forwards showed better combination than the previous week, but nevertheless they can be much improved if trained and coached well. In tho looso scrums and rushes Belfast forwards kept the College backs fairly busy, bub if one forward did well he found himself unsupported and his good work fell to pieces. College were better in tho line-outs and tho forwards nearly always sent tho ball to Green, who in turn sent it to his backs. Tiie College backs had a good day out as far as having their full share of tho b?ll was concerned, and they brought off several good passing rushes, ami "the backs, being mostly very speedy and strong, alwayr did well. Their passing could realty have boon much improved on. It was very slow and mostly of tho lob style, and Belfast were quick to get among the backs, and they wero successful in breaking up many of the rushes, and they often intercepted. This seems to be a mark for Belfast. They very often do not go for the man with the ball, but look for tho pass, and they very often scored on the College backs, but this game is not what should be adopted. The man with the ball should be their mark. Belfast backs were weak, and their tackling was not to bo relied on. They had very few chances for passing rushes, but when attempted the ball invariably went astray. The backs lacked combination very 'much, and like tho forwards were all over the. field, and they never seemed to be ready for their opponent. The Belfast tackling was much better than the previous week, and had it not been so tho score would certainly have been more. ~-, Of the Lincoln College backs, Milton was the best. He handled well and brought off many splendid runs. His passing was rather weak, but nevertheless ho proved to. be the best back on the crround. Gordon at five-eighths ployed a splendid game, and his running anc} passing was first-class. Green at half-back played a clever game. He never lost •"< chance to get his backs going, while he s-tood up well to the Belfast loose rushes. Ho was very quick and sure, and was certainly at his best. Lockhead and M'Liveu on tho wings had a good deal to do, and they did it well, and both put in some good runs. Barlnnd at full-back was very safe and his splendid line kicking was a feature of his play. Of the forwards Hill, Leo and "Wilding were the test. Hill being conspicuous for some good work, and he always had' a cutin at the passing rushes, and proved to be a hard man to stop. For Belfast. Bennington at full-back was very weak, to say tho least of him. 11 o let. his fide down bad!;: at times. "He seemed chary of taking the ball on the full, and this cost his side a try through him waiting for the bounce. Svmister at half-back was their best ':. • tr, ' ' ■ ■ i • ■

in defence and attack, and lie hadhad luck in not scoring on two occasions. Ho bandied the ball well, and tackled m good style, and was certainly the king-pin of the backs. Huston on the wing was good, and on his play on Saturday he should be brought closer in where ho can got, more work. Murson on the other wing was kept busy, and tackled' well. Of the forwards "Wootton and W. AYaites were the best, and thoy stuck to' their task well. They both followed up well, and proved to be an annoyance to the College backs, but these two were not supported enough to bear better results. **• BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL v. MERIVALE B. Boys' High School had thiugs all their own way against Merivale B, and put up tho huge score of 84- points. Merivale aro a very weak combination, /' and it is small v wonder that they got such sever© trouncings Saturday after Saturday. Rumour _ hath it that the team is' going to withdraw from tho competition. If this is so, it will l>o inucn better for tho players, as it must be very disheartening to tlieni to get beaten by so many points in their weekly games. It will also bo better for the opposing teams, as it (loos their players no good to havo things just us 'they please The School team is improving, and they played a very fair gamo on Saturday, although the opposition was so weak. Their backs passed the ball with much rrtere certainty than usual. Tho forwards Bind little against them, but they worked well and' gave- their rearguard every chance to throw the ball about. Tho tackling of tho team showed a decided improvement. A feature of this match was the place-kicking of S._ L. "Woods. Ho converted twelvo tries and kicked two penalty goals, some of his efforts having to" bo made from difficult angles. X'ho annual match between Boys' High School and Chnst : s College lias been definitely lixcel i'.m- July V2. It is stated that the frame vrill be plnved at '. ■•.■•'.■■• r-r':