UNION RUGBY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17028, 30 April 1923, Page 2

UNION RUGBY

The Game and Its Players

ALBION (17) v. NORTH CANTERBURY (8). The Albion-North Canterbury match illustrated forcibly the necessity for training and combination, and it \va<s because Albion were the better lot in these two respects that they won tho match, although they were anything but perfect. Of course it must be granted that the country players have very little oportmiity for team practice, and as a whole, they probably meet together only once in the week, and that the day of the match. They, however, have no excuse for the neglect of individual training. For the most part the game was uninteresting, but its dullness was relieved from time to time by some smart work by the Albion backs, particiiiarJy bay be s and Foster, occasional forward rushes in which, however, individuality was more prominent than combination. The North Canterbury team possesses excellent material amongst their forwards, and if the whole hunch of them would direct their attention to systematic training, they would prove a formidable combination. For the first part ot the game the visitors dominated the play, and it looked as if they would be hard to beat, but half way through the second spell it was a case of bellows to mend,’’ and in the final twenty minutes eleven points were scored against them.

J. Foster, of Albion, was the best back on the held. He is a resourceful and tireless player. In the early stages of the game he saved his side time and again, and when the attacking began he was just as prominent as he had been in defending. X. Rayliss, one of the three-quarters, also did good work in the attack. He is a strong runner and he and Foster started some tine movements, the majority of which, however, were spoiled by bad passing among other backs. Baker, who came on at half-time, soon made his presence felt and before the game ended he had two tries with which to start his season’s account. Of the forwards, Masters, Rutherford, Dennis and Montgomery were prominent.

Dempsey, the North Canterbury fullback. is a solid player and when his side was tiring he made some great efforts to save trie situation. Scrimshaw, a three-quarters, is on old Waitaki High School player, and he showed that he had plenty of dash, but his opportunities were few. P. Lvndsay was a good worker in the forwards and he was one of the few- who) had the condition to last out the game. Other prominent forwards were E. D. R. Smith, an ex-’Varsity man, A. Ryan and C. Kemptborne.

MARISTS (9) v. CHRISTCHURCH (3). Greater polish and better co-ordina-tion accounted for the difference between Marists and Christchurch, a difference that the scores just about accurately indicated. Marists didn’t last as well through the second half as might have been expected, while Christchurch, who, on first spell appearances, threatened to go to pieces revived in splendid fashion, and on several occasions w T ere showing much more vim than their opponents. Both Robinson aud firosnahan, the respective full backs played confident, reliable games, and each in turn showed some smart play in averting imminent trouble. Droanahan was full of resource, quick to scent trouble from afar and not timid at meeting it when necessary. Robinson worked well in many tight corners, and was always there when the opposition was about his goal line* which was pretty often. Gilroy, in the Marists’ three-quarter line, was a small mountain of well directed energy, smart when an opportunity occurred and wise in his disposition of the ball. M’Cormick antiei-fcf-ated well, a fact that let him in to surprise the opposition on a number of occasions. He picked coming events with wonderful certainty, and acted oti the impulse in a manner that, once arrived at the point where he took advantage of his prescience, he was at the top of liis stride and very difficult to deal with.

O’Louglin's capacity for varying his course while at full flight kept the Red and Black defenders often guessing. Some of his efforts at dodging were pretty, and left his opponents nonplussed while they amused th e spectators. Melvin, Robilliaid and Brown were the prime actors in a series of dangerous and at times brilliant- attacks which Christchurch threw against the Green liYie. They were an unlucky trio, and deserved a score to their credit. Lewis was always prominent in the Christchurch onslaughts, and, in some of the rushes did a tremendous amount of work. A cool, capable player, with ■ any amount of speed, which, he gathers quickly, he took a lot of watching. The Christchurch passing was often poor, a fact that ruined many pro-mis ing attacks and let the opposition away from intercepted passes. CANTERBURY COLLEGE (18) v. MLRIVALE (15). The thing that is worrying Merivale is how .they ever left such an opportunity open to ’Varsity io snatch a win a eouple of minutes before the call ot time. The thing was so absurdly easy, and when C. E. J-ow got that pass from J. L. Trussing, who intercepted nicely, there was nothing else to do but gallop. That Low dirt, making his challengers look very slow-footed, and running nearly three-quarters the length of the field by himself. Low put his side one point ahead. The conversion of the try was an easy matter. The hard part of it was that Merivale had been battling particularly gamely for the latter part of the second half of the game, and up till the. time when they left such a great gap open, had repeatedly rushed the opposition hard up against their goal-line, where some strenuous scrummages resulted. Territorially, tile game was as even as one could have wished, hut it made one exasperated to see the fatuous attempts at tackling all through. Of course, one can’t expect too much right at the start of the season, but something better in this art of the game should have been displayed. Up and down in loose rushes phiv vns fairly brisk from the kick-off. but E. Davis distinguished himself in the Merivale pack by his initiative and good spoiling work on the defensive The “ raggv ” patches of play might in a measure be accounted lor by the lack of wind on the part of most players, and Merivale missed a couple of scores through inability to muster up a little extra clash at critical moments, i ’Varsity ran up a score of 7- 0 within fifteen minutes of the start. W.

L. Langbein getting a try and a neat pot from the field. This player wa« outstanding, though he did too much 4; winging ” in the first half. After uhat Meriyale bucked up and ran the score to 9—lo at half-time. The soundness of the two full-backs—G-. H. Robertson (’Varsity) and G. Pernberth y (Merivale) was demonstrated again and again.

The Canterbury Rugby Union’s senior competition was continued on Saturday. Unwood and Old Boys met on the Oval at Lancaster Park and, after an interesting game, the latter won by 14 points to 8. Varsity snatched victory from Merivale just on the call of time. Low scoring a great try which Prussing converted, thus giving Varsity a lead of three points. Marists defeated Christchurch by 9 points to 3. The game wan an interesting one throughout. Albion and North Canterbury met at the Show Grounds. The game was ©ren enough in the first spell but during the last twenty minutes of play Albion got all over their opponents and won by 17 points to 3. POSITION OF TEAMS. The following table shows the position of the teams at the end of Saturday’s play;—

OLD BOYS (14) v. LINWOOD (8). Old Boys owe their win against Linwood in a good measure to the superiority of their backs. „ They showed better combination and more dash than the Linwood rearguard, whose attempts at passing rushes were generally smothered by their speedy opponents. The Old Boys forwards also played w'ell but the Linwood forwards held their own fairly well against, them, and at times outplayed them. The Old Boys backs showed very fair combination, but occasionally their passing was a bit ragged. Harris at full back played a good game, and he looks like developing into a first class custodian. He kicked well and with judgment, and his handling of the ball was sure. He also showed initiative in seizing opportunities of getting the backs going, thus turning defence into attack. Most full backs seem to consider that their part is purely defensive, and it is pleading to see one who recognises that h© can also b© useful on attack. In Werren and Bowes Old Boys have two good wingers who can run and run hard, at that, and Thompson at centre is a tower of strength to his side. Thompson seems to have fully recovered from th© injury from which he was suffering last season. He was largely responsible lor th© best try scored for Old Boys on Saturday. B. J. Carleton, the Old Boys half back, played a clever game and set his backs going whenever opportunity offered. Carleton is a bit on the light side, but he is playing behind a much better pack than Old Boys had last year, and he should do quite well. Still one would lik© to s©© C. E. Guiney behind the present pack. He would shine.

Hay at first five eighths was conspicuous for several pieces of good play. Hay has football brains and i* quick to seize opportunities. S. R. Carleton ac second five eighths also played well. A good feature of the play of the Old Boys backs and of their forwards too what that they played an open game and threw th© ball about. Gray, the Old Boys wing forward, played his usual dashing game and always seemed to b© in th© thick of it. Ot the Old Boys forwards Milliken was probably the best, though all played up well. Milliken has weight and speed and works hard from the word “ go.'* Ihe same can be said of Parker, who is very speedy for a forward. Burrows, who was captain of the High School team last year, also played well considering that this is his first season in senior football. The display of the Linwood backs was by no means impressive. They were unfortunate in losing Henry towards the end of the first spell. Henry was collared in front of the goal posts and in the fall he hurt his ankle so badly that he had to be tarried off the field. Henry was doubly unfortunate for he was within an ace of scoring. Brown, the Linwood full back, did not play well. His fielding and handling of the ball were uncertain. Last season Brown showed promise of developing into a fairly good full back but apparently he has not struck form yet this season. Wright and Fleming were on the wings, and whilst the defensive work of both was sound they did not get many opportunities of attack. One would hav© liked to see Fleming get more opportunities of putting his well known side step into operation. Young at five eighths was probably the best of the inside back*.

Of the Linwood forwards M’Gill, Hooper. Morrow and J. Turpin were the best.

TV. L. D. Pts. Pts. Tl. For Asrst. Marists . 2 0 0 18 25 9 Albion . . 1 1 11 14 Christchurch 1 1 o 21 35 28 Merivale 1 1 0 18 'Varsity , 1 1 0 35 33 Old Boys Sydenham-Lyttel-1 1 0 20 17 1 0 1 S i Xorth Canterbury o 2 0 3 37 Linwood . . 0 1 o 8 14 0