Too Much Rough Rugby.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17890, 5 July 1926, Page 12

Too Much Rough Rugby.

MERIVALE SCORE HEAVILY IN A POOR MATCH. Fielding a depleted team, Linwood suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of their old rivals, Merivale, last Saturdav at Lancaster Park. The game was one of the worst exhibitions of senior football seen for a long while, and the standard of football was about on a par with the standard of sportsmanship. Right from the start of the match, it was evident that bad feeling existed among some of the players, and this feeling manifested itself throughout the match, culminating when two players were cautioned for fighting. The worst offence in the match was the persistent illegal charging of players after they had got rid of the ball, in one instance the Linwood full-back being injured. The referee should have displayed more firmness in dealing with the breaches. Had he acted firmly at the outset, very possibly the rough play would have been immediately stopped. A continuance would have enabled him to deal with the offenders in the only suitable manner that offenders can be dealt with. aa a . Merivale owe their decisive won to the superiority of their rearguard, the Lin wood backs being too much disorganised to co-operate at all, with the iesult that the defence was iipset,, The Linwood pack was superior in all departments of the game, and, in addition to initiating several loose rushes, obtained the ball from most of the set scrums. The best forward on the ground was Kirkland, the Merivale hooker, who played a fine all-round game from whistle to whistle. He was the principav participant in two Merivale rushes which ended in a score being obtained. Of the others, Duggan and Carnegie were about the best, while Jeffries was seen to advantage in the tight. 23 *'• JC Ford was the outstanding player among the backs, and his skilful play was much in evidence. Besides starting most of the Merivale passing rushes hr put in some good defensive work. R. Xorrie and Doreen shone in several attacking movements, while Rhodes was very solid at half-back. R. Hart was very safe at full-back, and gave a sound display. a m A. M'Cormack seems to be striking better form, and he was the best of a very even pack of Linwood forwards. P. Ward was not as prominent as usual. Mac Duff and Burns were about the best of the remainder. x x The less said about the Linwood backs, the better. They could not combine at all, and they gave a wretched display on defence. Owing to the absence of Millar, Diedrich filled the halfback position, and gave a good allround display. Edmonds, at full-back, was fair. M’Kay possesses a useful side-step, and this enabled him to initiate the movement which ended in Linwood's only score.

HARD GAME AT THE SHOW GROUNDS The game between Old Boys and Varsity drew the biggest crowd of the season to the Show Grounds. It was evident from their recent performances that Varsity ware a vastly improved side, and there was no doubt the Competitions Committee of the < 'anterbury Rugby Union made a grave error in taking this game away from the oval. It was a very hard and fast game, and would have pleased the Lancaster Park public immensely. It is to be hoped, therefore, that in future this particular committee will sit down and think out which of the three games is likely to provide the best spectacular football before coming to a decision as to where they shall be played. The day turned out to be a very disastrous one for Varsity. About midway through the second spell Berry, the Old Boys’ wing three-quarter, tackled Low sideways on, and the pair went sprawling into the gutter against the fence on the stand side. Low's hand struck the fence, and his thumb was badly injured, necessitating his leaving the field. Scarcely had the Rhodes scholar reached the pavilion when one of his colleagues, A. R. Smith, was carried off, Brodie was running forward to take a high ball, and Smith came running back for the same purpose. The result was that the pair came into violent collision, and Smith sustained concussion. The remarkable thing about it was that Brodie was not hurt at all. Both Low and Smith were taken to : the Hospital, where Smith was admitted, but Low was sent home after receiving treatment in the out-patients’ department. The fence in front of the stand at the Show Grounds is far too close to the side line to be safe, and it makes one shudder every time a player is bowled over into touch on that side. On any other ground Low would not have sustained his injury. The defection of Low and Smith left Varsity with only thirteen men, no emergencies being at the ground. All the spare players were required to fill up the Varsity Senior B team, who were playing on the adjoining ground. So for nearly twenty minutes the Varsity thirteen, with their team rearranged, held up the full complement of their opponents save for one converted try. This was a very praiseworthy performance which would have delighted the crowd at Lancaster Park. No praise would be too high for the manner in which the student? rose to the occasion. The whole side defended like tigers, while the five forwards beat their seven opponents for the ball at least twice out of every three scrums.

Taking the play all through, it was fast and hard, but at times it was a little too strenuous. There were evidences of players losing their tempers, and blows were struck more than once. Exhibitions of bad temper were Iwought about by the fact that there was too much of a desire on the part of one or two of the players to push their opponent’s head into the. dirt after he had been tackled. All this was, of course, unnecessary. Another thing which assisted to annoy the players was the fact that they were being pulled up for some breach when none committed, and at other times the referee was allowing off-sides or knockons galore. The result was that the tempers of the players were being severely tested, and in one or two cases they were found wanting. While not attempting to lay the blame on any particular ; players, men on both sides were at fault. Such things as giving an

ear a bit of a twist were, in evidence, and, of course they wqjrld have tried the most even-tempered man. There was some great forward work done by both teams. It was a treat to watch them on occasions. The two packs were fairly evenly matched, though Varsity were much Superior in getting possession of the ball from the scrums. Outstanding on the Old Boys’ side was C. Speight, who is a fine stamp of forward. 11 is height gives him a big advantage on the line-out, and he is very dashing in the loose. Another season or so should see him gaining higher honours in the football world. The other forwards all played well.

The Varsity pack were a very even lot. If any one of them caught the eye more than another it was Fookes, though they were all good.

Old Boys missed Dailey a lot behind the scrum. His absence was most noticeable to those who had seen the team in action in the earlier games. The outstanding back was Harris, who played right up to his very best form, and those who know what his best form means will realise what a great game he played. He was brilliant on attack and made the openings for the two first tries scored by Old Boys. On defence has was as solid as the proverbial rock.

83 d Carleton also played a very fine game. The spell he had through the injury to his knee has in no way affected his play. Berry was promoted from the Senior B Grade in place of Hobday on the wing. Hobday* has not been playing well this season, and after Saturday it looks as though it will be hard for him to regain his position. Berry play*ed a rattling good game.

The Varsity backs threw the ball about in great style. They got plenty of it and got it quickl>\ thanks to very fine work by Brodie behind the scrum. Brodie played a good all-round game, and had he been half for Old Boys, the championship leaders would have put up a big total.

Dickson displayed plenty* of dash as centre. Loyeridge on the right wing lost a certain try through being out of position when the ball was thrown out to him early in the first spell. This was a try_that went astray*-. He has a big failing in going too high to tackle an opponent.

The Varsity team have improved out of sight, and are now a pretty solid proposition. Both backs and forwards, however, must learn to keep possession of the ball on attack. On Saturday' they- lost some golden opportunities by kicking instead of passing. And the annoying part about it was that there were mer in support almost every time the ball was kicked.

ALBION DISAPPOINT SUPPORTERS. Christchurch defeated Albion by nineteen points to five, but the game was much more evenly* contested than the final score would seem to indicate. Still, it was not a very* exciting game, and at no stage was there much doubt as to which side wquld win. Christchurch were undoubtedly the better team, and, taking the'game as a whole, they had the better of the play. Still, for the greater part of the game the contest was very even and play changed quicklv from one end of the field to the other. Christchurch put eight points on in the first ten minutes, and it looked as if they* were going to have a very easy victory. But then Albion rallied, and for the remainder of the first spell there was not much to choose between the two teams. The score at half-time was eleven points to five in favour of Christchurch and it remained at this until well on through the second spell, both sides meanwhile making strenuous efforts to score. Both teams were without some of their regular players, the prevailing influenza being partly responsible. Christchurch were without the services of J. H. Brown and G. Leahy* and also A. C. Robilliard, who is away with the All Blacks. The absence of Brown was not a really serious loss, as he had not been showing good form this year, but the absence of Leahy made a difference to the Christchurch forwards. He has been playing well of late. Without Robilliard, Christchurch were minus their most prolific scorer of tries this season. Albion were without M. Eaglesome, their full-back, K. Smith, wing-three-quarter, and J. Kennedy, one of their best forwards. Kennedy’s absence was probably a bigger loss to the Albion forwards than the absence of Leahv was to the < hristchurch forwards. In any case, the Christchurch forwards, on the whole, played better than the Albion vanguard did, especially in the earlier part game. The best back on the ground was X. P. M Gregor, who played first-five-eighths for Christchurch. On attack he was brilliant and by his clever running he made numerous openings for his side. It was not his fault that there were not more tries scored. M’Gregor scored one try just on the call of time. H/e secured possession of the ball about tne twenty-five, and, dodging his wav through in a great run, he scored between the posts. M’Gregor was also sale on defence, and when Albion were attacking he put in a lot of work. T. Mullan played his usual good game behind the scrum for Christchurch, and, like M’Gregor, he was prominent on numerous occasions for brilliant and “heady" play*. Mullan was always looking for chances to set his backs going and he never failed to get the ball out to them when the opportunity offered. Mullan scored one try by whipping round the side of a scrum and over the goal-line before the opposing players had realised what had happened. It was a case of seeing an opportunity and acting upon it at once. Christchurch had an entirely new three-quarter line in the field on Saturday. It consisted of J. A. Fy*fe, M. Boon and J. T. Bell. They are three very* promising players and they should do well after more experience of playing together. Bell, on the wing, showed plenty of dash, and he made several good runs, though he was not successful in scoring any tries. Fyfe, on the other wing, did not see so much of the ball as Bell. He made one fine run down the touchline and was unfortunate in not scoring, being pushed out at the corner flag. Fyfe put in a lot of solid defensive work. It might have been better to have put Fyfe centre and Boon on the wing. This was the arrangement used against Hurunui at Waikari the previous Saturday and it worked all right,

Fy*fe showing better form at centre than he had been doing at wing. Boon is a promising player, but he was somewhat uncertain in his handling of the ball on Saturday, and on one or two occasions he failed to take his pass. Boon was better oh defence than he was on attack. G. F. Hart, .at . second-five-eighths, was uncertain and he frequently* failed to hold the ball. Several passing rushes broke down at him. It was unfortunate that Hart handled the ball so badly* because he played a dashing game, and made good runs on several occasions. A. Xeill. the Christchurch full-back, played well. He was good in his handling and kicking, and his collaring was sound. \Y. Anderson, who was supposed to have been on the retired list, turned out again for Christchurch on Saturday to take Leahy’s place at lock. He held the scrum together quite well. G. Scrimshaw, the Christchurch wing-forward, played his usual good game. He was to the fore in most of the rushes by the Christchurch forwards and he always seemed to be somewhere handy when wanted. Ilis dribbling was j*ood^ T. F. Gibson was one of the best of the Christchurch forwards, putting in a lot of useful work both in the tight and the loose. X. Farrant, W. Melvin and 11. Galbraith also played well. Farrant and Galbraith are probably the two most promising young forwards in the team.

11. Lilburne was the best of the Albion backs, but he did not get a great deal of support from his mates. In fact, the Albion backs did not combine very well together at all. On the whole, their defensive work was good and they staved off numerous Christchurch attacks by good play, but when it came to attack there was a lack of cohesion amongst them that resulted in several chances of scoring being lost. Lilburne was good both on attack and defence, and he play*ed a solid game throughout.

Another of the Albion backs who stood out for good play* was R. Thompson, on the wing. More than once he made the crowd sit up by speedy* runs down the touch-line, lie was also good in defence and several times he got Albion out of awkward corners

G. Mortlock, the Albion centre-three-quarter, played a very fair game, though at times he did not handle the. ball too well. He puts plenty* of vim into his play and altogether shows a good of promise.

On account of the absence of Eaglesotne, D. Finnegan was shifted from the scrum to the full-back position. On the whole, he filled the position very* creditably, though he was a bit inclined to get out of position. L. Raxworthy played a very* fair game at fiveeighths.

Of the Albion forwards, T. Crotty was the most outstanding. On numerous occasions he caught the eye for very* useful work.

N. Wylie also played a good, solid game. lie is one of the hardest working forwards in the Albion team, and, indeed, in Christchurch, and lie always does his full share in the tight scrums (where a forward’s play is apt to pass unnoticed) as well as in the loose. Of the other Albion forwards, J. O Connor W. Pettit and R- Calder all played well. , „

Much of the good work of Christchurch was spoilt by off-side play, principally amongst their forwards though there was also a good deal of forward passing amongst their backs. In the second spell, especially, several promising movements were brought to a halt through someone getting ofl-side and free kicks helped Albion a good deal in their defence.