RUGBY NOTES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2558, 20 August 1931, Page 6

RUGBY NOTES

THE EINLAY CUP GAME

JUNIORS RETAIN BOYCE CUP

(By “Oval”)

As stated in our Tuesday’s issue Eugbv is truly a game of surprises. A , fortnight ago Cambridge spectators saw ( their senior representatives defeated to the tune of 32 points to nil, yet almost the same team last Saturday lost to Morrinsville by a potted goal to nil, and on the run of the play the Cambridge visitors had the best of the game. On the day Cambridge should have won by 6 points to 4, but fate decreed otherwise and so it must be left but a record in the season’s activities. Before the match commenced it, was freely- stated by both locals and visitors that Morrinsville, with its advertised team, would win by a dozen points and even at half-time when there was no score on the board it was anticipated that, with the wind in their favour, Morinsvilic would win comfortably-. Those who predicted —and “Oval” heard one local enthusiast reniJir]c —that Morrinsville would score at least three tries in the spell—did not account for the continued dash ami vigour of the visiting forwards, and the result was that more often than not they were in Morrinsville territory. However, Cambridge has still to learn that forwards arc not the recognised si cing department. Had there been a little more combination and better handling of the ball by the visiting backs then Cambridge would have won last Saturday’s game. Time and again knock-oiis and faulty passing spoiled scoring chances, or lost for the foiwards much hard-earned territory. This aspect was not lost sight of by the manager of the Cambridge team, and ho was on right lines when he appealed to the union to try and find ways and means of securing reliable coaches for the grades next season. Undoubtedly there is the material in Cambridge, and with a little correct coaching a great advancement in the standard of Cam bridge football would result. One Ims not to go further afield than the Matarnata senior representative team to see the wisdom of the advice given on Monday night by Mr Curie. It is to be hoped the union will not lose sight of his remarks and that before the season ends some effort will be made to ensure provision in the direction mentioned next year. As the manager of the Morrinsville team mentioned at the dinner following the match, “Cambridge had given the local players and the Morrinsville public the shock of their lives, and that on the day Cambridge bad deserved to win.” The fonvards gave a splendid exhibition in both tight and loose, while the tackling was more determined than the writer has previously seen this season. Owing to Hamilton failing to get into Cambridge to time Gibbons had to play full-back for Cambridge and he performed his part well, only getting caught with the ball on one occasion. In the three-quarter line Ayntes played, an average game. Stacey played his usual sound game and was great on defence, his tackling being very good, especially on two occasions when he brought down Campbell and stopped tries. H. Shaw played quite a fair game on the other wing. Holmes and fi-hew played good games, the only fault on the part of the latter being his handling of passes, though lie made one rr two fine breakaways. Tapper shapi e well behind the scrum, while Ungg played a fine game. One saw a flash of the Porter in his cunning play, though the referee caught him on a couple of occasions. Dagg is the making of a first-class rover, having the temperament for the position. Ail the forwards battled well and “Oval” does not propose to single any one out among seven honest workers. On Saturday next the two teams will meet again at Victoria Square and it will be interesting to see if the same form is produced by the locals. The Boyce Cup Game. The encounter on Saturday for the Boyce Cup was somewhat disappointing from the point of view of good football, this evidently being sensed beforehand by the Cambridge football fans whose number to witness the game was small. Waipa fielded a slightly heavier team than did the locals, ami on first sight it looked a likely combination. However, after the game had progressed a short time, it was evident that if Cambridge lost the trophy it would be largely due to hard luck. For the greater part of the time play was confined to forward work—mcqtly scrummages. For representative play there was an excessive amount of scrum-work due to minor infringement. Back movements .by both sides lacked sting and pc titrating force, especiady among the inside backs. Some c! the kicking was very wild and gained little advantage for either side. Waipa’s try was a good effort on the part of Brill, who must have been grassed had Richmond gone low instead of running beside him attempting to catch hold ci

the jersey. The tackling for the most part was fair, but some of the old “die hards” still seem to believe in employing the high tackle. Some of the .junior players should take a few tips from Stac-ov on how to collar low.

In the Cambridge team Randall played his usual game, while E. Shaw gave a good account of himself when the ball came his way. Richmond gave a poor display and held up many of the back movements with unnecessary kicking. Garland and McKee combined well at live-eighths. Kamoa was hardly i success at half-back although lie played a good game. He was inclined to do too much individual work and overlooked

to some extent the sending of the tall on to his bucks. He had ample opj'ortunities for Cambridge hooked the ball on the majority of occasions when the scrums did not collapse. L. Hooker roved well and was one of tlie outstanding forwards. The pack on the whole acquitted itself well, but as was noticeable began to tiro towards the closing stages when Waipa made several valiant efforts to takd the lead. The visitors, with some thorough coaching, would be dangerous. On several occasions on Saturday had they had the necessary finish tries must have eventuated.

An unpleasant feature was the unnecessary amount of exception taken to one or two of the referee’s rulings, on the part of several spectators. Before spectators openly criticise a referee they should make themselves conversant with the rulings —not of those in force years ago, but with those prevailing to-day. Once or twice on Saturday one spectator was heard to decry rulings which were perfectly correct under the present international laws of the game. THE PINLAY CUP. EASTERN SECTION. POSITION OF TEAMS. By defeating Cambridge on Saturday last Morrinsville have won the eastern sectional play for the Finlay Cup. The final position of the teams competing is as follows: — Won. Dr. Lost.

Morrinsville 9 i 0 Matainatn o 0 1 Cambridge 1 0 2 Putanmi 0 .1 2