"LES HARLEQUINS."

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12245, 19 June 1909, Page 6

"LES HARLEQUINS."

Last Saturday saw the completion of tho second round of the senior competition. . Kaierau now ha.ye a lead of two points, having only one loss registered against them. Pirates are fecond, and Wanganui third. The game between Pirates and Wanganui was undoubtedly the best game seen on the Roe. this season, and the fine op?n p!ay indulged in by both sides roused tho enthusiasm of tho spectators to the highest pitch. Pirates owe their win to their great dash shown in the second spell when they completed outclassed their opponents.

At half time it looked a.certain win for Wanganni who had a lead of 15 points, but Pirates proved that they could rise to the occasion and pulled tho match out of the fire in the last ten minutes.

Abbott led Ins team in nno style and proved' that he t is a capable general. He handled his team splendidly in the second spell and got. every ounce, of play out of his men. Southcombe on the other hand displayed poor generalship in the second spell in not keeping tho game close. As it was. ho played right into Pirates' hands by keeping tho game open and tryin^to score more points.

Smith at lull bacK for the winners was not too sound, and in the first spell Wanjranui scored a couple of tries off his mistakes.

Abbott played his best game of the season. His two tries were well merited and altogether his play is much improved. Coo at centre was rather inclined to shirk the hoayy^ rush-stopping, work, lut nevertheless* he got in some good at times.

Corby is riow playing a better game, but his p!ay is still"capable of improvement.

Mitchell aricT MeFetr'sh got through a lot of -.solid: work, Mitchell especially saving his.side on several occasions and he also made some very good openings for his backs.

Dowe at half was the best back on the grouJnd,^a.nd his play was universally admired. In the second spell ho opened un the play in fine style, arid gave, the backs every opportunity to score. His try {the winning one) was a beauty, he eluded all the backs, but was tackled on the line and just manpged to fall over and score.

Nicholson put in a lot of dashing work at wing-forward.

Tom Irvine does not appear to shine as well this year as he did last year. Ilis play on the line-out though is of great service to his club.

Dustin was in great form and, was about the best forward on the ground. Ho put a lot of dash into the second spell and played himself to a standstill. The rest of "the forwards all played good hard games and worked hard to secure success.

Bignell at .full back for .the losers, played a medium game. He is much too slow for the position and is very slow in getting his kick in. Several times on Saturday, he was caught before ho could get a kick and Pirates scored tries through hie slowness. His line kicking was his redeeming feature and several o ; f his kicks were tip top. Southecmbe's play is rather d'sappoiiiting this season. Great things were expected of him, but lie is not as good as last year. . . ,

Mclntyre did not show to much advantage and was subjected to a lot of unfair" barrack by a certain crowd of the spectators. Such treatment is unfair and very discouraging to a player. I hear that "he does not intend to play rgain this season and his loss will be felt by Wanganui. Tho* Campion brothers both got in some great defensive work and their tackling was very! deadly" as usual. "- Tll.ru is very weak at Half this season and T hear he is to be replaced next Saturday in the match against Kaierau. Of the forwards Lambert and Ruseell were the best and both played very hard games. Ait'kin and Laird worked hard, as did the rest of the forwards.

Ross at i wing played a very hard game and was of great service to his side. In thenclosing minutes of the game, in the semi-darkness, he made a great bid for the Tine and it looked as if he Had scored a try, but he was just stopped on the line. All through, the game was played in a very friendly spirit and such games as these go a long way to help the game along. If many games such as this one are played in Wanganui we should see same record gates and the Union's coffers would reap a subsian'ial benefit.

To-day's match between Kaierau and Wanganui should be very interesting as Kaierau are now leading for the cup, and intend to do their best to maintain their lead. -

It is a great pity_ that the Union do not insist on Junior matches starting, to time. On Saturday the two senior teams were ready to commence at 3 o'clock but the junior game did not finish till about 20 past 3. . This kept the next game very late and it wag finished in semi-darkness. One remedy has been suggested; this is to cut tho snells of the first game short and arrange to finish at 3 o'clock. Perhaps when tho juniors are only givpn ■a. short game it would tend to make them punctual.

Some very startling developments are expeotod within the next few days re the jerseys lent to the Union for the B. rep. team. I hear that one very prominent official of the Union is sending in his resignation as a protest. Tho College Ist a.nd 2nd fifteens aco journeying to- Palmerston North on Wednesday next to play Te Aute. A ■very interesting game is expected and several local enthusiasts intend going down to witness tKe game. Tho Wangnnui team chosen for today, is, of anything, a better one than that which met Pirates last Saturday, and in fact is better than the best they have had out this season. For, frankly <?poakins;, neither Mclntyre nor Turn has been of much benefit to their team this .season ; in fact, generally looking at their past play, they have been more oi' a hindrance than otherwise. Rumour has it that their star full back. Tnkere, has again been put on tho fence, and Takarangi gees back from the pack to five-eighths, and apparently Joyce-is to play full back. The latter has been a most consis'ent man for Kaierau *t five-eighths this SfMison, and although a good defensive man, is too good to .bo out of the region of attack. And then, too, wo hav^ no hesitation in saying that, taking all things into consideration, he is not b* a lon^ way as brilliant a roan nt full rh Tukere," although he may be slightly steadier.

It $pr>ear» that he?e changes h-xra> be«n bmnsrht about through tho vndwsion of Collier iir the forwards. The latter it undoubtedly * slashing maa,

and should prove himself just such a leader as tho Kaierau forwards have wanted all along, but why his inclusion should be the reason of displacing Tukere is to us inexplicable, tor at least two of the Club's forwards could well stand down to let Collier in; that is, of course, if they have the interests of their club at heart. One 'of the backs could well, too. be dropped in preferlenco to Tukere. Perhaps to-day this team will regret the non-inclusion of the latter in his capacity as full back. We remembi'r suggesting- a week or iwo ago that the.ex-Te Aute boy should bo tried in the three-quarter line, where his sound judgment, solid kicking, heady play, and pace would be a most welcome addition, but it appears that out well thought out advice has been absolutely disregarded. Well, that is their look-out, but we emphatically reiterate the statement we have made before, thax after Meuli, Tnkere is the most reliable and safest back in the Kaierau team.