OUR NATIONAL GAME

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19301, 2 May 1925, Page 6

OUR NATIONAL GAME

WANGANUI RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIPS OPENING MATCHES THIS AFTERNOON REVIEW OF SENIOR TEAMS TO-DAY’S FIXTURES. Old Boys v. Pirates, 1.30 p.m. Tech. Old Boys v. Ratana, 3 p.m. Kaierau v. Marists, 3 p.m. Rugby matches will be commenced in earnest in Wanganui this afternoon, when the Metropolitan Sub-Union will make a start with the competitions in the senior, junior, third and fourth grades. The contests in the senior championship this season promise to be keener than ever, increased public interest is being manifested, and the standard of play is expected to be higher than for some time. Two senior ga.n-.ps are to he played on the Rec. and one on the Racecourse, but access to the latter fixture is through the Rec. only.

ROUND THE CLUBS LAST YEARS CHAMPIONS. KAIERAU At the outset of Rugby operations last season. Kaurau were the early favourite for the senior championship. :.*.«! they justified their supporter>’ optimism bv waning hnudsoineiy. Now fiii' 1 again b.g thing* are expected of Them, and wM shall say that they wilt be unable to deliver the goods? In the past Kaieraa have hio: a good >hnre. a hit more than their share, in fart, o the Wanganui Union’s trophies, and that it should be so is a state of affairs upon which the dub may be justifiably proud. But it is not alone to the prowess of Their players that the club holds its high position. A Lig i:■tor in the success of anv elu'» i- ft- <tigani>:;ti.’n an.l the espri* .il« ••■>rp ’.‘s members, and in Kai The n>a ry.,n«’ fifteen to represent them in ‘i - fi Id thi- season will be as follows. 1 Note. —All teams are set ;ut in play.-rs’ positions, starting from :he full-i a. k. to the half, bark row 111 ' . he wing-forwant an I hookers iu t io .ast line : Hiroti. Carrell. Sin.psc : i. W. Collier. Stead. L’-Auliffe. D. Ll.js. 11. Ross. J. L. Stewart. Boultou. Zr. Lockett. J. Stewart. Brookie. Tn addition to the above the dub will he able to call, when necessary, upon the services of Walter Ross. Hal. Stewart, and Soft. The fir.-t-naimd is now occupied a long way up-country, and H. Stewart is in indifferent health. The team as set out above may undergo alterations before the season is far advanced, but of course this remark applies to ail teams in the competition. J. Hiroti is in a new position at full-back, but he should be sound.' The new centre is Simpson, a promoted junior who. shows promise. On one wing is Carrell, centre threequarter and captain of last year’s Collegiate School firsts, and he may settle down as a brilliant scoring man. for he is possessed of pace. W. Collier is in his usual place on th* l other wing, making a splendid three-quarter line. The five-eighths are Stead and McAuliffe, and they should work well together. Chisholm, a glutton for work, is behind the pack, and hr will give his backs plenty to do. Forward the maroons will be as strong as ever, with plenty of weight to hold their own -against the other packs. The hookers are Jim Stewart t making a re appearance after two seasons’ spell) and Brookie, with Lloyd Stewart as the lock. Johnston and Boulton on the sides, and D. and H. Ross ar the bark—a formidable vanguard. but perhaps not the best in the competition. Th*- winger is G. Lockett, a player in whom murh improvement will be noticed. On the whole a team mure solid than brilliant, with backs possessed of possibilities. PIRATES Wretched lu*-k degg* d Pirates in their efforts last season, and in the last game, virtually the final of the championship. they were reduced to such sore straits that two lower grade players had to be brought up to fill gaps after all the reserves had been taken into the team to replace casualties. May they have better fortune upon this occasion. Several new players are included in their first fifteen, and their appearance and form will be closely fol lowed by the critics. The Pirates team will line nut as fol lows: Howes. Logan. Hawke, J. Delves. Whakarua. Head. Robson. Watt, Phillips. SL Smith, Hall, R. ■Hurley. Sealey, Serra. Some of the familiar names associated ’with the Pirates are missing from the list, but other players from outside centres and promoted juniors make up the deficiency.

1 The l:yt line of defence. Howes, ;« omes something of a reputation from southern Hawke’s Bay. Logan. •on one wing, hails from Taihape, and the club officials are impressed with his ‘play in that position. The second winger is Jim Delves, while Hawke, at < * ntro. w ill not belie his name, for he ;is some galloper. Last season he was in great form in the club’s junior team, and his promotion is thoroughly deserved. Whakarua and Head are the inside backs, and they should be sound both on attack and defence. Robson continues in the half-back position, and if lie can only get the ball away smartly will go close to rep. honours.

I For many years past the pride of ! Pirates has been the vanguard, and although the pack at present and on . paper does not look like being so good .as in the past, the traditions of the ■ lub will inspire the forwards to work up to last year's standard. Watt and .Phillips are fine club men, and the middle row—S. Smith, Hall (lock), and R. Smith—will make their presence felt. <Healey and Serra are the hookers, and two good players they are. Tie* former should get his cap this season. Serra comes with a good reputation from Taihape. The role of wingforward will again be filled by Hurley. A fine set of forwards, supported by a good defensive rearguard, will make Pirates a splendid team. WANGANUI AND OLD BOYS 1 i This season it looks (on paper) as if light blues will regain some of the j.iestige they held up to the past two «»r three years, for they appear to have built up a strong team for this season’s . unipetition, having a good leaven of n. w blood. By their open style of play (>l*l Boys have established themselves . as popular favourites. Their combination is to take the field i as follows: Darby. McFarlane. Marsden. Ormond. Stone-Wigg. Aiken. Blyth. Clouston, Coburn. Wright, Young Adams. Cox. Murie, Nicholls.

More than half the above will be wearing the light blue jersey to-day for the first time, these including a couple of players who have changed over from another club.

The full-back position will be occupied by Darby, and he should be a decided acquisition to the team, for he is undoubetdly our best for that place. McFarlane will do good service on the wing, but he is a versatile player and can fill any gap. Ormond, the other winger, hails from Palmerston North, and while he has played one or two games here, he has yet to prove himself. At centre Marsden will be an asset, and being still young further imI provement can be expected. The five- • eighths are Aiken (who played there I regularly prior to last season) and ; Stone Wigg. another young player of promise who was at the Collegiate i School a couple of years ago. • Blyth is the half back at present, although but for a bereavement Baddeley would be in that position, the . country player having recently decided 'to take it on again. The forwards are ' a good combination in the making, with two newcomers in Clouston and Coburn at the back of the scrum, and T. Wright. E. Young, and Adams (a good ; but rather light man) in the middle • row. Murie ami Nicholls are the : hookers, and their work will be watchI <‘d with interest as a potential rep. , pair. Murie is one of our best forwards, and Nicholls is said to have ; partnered Irvine, the All Black hooker, for the Waipukurau Club. Harry Cox is on the wing, and going on his sevenaside form he is playing better han ever. One would say that Cox is a possibility for the All Black team for Australia next month. If their forwards turn out trumps, i Old Boys will have a team to be reck- ’ oned with.

TECHNICAL OLD BOYS A young team which last year made ; a most promising debut in the senior ' etiiks, and one which should go far if they make the most of their opportunities. is the Technical College Old Boys’ fifteen. They have received some stiffening material for this season’s campaign and it is quite on the cards that they will bp found an resetting ele-

MARISTS

ment by some of their opponents. This is a team which undoubedly will leave a mark on Wanganui Rugby, for they are the old boys of a secondary school from which a good proportion of our future representatives will be drawn. In the Technical College, Wanganui has an exceptional Rugby nursery.

This combination will be found wearing black and white hooped jerseys this season, and they should bring no discredit to the magpie uniform. Here is their team: — Skeen. Ash, Grubb. Rosser. Reid. Delves. Cameron. Thurston. Laws. Dyke, Ormsby. Wylie. Sewell. Barry, Dowsett. A rough once over of these players would place the average age of the team at twenty years, quite the youngest in the senior competition. Skeen is a good full-back, and Ash and Rosser, the speedy wingers,’will be dangerous if given the necessary chances. Grubb, at centre, is rather light for the position, but a fine player not yet out of his teens. E. Reid and B. Delves arc the five-eighths, and the latter’s generalship will provide what the team lacked last year, a leader. On defence Delves is a big factor, and when, it comes to attacking he will no doubt make every effort to send the ball out to the wing men. That ought to be the policy of the team. Cameron at half, is also young, but he can stand up to it and also make the openings. The forwards will be better than last year, and weightier. In the back row are Thurston and Laws, and while.4he former is an unknown quantity at present. Laws is an honest toiler in the tight. Dyke and Wylie arc on the sides, with Ormsby (last year’s Pirate junior) as lock, and they will be found to have improved in their play. Barry and Dowsett have gone ahead, both have put on some weight, and they ought to be able to get their share of the ball. Sewell is the wing-forward. In short, a fine all-round team which will do better as the season advances. RATANA Despite the rumours that a couple of All Blacks would be found in the ranks of the Ratana senior team this year, the published list is without them. Here is the native team: Whai Pine. Wiremu, Hartley, Morehu. Tau Paranihi, Karauria. Raukawa. Pairama, Kumeroa. Wm. Pine. N. Mohoanui, T. Mohoanui. H. Paki. Wereta, Taiaroa. Whai Pine is in his old place at fullback, and he is a more solid proposition. physically, than he was when last seen out. Wiremu is also out again, and his quick burst into top speed should get more tries for his side. On the other wing is Ropata Morehu. The centre three-quarter position will be filled by Hartley, without doubt, the best all round back playing in Wanganui, excellent alike in attack, defence, and anticipation. Tau Paranihi, the versatile Rangitikei representative, is one of the five-eighths, his partner being Karauria. Raukawa, a clever half back, fills the bill there. The forwards are a sturdy lot, and if they would only bunch more would take a lot of stopping. Paki will act as wing-forward again, a fact which will impress itself sufficiently upon his opponents. Wereta and Taiaroa are good forwards and hookers, and with N. and T. Mohoanui, Wm. Pine, Pairama and Kumeroa behind them they should carry a lot of weight’ One confidently looks forward to the Ratana team again providing us with some stirring play of a nature all its own and peculiar to the native. Their victories will be popular with the public.

Once a club drops out and misses a season, then the ground so lost takes a good deal of recovering. This is what Marists have found, but they are to be congratulated upon their resuscitation, and if they fail to win the championship this year, the seed they have sown should bear fruit a little later. Their team for to-day is:— Kerr. Moran. Corliss, E. Crotty. T. Quirke, F. Crotty. Sloan. Fromont, Hammond. O’Sullivan, Buckley, Qulrke. Dobbs. T. Crotty. W. Kruse. Kerr is spoken of as a successful full, Moran and E. Crotty may develop into splendid wingers, and Corliss will be found solid at centre. T. Quirke and F. Crotty will fill the fiveeighths positions well. and Sloan is capable of getting the ball away smartly. The forwards are hard, although some of them an unknown quantity, but they have two good front-row men in T. Crotty and W. Kruse. Marists are up against a tough proposition in Kaierau for their first match, and although it is not expected that .they will win, they are sure to give a good account of themselves. RUGBY POINTERS (By ‘‘Referee.’’) To-day starts the new season, and the local association is supplying 18 “whistlers’’ for the occasion. A Few Hints: (Referees). —Referees, do your best; qualify every decision, and blow the whistle as if you meant it. Remember one whistle stops the game—two blasts, take off time( when official timekeeper is handy), and three blows brings the ambulance. Five minutes only for half-time interval. All scrummages between the 25’s lines must he IQ yards out from touch. The five-yard throw-in from touch operates everywhere. The free kick (penalty kick) is now absolute. (The kicker may also place the ball on these occasions). Remember, scrummages cease to exist if the part containing the ball is pushed back over the goal line.

Kicking directly into touch from outside a player’s own 25’s brings the ball back for a throw in from touch opposite the spot. Referee to direct line umpire on such occasions. Allow no appeals, If, wlie-n a rule is broken and the opposite side gains no advantage, blow the whistle immediately and give the 'decision. Give special attention to the team slips and see the results are put in the box in f he referees’ room ready for the secretary.

Don’t forget your pass, otherwise you w ll be “stuck up” at the gate. If watching other games, don’t criticise your fellow referee in public. Leave this over for the Monday night meet-

Set yourself a .standard so that your refereeing becomes the game as well as a pleasure. Hoed your inistaks—the first game is always hardest—and so gain experience.

Don’t forget to see each team has a ball, and don’t permit players to start unless they are togged in their chib colours. More Hints (for the public).—Please refrain from being too critical—remember it’s only the first game, and some referees may be a bit “rusty” on the rules. Remember, too, that the line umpire may see a little more than you. .He has to give the decision, anyway. Remember that line umpires do not have to signal for a succesful kick at goal. When, a try is scored the referee will blow his whistle, stand on the spot, and raise his hand. When a goal is kicked the referee will give two blasts on his whistle and elevate one hand. For no goal the referee will give the “wash-out” sign. After a try and a liether a goal is kicked or not the ball must go to the half-way line for kicking off. Remember, please, that the advantage rule operates everywhere—even on the lines-out —so don’t expect the referee to blow for every breach. Remember that any doubts about the rules will be answered (on request) through this column or at our Monday night meetings. JOTTINGS Left in the lurch —Rugby Sub-Union and Cook’s Gardens. A Wanganui-Taranaki combined team to play New South Wales at Hawera. Not the best arrangement, but the best that could be done. Hawke’s Bay cannot possibly play at Wanganui this season.—A regrettable item of news received in the city yesIt is understood that Bush Union are touring this season, and are desirous of playing at Wanganui against the local representatives. Caustic comment by a grandstand patron: The fixtures are all right, but, the stand is on the wrong ground! It is a long time since an arrangement come to by the Sub-Union management committee met with such a roar of protests as greeted the publication of the fixtures for to-day. In comniou with other keen followers of the game, “The Observer” quite expected the Old Boys-Pirates game to be given the post of honour —Rec. No. 1 at 3 p.m. —but was a long way out in his reckoning. A meeting of the management committee is to be held at the Rec. at one o’clock this afternoon to view the grounds, so that there is still a chance — nay, a probability—of stand patrons witnessing an Old Boys-Pirates game on number one ground. When advised of the decision of the. fixtures committee (whose task at any time is altogether an unenviable one) prior to the meeting of the full committee on Tuesday night, “The Observer” thought the management would overrule the sub-committee. But they didn’t.

We are all human and liable to err, but having made an apparent mistake the situation can be met by repairing the damage already done. Perhaps a direction from the Sub-Union to the fixtures committee that the best drawing game be played on number one ground would clear the air. The New Zealand Rugby Union, at its annual meeting decided that in future reinstated players should be eligible for selection in New Zealand teams. It was decided to recommend the management committee to invite a French team to visit New Zealand in. 192(5. Dlr J. Prendcville moved that the South African tour should not be undertaken before 1928. He considered it unwise to have overseas tours in too rapid succession. The motion was carried. The president (Mr H. Frost) remarked that, they could take it. that it would be some years before New Zealand could expect a visit from a British team. “Sinbad” in the Christchurch Star: That stern headmaster, Mr Crosse, is nothing if not most consistent, for if at him a scheme you toss, to which his attitude is distant, you may be sure you’ve not a poss of making him more unresistant. In former years a match was played between the boys who School attended and those who neath the College shade their way in search of knowledge wended, and of the match a day was made, it proved an exhibition splendid. Then Mr Crosse arrived to say, “I greatly disapprove this custom, we leading public schools to-day the tide of public keenness must stem, if people want to see us play, then my reply to them is ‘bust ’em.’ The schoolboy never ought to be a modern sort of gladiator, whom folk in thousands rush to sec, for it is bound to hurt him later; and I am sure I have with me, the heart of every thoughtful pater. I’ll not allow Lancaster Park to be the

scene of operation, what if the Rugby Union bark, and school grow hot wifh indignation, although the public it maynark, I’m all for splendid isolation.” NEW SOUTH WALES’ TOUR ITINERARY ARRANGED MATCH AGAINST WANGANUI AND TARANAKI COMBINED (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 1. The Rugby itinerary for the New South Wales tour of New Zealand is:— August 18, arrive Wellington; August 22, play Wellington, Manawatu, and Horowhenua combined, at Palmerston North. August 26, play West Coast and Buller, at Greymouth. August 29, play Otago and Southland at Dunedin. September 2, play Canterbury and South Canterbury at Christchurch. September 5, play Wanganui and Taranaki at Hawera. September 9, play Wairarapa and Bush Districts at Masterton. September 12, play Poverty Bay and East Coast at Gisborne. September 16, play King Country and Waikato in King Country. September 19, play New Zealand test at Auckland. September .23, play North Auckland at Whangarei. Mr S. S. Dean has been re-elected ehairman of the New »aland Rugby Union executive. The New Zealand selectors have been appointed as follows:—Messrs E. McKenzie, N. McKenzie, A. Guy, H. Davis, and A. Geddes.