DOWN THE GRADES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19843, 18 May 1927, Page 5

DOWN THE GRADES

POINTS ON THE PLAYHES. The following notes and comments on the lower grade games last Saturday should prove of interest to players and spectators alike. SENIORS Marist Lucky. The run of luck was with the greens in their ma.ch against Tech. Old Boys., Murray registering the winning try right on the call of time. It was not a particularly bright display of Rugby, a greasy ball making good open play almost an impossibility. Forward rushes made up most of the game, and time and again when a score appeared imminent a player would en deavour to pick up the bail with the result that the attempt invariably ended in a knock-on. This fault was apparent in both teama, and each side lost several good opportunities of registering points through this bad habit.

Tech. Improving. That the magpies are hard to beat was proven on Saturday, and they fully justified the opinion that they will trouble the best teams in the competition. Their forwards gave an excellent display in the loose, while the backs seized every opportunity of opening the game up. Dyke was in good form, and he was ably supported by Ward and Laws, with C. Stiver also in the van. Speedy Backs. Tech, possess some very speedy men in their back division, and it was only the sound tackling of the Marist rearguard that prevented them from scoring. V. Reid at five-eighths played very soundly, and he made good use of the opportunities presented him by Allen. P. Stiver has a safe pair of hands and his powerful kicking is a great asset to the ex-students. The wingers Crichton and Ford, were too well marked to be dangerous. Marists’ Off Day. In view of the excellent display by the green forwards against Pirates, it came as a rude shock to their supporters when they were outplayed by their opponents all through the match. Lack of cohesion was very apparent, and there was an entire absence of weight and vim in their scrum work. Added to this their tackling was lamentable,

and, with a couple of exceptions, fell a long way below even schoolboy standard.

Cutelli, Haywood and Fromont were the only ones to show any form at all, 'but they were alone and unsupported in , their efforts. At full-back Darby was inclined to run -too 1-ar, nut he saved nicely on several occasions. The tackling of the backs was par excellence, Vangioni, Jones, Narby and Crotty all accounting for their opponents. Collins and Murray were sound, the last named rounding off the game with a fine try, . the result of being in position and up . with the play. JUNIORS. The Pirate v. Queen’s Park game • was the best this season, a good, hard, 1 even battle between the forwards, and 1 there was not the margin of nine points on the day that the score indicated. Not Supported. “Mick” Kearns was the star forward on the Queen’s Park side, and he used his weight to some advantage in • the line-outs, but he was not getting ; the necessary support from his mates . that his efforts deserved. Waite Impresses. A very safe game was played by Waite, the Pirate custodian. His kick- • ing and handling were first-class. . Afterwards this young player was , called upon for the senior team and his display against Kaierau was very good , considering that it was his first senior game. Good on Defence. The best Queen’s Park back on Saturday was Osman, and he got through a large amount of defending. James was toO well marked as the black forwards were on him before he could get going. Cunningham, Pirate second fiveeighths linked up well with Lowe, but he should pass the ball out more instead of kicking. THIRDS. For Kaierau, Hogg played a fine . game behind the pack and gave his . backs every opportunity, but the necessary combination was not there. Great Forward Battle. The Pirate-Kaierau match was very ’ evenly contested, and the two sets of forwards had a ding-dong go. Pirates owe their win to their rearguard being a shade the better. An Unlucky Team. Stevenson, five-eighths, was the best 1 back on the field, and Kaierau were un- ’ lucky on two occasions when this lad missed scoring a try by inches. Too Much Offside. Pirate forwards came away again and again with forward rushes, but their good work was often spoiled by over-running the ball, and then not attempting to get on side. Atkinson, Waller, Tarry and Lummas were the worst offenders, and all could profitably spend an hour studying the offside rule. FOURTHS. There was only one fourth game on Saturday, that in which Aramoho defeated Kaierau. Recruit from Soccer. Heath, of Aramoho, an ex-soccer lad, | played a fine game, his dribbling of the I ball being of great assistance to his < side. Of the Kaierau backs Sleight was the best on the day, his handling and kicking being good. Rogers was invaluable in the lineouts. Aramoho have a promising player in Rogers. Don’t Cuddle, but Collar.

Of the Aramoho rearguard, it may be said they combined fairly well in attack, but the least said of their defensive work the better. Their tackling was shockingly bad. The sooner they practise tackling the better for their side, as “cuddling” around the neck is no good.