EYES ON THE RUGBY FIELD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 141, 17 June 1931, Page 4

EYES ON THE RUGBY FIELD

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Old Boys have an impressive team of backs and with u winger like Bullock Douglas the finish is there. The aim should be to get the ball out quickly from the scrum, and fast through the five-eighth line, allowing, of course, for a correct drawing of the opposition, to the three-quarters. Blyth started off well at the base of the scrum in Saturday’s matches, his passes coming away cleanly. Later in the match, trouble*) by fast breakaways, he was inclined to misdirect the ball on occasions. Taken all through, however, he gave an impressive display as a half-back. Curtayne, erstwhiie rover for Old Boys, was given a place at first fiveeighths. It was noticeable that he ran straight, but had a tendency to hang on just a fraction too long. Snaw, the second string in the five-eighth, line is a good attacking pmyer, but on defence he was Old Boys’ weak link. This was proved when Narbcy moved up. Gibson continues to play attractively at centre. He bus the right sense of anticipation and haud*es remarkably well. His trouble aiways seems to be to get rid of the ball property to his wings. Bullock-Douglas played well on Saturday. He has a very deceiving swerve, and his ability as a goal kicker was noticeable, firstly in the care with which ho placed the ball and, secondly, because he kept his eye on it and not on the goal posts as so many would-be successful kickers are prone to do.

Spriggens has plenty of dash. He showed that very definitely and is the cut of a good winger. If ho takes the trouble to study the play carefully he should improve. Franklin, on Old Boys’ last line of defence, played well. Like many another full-back, however, he is all in favour of waiting for the bounce. He was not so bail as one other custodian seen out on Saturday, who liked the second bounce better than the first. Franklin is a game player and is not afraid to tackle.

Wills, playing as rover, always puts what appears to be ferocious enthusiasm into his play. His fast moving up into the green line had the effect of preventing most of the Marist rearguard attacks from gaining ground. It was a case of five-eighths having to pass standing still. In scrum work the opposing packs wore fairly even. Old Boys got their full share of the ball in the second spell, but there were Binges when the Marist hookers asserted themselves definitely. Old Boys have a solid set of forwards, but it looked on Saturday as though they had a tendency to pack too high. That is one of the greatear troubles in New Zealand forward play to-day. The pack that can pacK down low and keep “eyes on the ball” has the advantage of ?ao that arches. A low, well-balan •, jd pack pushes in underneath and cams the cpposiliuii to rush wit.i -h-jito <t sioiu.it is. - jart from that forwards getting down low car. keep bight of the tail and can break wi/.Git ail that lujs nowadays when instructing f o menk are ocL’cw.d from different points of the team.

These remarks apply with equal force to every set of forwards in the Union. The best packs “pack low and keep eyes on the ball.” I wonder how many of the forwards who should, can claim to actually see the ball in the scrum. Kaierau fields a tremendously strong van, but it has been apparent in several matches that they have not settled down low enough. The same fault might be said of Pirates. Team supporters have come away week after week wondering why the pack has not done well. Half of the reason, probably more, lies in the fact that the component parts have been afraid to bend, and appeared to be itching to break up into units the minute the ball was put in. .South Africa has set the world a lesson in pack work. Short, nuggety forwards, packing low and holding together for a definite issue in the scrum will counter a heavy, high packed, loose “jointed” scrum on the other side.

Lynskey played half-back for Marist for most of the game, Chadwick, who had been filling the position in the early stages, having to go back to the last line when Matson was injured. Lynskey’a play was fairly sound. He was game enough and for the most part his passes were well directed. On the day he was overshadowed by Blyth. The great difficulty with Rugby halves in New Zealand these days is to pick the ball up from the base of the scrum, pass it with the one motion without straightening the back and, at the same time, find the first five-eighths accurately. L admit the task represents a tall order, yet with practice those who have ability as half-backs can accomplish it. Kilby’s great asset is his quickness in passing. He is not a “running” half, and in these days of quick wingforwards the life of the half who has to run to be any good merely hangs by a thread. Passes should be about waist high and should travel on the rise, not directly at the first five-eighth, but a foot or so in front of him, *so that he has to leave the mark to gather in. The ball must be sent like a shot from a gun. W. Duncan, of Kaierau, has the right style in passing, except that he is inclined to lob. A lobbed pass from the base of the scrum is fatal in Rugby. A lightning move, a rising ball travelling just a little ahead of the firs! five-eighth, satisfies a three-fold object. It makes the five-eighth move, lets him sight the opposition and, above all, it gets away from the rover. Halves ami five-eighths can practice the type of play required by inducing their coach to kick the ball along the ground four or five yards. A waiting half can pick it up and find his man with the pass. Repetition of. this practice will bring reward. Cullinane played his best game this season for Marist at first five-eighths, and the greens were unfortunate in losing Matson, notwithstanding the fact that the consequent re-arrangement of the backs checked Old Boys’ rearguard attacks. Narbey was the life and soul of the Marist team and on his form this season is worthy of a place in the representative team as full-back. He is useful as a kick, tackles well, and has been handling better than he has over done before. Phillips, the one-time County back, made his appearance for Marist at cen-tre-threequarter. His inclusion meant a strengthening of the defence, but he did not show a proper sense of aatki

pation on attack. It was noticeable that he ( was standing up very close to his man on occasions and looked to be offside. When Blytti worked the blind once or twice it was patent that Phillips had much more ground to make good than was necessary to back up his custodian and “off” wing. There is no position on the field which requires such a high degree of anticipation as that of centre. Neither Casey nor Nelson saw much of the ball in Saturday’s match and Bullock-Douglas’ swerve was too tricky for his vis-a-vis. Chadwick played well, his tackling and game iess on the lust line of defence saving the Marist line several times. Fennell, as rover, showed improvement and was in the limelight in a final dash to try and pull the game out of the fire. Lack of support brought his burst of speed to nothing. Marist owed a tremendous lot to their pack, though it was noticeable towards the close of the gaum that Old Boys had the better condition. Fast breakaways proved effective against the base-of-thc-scrum work of Old Boys in the second spell, but it was evident that sooner or later the reds would master that. James. Kruse and Smith stood out in the Marist pack and Watson, Harding, Brooker and McLeau for Old Bovs.

While impartial judgment will accord Old Boys honours on the day, every credit must be given Marist for playing strenuously to ensure that victory was dearly won. This team will rank high as spoilers. They have it in them to beat Pirates next Saturday and will make a determined go of it. Losing Matson, who was playing well, seemed to make a difference to their morale las*, week.

Those wise judges who said Kaierau would be in at the finish will not be far wrong. Against Technical Old Boys on Saturday, even allowing for the fact that the blue and w r hites were a much weaker side than that which held the maroons to a draw in the first round, Kaierau had absolute mastery in the van, particularly in the dying stages. That type of play is calculated to wear any team down. Another ten minutes to go and the maroon score would have been greater.

Darby made his first appearance this season and received a tremendous ovation. Kaierau’s last line is in safe hands if he is on the field, though it was noticeable on Saturday that his injured leg was giving him trouble. Simpson, who usually fills the maroon last line, was played as wing threequarter and did not muster up. It is a pity that this club chops and changes round with its backs so often. It is not fair to the players or to the game. Glenn was not up to form at centre and Moore did not see much of the ball except when closely hemmed in. North played as first five-eighth and J. Morgan as second, the change making for improvement. W. Duncan only wants to put more life into his passes to improve into a first-class half.

The role Technical Old Boys had to fill for the greater part of the match was one of defence. Their pack was not the same lively force that played the maroons in the first round. Peek had a hard row to hoe and, considering everything, he did well. Delves was really responsible for tnc try the side scored with such rapidity in the second spell. Dennis enhanced his reputation as a centre, but must become more accurate as a kick. Briscoe made good on the wing. O’Keefe’s part was an unenviable one, but he stood up to it with his customary gameness.

It was noticeable that in the early stages of the match Technical Old Boys could hook the ball inmost at will, but in the concluding stages the honours went to Kaierau. Tasker stood out in the Kaierau van and in mentioning him it is as well to remember that it was the maroon forwards who formed the outstanding force on the field. Thompson, Ward and Tasker were the most prominent members of the blue and white pack. Signal played well as rover and his footwork was pleasing to watch. Lockett played well for Kaierau. Played in the mud at Katana, the clash between Pirates and the Ratana fifteen was not marked by any dashing display of the code, play being confined, in the main, to a forward struggle. It was obvious before the teams took the field that handling *llO ball would be almost impossible, yet Pirates, more often than not, attempted the impossible. As a result, their spasmodic passing rushes soon petered out, and frequently they were driven back to their last line of defence when the Ratana forwards came through with the leather at their toes. Had Pirates used their feet to better advantage

they might have done better than make a draw of it, for they certainly would nOu have presented their opponents with the opportunity that led to the opening score.

Cn another occasion, midway through the second spell, fumbling with the greasy ball on the part of the visiting team enabled Ratana to get away, and had it not been for the fact that the ball was kicked too hard and went over the dead-ball line Pirates would have had a leeway of six points to make up. Until backs and forwards realise that they arc courting disaster by attempting to pick up the ball under similar conditions they vi.ll throw away good chances of scoring. At full back for Pirates Smart showed out well, his handling being good and his kicking generally very ef feetive. He made a splendid effort to convert; the try scored for Pirates in the last minute, and jt was tough luck that the leather hit an upright and bounced the wrong way. Wakeling played perhaps his best game to date, while Williams got through a lot of work. He could have been better sup ported Pothury showed his usual speed but was too well looked after l>\ his opponents. Lowe is still inclined to kick when there is no necessity for so doing, whereas Plank’s handling of the wet ball was a feature of his play. J. Duncan was always in the ]»ictnrc an<i stood out as the best of the Pirate backs. Under the conditions he played a splendid game. Of the Pirate forwards the best were Stanley and Agnew, who were always in .he thick of the fray. As for Francis, it is just about, time he realised that passing the ball for wan] is one of those things that, isn’t done in the best Rugby circles.

Outstanding in the Ratana team was Meremere, the fleet Maori wing-three-quarter, of whom more should be heard i“ ho Continues to develop. S. Paki alsc worked hard and the full-back. Taiaroa, was sound on defence. At half Murphy shone out and got through his task excellently, while among the hard-working forwards Tote. Sullivan and P. Bennett perhaps wore the most deserving of mention. A summing up accords honour to the Technical Old Boys’ backs and to -he team’s defence. So far as Kaierau was concerned merit lay with the van al most entirely. As a cohesive playing force their backs were not in the same category as their opponents. J. Morgan, North and Darby played well in their respective positions, but there was nothing like the rounding off apparent in the chain as a whole as there was in Technical Old Boys’ case. As witness of that remember that lightning second spell try! Would Kaierau have been capable of such an effort? Wellington, holders of the Ranfurly •Shield play their first representative match at Wellington on July 25 against, Southland. Bennie Osler, the famous South African stand-off half, is mentioned as the likely captain of the Springbok side to tour Britain next winter. Brand. Tindall and van der Westhuizen are playing at the top of their form. Do Vil liers is considered a certainty for the base of the scrum position. In the for wards many of those stalwarts who met Brownlip’s side in 1928 are back in form. Phil Mostert is still playing and in some quarters the critics hold that his experience would be invaluable to the touring side. He will be a keen rival with Osler for the captaincy. T. and G. Osler, Du Toit, Wood and van Wyk are forwards in the running for the trip. New Zealand has invited South Afri ca to tour here in 1934. The fact reawakens memories of 1921.

Tt is refreshing to learn that W. W. Wakefield, who was chosen originally to captain the British team which toured New Zealand last year, does not condemn the wing-forward as a menace to the game. “The whole trouble, in these dull and dreary internationals,’’ lie says, “is due to the instructions of the instruction of the International Board that the ball should ho 'placed’ in the scrum and not thrown. This is an instruction. by the way; it is not in the rule book. 'Putting’ the ball in the scrum leads to slow heeling with the result that when it has come out the half is immediately smothered. Now, because, the wing-forward does his work and puts a spoke in the serum half’s wheel, you must not blame him for ruining the game.”

Makefield, who is now a referee, says that if he were given charge of an international game ho would stand by the rule book and not the instructions of the International Board. He would advise the scrum half (in New Zealand’s case the rover) to throw the ball into the scrum as hard as he could. He is definitely against the law that would restrict the wing-forwards. His contention is that if wing-forwards are made |to keep their own side of the scrum it encourages slow heeling. “•Surely wo don’t want that,” he concludes. Frank Kilby gives every indication of being New Zealand’s half-back this year. Statistics of scoring in the first round of the senior competition in Wanganui are of note. Technical Old Boys head the list with 69 points composed as follows—ls tries, four penalties, six conversions. Pirates rank next with 67 points—l 6 tries, three penalties, five conversions. Old Boys have amassed 37 points—seven tries, two penalties, three conversions and a field goal. Kaierau’s 33 points have been totalled as follows—eight tries, one penalty, one conversion and one field goal. Ratana’s total reaches 28 points—six tries, two penalties, two conversions. Marist have scored 22 points—four trios, two penalties and two conversions. The total number of points scored by the five teams competing is 256—56 tries, 42-penalties, 19 conversions and two field goals.

There are two New Zealand selectors this year instead of seven—Tod McKenzie (Wairarapa) and A lick McDonald (Otago). Less talk and better results should follow.

At Marton Park to-day the representative teams of Rangitikei and Taihape are to try conclusions. The sole selector for the Wanganui Rugby Union (Mr J. D. Crowley) will be in attendance with his “weather” eye open for prospective representative players to be included in the Wanganui side against Southland on July 15. Rangitikei and Taihape played in a trial match a week prior to the Taranaki fixture last King’s Birthday and on that occasion Taihape lost by 3 points to six. The game was close, but there was not a great deal of brilliant play. It is expected that to-day’s effort will show considerable improvement. A Rugby player who is keen and is always looking for an opening to ex-' ploit the play for his side never has time for dirty tactics. The heavy hand of the French Rugby Federation has fallent on the Leziguan Club, which has been ignominiously expelled from the federation. The French victory over England on Easter day was one of the best things that could have happened for France. All the riotous joy which followed it has evaporated and left in the minds of th 1 majority of French Rugby adherents a sober outlook and a determination to act firmly. France secs great possibilities for herself in the international field; but these can only be developed in conjunction with British ideals and a happy relationship with the four British Unions. The French Federation has, therefore, set its machinery going, and its action against Leziguan is only flu 1 forerunner of even more drastic, action Bigot, the French international forward, a member of the Lezignan Club, Ims been suspended, with another player, for a. year for brutal play. Ful-backs will have to look to their laurels. R. G. Bush has more than made good in Australia with the Now Zealand University team.