PIRATES AND OLD BOYS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 150, 27 June 1931, Page 4

PIRATES AND OLD BOYS

TO-DAYS RUGBY CHALLENGES KAIERAU OUT TO MAI NTAIN RECENT SUCCESS Pirates will play Old Boys this afternoon in defence of their elevated position at the head of the Wanganui Rugby ladder. This match will be the big attraction on Spriggens Park. Technieald Old Boys, sharing honours with the blacks at the top of the ladder, are to face a challenge from Marist at Wanganui East. Ratana, in the early game on Spriggens Park, will endeavour to cheek Kaierau’s steady rising in search of the lead in the senior ranks. With representative matches not far distant the selector's eye will be cast on the form of to-day. There are several promising players in the limelight for certain positions in the big team, and their inclusion will depend upon their efforts this afternoon and next Saturday.

When last the blacks met Old Boys they were successful to the tune of nine points to four —three tries against a potted goal. Looking back at the form displayed then brings the realisation that Pirates were not as strong in the van as they should have been. Territorially, the reds had the better of the play, but where Pirates mastered them fully was in back play. The blacks’ power to finish properly was always there. Relentless battling with the van did not achieve what it really ’ merited. Since that match the Pirates’ rearguard has improved and the van is now a very much more cohesive force. On recent form Old Boys should be accounted for both fore and aft. The uncertainty in Rugby is always a big factor, but the indications point to another Pirate victory this afternoon. Ratana, it is hoped, will fully live up to the reputation which, has preceded their entry to the main ground for the second time this season. The last occasion on which they played on Spriggens Park was in the first draw of the first round when they met and were defeated by Technical Old Boys by the very decided margin of 19 points (27 points to 8). New life has shown itself in the native fifteen since then and on their own ground they have played close games with Pirates and Technical Old Boys.

The writer has not seen the Maoris in action since their appearance on the main ground at the opening of the Cup fixtures, but will go as far as to say that if Ratana can beat Kaierau then their play has improved out of all knowledge. On what has been reported it looks as though the maroons will rise another two points after to-day’s match.

Rangitikei was within an ace of bringing homo the Bebbington Shield from Bush Union this week. As a matter of fact it was a sheer piece of mi.* fortune that resulted in the game ending in a draw, a very doubtful decision on the part of tho referee, pulling the trophy “out of the fire” so far as the holders were concerned. Rangi- . rikei is playing good football this year

—much better than was expected as a matter of favt. Gallagher, it is worthy of note, was the outstanding player in the team which played at Pahiatua. Wanganui Rugby fans wilt remember him playing for Marist.

It is pleasing to note that tho Wanganui Rugby Union officials have become possessed of first-hand knowledge regarding the game up-river. The Wai-nui-a-rua Union is one of the strong centres of Rugby in this district. Everybody in a very sporting fraternity is very keen and Dr. Adams and his colleagues were made aware of the fact during their visit last week end. Air Crowley saw several promising players who are likely to find their way into the Wanganui B team, if not into the A. Fostering tho grand old game in tho outposts of tho union is well worth while. It would do Wairoa good to receive a visit from Wanganui headquarters. Answer to Correspondent; “Footballer’’ (Waitotara): It matters not which way a player is facing when taking a mark. Both feet must be on the ground and he must make a heel mark as ho claims the privilege. His back can be towards the opposing side, towards his own goal, towards tho touch-line. Feet on tho ground, and the heel mark are the telling qualifications. This opinion is supported by Wanganui referees.

The rules of Rugby football continue to create live discussion, and a new line has been taken as a result of an incident in the Ponekc-Hutt senior A grade match at Athletic Park, Wellington, last Saturday. In a scrum in tho Hutt twenty-five a penalty kick was awarded to Poncke, and when the kick was unsuccessful the kicker was given another opportunity to land a goal, and this time he succeeded. Tho awarding of the second kick came ns a surprise to some followers of tho game, but nobody was more surprised than the Hutt, players. To those following events (closely and knowing tho rules the reason for tho second kink was obvious. There had been movement. by Hutt players during the time in which they wore required by the rules to remain “passive.’’ Tho report of a discussion on the matter at this week’s meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union’s Afanagomont Commiti tee indicated that there was an impression that the referee awarded the I second kick on account of a player standing on tho mark (or thereabouts) with his hands on his hips. Players have adopted that attitude quite fro qucntly without, any action being taken by the referee, and it seems that tho referees are prepared to accept that as “a natural position.” It is wrong, however, for players to do anything that might put the kicker off his kick, and if they move when the kicker is in the act of making his kivA ♦hey run the risk of being penalised. More than one player moved in the ease under notice, but, it is understood. tho referee (Mr H. S. Leith - ' singled out only one in awarding a second kick when the first, was unsuccessful. This ease is not by any means the only one that has been noticed this season, of players not remaining “passive.” Other teams have been lucky enough to get away with it. Apart from moving as rhe kick is being taken, players have been seen to advance beyond (he mark, and for

this they are liable to be penalised as in the case of tho particular infringe meat last Saturday. Tho referee was not springing anything new upon the players in ruling as he did. However, a member of the Wellington Rugby Union’s Afanagomont Committee is reported as saying that it seemed that soon players would have to spvfiul two nights a week “swotting” the rules and rulings instead of training. The players should know the rules, ana there has been any amount of time to become conversant with tho rule about players remaining “passive” when a penalty kick is being taken.

A section of Law 24 (penalty kick) states: “The opposing side must remain passive on or behind a line, until the kick has boon taken.” Some years ago there was a good deal of discussion as to what was meant by “passive.” Tho Rugby Football Union (England) decided in 1925 “that remaining passive meant to imply that tho opponents should not interfere in any way with the kicker by distracting his attention by unusual movements, and that players were not allowed to extend their arms above thch heads in the case of penalty kicks, as it was not a natural position for players to take up when standing about the field.” That did not prove entirely satisfactory, and tho International Board gavo the following ruling: “Passive means that a player must remain standing with his hands by his side and must not in any way attempt to put the kicker off his kicks.” The ruling that appears in the handbook of the New Zealand Rugby Referees* Association is as follows:—“Passive means that a player must remain standing in a natural position, with his hands by his side, and must no! in any way attempt to put the kicker off his kick.’’ The New Zealand Rugby Union’s Management Committee decided that, as cases of player* not remaining passive had been noticed, the attention of referees be called to tho matter of enforcing the rule. The fact that tho Wellington Rugby Union did not receive any notice to this effect before last Saturday’s games made no difference whatever to the position. The rule is one of long standing, and it was applied by one referee last Saturday as it i should have been enforced on all pre- I vious occasions.

HOW THE TEAMS STAND D . 4 P- W. L. D. F. A. Pts. Plates 7 4 1 2 92 41 10 Tech. Old Boys 7 4 1 2 82 33 10 Kaierau 7 4 2 1 58 32 9 Old Boys .... 7 4 3 0 5fi 67 8 Rat an a 7 1 5 1 37 8.1 3 Marist 7 1 6 0 36 105 2 Junior P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. % Technical Col. . 7 7 0 0 139 21 14 100 Old Boys .... 6 5 1 0 50 36 10 83 Kaierau 6 4 1 1 32 22 9 75 Collegiate ... 4 3 1 0 65 19 6 75 Pirates 7 4 2 1 36 34 9 64 Ratana 6 2 2 2 31 43 6 50 Wangaehu .... 6 2 3 1 43 40 5 42 Tech. Old Boys 5 1 3 1 23 40 3 30 Aramoho .... 7 2 5 0 40 57 4 29 County 5 1 4 0 18 32 2 20 Marist 7 0 7 0 10 143 0 — Thirds. P. W. L. D. F. A. Pt% % Pirates ...... 6 6 0 0 95 9 12 100 Kaierau 6 4 2 0 55 17 8 67 Marist 6 3 1 2 22 15 8 67 Tech. O.B. . A 6 3 2 1 31 28 7 58 Ratana 6 2 3 1 3 56 5 42 Tech. O.B. B.6150 0 49 2 17 Old Boys .... 6 0 6 0 0 82 0 (The latter two teams have now withdrawn. End of first round.) Fourths. P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. % Tech. A .... 3 3 0 0 37 6 6 100 Tech. Old Boys 6 5 0 1 83 18 11 92 Pirates 4 3 0 1 30 15 7 88 Marist 7 4 3 0 46 36 8 57 Kaierau 5 2 2 1 12 27 5 50 Tech. B .... 3 1 1 1 3 12 3 50 Collegiate A .. 3 1 2 0 15 29 2 33 Collegiate B .. 2 0 2 0 0 47 0 — Collegiate C..2020 0 46 0 — Fifths P. W. L. B. F. A. Pts. C? Collegiate A.. 2 200 6 5 4 100 Tech. A .... 5 4 1 0 89 64 8 80 Tech. B .... 4 3 1 0 108 11 6 75 Pirates 7 4 3 0 80 106 8 57 Collegiate B .. 3 1 2 0 64 101 2 33 Kaierau 7 2 5 0 13 63 4 29 Sixth. P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. Tech. A .. .. 2 2 0 0 *11 0 4 100 Tech. B .... 1 0 1 0 0 11 0 Collegiate .... 1010 0 0 0 — (End of first round.) Wcekes Cup. Technical .. 76 Pirates .. 74 Kaierau 58 Technical Old Boys .. .. 55 Old Boys 47 Katana 41 Marist S3 Collegiate 23