EYES ON THE RUGBY FIELD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 189, 12 August 1931, Page 4

EYES ON THE RUGBY FIELD

(By

"CROSS-BAR").

Tain ape will defend the Pownali trophy against a challenge from Rangitikei to-day. The challengers have already defeated Taihape this season and will naturally be feeling confident of being sue cessful. The Taihape team is a strong one, and will have the advantage of playing on its own ground. The local representatives’ last line of defence has been entrusted to D. Thompson. This player gave a good account of himself in the Pirates-Old Boys match on Saturday. He fielded, kicked and tackled well, but showed a tendency to hang on too long. On one occasion he was caught in possession. The three-quarter line will consist of Hekenui, Collier (centre), and Hall. Hekenui has given some impressive displays on the wing lately and appears to be a distinct ‘‘find.’’ Hall is quite a good wing three-quarter and has figured prominently in recent club matches. Collier is always dangerous and takes a lot of stopping. He is an excellent place kick and infringements on the part of the opposition may prove costly to-day. Hawkins and Fuller, the two fiveare club mates and have both impressed the selector lately. Fuller played particularly well last Saturday in the Pirates-Old Boys match. He is quick to seize an opening and has a deceptive run. Kingi will fill the position of halfback. When on his game Kingi is the best pivot in the district, but he has been off colour lately. Beiliss will occupy the position of wing forward. Although not the Beiliss of old he is still a force to be reckoned with and has figured prominently in club football this season. He is worth a place for his generalship alone. The forwards comprise W. Thompson, D. Derbidge, W. Sinclair, Leahy, Heise, William Pine and B. McCarthy. Nearly all of those mentioned have played in the Wanganui representative team at one time or another. Heise is Taihape’s sole representative in the Wanganui fifteen to play Canterbury next Saturday. William Pine and McCarthy are worth a place in any team. Although Taihape were beaten by Rangitikei at Marton earlier in the season, they are considered to have a good chance of retaining the Pownali trophy to-day. As an exhibition of Rugby the match between Pirates and Old Boys last Saturday fell below expectations. Pirates’ back line was weakened by the loss of Graham (who is on holiday) and did not attain the heights reached by the Old Boys’ rearguard. Fuller and Collier stood out amongst the Old Boys backs and took a lot of stopping. For those who don’t tackle low —and there arc many in Taihape—Collier is a very hard man to bring down, and sometimes it took three Pirates to stop him, who makes good use of a powerful fend. There was far too much tackling round rhe neck in the match. The great majority of the players in each team seem to have lost the art of tackling low. D. Thompson is a notable exception. He always goes for his man low, often saving his side by his efficiency in this department of the game. On one occasion Bowler was only a foot or two from the Pirates line when Thompson collared him round the legs and brought him down with a perfect tackle. With Bowler it a case of “so near and yet so far” from the goal line. N. Woodhead’s try for Pirates was a fine solo effort on this player’s part. Old Boys were attacking, but a faulty pass enabled Woodhead to gain possession and he broke clean away. He then kicked over the line and in the race for the ball he was there first and scored behind the posts. To the amazement of everybody D. Thompson missed the kick, the ball hitting the cross-bar and bouncing back. If it had gone over Pirates would have won, but still every game is full of “ifs.” Later in the match Collier showed his ability as a place kick by landing a goal from near half-way. Old Boys dominated the play during the greater portion of the second spell and only sound defence prevented them from scoring. Huia were too good for United on Saturday. The Maori team was leading by 11 points to 0 at half-time, when United decided to forfeit, the match. For Huia tries were scored by Hekenui (2) and Ruahina. Whai Pine converted one of Hekenui’s tries. The championship points scored by each team to date are as follows: — Pirates 14, Huia 12, Hautapu 11, Old Boys 11, United 4. The major attraction on Saturday will be the match between Pirates and Huia. As the game has such a close bearing on the championship the result will be eagerly awaited. Hautapu and Old Boys will also try conclusions and the result of this match will also bo awaited with interest. Huia are the fittest team in the competition. Their coach and trainer (Mr. M. Hogan) told the writer recently that since he commenced training the Huia team their aggregate weight had been reduced by approximately 40 stone. Hawke’s Bay and Wanganui Maoris play on Spriggens Park to-day in a trial match preparatory to selecting the Maori All Black team to play Australia. Rangitikei and Taihape play for the Pownali trophy at Taihape to-day—the home team filling the role of defenders against very hopeful challengers. Next Saturday the Canterbury touring team will play Wanganui on Spriggens Park. The Wanganui selector has chosen the best talent available for the fifth representative A match of the season. In some respects Marist were unlucky not to win against Kaierau last Satur •lay. Still, every match has that element of “luck,” if the term might be used with regard to Rugby, and Kaierau, from another point of view, might have had a substantial win. The fair thing to say in connection with the match would be that it should have been a draw—Marist just a point better than the score indicated.

It is pleasing to see a team on the bottom of the ladder playing up strenuously against the best of opponents. The usual thing is to see the “down under” clubs sort of lose heart, but there has been a decided exception to this rule in Wanganui Rugby this year. Both Marist and Ratana have responded well in every match and the better the team opposing them, the better has been their play. At this stage it might be well to analyse the chances of the three leading teams of gaining the coveted championship honours. It may be taken lor granted that neither Ratana noi Marist can win, or, for that matter, Old Boys; so the position resolves itself down to a contest between Technical Old Boys, Kaierau and Pirates, with the odds against each team increasing in that order. Technical Old Boys has a point advantage of Kaierau, and there are two I hard matches to go —against Pirates jand against the maroons. To arrive at i what is possible in future play one may ; resort again to that great word “if. It plays its part in life, in play, perhaps, even in death.

Each team has still two more matches to play. Technical Old Boys have to survive against Pirates and Kaierau to win the championship and can afford to draw once to reach a position in which they will, have to play off with Kaierau. Kaierau has to face Technical Old Boys and Old Boys and their hope of victory will depend on being able to defeat the former side. Old Boys have a very remote chance of succeeding against the maroons. Pirates have Marist and Technical Old Boys to meet and their only hope of seeing the cup is by seeing Technical Old Boys beaten twice and Kaierau once, while they must win both their own matches. If such occurs then the blacks and maroons will have to play off. If Technical Old Boys succeed in one of their matches, howeevr, they will be too far ahead for Pirates to capture them. from Kaierau’s viewpoint. They lie a point behind Technical Old Boys and it will only need a draw on this team’s part ro bring the. maroons level. Kaierau will succeed in the championship, however, if they can win both their

matches. Against Old Boys they have every chance of succeeding, but against the present championship leaders they will have to play hard to get through. Indications point to Kaierau having a slight advantage in the matches ahead in that they have one match in which victory should be easy, whereas Technical Old Boys have two very hard tussles. One slip on the part of either team, however, will probably decide the championship, notwithstanding the fact that Technical Old Boys can afford to lose one point before a play-off is necessary. Every credit must be given the green van for the way in which they played Kaierau in the second spell. It is a pity this team has not the backs to support the hard battling efforts of the men up in front. The passing rushes were all taken standing still and tended to lose ground until they reached Narbey. He was the star back in the side. On defence, however, the greens’ backs played up remarkably well. They all tackled correctly, particularly Phil lips and Narbey. In the forwards Phillips was the mainstay with good support materialising from Fromont, Smith and Crotty. Crotty played his best this season. It was noticeable that the Marist hookers got a share of the ball, which is saying a good deal when it is realised that they were up against Charles and Tasker. The pity of the position was that it was only on rare occasions that the backs could exploit hard won possession. Kaierau’s pack began well, but faded away when the life appeared in the .Marist side. W. Firmin was probably the best of the van. George Glenn did not display his usual vim. Wilson played a big part in the lineouts. This club is well served by its hookers, Charles and Tasker. Provided they get the weight from behind they are able to do their duty with splendid regularity. Apart from their combination close in to the scrum, however, Kaierau seems hard put to it to make the best use <»f the possession gained for them by the front row men. The maroon backs have not the dash and resource they should have. They trend towards solidarity rather than brilliance. Raynor, a promoted player, shows very sound knowledge of half-back play and aided the maroons very fully on Saturday, particularly when opposed to a very quick spoiling pack. His left foot kicking was splendid. Although Marist had Jack Morgan well marked, he was the mainstay of the Kaierau backs again, particularly on defence. Simpson rendered great service on the maroon last line of defence. There was a distinct contrast between the two spells of the Technical Old Boys —Old Boys match. In the first Old Boys hooked the ball from most of the set scrums. In the second they didn’t That is a nutshell description of the change which came over the scene when the teams resumed after the interval. The fast team of Technical Old Boys’ backs had the ability to show what should be done with possession. When injuries played their part Old Boys wore a very forlorn side. The winners field ed a very evenly balanced team, and full credit must be paid to the way the forwards played. Bert Delves did not play up to form in the first spell, but certainly made up for this in the second. Both teams were inclined to show raggedness at handling. Brisco, Peek and Reid were the best backs Technical Old Boys fielded . Dennis, apart from faulty handling at times, is inclined to be an individualist. In time, provided proper attention is given to the part of centre, he will appreciate that upon him devolves the duty of playing the wings into position correctly, and so shaping his form as to make matters easier for the mon inside and outside him in the chain of backs. Reid did most of the work which gave Dennis his prominence on Saturday. Blyth was missed badly by the reds. Bullock-Douglas was the only member of the rearguard who mustered anything approaching best form. The forwards played well in the first spell, but lacked any life in the second. Ntr Alex Takarangi has received the following letter from Jock Richardson. ex-All Black, and secretary to the Southland Rugby Union: “I desire to convey to you the great thanks of my executive for the hospitality extended by you to my union’s visiting team whilst in Wanganui. The players and manager alike .appreciated this very greatly indeed and have asked me to express the same to you.” This letter was forwarded to express gratitude for the hospitality of the Wanganui Maoris generally. Air Takarangi acted on their behalf, and made the various arrangements. Things the “bank” would like to know: How many wing three-quarters are there in Wanganui who can throw the ball in straight when the forces of nature, play no part? It is deplorable. Saturday after Saturday to see the weak attempts made at throwing in from touch. Players seem to have lost the art, and one rarely sees those days those long throws-in to the centre of the field. They are nearly always of the short type and. nine times out of ten, result in a scrum. Referees can penalise if they consider a team is deliberately throwing in on an angle merely to get 'a scrum. W. A. Strang, the South Canterbury second five-eighth, who has been chosen as half-back for the South Island team, learnt his football in Southland along with Frank Kilby, now of Wellington. The pair wore inseparable comrades at the South School at Invercargill, although Kilby was a class or two above him. The friendship was renewed at the Southland Boys’ High School in later years, whem both of them played for the first fifteen and the first eleven Both since attained to international football. Strang played ns second fiveeighth in the third and fourth tests against the British team, and made a name for himself. Tt is very unlikely that, he will be selected as second fiveeighth for the South Island team, considering that Oliver has as good as landed the job, but there is a distinct possibilitv that ho will go in as halfback. Neither Canterbury. Otago nor Southland has any serious claimant Holden, hailed as a champion two years ago, has completely faded out of the forpieturo. Ho is playing in Southland, but failed to make the grade either for the provincial or the sub-unions’ side.