WANGANUI RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 183, 5 August 1933, Page 6

WANGANUI RUGBY

THREE MATCHES TO-DAY MARIST AGAINST KAIERAU. WHAT OF RATANA? To-day the Wanganui Metropolitan Rugby Union’s one-round, competition is to be continued, when Marist and Kaierau will be. fielded in the major match. At half-past one, Ratana will make an appearance on Spriggens Park against Old Boys. More than ordinary interest will attach to this match, for the reason that the selector will be on the look-out for talent for inside back positions. If the Ratana team can supply requirements in that direction, per haps choice will fall on one or two of the native players. Apart from that, Wanganui is to play the Taranaki Maori representatives here on August 19. and the selectors have the Wanganui native team in view. Naturally a great deal of interest will be taken in the clash between Kaierau and Marist, for the reason that the greens will endeavour to check Kaierau’s winning way. The maroons arc determined to win through this season without defeat and, up to the las’match they played, they certainly looked like making good their promise in that direction. Pirates, However, by effecting a three-point draw against Kaierau, checked a good deal of the maroon hope, and raised the belief that tho champions will be beaten before long. The question is, to which club will fall the honour of beating the maroons—Marist (to-day). Technlea 1 Old Boys, or Old Boys? Ratana have played good football against the best of the city teams during the past few weeks, and it is honed that the natives will be at their best this afternoon against Old Boys.

WEEKES CUP AS AT JULY 4, 1933. Per cent. Kaierau 1.45 Technical Old Boys ... 1.41 Pirates J-21 Marist 57 MATCH AT WELLINGTON CANTERBURY TOURING TEAM A Rugby match will be played at Athletic Park, Wellington, to-day between the Wellington representatives and the Canterbury touring team. This will not be a Ranfurly Bliield match The teams for the match are: Canterbury: Full-back, G. T. Nolan, three-quarters, G. F. Hart, C. H. McPhail, N. Dunshea; five-eighths, K. 8. Mortlock, R. Hazelhurst; half-back, L. Brown; forwards, A. I. Cottrell, JWade, A. Bowes, F. J. Foley, A. M. Hartnell, G. J. Howell, J. E. Manchester, A. H. Andrews. Emergencies:— Backs, J. Hattersley, J. C. Rawson, N. Boutercy, G. Stevens; forwards, P. Roberts, 'h. Milliken and E. G. Watkins. Wellington: Full-back, H. R. Pollock; three-quarters, F. Fuller, B. A. Killeen, C. Robins; five-eighths, J. L. Griffiths, J. R. Page; half-back, F. D. Kilby; forwards, L. C. Bydiler, A. Lambourn, J. G. Dcllaßarca, W. Peck, E. Barry, E. Reid, H. F. McLean, JLamason. Emergencies: —Backs, E. W. Tindill, Atkins, E. Ball; forwards, J. Butler, Quaid, Wilson. TO PLAY TAIHAPE PROBABLE WANGANUI TEAM SELECTOR’S HARD TASK (By “Cross-bar.") Next Saturday the Metropolitan Rugby Union will have an important match to play—that against Taihape, at Wanganui, for tho Pownall Trophy. The Taihape team has been moulded into a very solid combination this year. It began its 1933 career with the public in somewhat doubtful mind ns to )t3 capabilities, but it very nearly succeeded in defeating the Metropolitan team early in the season. That match gave the public a new outlook on the side, with tho result that it has played well ever since, not losing a match. This is Taihape’s record to date: —

v. Wanganui, lost, 11 to 12. v. Rangitikei, won, 11 to 3. v. Taumarunui, won, 19 to 6. v. Rangitikei, won, 31 to 6. v. Ruapehu, won, 21 to 16. Played, 5; won, 4; lost, 1. A very creditable record and one which will probably impress the Wanganui selector very forcibly. Concentration on the talent available in Wanganui will have to be very keen this week-end. Play of the B representative side at Wairoa last Saturday, and recent club games, have given the selector much to think about. His will be no easy task, for the reason that talent for the inside back positions is of a low quality. P. Stiver has returned to Wellington, and, accordingly, the task of the selector is made more difficult. Smith (of Kaierau) was tried out at Waitotara last Saturday, and proved that he was not as capable against g jod defensive backs as he gave proni'se of being. The half-back position, the firstand second five-eighths and the centre, will give rise to a great deal of thought In all probability the selector will go back to his line that played against Rangitikei—McGregor, Morgan, Gibson, Brown. W. Duncan (Pirates) played a good game against Wairoa, however, and in that match over shadowed McGregor’s effort against Rangitikei. If Duncan was smarter he should go into the team for next Saturday, because it will be Wanganui’s job to liven up the speed inside so ns tn give the wings the best of chances. Tho greatest difficulty will bo experience-! in putting out a good five-eighth lino—one that will move up to passes. Morgan, apart, from the fault of being too slow in attack, is a useful man. This is tho line the writer would have put out, however, if Stiver had been available—Duncan, Lowe, Stiver, Gibson, Bullock-Douglas, Rrown, Rogers. With Stiver out a useful line would be—Dun can, Lowe, Morgan, Gibson, BullockDouglas, Rrown, Rogers. Now, about the forwards! There will

be just as much difficulty in sorting out a good pack as there will be in placing the backs. In tho match against Taihape two phases of play will have to bo studied so far as Wanganui is concerned —lineout play and effective packing. Firmin should find a place merely for his ability in the lineouts. This is tho pack the writer would choose: Lockett; ’Matthews, Firmin. Fowler, Copley; Dawson, Thompson, Hansen. Thus the complete team would read: Full-back: Rogers (TOB). Three-quarters: Bullock - Doughs (OB), Gibson (OB), Brown (TOB). Five-eighths: Lowe (P) Ist., Morgan (K), second. Half-back: W. Duncan (P). Baek of the scrum: Lockett (K). Middle row: Matthews (Al), W. Firinin (K), Fowler (TOB). Copley (P), Front, row: Dawson (K), W. Thompson (P), Hansen (Al). Reserves: F. Thompson (TOB), Briscoe (TOB), backs; Pairama (K), Maitland (P), forwards. By the way, how long will it take for I Wanganui to absorb the advice of Cliff Porter and pack a 'three throe-two scrum t