WANGANUI RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 82, 7 April 1934, Page 6

WANGANUI RUGBY

PROSPECTS FOR SEASON 1934 ABOUT CLUES AND PLAYERS SORTING OUT THE TALENT (By “Cross-bar.”) Provided players develop sufficient keenness to train and club coaches and captains encourage them in every possible way, remembering that the game not only requires physical fitness but a degree of science as well, there should De an exciting season of Rugby in store for Wanganui this year. Waverley’s appearance in city football after a lapse of years will be welcomed, provided that the team meets with a measure of success. Until the New Zealand Rugby Union meets, the representative programme will not be known, but Wanganui can look forward with confidence to visits from Auckland, Waikato, Manawatu and Wairarapa, and, of course, there will be the annual fixture with Taranaki on tho King’s Birthday, which has now been permanently arranged as a Wanganui match every year. Approaching a new season there is always a stock-taking of talent. Some clubs broach the problem light-heart-edly but with a determination to make do with what is offering. Others adopt a particularly glum attitude towards every defection. Thus a writer attempting a pre-view of a season is confounded with both optimism and pessimism. In the one case a brake is necessary and in. the other an open throttle. New players appear with “paper” reputations, old players with “practical” ability move on, and the task confronting the clubs is to fill the gaps, hoping against hope that the stern test of the game itself will not find the newcomers falling short of their reputed capabilities. With the Maroons. We may expect something of the old order from Kaierau this year—heavy forwards and solid, rather than brilliant backs. Last season tho maroons made an honest attempt to improve their back play, realising, no doubt, that the game calls for something more than sheer, brute strength. lu a new role a certain amount of success was met with, Jack Alorgan being the pivot in a back line that certainly aimed at brighter play, but fell short of the objective because of sluggishness off the mark. For solidity the line could not be equalled, but in quick movement, which would have been a Godsend behind so effective a pack, the team was always a little disappointing. Peter Stowers will be back in his old role this year on the last, lonely lino of defence, and the three-quarter trio will be much the same (Burgess, Potaka, Osman). Jack Alorgan, contrary to many pre-season rumours, will fill his old possic. R. Smith, who was promising well last year, will appear again and a place will have to be found for D. Jones, a junior who is on the upgrade and performed well against Oriental. Mutimer, V. North and George Glenn will be missing this season. In the forwards the club will still have the services of the Tasker brothers, A. (“Sago”) Simpson, “Gay” Lockett (as fit as over he was), Jock Byres (who thought seriously about being a referee but will stick to a player’s role for another year because, as ho puts it, “tho club is short of players”), the two Firmins, Dawson and Breed. Pai ram a and Thorburn may be written down as absent. Looking at that talent from every angle one can see Kaierau playing the same type of Rugby as last year. A side able to counter their pack will beat them. “Skull and Crossbones.” Pirates will enter the arena with a great deal of hope that has a foundation on speed rather than weight. To this club another stone or two more in the pack would make material difference and might encourage the backs to do better. “Spike” Lowe, Jack Duncan, McGonaglc, Ray McNeil, Bob Wakeling, AV. (“Ginger”) Wakeling, Claude Spriggens, AV. Duncan and Jimmie Williams arc all expected to be available to do battle in the backs for tho skull and crossbones for another season, and there are newcomers in Shaw, who hails from Invercargill, and a brother of J. Williams. Up in front tho blacks will again have the services of W. Copley, A. Tonks, O. Alaitland, AV. Thompson, Delves, AVaters and probably Francis. A newcomer will be Paki, who played with the side against Kia Toa last week. Lind may come over from Technical Old Boys and Agnew from Old Boys. Pirates’ talent presents a picture similar to that left in mind at the end of last season—a fast, light team, with one or two weaknesses in the backs that will need improvement. Len Southcombe’s Boys. Wanganui and Old Boys always look well on paper, and the club is approaching the season buoyed along by a belief that the pack will be stronger than ever it was. Len Southcombe’s death dealt this club a severe blow, but true to Leu’s own conception of them tho players will respond as they have never responded before. Elevation of Bullock-Douglas to the elub captaincy will have a marked effect for good and the news that K. (“Snowy”) Svenson is to be the club coach will be regarded with a groat deal of satisfaetion, not only by members of tho club themselves but hy tho Wanganui Bugbv public. Well do patrons remember’ the line Old Boys’ team which brought Svenson into prominence and set him on tho rails that led to an All Black wing three-quarter position. Egan’s transfer last year robbed Old Boys of a good player, and his absence will bo felt again this season. At the moment the back line looks like being: Sharpe (full-back), Bullock-Douglas, Gibson (if ho is lit), Beadle (threequarters);. Chamberlain (Ist. fiveeighth); Hunter, a son of the famous Jimmie (half). That leaves a serious gap at second five-eighths. The chib will have Nicholls, a junior boy to call on as a back, and in a re-arrangemont Gibson would be brought in a place. At present, however, lie is not fit for play, owing to an injured ankle. So far as the pack is concerned matters are more promising. lan Mclntyre, the big Rangitikei representative, Seiwood and McClelland are three newcomers, who will add weight and pace to the vanguard. McClelland played for the Manawatu representatives last year in all games but two, one of which he was not available for. Clay, Watson, Me-

Gregor, Halligan, Higgie and Green will still bo available. It looks as though Old Boys, for tho first time in their existence, will bo a team of forwards without the class of back lino the club has fielded in the past. Technical Old Boys. The greatest losses Technical Old Boys will have to make up for will be O. Rogers and C. Fowler. Both have joined tho Police Force and, now having to do as they are told, are living in Auckland. Both will play for the Queen City’s Alarist Club. R. Aletc King! will not bo playing and O’Keeffe and Brisco are both doubtful starters. E. Brown, the fast centre, is now away from Wanganui. The club hopes that Brisco will rise above his present frame of mind and come back to tho fold. F. Thomson, Inglis, AVcir (perhaps) and Wishart are all being counted on and tho club has the following new talent in tho backs, most of it from the Technical College —J. Afete Kingi, Rowe, AVelch, Irwin, C. Beadle (junior), Domney (third grade) and a younger edition of “Chook’’ Fowler (a junior). In the forwards the club will still count upon G. Burrell, K. Craig, C. Hutchinson, AV. Connors, B. AlcGlynn, Kjoss, K. Bassett and Davidson. The recent injury to Alclvillc Granville will rob the pack of a useful man. It would ‘appear that Technical Old Boys, despite defections, will play their usual attractive type of Rugby that is worthy of emulation by every club in the union. “With the Greens of Killamey.” Tho season promises well for Marist. The club had a very enthusiastic annual meeting and Aline Host Alick Kyne is now the directing administrative genius. It looks as though tho greens have taken upon themselves a new lease of life. Alost of their old backs will be in action again—J. Upston, C. Bishop, H. Hogg, L. Narboy, J. Hodson, Fennell, Darby and Cronin. C. Harrison will bo among thc'nitasing, but two useful acquisitions to the rearguard will bo Gregory (cx-Tcchnical College) andCurrie (promoted from third grade). In the forwards the majority of last year’s players will be available—R. Alartin, G. Buckley, L. Fromont, Pat Afatthews, C. Stiver, G. Kenny, A. Hansen, V. Crotty (not an old stager even yet), Phillips and Reynolds. Alarist will bo a hard force up in front and their backs look more promising than they did last year. Waverley’s Intentions. Until tho team actually makes it appearance not much will be known about Waverley’s chances. Plenty of whispers have been circulated which lead one to believe that there will be a fair sprinkling of New Plymouth High School talent available, plus some very fair local ability, which was utilised to some extent by the AVanganui Union last year. Walker (full-back) and AlcLcnaghan (three-quarter), are two who will bo turning out with tho side. The city will welcome the appearance of the AVaverley team in tho Metropolitan competition, nothwithstanding the fact that their heralded advent has a flavour about it in keeping with that which England tasted when tho “Blue Bon nets Camo Over the Border.” AVhat of Ratana? “Ke roto ratau i to powitanga keite rapu i te maramtanga,” which, translated means: “AVc are again in lhe i darkness and, as usual, waiting to see.”