A SOCIABLE TEAM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 201, 26 August 1936, Page 6

A SOCIABLE TEAM

AUSTRALIAN RUGBY PARTY GENIAL MR GORDON SHAW VISITORS AT HOME IN WANGANUI Big, hale, and i Gordon Shaw makes an ideal manager of a Rugbj football team. He was early astii with the boys of the visiting Australian party after their arrival in Wanganui yesterday morning from Auckland. The players under his charge are as happy as he is. They are typically Australian, at home immediately the} arrive, carefree and definitely so ciable. “We know nobody except b} Christian names, nicknames pre ferred,” said one of the lads talking to the “Chronicle’’ Rugby writer “Wanganui has been particular!} good to us this morning. This sun i: as good as the best in Sydney.’’ Light training was indulged in yesterday and the team Is looking forward to the game to-day. A sharplj falling glass last night Tended to les sen hopes of fine weather, but the fact that Spriggens Park will not be I “sea of mud” was encouraging. Included in the party travelling with the team is Mr Harold A. Judd who played in the New South Wales team of 1901, and also the Australiar side which visited this country ii 1905. Resembling the manager of the present team, Mr Gordon Shaw, ir build, Mr Judd is just as keen an en thusiast. These two made a happj combination yesterday morning, M: Shaw resplendent in his gold-mono grammed green blazer. They startec to talk old times and tjie morning flew before they were aware of it. Alex Takarangi joined the groui later and memories went back to 1901 H. A. Judd and Alex played agains each other on Cook's Gardens in tha' year. Happy and light-hearted thougl they appear in their off-the-field leis lire, these Australian visitors arc deeply serious about their Rugby Lifting the Bledisloe Cup in 1934 ha: done Rugby Union code a wonderfu amount of good in Australia. Ever} member of the team will tell you that “And the Cup is going back with us,’ they will add, and they mean it. Whoever heard of an Australia) who was shy of the girls? There arc none among the single members o the party, all of whom are lookinj forward to to-night’s ball. “It ma’ have been the sunshine, or it may b< the trip we are enjoying, but we have seen more pretty girls in Wanganu than we saw in Auckland,” a playei said yesterday afternoon. That compliment will be appreci ated by the fair sex of ‘he River City but it would be as well to mentior that there are several young ladie: over the Tasman who figure large!} in the thoughts of those who are hen to play Rugby. A heavy mail goe: out regularly to brave the billows o the Tasman and if you could und< the secrecy of the post oflice yot would find that a majority of the let ters bear feminine names in the for mal address. Managing a Rugby team is not al an easy joh. There is a certain code of discipline to be observed off the field and a manager must be mixture of strength and good fellowship He must keep a wary eye on the younger bloods, and more or less mother them beyond the reaches oi hilarious people keen to taste the glories of the flowing bowl. “What, again?” queried Managei Gordon Shaw yesterday ever anc anon if he saw the familiar greer blazer mixing mixing with the crowc in the bar. “Only this one. That’ll be the lasi for to-day.” That would be the reply. Genial tc a degree, but conscious all the time of the role a manager has to play Gordon Shaw is living up to his part He was making friends in Wanganu five minutes after he descended frorr the train. His genial nature seems tc pervade the whole of the visiting team. It was the irony of fate that the team lost its song leader, “Wild Bill’ Cerutti, who suffered an injury to e jawbone in the match at Auckland If the mishap had been to any other bone than one in the jaw, the Australians would have been able to keej Bill at his allotted task of leading the singing. But now the doctor’s orders are that the jaw must be rested as much as possible. Bill’s way of giving it a rest was to sojourn in New Plymouth, beneath the soft charm o, Egmont’s snowy peak. He will rejoir the party to-day in time to see the match, and is expected to go on tc Napier. “Bimbo” White, the 16st. “baby” ol the team, deputy song leader, ha; been elected to Bill's role and he ii making a good job of it, too, but is wishful lor a happy mending of Bill’s jaw, a quick and happy mending. “We left on the thirteenth of the month,’’ declared Manager Shaw “Perhaps that is why these sort o troubles visit us.” “It wasn't a Friday,” the Rugb} writer point out. “And the thirteenth may not reall} be unlucky,” Mr Shaw replied. “I’l tell you after the tour.’' In common with many anothci R,ugby player several of the Aussie: play golf. The few who could wen out yesterday. There were no report: of holing in one, so the day was ap parently just an ordinary golfing one “It doesn't follow that all those yot see in pants can play golf,” one o the lads stated. “By pants I mean thi plus fours. They’re the fashion, prefer slacks myself, but the boys wh< wear the ‘pants’ say there is nothin} like them for travelling”—which i