RUGBY IN REVIEW

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 103, 4 May 1938, Page 5

RUGBY IN REVIEW

PLAY IN WANGANUI UNION

SEVEN-A-SIDE AND “GREATER MOYE SCHEME”

(By

“Cross-bar.”)

Seven-a-side Rugby is not a reliable guide to form. It may give indication of pace and theie are occasions when team work reveals itself, but 90 per cent, of the game calls for fast solo work. Wanganui’s tournament last Saturday proved no exception. The winning team (Technical Old Boys A) was the fastest and made full use of the wind.

But to array the talent available for the season, merely for parade, as it were, seven-a-side is quite useful. This is what it revealed: — H. A. Brogden will be back in his ’ old role at half-back for Kaierau. J. Spooner looks the likely halfback for Technical Old Boys. Kaierau will have some difficulty in sorting out its back line, not because talent is short, but in over-supply. < • • • i Places will have to be found for H. Brogden, D. Thompson, J. Morgan. i M. Leydon, L. Burgess, J. Whale, Don > Evans, G. Duncan, and C. Mackie, not Ito mention A. G. (“Mick”) Darby. j Did somebody say that part of the I difficulty may be got over by placing [Jack Morgan in the scrum? That : would’ upset the maroon inside back j combination, so the new talent will : have to be good. R. McCarthy, ex-Taihape forward, : looks heavier and litter than ever, I and will make material difference to the Kaierau pack. M. Grogan (ex-Technical College first fifteen), will be an acquisition to the Technical Old Boys’ back. line. This club also will find some difficulty in sorting out its backs—Spooner, Welsh, Valentine, Grogan, Snewan, McCormick, Wilson, look certain of games, but there are one or two others offering. C. Hutchinson is back again with Technical Old Boys. He is one of Wanganui’s best forwards and has I been out on the line on account of I injuries. ! Waverley is looking to Brian I Thomas to do well this year. ALo M. Dickie. They were both prominent in Waverley’s talent in the seven-a-side. Strangely enough the Waverley B team, left to its own resources ana scratching for players, did better than the A’s. ♦ • • • Harry Walker expects to stand Waverley in good stead again this year. Wanganui and Old Boys should make a point of having J. Cooke in the senior team this year. He looks the goods. Glen Hook took his place at fullback for Wanganui and Old Boys A very coolly. He strikes one as being a player who might do well as a fiveeighth. R. Grace, on the injured list, will be a loss to Wanganui and Old Boys. His absence will make it all the mure necessary to look to the juniors for a back. So much for the seven-a-side. Like the game itself, the comment is a sort of disjointed ramble. Taihape supporters were dismal over the failure of the country team in the first match of the season on Saturday, states the Taihape Rugby critic in a note to “Cross-bar.” Marton Old Boys were the only team in the picture. They were a much fitter team than the home side, and made good use or their superior speed and physical fitness to score a convincing victory j over sluggish opponents. | Coles, the Marton winger, was far • too fast for the opposition, aixi ■ registered three well-deserved tries. Moss also impressed on the other ; wing, while the two Bush brothers j were a force to be reckoned with. Taihape lacked that combination that was so noticeable among the visitors, but that was not to be wondered at, considering that the country players were together for the first time, and will probably improve as they get to know each other’s play. Taihape revealed many weaknesses on defence and will have to acquire the art of tackling and backing up if they are to meet with success. The visitors impressed as a team that should go far in the competition, and shaded Taihape to such an extent that the match was too one-sided to be interesting. The Taihape country team, however, cannot be judged on its first game and there is a hope of better things to come. Payne and Follas were the pick of I the Taihape backs while Dicl I m was the most prominent forward. Wereta also went well during the short time he was on the field. Chief interest in the RangitikeiTaihape section of the “Greater Moye” scheme of play undoubtedly centred on the showing of last year s champions. Bulls, cn Saturday, states the Bulls Rugby critic in a commentary on last Saturday's play.

Having lost players of representative class like James, Lawrence, Blair, Culpan and Potaka, it was hardly lo be expected that Bulls would replace this quintette satisfactorily, and on Saturday’s showing it is evident that James and Blair, two very line forwards, will be missed most. Bulls forwards were out-weighed and out-played by a moderate pack from Hunterville, and but for Fred Stock’s hefty foot, the former champions might have tasted defeat. Culpan’s place at wing three-quar-ter was filled by Ray Bromley, who has played up through all grades m his home town. He is a sound tackler, and possessed of a fair turn of speed, but he lacks the experience of a Culpan. Lawrence’s place at first fiveeighths was taken by another Flock House boy, D. J. McAlpine, who captained the “House” fifteen in the third grade competition last season. It was a big jump for McAlpine, who is only 18 years of age, but he is a sturdy-built young fellow, and can stand up to hard play. The rest of the team is practically the same as that of last year. With their forwards beaten for possession, Bulls backs had to make their own openings on Saturday, and they certainly shaded the visitors in defence and attack. Whether the blacks will be able tc do so when opposed to stronger teams, both lurwards and backs, is another question, and the lightness of the Bulls pack will have to be remedied before the more serious matches are played. Next Saturday H. Beilski, a hooker who played for Kimbolton last season, will be in the team, and he should be a decided acquisition. There is nothing wrong with the Bulls backs, they are speedy and aggressive, and all kick well.

RUGBY FOR BOYS Boys attending school, and others who have left but are too small to make the, grades in Rugby, are invited to meet mem- , hers of the Wanganui Junior j Management Board at Spriggens | Dark next Saturday. Teams will be formed and instruction given in coaching. This move is being undertaken to give Rugby encouragement among boys who want to fill in their Saturday mornings.

Stock, on the last line of defence, failed to reach the ball on the full on a few occasions, but on the whole his fielding was excellent, while his lengthy kicks to the side-line—inter-national rules being in force —gained great chunks of ground. His goalkicking is another valuable asset, and from wide angles he put two over in four attempts, and there was not a bad shot in the lot. Reg. Hallamore, who captains the team, played a heady game, always sensing where play would swing tc, and when in possession either kicking into open spaces, or sending on accurate passes. Ray Bromley, on the left wing, did not get many opportunities, but he was responsible for one dashing run in the first spell. Tom Campbell was in the thick of It all day, tackling well, and putting in bustling runs, but his in-passes were mostly forward. “Paddy” Williams, at second fiveeighths, played his usual hard game, although well marked, and when under way he takes some stopping. His fitness should be more noticeable latei on, and he is likely to gain be a thorn ; in the side of hesitant tackler.% j Young McAlpine showed up promis ingly, though he was not well served from the base of the scrum. He tackled soundly, ana several times showed pace, running straight, as diet Lawrence. Bending, the half-back, never got the ball cleanly, and his passes were consequently hurried, and not too accurate. But he did a lot of spoling work, and worked the blind side effectively. Of the forwards, the “heavy” men of the eight, Ray Carter and G. Robinson, worked like tigers in the tight work, and Jim Cole also stooa up to the hard stuff. S. Tweedale, late of Awahuri, is a trier, and worth his place. L. Pedersen, who played for Te Kawau last year, showed a lot of dash in the open, and the diminutive Freddy Cutts (who used to shine in the five-eighths line) and Ron Ellery did likewise. But the fact remains, Bulls will have to find sd’me heavier forwards!