RUGBY IN REVIEW

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 121, 25 May 1938, Page 4

RUGBY IN REVIEW

PLAY AND PLAYERS IN WANGANUI PENDING REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES By “CROSS-BAR.” To-day’s representative match at Hawera between Taranaki and Wellington, will prepare the way for the time-honoured meeting of Wanganui and Taranaki on the King’s Birthday—June 6. The Wanganui team, apparently will be chosen on last year’s form.

Technical Old Boys emulated the Craven-Harris positioning behind the scrum on Saturday. M. Grogan stood deep from his halt (J. Spooner). Largely because Grogan Ls not quick off the mark, the South African thrust was missing, but the attempt was worthy of commendation. New Zealand must make more play for her three-quarter line, and the only way to do it is to get the ball well away from the scrum and as quickly as possible. Technical Old Boys will need infinitely more thrust about backs and forwards than was shown in Saturdays match. Remembering that the winners scored but one try in the second spell, and that against a team which was weak, prompts the advice that something will be needed to win the championship. Likewise. Wanganui and Old Boys, the other unbeaten team, will need more life in the van. Except tor lapses in handling in the oulei positions. Old Boys’ backs went well against Waverley. It was the rearguard whic.i won the match. Waverley produced two iirst-class backs in Brian Thomas and M. Dickie. Both should be certain of their places in the team to play Taranaki. E. Chamberlain, Old Boys’ halfback. was easily the best of the winning line against Waverley. He has played two good games this season and should get the position in the representative team. His running war not overdone, but applied by way of T. Collins was Old Boss’ outstanding forward. He played a tireless game right througn. M. McGregor and Hanson could be ranked next, it was pleasing to see the way the forwards backed up the backs in this match. The fundamental requirement of a good Rugby team is its pack, and it that is coached on right lines as to scrummaging and made to remember that a forward’s part Ls not done after giving the backs the ball, the better it will be for the game Coverage of threequarters by the forwards has evidently been drummed into Old Boys. Against Waverley it resulted in two tries being scored. Hairy Walker played a sale gam: for Waverley in fielding, but his inside backs left him too much to do in other respects. The Waverley pack played a strenuous game. EH. Dryden and A. Stewart were prominent. There was not so great a margin of difference 1.1 the two packs as there was between the two lines of backs. Failure to get men low proved a costly business to the team irom ’’over the border. -Don” Evans, unable to get a game with Kaierau played at centre tor Old Boys. He scored two well-merit-ed tries. On both occasions openings ' - Jing was needed and he was not found wanting in that respect. D. Barton was always a dangerous player tor Old Boys. Waverley knew that and had M. Dickie marking him. When that happened Barton was inclined to run out and crowd his wings. That is one of his faults, but he often redeems a seemingly’ lost position by suddenly straightening up. His outside backs could help things now and again by taking the infield, instead ol the outfield, running. Wanganui’s full-back position I:Cj between D. Thompson t Kaierau’, Glen Hook (Old Boys), A. McCormick. • Technical Old Boys) and H. Walker < Waverley). If last years form is to be the guide, and it certainly looks if it will have to be, Thompson will get the job. Unfortunately for th. selectors, he cannot be judged as j full-back, in that he is playing fiveeighths again. Here is the probable back line f*n June 6: Half-back: E. Chamberlain (Old Five-eighths: B. Thomas (Waverley’. K. Welsh (Technical Old Boys’. Three-quarters: M. Dickie (Waveiiey>, D. G. Barton (Old Boys’, am one winger to be decided upon. Full-back: D. Thompson (Kaierau) In the country clubs M. bollaj • Taihape country) is reported to b back t form. P. Bending (Bulls half’ and P. Williams (Bulls live-eighth are both to the fore again. S tai as the forwards are cor.lyer will have to be found to i Gay Lockett, the reprtf sent alive skipner, who is reported tc t>e out fi r the season, having suffered a severe iiness. Lockett has rendered great . e to Rugby. It had been his hope to play last season this year, but the fahs interfered. W. Firmin (Kaierau) is another who w missed from the representative p..ck. A. Blair (Bulls) ami N. Jam- Bu -■ are both not playing. so a good real of team building will be r. led in the scrum. A. Davi. n (Technical Old Boys), Wally Thompson (Taihape), C. Goldsbury (Tech: ic a I Old Boys), and J. J. McDonald < Hunterville) appear to be the only regular players of last year fit and read, for this season. A backrow man, a lock, and two side-row players will be needed. Thus the team against Taranaki can almost select itself as far as this. Full-back: D. Thompson (K). Three-quarters M. Dickie (W), D. G. Barton (0.8. l Five-eighths: K. Welsh (T. 0.8. E. Thomas <W>. Half-back: E. Chamberlain (O.B.). Back of scrum: Sides: , . Locks: A. Davidson tT.0.8.)., *

Front row: C. Goldsbury (T. 0.8. J. J. McDonald (Hunt.?, W. Thompson (Taihape). * * * It is presumed that G. Lockett's mantle of captain will fall on D. G. Barton (Old Boys), Pirates’ trouble in the match with ; Technical Old Boys on Saturday was : tackling. The blacks did not stop the ! opposing players quick enough. Kcnch and Stewart played aggressive games | in the forwards for the blacks, Kench I in the tight and Stewart out in the ’open. : The hooking of the Technical Old Boys’ scrum was not as effective as it I might have been. It improved later lin the match. With backs like the ■ team has a good hooker is essential. * K Pirates have seemingly never • learned the lesson that it pays to back | up. Time after time one player was i allowed to travel away on his own, • with nobody near to give a helping I hand. I •’Toby” McCormick was an enter- ‘ prising full-back for Technical OU j Boys. He scored a try and was never ; at a loss to back his threequarters up iin attack. Such enterprise was • ing and good will nearly always come ! of it if effective protection is provid- • ed for the position left vacant. j Knox Welsh is destined to play good [ football this season. He was the star ■in the Technical Old Boys’ line o.t I Saturday. Quick delivery from lhe ; scrum will always give him a chance to give as good a display of live-eighth play as will be seen anywhere in N*ew Zealand. Fast, open play delighted the crowd at Bulls on Saturday, and at the conclusion both teams received ! on leaving the field, writes the Bulls : correspondent. The game was played ; at a fast clip throughout, and there i was not a dull moment in the whole So minutes. Possession o£ the ball en- | a bled Buds backs to show’ their best form; in la<t. as a whole, they piaye 1 j a bit above themselves. Twenty-six ' points were registered in the game, 1 and 21 of them were scored in quick time. IS in the first spell and 3 in the first few minutes of the .second. With 3«» minutes to play, Bulls had what appeared to be a safe lead, nine points, but their light forwards then ; began to feel the effects of standing up to the big fellows from Taihape Coun- | try, and the black pack did not offer ! the same protection to their ' with the result that the visitors’ fotj wards continually broke through, and . their (Taihape’ five-eighths were abL .to do more spoiling work. But the- ' home backs either took their men, o. I gathered the ball off their toes anc I booted, generally getting the line too. ' The game was remarkable for its | number of free-kicks, and the greens infringed most, frequently giving the i defenders much needed relict thereby. : Bulis and Taihape Town are now i level for the Rangitikei championship, and if both win on Saturday next, the deciding game will probably be played on neutral ground. Next week ihc Bulls Club will lose the valuable seivices of Tom Campbell, who is joining the army (he is already a lieutenI ant in the Territorials), and his place :at right wing three-quarter will be i hard to iili. There is also a chance I that Paddy’’ Williams will attract ■ the .selectors’ eyes for the Maori team, i which would iurther weaken a lino ’combination. However, it is expected ; that both Campbell and Wiliams wili Jbe on hand this coming Saturday > | when Bulls and Marton Old Boys . J meet at Bulls. I F. Stock was again a match-winner , i with his boot, kicking two penaKy , goals, one from a wide angle. In the , four senior games played this year, .| Stock has ben responsible for six pent' ally goals and four conversions, and . in three of the four matches has turned the tide in Bulls’ favour witn ! penalty goals. His line-kicking is ani other valuable asset, and on Satur- | day he kept the line-umpire very i' busy, particularly in the second spell. ! Mention of line-umpires reminds that . ’ these officials are expected to observe i strict impartiality, not to “coach” . players from the side line! Of the other Bulls backs it suffices to say that all played really well. Bending gave fairly good passes, hampered by quick break- , aways from the green pack, and McAlpine was brilliant, cutting through F in style reminiscent of another Flock | House lad, Lawrence. In the first half I Foilas and Hekenui had Williams well ; marked, but they soon woke up to the jfact that McAlpine was equally dan- _| gerous in attack, and transferred i their attention to the first five- • I eighth. Williams got through an imJt mense amount of work in attack, runJning strongly and kicking with length and direction. He missed his man at ’ times, but Hallamore (the “Admirable Crichton” of Rugby here) anticipated almost everything, and gave his usual sound, polished display. Campbell ( had more chances than his vis-a-vis on the wing, and notched one really great try. Pedersen kept up with the ’ few passing runs which came his way, and rounded off Hallamore’s swerving thrusts with a clean take and a pretty try. Of the forwards, Carter, Bielski and Robinson were the best of eight solid grafters. P. Marshall, the Taihape Country full-back, had a busy time, but came through well. His tackling was very sound, and his line-kicking good. Foi ■ a side which only meets on the fiela lon match Saturdays, the three-quar-ters showed fair combination, Johansen being the best in attack, and all f kicking well. Hekenui and Folias played brilliantly in the five-eighth sector, but Payne did not often obtain the ball to feed them. The green forwards are a solid lot. with P. Wcreta outstanding. In fact, he was easily the best forward on the field.

C. Dickson and T. Potaka also played fine games, and the forwards, without exception, were well trained, and were going harder towards the finish than at any part of a memorable game.