WANGANUI RUGBY SEASON TO OPEN ON SATURDAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 95, 24 April 1940, Page 9

WANGANUI RUGBY SEASON TO OPEN ON SATURDAY

SIX TEAMS IN THE SENIOR CUP

NOTES AND COMMENTS ON HOW THE PLAYERS ARE SHAPING

(By “CROSSBAR.”)

Tlie Rugby season in Wanganui is to begin officially on Saturday, six senior teams having entered for the senior cup competition. Last week all the teams had the benefit of a trial run in practice matches. Although there is always a wide margin between form at practice and form in the sterner play needed to do well in cup competitions, some indication was given the coaches as to where strengths and weaknesses lay.

Wanganui and Old Boys will be able to add to their points if W. Auld, the Wellington Athletic full-back, retains his ability as a kick. He scored more than 100 points in kicking last season.

H. G. R. Percy, Oxford wing threequarter, playing at centre for Wanganui a*Kl Old Boys on Saturday, reminded some people of Merely, the British three-quarter who toured New Zealand in 1930.

Delivery from the base of the scrum was not as effective as it might have been, and that tended to force the inside backs across the field, with a result that Percy was often crowded and his handling suffered. Speed is his real asset. He has yet to be tested in other departments before a Wanganui crowd.

Another acquisition to Old Boys, and where they want assistance, will be R. Cross, lock forward, who played a sound game in the lineouts against Feilding. He will be better still when properly fit.

R. Grace distinguished himself by scoring a try in which he had to beat a man. His judgment was good and he used a supporting player to catch the defence on the wrong foot.

John Polson appeared again for Old Boys on the wing. He is ready to join up with the military, but, like a good many more, is regarded as being in a reserved occupation at present. Trev. Collins (Old Boys) and W. Glenn (Kaierau) are in me same category.—They are like three-quarters, away out on the wing, waiting for somebody to get the ball out to them.

Word was received in Wanganui last week from R. (“Bobbie”) Hunter, who is in Egypt with the troops. He was playing on the wing opposite his cousin, Nigel Hunter, of Taranaki, well known in interprovincial matches played by Taranaki against Wanganui. It is hard to imagine “Bobbie” as a wing three-quarter. . He showed promise as half-back and to some extent as a five-eighths.

E. Nicholls, round whom there was a great deal of controversy last year as a first five-eighths, is likely to play second for Old Boys this season. He made three good openings against Feilding last Saturday.

Somebody kicked a football al Waverley on Saturday and A. Davidson saw it bounce, chased it and so lost all the firm resolution shown after a cricket dinner. He decided to play Rugby again this season, Press notices notwithstanding. Pirates won by a good margin.

It looks as though the blacks will need an inside back or two if they are to reap full benefit from the splendid pack. They had the prospect of playing an Auckland five-eighths, C. Wilson, but he has been transferred to the South Island. Pirates hope the transfer is only temporary.

Francis, a third graae player, shaped well for Pirates in the five-eighths line. The team has hopes of playing Phillips, who has had a strenuous ruv%ing year, as a five-eigmns, but so far hopes have not been realised. With two thirds in position to pave the way to W. H. McPike, the blacks wouki have a more hopeful outlook in the backs.

A. Duncan is still wearing his kicking boots. He did some excellent scoring for the team last year and is reported to be in even better form.

G. Duncan, half-back, went well against Waverley on Saturday. In the forwards, Pirates had a hard-going quartette in A. G. Davidson, V. Kench, K. Parnell and B. Pedley. Wanganui can look for form in keeping with the sting of the blacks of last year.

kaierau’s main trouble will be to organise its backs. In the pack the team will be strong, and in next Saturday’s match against Marist a hard forward tussle is likely.

Jack Morgan, former five-eighth and versatile back, played in the for-half-back io be played in the forward line. No doubt Eastbrooke will bring him back to the middle line. Nelson, on the left wing, did not get enough of the ball to show his worth. In the other match Athletic were unable to field a full side and were no match for the youthful Marist side. Athletic have some good player.-signed on and will not be long in finding their form. Marist look like having a strong side this year, and are going to be one of the hardest sides to beat in the competition. As a result of Saturday’s matches Technical Old Boys and Marist are equal in the competition.

As in previous years the first trophy to be played for is the Association Shield, at present held by Athletic.

Prominent soccer players missing on Saturday were Tom and Arthur Bates, Gregg Ward, Graham Bretherton and Alan Sharpe. These players are nowserving their country and “Waverley,” on behalf of soccer fans, sends best wishes to them wherever they may be. In this he is supported by all followers of the round-ball game in Wanganui.

wards in the practice match against Patea last week. If the backs can ot strengthened without him, he will be retained in the pack.

Jack Beiliss, who played a loose forward game for the Wanganui representative team last year, played part of the time last Saturday in the Kaierau pack and the rest at centre, He is not quite fit yet, the Patea observers say.

H. Brogden, representative halfback of last season, was full-bach during Saturday’s play and later liveeighths. Indicating Kaierau’s need for five-eighths, experiments were tried with two third-grade boys. Brogden played a sound game.

Kaierau will miss F. (“Drake”) Thompson this year, as he does not intend to play. He was useful, both as a full-back and a live-eighth. Chester Vernon, last year’s custodian in the cup team, is in Egypt with the troops. Thompson’s decision not to play this year will give not only Kaierau a task to find a new custodian, but the representative selectors as well.

In the maroon pack, W. Glenn, S. Hawkes, E. J. Callaghan, and W. Firmin, of last year's scrum, showed good early season form. A newcomer, Gardiner, showed promise.

Judged on this match. Kaierau will have a good pack, but building up of the backs will be necessary. The club has Petersen, an Oriental club player from Wellington, who may he.p the building considerably. In the -* .eequarter line, S. Leyden, whL showed great promise last year, and J. Whale, will both be available. Where will Kaierau find the links inside and a full-back?

A team which will be fast and fit when the competitions begin will be Technical College Old Boys. The forwards went exceptionally well on Saturday and have shown the benefit tney have received from coaching by Doug. Dalton, New Zealand and Hawke s Bay representative. When the Wanganui representative pack is chosen it would appreciate some of the advice a player of Dalton’s ability has to give. If anybody is in doubt on that point all they need do is ask Technical Old Boys.

Dalton expects to be in Wanganui for the next three months. He has had some good material to work on. Of last year’s Technical Old Boys’ pack, there are T. Cairncross, G. Goldsbury, A. Kjoss and A. Taylor, ail playing up to form. M. Adamson (.Wanganu. tennis champion), who played lock on Saturday, has been promoted from the thirds. He is a good forward. C. Marshall, after a year or so's rest, is back again, and Hanson and B. Wright make up the eight.

In the backs the team has some thinking to do about the half-back position. H. Phillips, who played so promisingly there last year, is at Kakatahi, and there are petrol restrictions!

A. ?4cPhail and M. Grogan will be the live-eighths. M. She wan, D. Valentine and S. McKenzie are the threequarters. This team looks well on paper.