WANGANUI RUGBY REVIEW

Wanganui Chronicle, 2 October 1947, Page 7

WANGANUI RUGBY REVIEW

SEARCH IS STILL FOR GOOD INSIDE BACKS

(By

“Crossbar")

Wanganui’s Rugby season has been encouraging from a representative point of view, and it is interesting to look back on it and realise not only its strengths,, but its weaknesses, to look at the latter not in a disparaging mood, but to profit from them in readiness for the hard task next season of developing a good showing in the South Island. The need next season will be better backs. One of the fortunate aspects of the reason was that the side once found was not varied a great deal. What variation came after the best side emerged, was brought about by higher engagements for top players, or by injuries. BEST NOT FOUND AT ONCE The best side was not found right away, that is in the match against Taranaki on King’s Day. That early Taranaki engagement every year is looked upon as a sort of trial to find tne basis of a team. It is too early in the season really to serve that purpose well, as players are hardly at the top of their form. Apart from that, both unions field two teams—an A and a B side, and while every effort is probably made to get the very best into the A team, the buildjing of a B team has its bearing. Knowing that a second team is to be selected a committee can easily find itself in doubt as to which side certain players should be selected for, and the final decision, if reversed, could easily make the A team a better combination In the writer's view the best ide of the year was fielded thus:— Full-back: D. McCarthy (T). Wing three-quarters: P. Henderson (K) and R. Bruce (M). Centre three-quarter: L. Miller (W.0.8.). Five-eighths: I. Whale (K), M. Hunter (W.0.8.) Half-back: J. Barnett (T. 0.8. Back of the scrum: J. Whale (K). Sides: E. Ouslnan (T), J. Heagney (M). Locks: D. McGregor (W.0.8.), B. Pedley (P). Front row: D. Goldsbury (Wav), R Dallison (Wav), C. McNichol (K). Reserves: N. Anderson (P) and J. ?4cPhail (T. 0.8. backs; M. N. Tupaea (T) and N. Brown (P), forwards. HOOKING A PROBLEM Hooking proved a problem at the start of the season. First choice of player for this role was in favour of the Rangitikei front-ranker R. Linton. He played against Taranaki on King’s Day. Another Rangitikei hooker (Tocker) was tried m the next match, that against Manawatu, out during the play in that game R. Dallison, who was one of the side players in the front row of the scrum, was shifted into the vital hooking position. It was a change

which became permanent, Dallison playing as hooker in the remaining .Batches of the season, and getting his .air share of the ball.

Locking of the scrum also proved a problem. D. McGregor (W.0.8.), young, keen and with the necessary weight, only needed consistent play to get him fit. He was an obvious choice. The committee, after trying A. M. Buckley (P) as a team mate lor McGregor, finally chose again the experienced Ben Pedley (P) and the McGregor-Pedley solidity became available rigljt to the end.

So far as the sides of the scrum were concerned, perhaps the most notable change from the year before was the dropping of G. Genie (K). E. Oulsnan, the fair-haired Taihape player, gave good performances early in the season for his own side and

for Wanganui against Taranaki. He earned his place and shows great promise.

On the other side of the pack circumstances other than involved in football had its influence. D. Blick (T. 0.8. would probably have retained the position right through had he remained in New Zealand. J. Heagney (M) and N. Brown (P) were the other two in the running. Heagney was lost, on account of injuries after a very auspicious showing, and Brown played in the five matches to the end of the season. In the back rank of the pack, first choice fell on E. V. Bellis (K). Then he was laid aside with injury and J. Whale (K) came into the picture. His ability to get out in the loose served the side veil and he worked fairly well in the tight. GOOD FRONT ROW As one of the “gate-posts ’ for the hooker to swing on in the front row, I). Goldsbury (Wav) was obviously a first choice. Then, taking last season as a guide, M. N. Tupaea ("Whiskey") (T) was obviously the other player for the role. But the Maori All Blacks called Tupaea and choice went to C. McNichol (K), when the Rangitikei players chosen as hookers were dropped and Dallison moved into the centre of the scrum. The front row-—Goldsbury, Dallison McNichol — is as good a front row Wanganui has had in year\ THE BACKS As in the forwards the backs had to be built up on last year’s form and that revealed in early club matciies. 1. Willacy (T. 0.8. who showed great promise last year, vreitf. into the running for full-back at the start. Alan Duncan (K) was the other city possibility. But for the second match of the season, and con* sequent upon a decision to till Kno> Welsh's place at first live-eighths with M. Hunter (W.0.8.), D. McCarthy (T), who had been regarded as the logical successor to Welsh as a five-eighths, was dropped back to lulJ-bacj<. There he played well against Manawatu and his goal kicking was remarkable. But the Maori All Blacks called "Dixie" and he, too, was lost to rep football so far as his i-nion was concerned. Willacy was then called back into the team and played against Wairarapa. Then came matches played away from home, and Willacy was not available ■ nd Duncan became the custodian THE CENTRE Probably the hardest task al the beginning of the season was finding a ePnti’P Ihrpp.miai’tpi'. j£, Dunlop

(T. 0.8 last year's promising player, did not live up to the promise he showed, and B. Bason (K) was in the running for a start. Then his form slipped, particularly on defence, and If there is a position in a Rugby team where defence, as well as attack, is vital, it is at centre. The form of L Miller (W.0.8.), a former Tukapa (New Plymouth) player, and Wanganui representative cricketer, provided an answer to the | prayers of the Selection Committee. He played at centre in the second I match of the season, was selected for that position in the third match, but had to play at second five-eighths because of the inability of I. Whale (K) to play. But in all the other matches, except that at King Country, to which Miller was unable to travel, Miller was the logical centre. He proved himself a really sound back, and his quick, straight running was a great feature of hi s play. R. Bruce (M) was the choice for centre it Miller was not available, Bruce played well there, but. his defence had to be watched. His attack was always splendid, but, because of weakness as a resolute tackler, his obvious place in the team was as a wing three-quarter, where, according to accepted policy, men weakest in defence should be carried in the backs. Bruce’s value to the side, however, was tremendous, and, behind the good pack the union had, his ability to score tries, kick penalties, conversions and field goals, made him a prolific scorer. In Wanganui this season he scored more than 100 points. E. Bligh (W.0.8.), who undoubtedly had sufficient experience to play at centre, did not get the berth because of lack of pace and too much weight. He filled the role of reserve back, however, and was not lucky enough to get a game. For the wing positions Bruce and P. Henderson (K) were the two first choices. N. Anderson (P) came a close third, but was always in danger of losing his position to either one or other of his club mates, the Taunton Bros. Both Taunton boys were knocking at the door for representative honours all through the season.

' Finding two five-eighths was another problem for the selection committee. They started out with the player who showed most promise last year, J. Bryers (P) and paired him with D. McCarthy (T). McCarthy, as expected, went remarkably well at first five-eighths. Bryers, however, did not last the first match out and lan Whale (K), a young player who showed great promise last season, got a run in the first match of the season as second liveeighths. The committee decided to persevere with him. and, except for one match, that against Wairarapa, when he was on the sideline with an [injury, he played the season through. IMPORTANT DECISION

But the most important decision the selection committee came to in regard to the backs, was to look to M. Hunter (W.0.8.) to fill the berth occupied for so long by K. Welsh (W.0.8.) Hunter played in the B team in the first match of this season, then came into the A team, where his handling and general play as the man outside the half, greatly helped the side. Hunter can be regarded as Wanganui’s most reliable back.

It was obvious that this season a successor; to R. Best (P) as half-back would have to be found. Best had given splendid service to club and union and the t ime had arrived for a younger player to be promoted. Choice fell on J. Barnett (T. 0.8. who has risen to the occasion in some very hard matches. He played in every match.

Rehia (T) was another possibility and G. Williams (M), but Williams seemed prone to injury and Rehia was patchy. As the season developed however, Waverley produced a promising player in Henderson at halfback. Another player who played in but one match on the Park for a senior team was J. Price, a promoted junior, who came out against Pirates as half-back for Kaierau in the championship final. It would have been interesting to see more of him, am possibly he will be playing for Kaierau next year. J. McPhail (T. 0.8. was not playing as half-back for his club this season, having gone out ti live-eighths outside Barnett. McPhail’s ability to play at half or fiveeighths, however sugr oe *‘'d him as a reserve.

Summed up, the season -seven matches played and seven won—was something to be proud of, and the Selection Comnhittee deserves credit if not for the record, then for the harmony with which th e three members have worked together Messrs Stan Ambrose (city), C. Hartley

(Rangitikei) and Whai Pine (Taihape) Ni> two critics, no two selector.,, would select quite the same team, iut when three men choose a team and it win s and keeps on winning, then they can equally share in the credit. It was perhaps a great contrast to the days when three selectors met, wrote out teams, tore the paper up, wrote more, tor? that up, then finally compromised. But great though the record has been, the task next year in the south will be hard.