Wanganui Rugby Season Opens

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 April 1949, Page 6

Wanganui Rugby Season Opens

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Spectators, who patronised Spriggens Park for the opening matches of he 1949 season, were rewarded with keen and interesting play. The teams showed good form which promises well for a successful season. The forwards were evenly matched and most of them kept up with plaj throughout the games. The Kaierau and Marist backs lacked combination but T. 0.8. and Pirates gave the ball plenty of air, which led to a number of bright passing movements. GOOD FULL-BACKS A feature of the day’s play was the sound displays given by the four fullbacks, T. Bristol (Pirates), B. Willacy (T. 0.8. W. Dawson (Kaierau) and N. Wallace (Marist). Bristol was slightly superior to the other three. His line kicking, which was always safe, gained yards of ground for his team. His handling and positional play was of a good standard. Dawson and Willacy, the promoted junior players, displayed ability which showed that they are in the senior ranks to stay. Wallace made very few mistakes as the last line of defence for Marist.

The outstanding forward in the T. 0.8. —Marist game was the blue and white lock, D. Grant. He excelled in the line-outs and invariably took the ball cleanly. He showed plenty of dash in the loose and the rucks. Although Grant toured south with the representative team last season he only played in two first class fixtures —against Horowhenua and North Auckland. Saturdays form showed that he should be a strong contender for a permanent position in the representative side. S. Granville was another prominent forward for T. 0.8. This tireless forward is always in the right place. He did a thorough job in the tight and was always to the fore in the loose. The T. 0.8. forwards played superior football at times, but on a number of occasions they were clearly over-shadowed by Marist. However, when Marist appeared as if they would take control of the game, the T. 0.8. forwards rallied to place their team on attack once more. VIGOROUS FORWARD PLAY The Marist forwards impressed with their vigorous display. They were beaten for the ball in the scrums and line-outs against T. 0.8., but were superior in the other phases of forward play. They played as a combination and performed well against a heavier pack. N. Crowley played hard and fast football for the green and whites. J. Heagney and M. Pettis both gave energetic displays. The disappointing feature of the Marist forward play, was the unnecessary roughness which incurred a number of penalties. D. Aubrey, the T. 0.8. second fiveeight was in good form on Saturday. He ran deceptively and was- most effective in initiating attacking movements. J. Keats, a former hockey representative, played soundly at centre three-quarter. He lacks the extra pace needed for a good centre, but he possesses good footoall sense. With teams giving the ball plenty of air a number of wingers were given a chance to show their paces. A. Webby (T. 0.8. showed that he has lost none of the ability which gained him a reputation last year. N. Anderson (Pirates) featured in many dazzling runs. His handling showed great improvement over former seasons’ efforts. T. Cartwright, the keen Kaierau winger was rewarded with a grand individual try. Pirates are always a difficult team to score against and Cartwright deserves credit for the determined way he cut through the opposing back line.

Great interest centred on the appearance of the diminutive j. Price on the Kaierau wing. Price gained a reputation as an outstanding halfback in Kaierau’s grade teams. It is unfortunate that he was unable to fill that place in the senior team on Saturday. He has far greater strength than his size implies, but he received many solid dumpings against Pirates. He does not possess the necessary pace for a wing threequarter. J. Barnett (T. 0.8. and M. Dixon (Pirates) are fast at the base of the scrum. However, one could not imagine these two players filling the wing three-quarter position with success. Les Head (Pirates) gave further proof of his versatility when he played on the left wing against Kaierau. He was always a danger to the maroon backs.

Kaierau forwards gave an impressive showing against Pirates and nlaved robust football in both sessions of play. Two players new to Wanganui senior Rugby. Williams and McKnight, often caught the eye with

good work, as did Ward. Crombie showed to advantage in the scrums. Gerrie and Bellis played their usual sound games. The maroon backs failed to combine and their passing lacked certainty. OUTSTANDING PLAYER. In the Pirates backs one player stood out from the rest on the day against Kaierau. He was J. Bryers. With his deft moves and pace he often had Kaierau defenders in a tangle. It was due to his initiative that Pirates held a territorial advantage for the major portion of the match. In the Priates forwards D. Beard caught the limelight with his spectacular goal kicking. His effort from half-way when he potted a field goal recalled a similar feat he performed last season on the racecourse. Des. Lyons, Hawke’s Bay and Wellington representative, who looked like an All Black trial player until he broke an ankle last year, will play two games for Invercargill Marist before returning to Wellington next month. The Canterbury Rugby Union has decided not to challenge for the Ranfurly Shield this year. Was this decision based on a spirit of magnanimity because of the absence of 11 Otago men on tour with the All Blacks, fear of the expense incurred in sending the team south, or Canterburv’s form last year? Jock Richardson, Southland and New Zealand forward of the 1920-25 period, has not lost interest in the game. He is coacli to Western Suburbs (Sydney) Rugby Union Club.

For the second year in succession. Mr. A. Fanning has been elected chairman of the Canterbury Junior Advisory Board. J. W. Kelly, Canterbury’ AH Black trialist, is an emergency for the Auckland University team. It may prove bad luck for University if Kelly decides to link up with another club. In successive seasons at Christchurch he has scored more than 100 points.

Spillane Cup. Because of accommodation not being available in Wanganui next Easter for eight Rugby teams the Spillane Cup tournament, which was to have been played here in 1950, has been transferred to Gisborne. The last time the tournament was played in Wanganui was in 1939.