THE CALL OF RUGBY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 48, Issue 14609, 7 March 1922, Page 6

THE CALL OF RUGBY.

Tales From the Touchline. The Game in Wairarapa.

(By “Blue and Cold.”)

The Late Mr Strang. The death of Mr William Strang, of. Gladstone, removes one who many years ago was a practical supporter ot the game in Wairarapa. From the da\ when he possessed enough strength, to kick a football right up to the occasion of his lamented death, Mr Strang took a deep interest in the grand old game. Many an interesting story could ho tell of byegone battles, when Harney Ronaldson, Ferg. O’Connor, Joe I'erry, Will Perry Desmond, Chur.ie terry, Duncan McLachlan, the Udys, Hirchs-ber-T the Hoards, Harry Perry, the Bannisters, tne Widths, Willy Mar doll and the Harveys were the football idols of the s iiaii boy of the time. He could recount some stirring lustoncal struggles—of the tussle nearly 40 years ago, when Greytown played that great drawn game with Wellington tor the Wellington hug by Union’s cup, m which the champion team ot the V\aixarana met the champion team ot the Empire City; of the famous victory ot Masterton over Athletic (the champion Wellington team) at Masterton 40 years ago next May; of tlie fiist- iep. match between Wellington and Wairarapa, and of the first victory-of .Wairarapa over Wellington in 188 b, and of the many keen struggles between the Masterton, Greytown and Carterton seniors thirty to forty years ago. The, present generation of players and supporters of the game do not know how indebted the hugby Union and the players of some 20 years ago are-to the late .Mr. Strang. Perhaps with the hugby Union memory is a short one, but among those who were on the Management Committee of the Rugby Union 20 years ago, including the 'writer, and the players of those days there still remains green in the memory the splendid service Mr Strang rendered Wairarapa football. The Bugby Union then was not in the strong position financially that it is tc-day. It was one long grim struggle to make* ends meet. Engagements with other Unions had to be kept on the grounds of the latter, and there were .never funds I'-adaMe i‘» Jn.mc- a trip or the operations of the Bugby Union. But two of Wairarapa's greatest sports, the late Mr. W. Strang and Mr. Bobert Cooper, always came to the rescue* and guaranteed any amount at the bank which the Union might rec.iire. They never looked for repayment. If the Union had the money it could liquidate the debt if not, well these two sports would never bother about it—they did it for the good of the game • That was the attitude which they took up. Mr. Bobert Cooper is still with us. He is as keen a follower of the game as ever, and I am sure were the Union to find itself in a hole financially today, the first man to come forward and give a helping hand would be the genial Bob Cooper. Wairarapa could do with more real sports of the type of the late Mr. Strang and Mr. Cooper. Old players and followers of the game deeply regret the death of Mr. Strang, and with them his memory will always remain green- One, oil} nature’s gentlemen, bluff and hearty, and a thorough sportsman, Bugby football could ill afford the loss of such a true friend as Mr. William Strang.

The Season’s Prospects. On Saturday the Bed Stars got busy ■with a practice, and there was a good muster of players, .auguring well for the coming season. What are the prospects for Bugby generally in the Wairarapa this season? It is, of course, too early to base any remarks on this seasbn’s probable teams’ composition, but one can obtain a general idea from the names of the likely players compared with those of last season and previous years. What is the season likely to produce in the‘way of representative players? Will their calibre be better than has been the case, in recent years? Will New Zealand look to Wairarapa to fill three or four places in the All Black combination against overseas teams as it did when the late Archie D Arcy, Bill Watson Body Gray and Offside Bill” McKenzie represented Wairapa, and later when the late “Tiny McMinn, Lofty Armstrong and Dan Udy were in the All Blacks together. • * * *

A Football Mecca. Fancy Wairarapa having three or four men in the New Zealand team today! Wouldn’t, the small boy “whoop and beat up the band. We would then have over again those stirring football talks which used to take place in Joe Williams’ old tobacconist shop in tlie days when Billy Watson, Body Gray and D'lArey were among Wairarapa’s football heroes. Genial old Joe. What a host of memories -his name bring back. He was one of the keen and “enthusiasts in the, days when the “T winklers” twinkled their way to fame, and his shop in Queen tstieet was the Mecca of all football enthusiasts. Harry Taperoll—now editor oi a big Sydney daily—was the boy m Joe’s shop in those days, and can today tell many stirring tales of battles fought 'on the old Worksop Road ground, in the Park, or away up in the paddocks in Lincoln road. No greater authority on football than Joe existed in those days, and in an old group of the Red Stars taken some 35 years ago Joe is to be seen among his young “Twinklers.” Long may Joe Hve to follow the game, * » * *

Billy Watson—A Great Forward. To re eii back to the season’s prospect?. I asked would Wairarapa have three or four men in the New Zealand reps, this season. One must admit that

the chance i 3 as remote as that of seeiu.r a Brontosaurus come wandering over the landscape from the dim past which swallowed him up a million years or so ago. Has Wairarapa a forward to-day of the calibre ot Bill} Watson? The answer must be plain to all followers -of the game. One ot the -reatest football products of Ecu Zealand, Billv probably stands without a. rival as far as Wairarapa is concerned. The late Charlie Marter, for years secretary of the Wellington Bugby raion and a prolific writer on Bugby matters, once told me that he considered Bill about the best forward ever Wairarapa had produced, throwing in even the mighty “Offside Mac,” Body Grav “Tiny” lMcMinn, Lofty Armstrong and the hosts of other, good ones. Who is there that will dispute that opinion? To see Bill play, when the game was going against his team, was something for the gods to enthuse over. When the old Bed Star juniors —mere lads—met teams of players old enough to be their fathers, it was always” Billy Watson who would lead the attack. Never despairing, a real old “die hard,” Bill never gave up till tho final whistle went. Away back in 1894 after the We. Jington reps had clean scalped Auckland tiu-v swooped down to wipe Taranaki off the face of the earth. All eld entimsias’.s know what Taranaki was in those d.ivs—one has on!y to recall the names of 11. Good, the late Alf. Bayly, W. Bayiy, Lambic and Hu Mies r<> remember what Trojans the l,utter province Go.a had. Taranaki, however, defeated Wellington. It was the Amber and Black forwards which brought about Wellington’s downfall. Billy Watson travelled with the Wellington team for a portion of tlm tour, but said good-bye to the Empire City reps at New Plymouth. Talking together afteiwards, a. Wellington rep. said to the writer: “Now. if we could have lung in Bill Watson against Taranaki I reckon wo would just about have won. Just fancy Bill tearing through with “Tuakau” Poland, Bill McKenzie, Frank Young, Svvindloy, Pringle, Kelly and Mailer at his heels. We would have churned Taranaki up into butter! !” .That was what Wellington thought of Bill Watson. A great, dashin" forward, with a big heart, who used his head and played his game according to the material opposed to him, have we seen his equal since?

Another Brilliant Forward. And Body Gray! What a grand forward Body was. He was very little, if at all, the inferior of Billy Watson. When it was decided to send Body and Bill across to Australia in 1893 to strengthen the New Zealand team: which had been routed in the second test match against New youth Wales by 25 points to 3—the most pleased enthusiast .in New Zealand was Charlie Marter. “Thank goodness,” he exclaimed, “New Zealand can win that third test now.” And what did Alf Bayily, captain of the New Zealand team .on that tour think of Gray and Watson. “They are dandies,” he said. “They play magnificent football. If we had had Gray and Watson with, us all the time we would not have lost a match.” It is significant that after Gray and Watson went over New Zealand did not lose another match, and wiped the floor with New South Wales in the third test by Hi points to nil. Give me the old Green Brigade with Billy Watson, Body Gray, -Joe Morris, “Os.” Percy, Frank Felling, Jack Emmett and Tom Welch among them! They could show Wellington, Auckland, Otago or Canterbury how the forward game should be played. Can we produce a Watson, a Gray, a Joe Morris an “Os” Percy, a Walter Welch, i. lv.i Magic, a Bill McKenzie, a Fr x uk Polling, a. Tom Welch, or a George Welch 'u day? Where. Is the dashiua forward to day of the type of Bob Spademan (the old Masterton forward, who had lie played in the city vvjLil i easily (framed his All Black cap), Bull Tfdd. Lofty Armstrong, Sammy J.rkrMt B;.’iy Jackson (the old G-y v “ v " I*° :t ‘j) Tiny McMinn, Bob McKenzie, Bob Malcolm, Alick Gray, Jack Emmett —but let us draw the curtain, it is a painful revelation of the low ebb which Wairarapa football has sunk to.

Back Play. Back play in the Wairarapa to-day is about as rare as the Great Auk. What passes for back play might be termed “a rude imposition on the public.” When will Wairarapa learn to throw the ball about as the New South Welshmen did on the Solway Showgrounds last season? let there was a time when Wairarapa could do that sort of thing. Who can recall without the blood tingling those passing rushes which George Hansen would start, and how “Tike” Hudson, Archie D ’Arcy, Harry Wrigley, Charlie do Joux, Paddy Maguire, Charlie Perry, Jacob Baumbe,r, and Bob Thompson would thrill tlie spectators by their clever play. Has the present day player any knowledge of tlie fine backs Wairarapa once possessed in Joe O’Leary (the All Black captain), Edgar Wrigley (All Black), the late Pat O’Leary, Ted Payton, Davy Logan, Frank Renal!, Herb Marsh, Jimmy Brunton, Lcn Williams, Ted McKenzie, Toby Boss, th e late Frank Faulkner, Norman McKenzie, Jack Adams and many others whom one could call to mind? One is afraid that Wairarapa will never produce backs worthy ot the old traditions of Wairarapa until more study is devoted to what is required -of a back, and more attention is given to practice. The trouble to-day is that the footballer will not train as lie did 20

or 25 years ago. He can never get into form discussing the game on Hie Post Office corner. Lot him aslc Billy Watson, Body Gray, -Toe Morris, “Os” Percy, Bob Malcolm, Joe O’.Lcarv, or Davy Logan what training really means.