FOOTBALL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15519, 24 May 1918, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

Tin, colonial scrum. LONDON. April :>. British tr<ops w,,0 have played mat hes with members ~1 the New Zealand E.,p. ditiouary i . ru‘ tort ball Uanis have been line ii impressed r*y tne advantages of ■ Ne.v Zealand scum f .r----iiiati' u v>: "two-thr.e-lwo" and the eiuph y ug i f tiie «id man as a wing-for-wa d. In th. N-, w Zaalaud formation, a iir.ti&h ' lie rr points out. hfuil tioutrow men act a, bookers, and if they are eppos.d bv a "ilirw-twi,-three scrum they can treqmntly battle Uuvion them the one oiqio-ing hooter. Again, “the ball comes out of the scrum much qtlicki r, as in-lead of having to pass through the S'-cond and third row after being hj okoi, it has m ivly to shoot out between th ■ . pen 1 gs of the Mock' man, i.0.. the centre man of the second row. Further, life 'os- of weight in having oulv m-v, n men in the scrum instead of < igiit is i-omter sated )>y the wedge-like shape o! the Nhw Zs'a!and scrum, and the wing forward can do giod service !y shiol :iug hi.- own half and attacking li. ■ ..p: os ng halt. However, the New Zealand .- rum is of little use when the forwards wl-h to keep the ball and wii-e!. as the wedge shape is not well ad.ir>’e:l t > -m hj a movement, nor is the peeking tight enough, the weight adequate. nor di-Iriluicd cvenlv enough, whereas wheeling is an important item in tii-' defensive tactics of a throo-tvvo-fhree scrum. It appears, therefore, that where rapid he ling is required the New Z.eahnid scrum hi- the advantage, and for wh-eeling the English formation is file better." The Sportsman suggests that for t-am- such a.- public schools’ fiftc- us. v. hich have sufficient time in wh'ch I- -ti.dv the science of Rugby, bath in. Uv.ds shonld lie used in training the pack, the English method for defence and the New Zealand method for a solid attack. A team playing in its own twenty-five might pack well in the English st vl ■ and wheel, and once in enemy territory might pack “two-three-two’’ am! lied The wing-forward would take his position in the one ease, and pack in the serum as eighth forward in the other.