RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2334, 30 July 1924, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

COMMENTS ON PLAY AND PLAYERS. (Notes by “Scrum.”) It is dog’s news now that Danncvirkc beat the Reps last Wednesday. The form, of the Red and Blacks was not of the best. They took a while to settle down but in the second half the forwards played masterly football, ab. solutely dominating the play. The excelled in loose open rushes, and; held their own in the tight. ♦ # * Parker, at wing, was again one of the! outsanding forwards, and played a fine roving game. Bloor was generally at the head of things, and worked tirelessly. ■ Nicol showed up to advantage in the loose. He displayed considerable dash. Johnson played a fine game, and led his forwards well, Munro played better than against East Coast and. was more like the batt, ling M(unro one sees on Russell Park. • » • • Perhaps the pick of the backs was Spooner, -who played a good defensive game, and opened up well when he shifted to half. « * • Russell ran strongly and his kicking boot came in very handy when a short was wanted. « • » Irvine, at full, played a safe solid game. It was the backsthat let the side down, ps before the match had hardly begun when defensive weakacsses were revealed, and the purchasing of dummies became a regular thing. Some of these were taken bait, hook and sink, er, and four of these led to tries. \ » In the team to play Hastings to-day, Mr A. Parsons has made some extensive changes. « * • The forwards stand the same, saving that Prcndcrville comes in to the scrum in place of Johnston, who was not available. .. . • * « • In the backs, owing to the absence of Irvine, Thorne goes to full.back. • * * (4roubcs,of Takapau, displaces Lockett, the flying Rover winger, -who has, however, revealed defensive defects to off-set his attacking ability. j Mclntyr comes to five.eighth, and his display will, bo watched with interest, • • • ■ .Spooner displaces Morin at half, and there can be no question about his improvement of late. * * * Inu all the team selected should be an improvement upon that represent, ing the Sub’-iUnion last Wednesday, and, though the opposition Will of course be superior should give a good account of themselves. ; # * w Interest last Saturday was high on The game Wairarapa v. Hawke’s Bay and the tussle was a titanic one. Chief interest centred possibly on the doings of Wylie, in the front rank, and reports putshi indown as playing finely game, hooking well and playing finely all round. “He will stay” said a well know'n member of the Hawke’s Bay. Reps to the writer. * * • i J. Corkill, the half was another closely watched, He played a fine game, shootin,g the leather out in fine style, and playing also a good game in defence. He looks like permanently an. nexing the position of half. • • » Barclay did well at second five-eigh-ths, if the testimony of his team mates aounts. ❖ The new forwards, Mahoney and Hebberley, both played hard games, and areregarded as quite up to rep. form. <•> « ♦ From all appearances the Hawke’s Bay Ranfurly Shield team will be much like that fielded on .Saturday, and should go a long way toward upholding the nam,e of the province.