RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17994, 12 April 1930, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

THE NEW SEASON. MAT AM AT A GAMES. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By "Old Timer.”) The curtain was raised at Matamata on Saturday for the Rugby season of i 930, when the City team from To Aroha met the local fifteen and defeated j|, by 1 .3 points lo 5. The game was not. taken very seriously, and the long, tufty grass, interspersed with Californian and Scotch thistles, provided the players with something to think about. Nothing startling in the way of combination was shown, most of the players appearing very green. TheWisitors were on the light side, but guided by the football genius of the veteran Karl Ifwerson, they and their union’s representatives wall have to be reckoned with later on. “Iffy” is as tricky as ever, and it was laughable to watch some of the attempts to collar him.

Tiie team which lined out for Matamata contained a lot of new men, probably half, and it would appear as if the pack will he stronger and the backs vice versa- Hodge, who played for Putaruru last year, Wright, of Walton, Fort and Short, are all good stamps of men, and with Higgins, Ensor and Malligan, will make up a hefty scrum. Stevenson, the most consistent forward in (he Matamata Union last year, is contemplating a trip !o Ihc United States, and will not be playing. Campbell, who was scrumhalf. has thrown in with Patctoro Egan, Davies, Story, and Robertson are again in commission. There is Quite a doubt if Vosper wall play again; his knees are still troubling him, and the jinky Waikato threequarter will be much missed. Carlson was the centre of observation last week-end, and, though he did not get much of the ball, demonstrated that he is a hard man lo grass. The big Wanganui man reminds one of Lit-t, the Taupiri player, and if another man of the same physique could be found Waikato would not be badly served in the three-quarter line.

The Big Three-quarter. And just here the writer, cpnfesscs his partiality for the big threequarter, closer up to the scrum, perhaps not, as he is generally slower to get off the mark, hut once into his stride, the 14 stone man with a bit nf pace lakes some stopping, and good as the J .1 stoncr may be, it lakes a Jot of cleverness to make up for the extra poundage. New Zealand Rugby has not encouraged the big back, and right from his school days onwards the footballer with a little extra avoirdupois is stuck in Ihc scrum for his weight, and kept there till his playing days are over. Clubs in the District. Not much lias been heard from other clubs in the Matamata Union, Rumour has it that Patetere will field a strong team, though hefty Dave Simpson has joined the police and is away in Wellington. Walton is rei ported about the same as last year. It is understood that the Waharoa Maori team will drop out of the seniors. Wardville, with Carroll as the king-pin of their backs, will come in. Wardville won the junior championship last season, and the team will be comprised of young and enthusiastic players. Selector Appointed. Mr W. L. Hollis has been chosen as senior selector for the Matamata Union, and he will also be the coach. Mr Hollis was very successful with the junior representatives, and it was largely due to him that the team won both the Boyce and Clarke Cups. The new selector is an enthusiast; he knows what he wants, and if a man fails to toe the mark lie will he dropped. If the players show the same enthusiasm, and play up to the selector, the writer prophesies a bold hid for the Peace Cup- Matamata footballers and the public are well served by their officials. Messrs .1. E. Cummings (president) and C. E. ] Barry (secretary) arc very popular in i local Rugby circles, and both are untiring in tile interests of the game. The election of the local delegate, Mr A. S. Yardley, as president of the Waikato Union was well received, and Mr Yardley was the recipient of many congratulations from Matamata. Improving the Game, ‘‘Old Timer” is very pleased that he is in agreement with the Cambridge Union in regard to the betterment of Waikato football. Judging from last season’s play in Matamata, and probably the same thing occurs in all the j small unions, there wai sufficient talent available to put one fairly good senior team in the fleld. About half the men who represented the Union were young players, quite good in the matches played, but lacking experience of first-class football. There may have been possible All Blacks amongst them, but never under present conditions- Theory is all to the good, hut practice makes the player and the team.

Hamilton won the Peace Cup, and proved superior to the small unions. Could a Hamilton second fifteen hold its own against them? Travelling would, of course, be expensive, but better gates would equalise. It is worth a trial, if only for one round, as the Cambridge Union suggests. We can always go back to where we are. BENEFIT MATCH ARRANGED. MAR IST OLD BOYS’ CLUB. A special benefit match has been arranged by the Marist Old Boys’ Football Club against Marist Old Boys (Auckland) for Easter Monday, to be played at Rugby Park. It was while the Marist second fifteen was engaged in a competition match against Te Kowhai that a member of the latter team, J. Preston, sustained a broken leg. The injury he sustained lias since prevented him from following any occupation, and it is with lh<s laudatory object of assisting this injured player that the match is being arranged. The game should be fraught with more than ordinary interest, as the visitors arc a fine combination which should fully extend the local side and give a fair indication of the prospects of last year’s champions in tiie 1930 struggle for Hamilton Rugby supremacy.