SPORT AND SPORTSMEN

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20917, 23 September 1939, Page 20 (Supplement)

SPORT AND SPORTSMEN

By “ SPECTATOR.”

FIJIANS OVERWHELM MAORIS IN TEST Speed and Determined Tackling : Brightest Display of Rugby for years : One of the Best Teams seen in Dominion : Excellent Standard of Refereeing W aikato Cricket Association : Comprehensive Report for Last Year. highlight of one of the most successful Rugby seasons the Waikato has ever experienced was the Test match between the Fijians and Maori All Blacks in Hamilton last Saturday. The visitors created a .great impression and played the type of Rugby so often wished for but hardly ever seen. It was a match played in a very sporting manner with the ball thrown about with gay abandon and thrills aplenty every few minutes. The display of the Fijians, throughout the tour was really amazing and they established a unique record in touring New Zealand without a single loss. When it is taken into consideration that this is the first tour the Fijians have ever undertaken, that they are only comparatively young at the game and that they toured a country where Rugby is considered to be stronger than anywhere else in the world, the true merit of their performance can be realised. When the tour was mooted it was thought that it would be a great opportunity to allow the Fijians to learn something of New Zealand's National game, but in reality it was the Fijians who. taught New Zealanders something. Of course the tourists were very fortunate in striking conditions so much to their liking for the only Test, but on their display on Saturday they would not have been disgraced against any Rugby combination in the world—the redoubtable Springboks and All Bracks included. Before long these islanders will have to be reckoned with when the question of world Rugby superiority is being discussed.

Among the lessons that the Fijians taught New Zealanders were the values of physical fitness and speed. Another point was the sporting spirit in which the match was played. This, undoubtedly, helped to make the tourists very popular and contributed, in no small measure, to the fine display. The Fijians, if they dropped a pass, missed the ball or the like would immediately grin and try to rectify their mistake, while nine times out of ten, after tackling a Maori very heavily they would be first up and extend a helping hand to their opponent. This spirit was apparent right throughout their play. As far as their victory was concerned it was decisive and well deserved. The contributing factors were their speed, hard, low tackling, and superb backing up and their handling ability. The Maori All Blacks were not given an inch of latitude. Every time a Maori received the ball he had to get rid of it very quickly or be overwhelmed by two or three speedy and relentless attackers. The Maori All Blacks, certainly took a little time to find combination and they were at a disadvantage in this respect, but they were All Blacks and should have been good enough to develop combination after a few runs. • • • • Although this might have had some effect on the result I am of the opinion that had the Maoris been playing for three weeks together and then met the Fijians under similar conditions , the result would have been the same. The truth of the matter was that the Fijians were too fast, too sound at tackling and backing up and vastly superior in handling ability. They were the fastest team ever seen in Hamilton and they proved what an asset that speed was. It was not that the Maoris were weak, despite blemishes in handling and passing. They were not good enough to break through the best defence seen at Rugby Park and had no counter to the electrifying speed of the tourists, both back and forward. It looked, and was, an impossibility for the Maoris to cross their line and after seeing this display the record of the visitors can be understood. It can be taken for granted that any future tours will see the Fijians pitted against the major unions instead of a number of the minor unions. • • • • The Maoris were certainly unfortunate that G. Harvey (Hawke's Bay) their fullback was injured early in the game. After his injury he allowed the Fijians through badly once and was saved from a similar mistake by Phillips. He then came off and T. Kawe (Otago), though out of place, did all he could to turn the tide. The wingers, W. J. Phillips (Waikato), and H. Steel (Otago), were the pick cf the home side but had all too few opportunities. Phillips played his best game of the season, while Steel though lacking size and weight, was speedy and determined. The Auckland half-back, J. H. Pile, was solid and he threw out some very fast passes but they were not always well directed and T. We Re pa (East Coast) had difficulty in reaching many of them. This did not improve his handling lapse. N. Kotua, the Nelson second five-eighths, was more solid and was a good link, but R. L. White (North Auckland) delayed his passes too long or lost touch With his outsides when he cut through. All three cut through nicely at times but could not make much progress against the superb backing up of the Fijians. When this failed they exploited the stab-kick, but here again the speed and backing up of the Fijians nullified this move. The insides should have given the ball to their wingers more often and quicker as that looked their only chance. • • • • The excellent scrummaging was a feature of the match. For every scrum the two packs got down smartly and low and waited until the ball was properly in before commencing to hook it. Neither scrum broke away too quickly and the fact that there were no real scrum breaches in the match tells its own story. The game, for one thing, went along much smoother without constant whistle for scrum illegalities. D. Mason, the Marlborough front row forward, was most conspicuous for the Maoris, with McDonald (Hawke's Bay) and Tuhoro East Coast), also fine forwards. The display of Jackson, the Hawke’s Bay All Black and member of this year's North IslaDd team again was disappointing. All Waikato forward nominees for All Black trials have played as well as he played on Saturday. He was not weak by any means, but he was not that outstanding. • • • • All the Fijian backs played fine football. Korovulavula. the fuiiback, was solid, while his speed, handlintg ability and consistent kicking, coupled with his fine positional play, hardly ever saw him bustled. The wingers, Bola and Yorece, were the fastest players ever seen on Rugby Park and they used this speed to advantage. Where they shone over other fast wingers was resolute tackling and great handling. The centre, Ralawa, was one of |he finest attacking players seen in this position in Hamilton. His sure handling, great pace and natural swerve that enabled him to change direction while going at ! full pace, saw him constantly in the j picture and his try was the high- J

light of many thrilling movements. 'His tackling was also hard and low, but he ran up too swiftly on White onco or twice and the Maori cut inside him. However, RalawA usually swung round and caught the Maori in a few' strides. * • * * The half-back, Wesele, was ‘‘greased lightning” personified. He shot out his passes with great speed and accuracy while, when he broke from the scrum, he was yards away before anyone realised it. His defence was very sound. G. K. Cakobau, the captain, moved nicely into his passes at first five-eighths, and, after receiving, was into full stride in a second. This gave him great penetration, while his straight running always gave those outside of him plenty of room. He played orthodox Rugby, however, and it was left to Nagatalevu to provide some variety in the five eighths line. This he did not overdo, being content mainly to feed his speedy threequarters- • • • • It was the Fijian forwards who laid the foundation for the grand victory. They w'ere inches behind the ball all day on attack and defence. Never once did a single Fijian break away—there were always three or four together. Their speed and hard, dive tackling caused havoc amons the Maori backs, while they never allowed the Maori forwards to master them. They played the three-four-one scrum for the first time on the tour, and although badly beaten in the first half in the set scrums did much better in the second spell. Qurai dominated the lineouts, while Vosaicake. Ganilau, Lagilagi and Vavaitamana were consistent in tight and loose. As a team the Fijians played very well together and both backs and forwards were masters at short dribbling and waiting for the hall to bounce right before attempting to pick it up. There was no attempting to pick up a roiling ball while going at speed and thus they were hardly ever penalised for knockone. Excellent Refereeing There is no doubt but that the excellent games of Rugby seen in Hamilton this season can be accounted for, in a large measure, to the excellent standard of the refereeing. The Waikato referees have had many meetings this year and have discussed all phases of the game and have each criticised each other's displays. From Hie very start they decided to play Ihe advantage rule as much as possible and allow the game to run along as smoothly as possible without stopping play for trivial technical breaches and players and supporters have reaped the benefit. The referees, generally, have not received all the praise that is due to them for the way they have controlled the games. There was one encouraging sign, however, and that w’as the granting of the Fijian-Maori Test to a Hamilton referee, Mr D. S. B. Heather. This is the first time that a Waikato referee has been given control of a match under the jurisdiction of the New Zealand Union. He made a great fist of the job and more appointments should come the way of Waikato referees. It is not fair to particularise but there are at least three or four referees who have shown, this year, that they could control bigger games. All referees have a thankless task but they do it willingly and when any “plums” come along they should get their share of them. Frank Cassidy’s Success Included in the list' of players accepted for All Black trials is that of F. J. Cassidy, Wellington. Frank is one of the three well-known sporting brothers of Hamilton and he has made quite a name for himself in his displays for the Wellington representative team this season. Prior to leaving Hamilton for Wellington Frank followed in the footsteps of his brothers Tom and Bill and represented Hamilton and Waikato at Rugby, Frank appearing on five occasions for the side before leaving for the south. Last year he was a member of the Wellington rowing four and rowing eight, a sport which brothers Bill and Tom, also favoured. Frank stands excellent chances of All Black selection. Brother Bill is also a well-known cricketer and he has represented South Auckland for many years, though he was in Auckland last season playing in the senior grade. He should easily make the South Auckland team this season. Waikato’s Cricket Year Though at the time of presentation of this report, your committee is faced with the many difficulties that the stale of war has caused, it is nevertheless sincerely hoped that competition cricket in Hamilton will conlinue unaffected, states the annual report of the Waikato Cricket Association to be presented at the annual meeting next Thursday. The position regarding representative matches is not yet clear, adds the | report. During the season under review, four challongcs for the Hawke Cup were received, and successfully j met, though, in two cases, not without

difficulty. The visit of Sir Julien Cahn’s team was the feature of the season, and the match at Hamilton provoked wide interest. The members of the team were entertained freely and were most popular during their two-day stay here. The New Zealand Cricket Council expressed gratification at the financial result achieved by the association. Teams were entered for the Provincial Tournament and Country Week Tournament at Auckland and did creditably. Senior B and Junior grade representative games were also arranged. • • * • The Putaruru Saturday Cricket Association was granted affiliation, and joined the six other bodies connected to the Waikato Association. The South Auckland Shield (since renamed the Waikato Shield) was held by Ihe Piako Association against several challengers, the final match of the season being played on the Hamilton ground. The ability of country players was at all times carefully watched. There were the usual four teams in the senior A grade, ten in seniorß, anti five teams in junior grade in Hamilton aiul the competitions were smoothly conducted, despite frequent interruption on account of representative cricket. The winners of llic respective grades were Hamilton East, Hamilton East (senor B) and Technical School. The standard of play was consistent, the bowling strength in the senior A grade, ten in senior B, and to the strength of the batting. The senior A grade games, and some of tilc B grade games, had the benefit of officials from the Umpires Association, and thanks are warmly extended to these gentlemen. Excellent service was also rendered by the provision of umpires for representative cricket. • • • • The association’s part in Physical Fitness Week was the staging of an inter-house cricket competition, extending over a period of ten days. U proved highly successful, and there was much enthusiastic play. The annual presentation of trophies and social was a successful function, held at the conclusion of the season. Besides the team trophies, presentations were made to R. Clough, for his bowling performance in the Hawke Cup match against Bay of Plenty, and the Davys Trophy was presented to L. Higginson, of the Old Boys club. The chairman of the management committee (Mr C. G. Hunt) and the secretary (Mr K. L. Sandford) were also recipients of presentations. The burden of entertaining representative teams, and a higher all-round scale of expenses, accounts for a small loss being shown in the year’s workings. A large proportion of such expense, however, was incurred in providing better facilities and conveniences for players and administrators, and no concern need be felt at the result disclosed by the accounts. It serves to show, nevertheless, that, despite fine weather throughout a season, there is a very small margin for which the association can operate. * * * • At a special general meeting of the association in November, 1938, the name of the association was changed to “Waikato Cricket Association.” This reversion to the old name of the association called forth approval from many sources. Other items of interest, in particular the importation direct of cricket balls from Sydney, the approval of a design for a representative blazer and cap, the building of new sight screens, the extension of facilities for cricket at Steele Park, and the setting-up of a committee to report comprehensively on the development and improvement of Waikato cricket, need be referred to only in brief, but indicate that the season was one of intense activity in many directions. Thanks are again extended to the very willing executive officers of the association, who did so much work in the association’s interests, and particularly, the ladies’ committee, which gave great assistance in the entertainment of visitors and the organisation of afternoon tea. The press must also be tendered thanks for the particular interest it displays in Waikato cricket. Its assistance has been invaluable in promoting the welfare of the game.