BACKS BELOW EXPECTATIONS1

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21167, 17 July 1940, Page 10

BACKS BELOW EXPECTATIONS 1

I Two representative matches have ; now been played this season by the j Waikato Rugby fifteen—against King j Country on June 22, and against j Auckland last Saturday. In the ' former Waikato was beaten but the j honours of the day as far as form was concerned were definitely with the Waikato players; and again last Saturday Waikato was defeated, but man for man the side really took the | honours. It. would seem, therefore, i as if the 1940 Rugby record of the Waikato side will be one of lost opportunities, resulting, it may be said, from the lack of finesse of the combination when scoring chances are presented. Individually, some of the Waikato players in the match against Auckland on Saturday were brilliant. Mainly a forward struggle, the Auckland encounter produced some fine play by both packs with the Waikato scrum securing the honours and giving the backs every chance to beat Auckland. Contrary to expectations, the Waikato backs, which were considered to be the best for j many years, failed to produce the i form which would have given the ! team victory. The form shown j earlier in the season against King ] Country was not equalised. The j change which robbed Waikato j of the services of R. Everest . as second five-eighth was unfortun- I ate. While not casting all the blame on his substitute, L. Cameron, it could be said that Everest's inclusion in the back line would probably have given the combination in the inside j backs which would have secured victory. Reece and Cameron were strangers; Reece and Everest, it has been shown, combine brilliantly. Where Wc Lost the Match Because the Auckland halfback, P. L. Tetzlaff, played for Waikato last year, great interest centred around his duel with the Waikato halfback, J. Broad. The latter easily took the honours on the day. Generally speaking Broad’s service from the winning scrum was excellent although he took time to become ac- | customed to the slippery ground. It I was in those vital minutes early in : the game when the Waikato forwards ; had Auckland hemmed in hard that ! Broad failed to get the ball cleanly to L. G. C. Reece, who had to try to accept passes around his ankles. Later, however, Broad settled down to a great display and on defence he was splendid. In many respects he played the game of his life. Probably the main reason for Waikato's defeat was the fact that Reece and Cameron could not work together. When the former attacked. Cameron was not with him, with the result that Perkins, asking for a chance on the wing, saw too little ot the ball on attack. A Captain’s Game Waikato's five-eighths were solid on defence, however, both seeing that the Auckland inside backs secured absolutely no chance whatever. It was realised before the game that the Auckland backs would be dangerous if tackling was not sound and the Waikato backs all did a great day’s work on defence. It was a pleasing feature of the match. The captain, A. J. Aitken, played a skipper’s game in using his head to advantage. He tried to straighten up the attack and push it home but the passing to him was slow and at times lobbed. Twice he was unlucky not to score, while he was responsible for opening the way for Perkins’ great try. On defence, Aitken covered up the mistakes of his team mates time and again. Waikato’s Wingers In the one glimpse of C. Perkins’ real form, the Auckland crowd must have realised that Waikato has a winger well above the average. They were amazed, it would seem, by the manner in -which Perkins out-strip-ped the opposition in that brilliant solo dash over 60 yards of hard go

WAIKATO RUGBY LOSS ! NOT UP TO EARLY FORM FORWARDS MADE OPENINGS MANY LOST OPPORTUNITIES

ing to romp home unchallenged over the last ten yards for the only Waikato try which, incidentally, was the only really brilliant interlude of the otherwise hard forward tussle. It was Perkins’ only chance on attack, but on defence he was solid and supported the fullback well. Aherne, on the other wing, did not do much and appeared to be somewhat unsuited to representative standard. When his opopnent, Colmore-Wil-liams secured the ball, Aherne had to leave the defence to the fullback, ; Ensor, nearly every tim» Vastly Improved It was that last line of defence in Waikato’s team —D. S. Ensor—who had to stop one or two determined challenges by Colmore-Williams, the only Auckland back, except Hare (the fullback), who displayed any- ; thing like representative form. Ensor played a vastly improved game and probably the best he has in representative football. His line kicking was up to its usual high standard, but he went down to stop those clever Auckland forwards many a time. His positional play still needs a little patching up. That would make his own task easier and improve his play immensely. Both fullbacks were good on the day. Thoy Were Brilliant And now to come to the Waikato forwards, the majority of whom were brilliant. They played splendidly against a pack which surprised in the standard of its performance but still, in the face of solid opposition, the Waikato forwards took the honours of the day. The hooking of E. H. Catley impressed the Auckland critics for he won the ball from the scrums by a large majority. In the loose and tight rucking work Catley was a tower of strength and he played one of the finest allround forward games he has staged for some time. It was great to see the Waikato front row in action and everything that was said in favour of playing P. J. Farren, Catley, and J. M. Taylor together was justified. What a difference in the scrumming on Saturday and that against King Country! There was, however, one weakness to be found in the Waikato forwards. They did not hunt together as well as they are accustomed to, and too often they broke up, particularly in the lineouts, to let the Auckland forwards charge through as a phalanx difficulT. to stop. It was that which enabled the Auckland forwards to win the game for the victorious side. Splendid Forward Play Catley, it has been said, was outstanding. W. Warrender, and Taylor were always in the limelight showing their ability at every move. Farren gave further impression of j his neatness in all round forward I play, while Macky gave his best exhi-

bition this season. Thomson was always prominent also, as was Daniell, but the most improved forward in the Waikato pack was undoubtedly the Old Boys’ representative, A. Maclean. His exhibition was impressive and he was the leading forward in co-operating with the backs. He must have consolidated a position in the team which might otherwise have been difficult to hold. Like a good footballer, however, he was given his chance and he took it. The Auckland Players Waikato was too slow to jump down upon and turn to advantage the many mistakes committed by the Auckland backs. Colmore-Williams and Hare were the only two really

up to representative standard. Auckland relied on its forwards to win the game. At times the pack had the measure of Waikato and it per- , formed splendidly in breaking through and seizing upon the mistakes of the Waikato backs. Outstanding among their number was iW. Smith (Manukau). Moffitt, i Mills, and Barry were also prominent in a first-class pack of eight good Auckland forwards. Straight Running The value of a straight running five-eighth was again proved in Hamilton on Saturday when Frank - ton played. City in a Clarke pup game. Nepi carved a hole in City’s 1 defence practically every time he received possession, his determined straight running opening up many a i promising movement which lapsed | owing to lack of support. Frankton ; would do well to include this player |in its regular team. The game was j ragged with very few highlights but i the even nature of the scoring mainj tained the interest of the crowd. 1 Promising Display i The display of the Hamilton High i School first fifteen, against Mt. I Albert, was very encouraging. It was the first time for years that the i local team could compare favourably I with speed and combination with j Auckland teams and the side thorI oughly deserved its victory. One ! of the bright features of the High j School’s play was the endeavour ! made to open up the play at all opi portunities. The fullback very often came into the attack instead of perpetual kicking, which slows the game down. The playing of a rover as an extra back, thoroughly disconcerted Auckland. PRIMARY SCHOOLS GWYNNE SHIELD SERIES As the result of the formation of the Waikato Primary Schools Rugby | Union, primary school footballj throughout the Waikato has been! i established on sound lines. Each of i the sub-unions competing—Hamilton | (two teams), Cambridge, Lower Wai- ! kato and Morrinsville—lias its own j local competition, which is, naturj ally, its primary consideration. J Representative teams are then j selected and play for the Gwynne Shield, in the form of home-and-away series. The 1940 games have been close and interesting, and much enthusiasm has been aroused among the players and supporters. As each team plays four representative games the players are well catered for. One result of the new competition has been a marked improvement in the standard of play. The developi ment of a fine spirit among the boys, j who appreciate meeting players from • other centres, lias been another not--1 able benefit. ; Fr-.m the Gwynne Shield series ; the Waikato selectors will pick the Waikato loam to defend the Northern Roller Mills Shield, Jo be held in Auckland in the first week of the 1 August .holidays. Winning the sit:eld !in Hamilton in its initial attempt. the Waikato lads are keen to retain ! the trophy. i The following are the results of : the Gwynne Shield matches played to date:— First round: Cambridge 3. Lower Waikato 0; West Hamilton 9, Morrinsville 0. Second round: East Hamilton 19, Lower Waikato 0; Cambridge 10, Morrinsville 0. Third round: West Hamilton 6, Cambridge 1 0; East Hamilton 34, Morrinsville 0; 1 East Hamilton 9, West Hamilton 0.