RUGBY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21185, 7 August 1940, Page 10

RUGBY

FRANKTON’S VICTORY

CLEAR CUT MARGIN MAJOR TROPHIES WON REPRESENTATIVE GAMES AHEAD Frankton’s margin of victory for the two major inter-club trophies, the Stag Trophy and Sage Memorial Cup, was a clear-cut one and there is little doubt that the best team won. The spectacular backline proved itself both on attack and defence, while the forwards upheld their reputations for hard, honest toilers. One of the factors leading to the team’s success was mentioned by the captain, R. Everest, when he received the trophies on Saturday, when he referred to the excellent coaching the team had received from Mr A. St. C. Belcher. The coach insisted on physical fitness and regular training gave Frankton every chance. Hamilton will have several representative matches, including a challenge for the Peace Cup, this season and this should maintain the interest in the game now that the two major trophy competitions have been completed. The Clarke Cup is now at an interesting stage and some fine games have still to be played. Very Even Game The chief attraction on Saturday, between this year’s and last year’s champions, was a very even and exciting game and the result could have gone either way. Neither side was at full strength but City, who made most of the running, failed to finish off several promising movements. At least four times it looked as if the team would score, but, as against Old Boys the previous week, the chances went begging. City should really have won both its latest matches by wide margins but opportunities were allowed to pass. Frankton did not seem to worry unduly on defence and, several times, the players did not come back after City had made a break and it was left to one or two to hold up City’s progress. The score at 12—11 maintained the interest of the crowd. As a coincidence the curtain-raiser, between Hamilton and Rotorua High Schools, which also might have gone either way, finished with exactly the same score. Long Service To Frankton After playing for the Frankton Club for 19 years, 16 years as a senior, A. H. (“Slip”) Griffiths will retire at the end of this season. Griffiths was on the wing again on Saturday and he had several good runs, I putting plenty of dash' into his effort. His well-placed centre kicks after a burst down the line nearly brought results twice. He has lost some of the speed that raised the crowds when he played for Waikato and twice he was overhauled by Perkins near the line on Saturday. Nevertheless he played another good game. | Nepi played as fullback for Frank- ! ton and the best try of the match j was initiated by him. He was a bit i at sea as fullback but again impressed ias a straight running attacking | player. i Played Better Football

City played much better football on Saturday than for some time, the forwards, especially, putting more devil and life into their play. Again the side failed to finish off many movements, however, while they also lost valuable points by not having a good goal-kicker. Brighouse, the fullback, again proved that he is the best in this position m Hamilton and he has thoroughly earned h.s place in the Hamilton team. Perkins shone out in several spectacular sold efforts and faulty handling, a rare thing for him, robbed him of two tries. He had to make all his own openings. Dobson, at five-eighths, made several openings but was not supported. The other backs did not show true form.

Fine Back-line The contention that Frankton has the best back-line in this year’s competition was amply evidenced again on Saturday, against City, when the Frankton backs provided all the spectacular concerted movements. R. Wilkins made a re-appearance at half-back and played easily his best game of the season. He sent the back-line away well on several occasions, while he was close behind the ball all day. He still ran into more trouble than necessary and the backs could have had a few more runs, but, nevertheless, he played more like his form of three seasons ago. Reece again demonstrated that he is the best first five-eighths the Waikato has had for many years. His superb handling is only one feature of his play but it is one that paves the way for his success. R. Everest again played good football, and J. Everest shaped very well at centre, proving a good link, while his consistent low and hard tackling saved Frankton on many occasions. Good Forward Flay There was some good forward play in the match between Frankton and City on Saturday, the lighter Frankton pack again holding its own in good style. For City, Barr, W. Keen and Johnson were toilers in the tight play and Chell, McDevitt and Dowling were conspicuous in the loose. Dick and Mclntosh were , Frankton’s hardest workers, with j Satherley, Elliott and Belcher doing | much useful work. | Taupiri’s Half-back j A useful player to have in any I team is the Taupiri half-back, W. • Tapp, as he scored thirteen of his ' team’s points in the match on Saturday. Although he missed one easy kick from a try under the posts, his effort in kicking a penalty from nearly half-way was worthy of note. His goal-kicking is not his only asset, however, as he is a halfback above the average. His passes from the base of the scrum are usually fast and well directed, and he often breaks away from scrums and line-outs to gain much ground.

Scrums Before Line-outs In the scrums in the match on Saturday between Technical and Taupiri, Catley hooked the ball nearly every time. In the line-outs, however, Technical usually held its own. With a hooker such as Catley, in a fifteen with good backs, it is usually to a team's advantage to take scrums before line-outs when the opportunity arises. This policy was adopted with success by the heavy Springbok forwards in the tests with the All Blacks. Fine Forward Game A fine game was played by Shaw, a Taupiri forward, in the match on Saturday between Taupiri and Technical Old Boys. He was always up with the ball and along with Taylor was probably the best forward on the held. Taupiri is fortunate in having such a fine pack of forwards, as its front row. Taylor, Catley and Farren play in that position for Waikato. Its backs are also quite good, as they handle cleanly and indulge in straight running. Raglan Wins Again Raglan left its run in the Rugby season until too late. The form displayed in the last two Stag Trophy matches indicated that the team should have been far higher up on the championship ladder than it was. At no stage in the season was the team heavily beaten, but it did not seem to have the balance of luck until right at the end. Several of the Raglan players are now showing excellent form. They include A. Robertson, Phillips, Goodwin, Jackson and McCracken in the forwards. The backs also played much better football on Saturday. More of the Ball Raglan forwards secured more of the ball from the scrums than did Old Boys in the match on the No. 2 ground on Saturday. As a result Old Boys was at a disadvantage, but occasionally when forwards secured the ball from the scrum the backs showed glimpses of penetrative ability. A slight weakness in the Raglan defence was then revealed but the Old Boys backs were unable to make the best of their opportunities.