WAIKATO’S STUMBLING BLOCK

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21191, 14 August 1940, Page 10

WAIKATO’S STUMBLING BLOCK

AUCKLAND AGAIN

WHY RUGBY TEAM LOST THERE WAS ABILITY TO WIN MACKY AND HARE BRILLIANT Many Rugby followers will look upon the Waikato representative team as something of a conundrum. Twice now this season it could be said with justice that the side was somewhat unfortunate not to lower the colours of the Auckland team which, last Saturday at Rugby Park, had to battle strenuously to maintain an undefeated record so far this year. However, just blaming Dame Fortune, is no guarantee that some day the tables will turn. Obviously, there is a weakness which seems to nullify all the brilliant spade wprk and manoeuvring into scoring positions which the Waikato team accomplished so grandly. That inability to take the honours on Saturday was due in the main to the lack of finesse.

Similar Story It was the Eden Park encounter earlier in the season all over again. Waikato fans who witnessed that game saw the Waikato teJm time and again within an ace of the scoring line, and they saw also Waikato

Forward Brilliance Highlight of the match from Waikato’s point of view was the superb display of the Waipa lock, E. B. Macky. It was indeed his day. Although Macky is at all times a great forward his display against Auckland on on Saturday was head and shoulders above anything he has produced this season. Certainly he played splendidly against Auckland at Eden Park but to have seen Macky last Saturday one would have thought he was an inspiration to any forward on the ground. Heaviest of the Waikato pack, Macky was always at the helm and showed brilliance in all phases of the game. As if in reward for a magnificent exhibition, his was the honour of scoring Waikato’s only try. He was up to international standard on Saturday in a game in which he worked hard from start to finish.

secure a feast of the ball. Surprising collapses of Waikato’s defence at the most unlikely moments during the height of attack were almost exactly parallel to the Rugby Park game last Saturday, and similar also was Auckland’s victory even when beaten territorially. Last Saturday, it could be said, Waikato was nearer victory because throughout that second half the Auckland side rarely threw the home fifteen off a determined offensive. And yet the game was lost.

Where the Fault Lay Misfortune must be shouldered wjth some of the responsiblity, but a good team should rise above setbacks experienced in last-minute team changes. As individual players, most of the Waikato fifteen were sound and as a team the combination was very good but it was not a scoring machine. Main reason for this lack of finesse seemed to be the absence of calm and concerted team play at the vital moment. Players dashed everywhere, all hooing for a solo of individual brilliance which would bring a score; or perhaps in many cases it was a temporary “losing the head,” but, in any event, no one seemed to have an eye for an opening when possession of the ball was secured right on the line. More training in grasping a momentary chance should overcome the weakness. It must be said, of course, that the Auckland defence was superb. Hooking Seldom Missed

There were other forwards who played splendidly. J. M. Taylor played up to his usual consistent form, while P. J. Farren again endorsed the reputation he has established for brilliancy in the pack. It is unfortunate that conditions have arisen which forced the cancellation of the All Blacks’ visit to South Africa next year because Waikato should have been strong in forward representation. One selection would surely have been E. H. Catley, whose hooking prowess again bewildered the Auckland front row. The times Catley failed to secure the ball in decided scrums on Saturday could have been countered on the fingers almost. W. Warrender was another likely All Black. Satherley justified his inclusion in the Waikato representative pack. He took part in many of the finest loose rushes and did some clever backing up which other Waikato forwards could well imitate. In Satherley’s form there were glimpses of short, well-controlled dribbling as has rarely been seen in Waikato football of recent years. Maclean well earned his place if only for his splendid backing up and his efforts to protect his half-back. Five-eighth Misfortune What of Waikato’s backs? Straightaway it can be said that every word of regret that R. Everest could not play against Auckland at Eden Park was justified. He is a tower of strength to Waikato. The team was indeed unfortunate that this time L. G. C. Reece, the first five-eighth, could not play, with the result that our crack five-eighth combination was again deprived of the pleasure of. meeting Auckland at its best. Judging Reece and Everest on club form as compared with the two displays given against Waikato by the Auckland inside backs this season, it could be said that the Hamilton pair would have probably turned defeat into victory. R. Everest, last off the mark at all times, made several great penetrations which opened brilliant opportunities. These, more often than not, had to be carried on by the faster forwards because Aitken could not always make the speed to be in line. When Everest did not cut in he sometimes eluded his man to give Aitken and the wing an over-lap.

One of Dominion’s Best All the Waikato forwards were splendid and again the pack showed that it is one of the finest in New Zealand. In the loose the men charged ahead not in twos and threes but about six in strength to throw Auckland hard back in lightning excursions. In the tight they were able to spare a man for a game as rover at times, while in the lineout Waikato secured a fair share of the ball. There was a weakness, however, which, unfortunately, more often than not characterises Waikato forward play. In the line-outs the men are slow to prevent a chargethrough by the opposition and in the rucks a similar weakness appears. Otherwise the forwards won all the bouquets of the match.

Slow Start of Attacks Inside R. Everest were his brother, J. Everest, and W. Brown. This combination was definitely weaker than the Broad-Reece chain. Brown was throwing out some shocking passes and although J. Everest at times showed remarkable handling ability in accepting them he had no option but to cut down his speed to take the ball. On the whole Brown was too slow in initiating attacks, although some of his defensive play was fairly solid. As a result of the despatch of the Waikato backs, Auckland was able to dash right upon them to stifle passing bouts in their infancy. That alertness on the part of the Auckland five-eighths saved the visitors time and again. To counter this rapid suppression by the Auckland insiders, the Waikato fiveeighths had to use the short kicks very often. Ordinarily this would have been sound tactics but Hare's game as Auckland’s fullback was so perfect positionally that the Everests could do little good with their kicking which, under the circumstances, should often have been longer to find touch over the fullback’s head. Perkins Carefully Watched Aitken did not play as sound a game as he did in the trials, or at Auckland. He was slow at times and often failed to get quick transmission to the wings. C. Perkins was. bottled up like a caged lion by Schubert, the Auckland winger, who played far better than did Caughlin whom he replaced. Early in the game he brought off a flying tackle against Perkins which seemed to have come straight from a Rugby text book. After that Perkins realised he would have to work hard to pass his vis-a-vis. On the other Waikato wing Paterson played a sound but not a brilliant game. The wing position appears to suit him. Two or three times he very nearly made the distance while once he took a very difficult high pass magnificently and then nearly succeeded in scoring despite the fact that taking the poor pass checked his speed. His replacement of Aherne proved warranted. When called on to defend he held ColmoreWilliams fairly well. At fullback Ensor made no serious mistakes but he did not have a great deal of work to do—an indication of Waikato’s territorial superiority.

‘Text-Book” Fullback Game If the famous Gerry Brand himself had stepped out in an Auckland jersey on Saturday it is doubtful if he would have been so very much better than was W. Hare, who should have been chaired off the ground by the Auckland players. He played a brilliant defensive game under a gruelling barrage which often called for determined and bold defence in solo opposition to the mobile and heavy Waikato pack. His positional play and anticipation of Waikato tactics was almost uncanny, while his line-kicking gave Auckland much regained territory. The real magnificence of his game, however, was the manner in which he barged in right in the face of the Waikato forwards to take a ball cleanly and remarkably calmly before extricating himself in the most amazing fashions to kick clear. He was mainly responsible for Waikato’s defeat despite the fact that his goalkicking was unsuccessful for the most part.

Ex-Waikato Halfback Other Auckland players have already been mentioned. The team’s defence was generally excellent all round. The forwards did not pack well'and they lacked the penetrating mobility which enabled them to provide a match for the Waikato vanguard in the Eden Park game. Auckland’s best forward was Hull, with Gilmour excellent and Smith prominent although not as outstanding as in the Auckland game. The Auckland half-back, P. Tetzlaff, who played for Waikato last season, was much improved. In the Auckland game he was over-shadowed by Broad (Waikato) but on Saturday he was far better than was Brown