PLAYERS ABOUT FOR WHAKATANE RUGBY FIFTEEN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 99, 15 June 1949, Page 5

PLAYERS ABOUT FOR WHAKATANE RUGBY FIFTEEN

(By “Kai ti tiro”)

With the season now well under way all players, especially those who aspire to representative selection, should be well into the game and playing better football every week. In most teams the better and fitter players have begun to sort themselves out and it is on them that the selector for the Whakatane team will have his eyes fixed. Glancing through the players, available and the performances of* most of them so far Whakatane should be able to field a solid side. Players at a Glance

Looking at the backs there is going to be some difficulty here for the selector. At full back the only choice is, undoubtedly, E. Welch (Taneatua). His brilliant line kicking, solid tackling and uneiring positional play puts him in a. high class. On top of this his unexpected field goal is an asset to team. In the three-quarter line there are many fighting for positions. On the wing there are B. McGougan and L. McCready (both of Taneatua) and M. Riini (Wairaka). McGougan has had the advantage of big football, experience but his play in recent games has been far from representative standard. He has still to learn a good fend and how to use his hip. McCready, solid, fast and determined deserves a place - on club performances but needs to develop a sidestep. Crashing is useless against hard tackling. Riini is able to take his place anywhere in the backline and is fast and determined. However, he is rather slight although he has come through so far unscathed. On his play Saturday the first player as centre would appear to be M. Bluett (Wairaka). His try. when he ran 60 yards cutting out the whole of the Poroporo backline and then side stepping the full back bore the mark*of a classy player. Solidly built and a good defence he has impressed although W. Rutherford (United) is a determined, dangerous centre. The five-eighths can be filled by the two Wairaka men T. Riini second and G. Stewart at first. Heady on attack and hard on defence Riini provides a good link. He has one bad fault of running across ‘the field instead of straight. Stewart is possibly the best covering up player in the Whakatane Union. He has an uncanny sense of anticipation and where there is a gap he is particularly dangerous. He is the perfect link from the forwards. The other player for this position who must go close to selection is T. De Lacey (United).

And so to half back. K. Hurran (Taneatua) is well in the running for the selection. He sends out good passes and is always in the thick of the hard work but his covering up behind the backs is sometimes slow.

Forward Selection There are many good forwards about. But the selected pack must be of big solid men not afraid of 90 minutes of hard work. In the front row A. Mundy and W. Parsons (United) and Tuta Hona (Paroa) will come close. Mundy is a food loose forward but lacks experience for front row play. With more games it will come. Parsons is a clever hook with an old head-. He is fast and works well with Mundy. The other prop, T. Hona, fits in with these two easily and is a player who works continuously.

At lock the positions must go to the Paroa duo, H. Ranapia ,and P. Ratahi. Hard workers and invaluable in the lineouts their experience will be of great assistance to the team. On the side of the scrum J. Rolfe (United) and L. Ball (Taneatua)' will be hard to beat while G. Goodall (United) at the back must be considered. Rolfe knows his football and is now very fit. His fine game against Rangitaiki must have attracted the selector. With the fast Ball, who is always on the ball (not a pun), the side of the scrum could be well served.

As last man down Goodall, a young player who has been going well in club games should play him.self in. He is good in lineout play and a difficult man in the loose. Another man fighting for this position will be G. Foreman (Taneatua; a big rangy forward.

The Final Team From the players mentioned the next step is to pick the team. Here is my final selection: — Full back: E. Welch. Three-quarters: B. McGougan, M. Bluett, L. McCready. Five-eighths: G. Stewart, T. Riini. Half back: K. Hurran. Front row: A. Mundy, W. Parsons, T. Hona.

Locks: H. Ranapia, P. Ratahi Side row: L. Ball, J. Rolfe. Back row: G. Goodall.

Emergencies: Backs, M.‘ Riini, T. De Lacey; forwards, K. Merito, G, Foreman.