FROM THE TOUCH-LINES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29503, 3 May 1961, Page 13

FROM THE TOUCH-LINES

After three rounds of the senior Rugby League competition, the leading points scorers are: A. Smith (Linwood) 24, P. Tongue (Hornby) 16, M. Mohi (Marist) 13. and K.

Pearce (Papanui) 12. G. Abercrombie (Sydenham), P. Lennon (Linwood), P. Skirton (Hornby) and P. Tongue (Hornby) have each scored four tries.

★ The best try scored at Lancaster Park Oval on Saturday was in a senior reserve match between University and Old Boys. With his side down 8-3, the Old Boys left wing, D. Owen, beat a man. kicked ahead and showed extraordinary speed in going through to gather in the ball again and score by the posts—a 60yard effort in alt The conversion made it 8-SIL. the final score. Owen played Rugby in his first year at secondary school, but gave it up for hockey. He returned to Rugby only half way through last season. This was his first game on the oval — and he should recall it with pride. In view of Canterbury’s weaknesses on defence in the Jones Cup match at Dunedin on Saturday, it will be surprising U the Shamrock left full-back P. Flynn does not receive a trial before the next representative side is

selected. Flynn played another good game on Saturday against - City. He represented NewZealand in four testa in 1957, two each against Hong Kong and Austria F K, and was a member of the South Island side which beat the Austrian combination. ★ P. Tongue had a field day playing for HornbyRugby League team against Marist to score four good tries in his first match of the season. Tongue, a heavy scorer for Hornby in recent seasons, is a fine utility player and has played in almost every position in the back-line.

* » A centre-half who has caught the eye in most of his inter-club soccer matches this season is D. Niven of City. With four rounds of the competition played Niven has given a good display in each match, and on Saturday he was instrumental 'in disorganising the Shamrock forward line on many occasions.

The most important rule in hockey is that which defines and penalises obstruction. Without its enforcement.

rough play can easily develop, and the moat skilful players are usually the chief victims. There has been far too much illegal tackling from the left in dub hockey thia season, and much of it has escaped penalty. The greatest service which umpires can reader in the discharge of their duties is to acquire a clear and correct understanding of the rule and to be ruthless la its application. Those players who seek to eleak their lack of skill by barging and shoving would then be exposed aad rendered ineffective. They would be 0.-Hged either to retire from the game or learn something about it Whichever decision was made would be of benefit

The centre-half of the Technical Old Boys senior hockey team, C.- Smart, has shown some very useful form in the first two rounds of the senior competition. He is fast and energetic, and covers a considerable amount of territory in the course of a game without lasing position. His team is not particularly strong at present. and his contribution to its efforts is therefore all the more valuable. His cover defence has been very sound, and he has given his forwards skilful support. His general approach to the game is intelligent, and his team mates would improve their play if they followed his example in technique and method.

The Sunnyside-Sprey- . den captain and hooker, A. Heatley was unlucky to injure a knee in the game against Albion. Heatley played well until he was forced to retire and was an inspiration to his team in both tight and loose play. The number of tight heads he won during the game was a tribute to his skill.*

Keith Thomson, of University, w-ho was the provincial centre-half Igst season, has shown outstanding form in club hockey matches to date. He is deceptively fast, his trapping is safe and sure, and his skilful dribbling and clever stick-work make him most elusive. His passing is improving all the time, and he has been just as prominent on defence as in attack. He has a sound knowledge of strategy and tactics for one so young, and for this reason is a much more experienced player than many who have graced senior ranks for a longer period of time. His prospects of representing New Zealand must be very bright, for it would be an exceedingly difficult task to name three better halfbacks in the country. Christchurch’s young second five-eighths, D. Arnold, played another good game against Old Boys. He is quick, elusive, and has good hands. ★ Captain of the Linwood Rugby League team, R. Pounsford played a grand game against Papanui last Saturday. Usually a halfback, he played at first five-eighths and proved that he is equally at home in this position. He scored two tries and had a big part in two of the others that his team scored. Pounsford is a member of Canterbury's training squad to play West Coast at Greymouth next Sunday.

Deputising at half-back for the Papanui Rugby League team against Linwood on Saturday, R. Feutz played a fine game. Normally a loose forward, Feutz showed versatility in moving his backs away.

With four rounds of the Hurley Shield soccer competition completed, . the Western players C. Whitehead and K. Olley head the list of goal-scorers with seven each. Three players have scored five goals, these being I. McCallum (Nomads), H. Scholten (Neerlandia) and B. Fergus (University). Scorers of four goals each are E. Charlton, W. Shannon and A. Verham (Technical) and P. McParland (Nomads).

X E. Brown, who has played in a variety of » positions for Belfast since the war turned out against Marist on Saturday in the forwards. A player who has had the title of veteran bestowed on him for

the last few years. Brown was quite agile for the first five minutes, but age and the pace of the game soon told and he buried himself in the tight with the rest of the less ambitious. The former Canterbury full-back, G. T. Nolan, now coaching the New Brighton . senior Rugby team, has a side of extremely fit players. A disciplinarian in training, Mr Nolan has

coached New Brighton under 18, under 20 and third grade competitionwinning teams. NewBrighton seniors this season could make the top six teams, especially if provided with some wet Saturdays.

A former Canterbury representative Rugby half-back, R. Watson, who has played as a fiveeighths so far this season, was back in his usual position behind the Meri-

vale scrum in Saturday’s game against Linwood. But with his forwards losing the battle for possession, Watson’s role was mostly defensive. ★ The Bangers insidS'-left D. Anderson showed on Saturday that he will again be a strong contender for the Canterbury side when it meets the Englishmen on June 3. Anderson played several matches for Canterbury last season before transferring to Hawke’s Bay, and has only recently returned. Canterbury is fortunate in having a number of competent players for the inside forward positions. ★ Alan Amer, one of Canterbury’s Rugby League representative wings last season, played well against Linwood on Saturday. He scored one good try and was most unlucky on a number of other occasions.

The Marist Rugby League senior team has lost the services of two of its leading players. P. Smith, a member of the Canterbury training squad, is suffering from an injury that will probably keep him on the sideline for about four weeks. It is most likely that the team’s captain, J. Jones, will retire from the game. Jones was injured in the game against Linwood and last Wednesday underwent an operation to his face.

★ A vigorous Old Boys forward on Saturday was D. Turpin, He is a son of the former Linwood forward, Jim Turpin, and a nephew of the Canterbury and South Island representative, Ollie Turpin.

Because the main Rugby ground at Rawhiti Domain is being spelled this winter after top-dressing and reseeding, the New Brighton senior team will play its home matches at the sheltered, picturesque Jellicoe Park, South Brighton. The goal posts at the park should be given some long overdue padding.