Flashback To Saturday's Opening Line-up Of Rugby Talent

Chronicle (Levin), 9 June 1949, Page 7

Flashback To Saturday's Opening Line-up Of Rugby Talent

^ i The first rugby representative line-up of the season took place at Shannon on Monday, when the annual Maori-Pakeha senior fixture was played off. The game was not up to the usual standard. i The day was windy and the ground very heavy, but the ' ball was dry, enabling the Pakeha baek's to use their speed • and skill to better advantage. The Maori backline was weak compared with that of their opponents.

There was litFe difference between the twqsets of forwards. Of the Maori staiwarts, "Winterburn, who plays for Rahui, must ' have come before the selecuor's eye, while W. .Lincoln .(Wanderers) turned in his usual sound 'display. Geoff Sciascia did his best in the Maori rearguard, but it is unfortunate that' he did not get his usual position as break-away. The Maori fuil-back, showed that he was an old hand at the- game and made few mistakes. It is a great pity that Poututu (Shannon) did not get a good run, as few opportunides came his way and the crowd wanted to see what this promising young p'ayer can do. In the Pakeha pack there was comple.e understanding and the. deiivery of the ball to the halfback, K. Tritt, was an outstanding feature, as it allowed him to feed his rearguard in fine style. This is a very pleasing factor. It , is seldom seen in these days of the I ihree-men front row scrum forma- ' tion.- So_, well was the ball delzvercd that even such experienced

break-aways as Lincoln failed to get either Tritt or the Pakeha first five-eighths, Fuller, in possession. It is difiicult to individuaiise among the Pakeha forwards. They were all good. * Perhaps the old hand, Woods '(Shannon) , and Doyle (Athletic) favoured the tight play, together with the Robinson brothers. The two Pakeha break-aways, Bryant and • Campbeil, both knew their jobs. Campbeil certainly justified his much-discussed inclusion. This young player is fit. Of the Pakeha backs, • Wall.ace (Rahui) was outstanding. His ability to straighten up the attack is a gift seldoifi seen these days. Galloway, at centre, showed that he has real football brains. Twice his quick sizing up of the position and his expeditious passing to Ross Smith enabled the latter to score two excellent tries. Smith is fast and is a good scoring machine. Tritt, at the base of the scrum. and FuTer, the first five-eighths, played exceptionally good games. It is hard to understand why they do not play together in club football.