RUGBY GAME.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1246, 30 September 1911, Page 5

RUGBY GAME.

C ANTE R liU RY-WELLIX GTOX. [Br AnisionoLUS.l By Cno Who Saw Them. After beholding the big match at Christohurch last Saturday, ".Mere More" lias been moved to sum it up on paper. He writes:—"There aro numberless grades of representative Rugby. What grade wero Wellington in when they met Canterbury? I think ono could only s-av that they were representative because the Selection Committee had made them so, but do not mistake me. I am not out seeking a common vulgar quarrel with tho selectors because I do not know whether they could have chosen better men or worse. Poor fellows, they have their own funeral, and I seek not to make it cither more cheerful or moro mournful. I buy no shares in funerals. All that is meant is that tho match hit the eve the wrong way. It was not groat, and I think you would require both a little suave courtesy and a good lot of hard untruth oven to call it a represcnta--tive match.

"Wayward weather was tho reason why historic Lancaster Park was declared unlit, and the football film was set down for reeling off at the A. and P. Show Grounds. Wellington held tlio placo in the limelight at the end, but the average quality of the persons of tho plav counts for something, even when one is adoring tho peoplo in the limolight. It was not a brilliant cast. The Press has acquainted readers how Wellington 'pinned Canterbury down,'' of tho innumerable 'exchanges of kicks/ Roberts's 'swiftly astonishing' dropped goal, tho feeblo beating of the Canterbury pulso at the end of tho first spell, and tlio 'rallying' at the beginning of the second half," winding up with the Cantabrian collapse at the end of tho game, when the Wellington backs clamped on the power. These catch-words can be found in any sporting column, be the game football, cricket, lacrosse, or a ladies' hockey match. What they really convey no ono knows.

"The fact that did occur to me as tho Reds and the Blacks scrambled and surged, and some near-by pressmen every now and again pointed out what should have been, or should not have been done, was that it would take a very powerful microscope to make giants of the greater percentage of our present-day representative Rugbeians—especially tho Canterbury type. Certainly the players wero honest, and there was not apparent any 'crooked' running—a suspicion of which has, some hold, at times besmirched games played not a hundred miles from the Empire City. The ball was booted hard, players were tackled hard, but I failed to discover that scientific attack and defence, that well-defined manoeuvre and subtle deception which a course of study of some of our writers had led mo to expect were ever-present features of our 'big' football. "Solid humdrum skirmishing kept the spsctators moderately interested, but their enthusiasm was not over-great, although they impartially recognised the occasional flashes of trickery—whether brought off by Roberts or Burns, who stood well clear of their fellows in their respective teams for 'heady' play. "As is natural in any game of Rugby a great number of scrums were formed. Each pack put' their heads down and pushed hard, and thoro is said to have oeen some 'scrapping' on the blind side of both the spectators and the referee— but, of tho scientific scrum-work, there was little. Canterbury more often got tho ball, and Burns, l'yle, and Gray often put on steam, but generally to no effective purpose. Wellington tackling solidly both forward and back.

"It will be necessary for the Canterbury controlling authorities, if they desire _ to prevail in representative football against North Island teams, to nurture the 'sec-d----linjjs' in the junior forward plantations, as the province is well down the ladder in the matter of good men to fill up tho places in the sc.nim and on the line-out. Murray, at the side of tho scrum, was tho only player to take the eye. On tlieiT plav, Houlihan, Gillespie, Cunningham, and Wilson must havo caused a covetousness of their neighbour's goods by tho Canterbury selectors. To affect a form of criticism which cannot be labelled heterodox, I conclude by saying that Roberts. Grace, Evenson, and Ryan played best of the Wellington backs." Messenger's Century. An upstanding, medium-height 'young fellow, with powerfully-built shoulders and well-moulded limbs. He is ever on tho move—hore, there, everywhere— wherever tho ball may be. lie seems to know intuitively the exact spot where it will .be at a given moment, and he is there to receive it. And having received it, ho still continues to be here, there, and everywhere. First he runs straight, but meeting tackier, doubles like a hare, and darts off almost at right angles. Again his path is barred, and the performance is repeated—only this time ho speeds away towards the other wing. Sometimes ho feints to pass, and proceeds on his way goalward. Sometimes he gives the reverse pass, and sends the ball to the opposite side, to receive it back an instant later—to score tho try. Sometimes—but it would take columns to give a list of the tricks which this great, crafty player—ll. H. Messenger—employs to outwit tho opposition. Added to his cleverness in attack is his ability to kick goals from all distances and from nil angles—the greater the distance and the more difficult the angle the more apt is ho to achieve success.

Such is the Sydney "Herald's" summing lip of the great three-quarter back, 11. H. Messenger. "Old.Rugby cuthusiasts," continues the "Herald," "state that H. P. Abbott ("Abbo"),. the great University centre-three-quarter, was the finest player in that position ever seen. Others, again, give thepalm to'Gwynn Nicholls, the famous Welshman; but present-day Rugby followers are of the opinion that" Messenger is "the greatest ever."

The following tables give an indication of the result of Messenger's remarkable personal efforts in big and little games this season Representative Matches. Against— _ Queensland— g J2 "5 .2 « -2 .2 £ 0 o 3 o ■H 3 Pj KH First match ..... 4 10 32 65 Second match ... 2 7 20 49 Third match ... 2 7 20 32 Totals 8 21 72 HO New ZealandFirst match 2 4 14 35 Second match ... 0 ■ 4 8 26 Third match ... 0 8 1G 39 Totals 2 16 38 100 Northern Districts 0 6 12 21 In club matches Messenger scored eight tries and kicked G2 goals, a total of MS points out of 251 scored by his side. Grand Totals. 01 -2 2 .5 c o 3 o -I 'Z fk Against— Queensland 8 24 <- 146 New Zealand ... 2 16 38 100 \orthern Districts 0 fi 12 21 Club matches ... 8 G2 148 251 Totals IS 10S 270 518 A Correspondent: Who Gave Instructions? \ correspondent, "Ex-Rep.." has something to say about tlie positions_occupied by certain members of the Wellington touring team in the match against Canterbury. Tie writes:— To i'lr. Editor.—Sir,—Through your columns I should like to draw the attention of tho footballing public to 'ho positions allotted to tho Wellington players in tho football match Canterbury v. Wellington, played in Christchurch on Saturday last. Tho team, which was pickcd by Roberts aiul Wilson, was as follows:—Full-back. Kinvig; three-quarters, Grace. Rya.il, and Eveufton; five-eighths, Mitchinson and M'Kenzio; half, Roberts; wing-forward, Cunningham; front, Elliott and Houlihan ; lock, Gillespie; supports. Perry and Wilson; back row, Bali and King. And I should like to ask a question. Who was it (the selectors or W.R.F.U.) that gavo instructions to t.ho manager of tllfl team that certain players who had been selected by the W.R.F.U. selectors were to tako the field against Canterbury, | and tlm positions allotted were not to bo ' altered? I have it on the authority of a member of the touring team that such instructions were issued, and particular f.tress was laid on the ono positiou—winß; lonvaxd—"ltanji" Wilson .to to be kept

there. This is a case cither of _ gross mismanagement on tho part; of tho W.R.F.U., to say nothing of the insult convoyed to Roberts and Wilson, tho selectors elected by the touring (cam, or it shows to what extent the selectors were prepared to go to gain their end. This matter should be cleared up, and Mr. Perry, of Iho W.R.F.U., might say who issued tho instructions.