WEEK OF RUGBY TRIALS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 146, 8 July 1937, Page 15

WEEK OF RUGBY TRIALS

:'Ma£?pie")

Five-eighths Position May Cause Misgivings CLOTHIER AS HALF -BACK?

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On Saturday begins the week of trials for what are considered to be the 70 leading Rugby players in New Zealand to-day. It is too much to expect that the weather will remain perfect for all the matches to he played. Possibly there will be rain on one or more of the days and prohably there will be wind. Athletic Park is very nice for footballers on a good day, but when the southerly pipes or the prevaiiing northerly arrives it is a very tricky area, and my sympathy is with those new to big football who are trying to break into prominence in the week ahead if the winds do blow. The presence of seven Ha^vke's Bay names in the chosen 70 will give pleasure to local followers and now that they have been given the opportunity it rests with them how f ar they will progress in the game in the immediate future.

Hawke's Bay, with five in the North Island fifteen, haa the greatost proviucial representation in the inter-island contest to take place on Saturday, and this preference is indeed a compliinetit to the Bay, more particularly when it ia romembered that wo have no direct represexitative on the selectiou committee. Por the whole trial list of 70 players Wellington, with 10 representatives heads the list of provincial preference, with Auckland aud Otago, eight each, next. However, R. White, of Hawke's Bay, will not appear as his injured kneo, although improvifig, iB not thought to be strong enough to stand up to strenuous play just yet. In this conneclion it may also be uxentioned that "Jocy" Badler, the Wellington half-back, i« still in hospital with a damaged knee, and it is extremely doubtful if he will play again this winter. Looking over the names of the trialists, particularly the backs, oue has misgivings eoncerning the fire-eigliths. It is evident that great reliauce is being placed in the ability of Crossman, of King Country, to solve the lii'st five-eighth problem. The first fiveexghth required to fill the bill for New Zealand must be a robust defender in addition to having the necessary u.ttacking qualities, and so far Crossman has never impressed greatly as a stout defender. In defence Trevarthan, of Dunedin, supplies all that is required, but in attack he lacks brillianee. However, he has great ability as a goal kick and it would appear that he has good prospects of gaining the final nod from the selectotfi. A very good judge in Auckland, recently in a letter to "Magpie," mentioned that Dave Solomon was playing wonderful Rugby as a seeond five-eighth, and perhaps it is that he is fulfilling at least the promise of years. Certainly he has had any amount of experience and his present good fotin shOuld be but a natural seqUCfice. The ftspirants for the three-quarter line are nxore satisfying, and there is no need to fear that three first-class men will not be found to wear the fernleaf. In regard to the five-eighths named for the trials .the absence of C. Robins 's name caused genuine surprise in these parts as there is no doubt that ou his form iu club and representative matches this season his name should have beefl ixicluded. Perhaps he may yet be afforded his chance. All: of the trial matches will be played under the old kick-ifito-totlch rule between the variofis full-backs will be interesting. Pollock knows every blade of grass on Athletic Park and this fact will be to his ixdvantage. Certainly he is not of massive proportiofis, but he gets plenty of power into his kicks and in addition he is very hccUtate. Much has been written

in praise of Taylor, the South Island full-back, but when he played in Napier for Otago in 1933 he was by no means a robust rush-stopper Possibly he has improved in this respect in the xixteriru. r The injury to Badler and tho withdrawal of Sunone of Otago, complicates the half-back position to some degree, but to be candid I do not think that either would have inade the grade had they beoa avaiiable. The Wellington idol is very small and Simon has been passed over before. "It's an ill wind that blows nobody good" and tke prospects of Hawke's Bay's nominee look bright indeed. The Waikato man Russell may have amprovod. He is young and the possibility ie that lie hus, and it may be found that he will be tho chief tlireat to Clothier 's progrosa. Apparently lt is the South Islaud selettor's idea to-play Rankin, who really a rover, ou the side inst^ad of the back . of the scrum. This will conllne his attention to one side only, which id soinething that Crosfiman should bd thankful for as the Canterbury man is devastating when On tlie job and oper&ting aS the bnbk row of the scrum. By his inclusiou in the North pack Bowinan has indeed bden complimented. There is no doubting his ability, but he may be handicapped by laek of expfcrience. There are not inatiy new men in the front row, and it would appear that the Bay 's pair will be diificult to keep out of All Black jerseys, and the Same remarii aixplies to Tori Reid. Out of the rexuainiug trial forwards there are bouufl to anse some who will please "and conversely many who will disappOint, but it is all in the game and for the participants it is going to be an eXciting week and for tne enthUsiast a very interesting ohe. To eonclude with a referenoe to the inter-island fixture that will be tlie main attraction in next Saturday 's day of trials: it is recalled that when the Springboks were here in 1921 the New Zealand fifteen for the First Test in Dunedin was select-ed after the interisland match played that year in Christchurch. [New Zealand defeated the Springboks by 13 to _ 5.] Next Saturday marks the 32nd haeetifig between tho two islands. This fifteeii never faile to appeal as a speCtaele, and as one who has seen theSe meetings frequently BiiiCe 1902 I can say that no game cf Rugby gives tne grehter enjoyment to watch than this meeting between North and South. The highest sfeore recorded in the ser'es was by the North in 1926 when they won by 41 to 9. In 1927 Sbuth Woh by 31 to 30, this being the match that supplied the hjghest aggregate Of points. Of the 3l matches played North have won 18, South lo and three have beeni. drawn. It is just about time that SoUth recorded another win. ,