RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 161, 26 July 1937, Page 9

RUGBY SIDELIGHTS

Points in Saturday's Game CONTRAST IN FORWARDS Morrie Dyer gave a splendid exhibition of sound defensive play at fullback for Hawke's Bay. * # * Though the Hawke's Bay goal success from free kicks was two out of three, the ratio in conversions was only one in six. • # # There was a lot of interest taken in those players who had figurcd in the recent AU Black trials, and all gave good accounts.of themselves. • • f Only a penalty gcal was scored in tlie first half-hour of the game, but territorially the Bay had the better of the game. • * , • Saturday's win for the Bay stopped a hat trick to Manawatu. Tlie two previous games were won by Manawatu 15 — 12 at Napier and 12 — 11 at Palmerston North respectively. # ■ # # The forwards controlled the greater part of the play, and there were times when they made it very tight. In the open, however, both sidef were impressive. • • • Robins, the Bay second five-eighths, was made the target for the Manawatu breakaways, and they were "on the mark" all the time to put the JLJayite "on the spot." • • * Ron Gillespie, former Hawke's Bay Rugby and atliletic' representative, was the best of tlie Manawatu backs. He Was quite the most enterprising member of tlie side. • • • Herbert again was iinpressive. He scored two cxcellent tries, one particularly being a remarkably find solo cffort in wliich he made good use of his weight and speed. • • * In the loose McKenzie, Findlay, Terry and Fell for Manawatu more than held their own and were constantly in the liinelight, but vthey preferred to kick and iollow-up and work more or less individuglly. • • • Laurie Clothier, the Bay half-back, showed more initiative than usual, and he was primurily resposible for two good scoring movements. He learnt a few stunts from his recent experiences at Wellington. • • • Dalton, Jackson and Hannigan were the outstanding Bay forwards, and they were well supported by Reid, O'Brien and the other members of the pack. It was this hunting as a pack that made them more effective than Manawatu. • • • Just as the players set. about leaving the field at half-time a heavy squall passed over McLean Park. There was a scramble for shelter by those patrons who were outsido the barriers. Tliey helped to fill tlie gaps in the crowd on the stands. « Two.types of forward play were exploited to an excellent degree and afforded an interesting comparison on Saturday. Manawatu favoured the dribhling rushes; Hawke's Bay Bhowed a preference for short-passing bouts. The latter proved the more effective, mainly for the reason that they kept the packmen more together. • • # "Why wasn't Colin Le Quesne allowed to play?" was a question on many lips. Some passed rather harsh comments on "sticking to the rules" and expressed disappointment tliat he was not on the field, especially in view of tho fact that it was well-known that lie was actually with the Manawatu team and had to tako a Seat on tho stand. «t • « The game ^was not a particularly bright one to watch, but two or three brilliant solo breaks will be long remembered. The sensation of years was Everard Jackson's great try. From inside his own quarterway Jackson clianged defence into attack, and though lie at no time lacked coinpany, both i'rom his own side and from tlie opposition camp, he was unmolested. Several efforts were made to tacklo him, but eacli time he sold a dummy to friend Hannigan, or Jack O'Brien, or did a neat side-step, aud finished off his dash with as good a final sprint as ever Jack Lovelock did in his "mile of the century," Man for man, Manawatu were taller than the Bay forwards, but the shorter fellows Were the faster in the open and better st handling.