THE BAY RETURNS TO FORM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 203, 13 September 1937, Page 3

THE BAY RETURNS TO FORM

Big hnprovement Shown In Defensive Qualities .VISITORS OUTCLASSED. "That's more like the Bay. We'll give the Springboks a good show after all." This, iu effect, is the comment that was passed by many who witnessed the Hawke's Bay v. Wellington game on Saturday. It was a truly wonderful exliibition that the Bay provided, and the game itself was a splendid one to watch, despite the one-sided scoring^ the final count being 31. — 9. Of late there has been a suggestioii of staleness, which is not surprising, as Saturday's game was tlie twell'th on the prograninie and several players have had a number of other hard games. But on Saturday there was uo sigm of staleness, backs and forwards playing with pleasiug decisiveuess and with a virility that was far too much for Wellington. • The majority of the spectators naturally had in mind next Wednesday's game against the Soutli Africans, and recent displays have not made them very sanguine as to the prospect of the Bay gjiving the tourists a hard game. There can be little doubting that if the Bay play next Wednesday like they did on Saturday, then the Springboks will require their Test fifteen to win. It is obvious that the Bay's ehances in any game depend upon tho forwards. 11' they are in form then the opposition have a hard time of it. Saturday saw the Bay pack in something of their form earlier in the season, when tall scoring was the order. It is not that the Bay forwards do a great deal of scoring. Rather there has been surprisingly littie scoring done this season by the forwards, but they break down tbe opposing backs with their spoiling and sweep the field with their virile loose ruslies leaviug the field elear for the backs to finish oif the movements. Not a Fassanger. The ability of the Bay forwards is unquestioned. With three All Blacks, Red Dalton and Jackson, to set the standard the remainder of the pack strive to emulate them, and they do it wonderfully well. On Saturday, every memher of the pack was prominent, and the selector will^ no doubt leave this division alone. Peter Smith, Bowman, and Hanuigan are cartainly assured of places, and John- I son also has to be included, for as a loose forward he is giving consistently good service. The remaining place may be filled by either Wilson, or Grillin, the former being perhaps being more likely. But the backs have been very much in-and-out iu their performances this season. On Saturday they were a surprise packet. On recent performances this season all showed an improvement, several to a very marked degjree. Close to the scrum the old combination was back again. Clothier once more leading the team and with Bradley performed most efficiently behind the scrum. But there was for almost the first time this season, a good understanding throughout the whole line, and the Bay wingers, Herbert and Apsey saw more of the ball tban usual from chain passing; bouts. Bradley and Reid provided the thrust and piercing runs, both performing excellently. Reid, as centre, was a distinct success, and a good deal of this was due to Apsey who proved himself quite capable of keeping up with the elusive Reid. The latter still has a tendency to hang-on a little too long, but nevertheless, on Saturday he showed g big improvement. Bay Backs' Creat Defence. The most pleasing feature of the backs' play, however, , was their defence. Though not without blemish, there has not been given a better display this season by the Bay backs. Each and every man taekled risolutely and was usually first on his feet again to be ready to iJarticipate iu the movement afoot. It has been recognised that one of the greatest factors against the Springboks is tackling, and the Bay backs have only to iinprove a little on their showing against Wellington to give the tourists plenty to think and worry aboiit. While all the Bay backs did well on defence there was oue who gave an outstanding exbibition. That was Dyer at full-back. He gave every satisfaction in his play generally, but lus tackling and rush-stopping aroused the admiration of evervone. He was better than Johnny .Vartan Ihe former Hawke's Bay full-back, who did not serve Wellington on «"day efficiently as he has . arved the llav iu tli j past. About the Wellingtonlans. J'hough outclassed in praotically every phase of the play Wellington at times helped to make the game interesting. They favoured the open game, and thougji the backs did not perl'orm with the distinction anticipated, they were nevertheless dangerous, and it requirod only a slackening in Ihe Bay defence for them Lo force their way through. O'Halloran had a strenuous time behind the scruiu. but wlien the ball did coine hia way he wliipped it oub to his comrades. Griffiths, the All Black was well juarked throughout and had little elntnco of revealing his ability to any marked degree. He stood up to a great barrage very manfully. Veitch was perhaps the most iinpressive of the Wellington backs, but there was a tendency on the part of them to be lound out of position. The probable cause for this Avas tlie almost uncanuy accuracy of the placement of short kicks, particularly those of Reid, Apsey and Bradley. These usually landed in open spaces and with the Bay forwards ever ready to give chase. the Wellington backs were eompelled to run back and round to clear or stop the rushes. Among the forwards Wellington possessed one outstanding performer, anj that was Devine, a brother of

Ron. Devine, who when Bradley retired late in the game, replaced him and came' on as centre. Tlie 'Wellingtonian was the leader' in the loose and there was no more oonsistent toiler i» the tight. He was well supported by Pringle and Todd in the loose, the last-mentioned revealing himself a great spoiler. The All Black Lambourn, was not as • prominent as one would have anticipated. He was shaded by his fellow-All Black heeler Dalton, in the majority of the scrums and in his general play was not nearly as good as the majority of the other forwards on the ground.