THEN AND NOW.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 July 1924, Page 4

THEN AND NOW.

— l— —, TWO NATIONAL SIDES* the forwards CRITICISED.

Continually in some quarters we Imve adverse criticism of the modern forward plav. ' We arc told, comments a Wellington writer, that the forwards of old were hotter in many ways, notably iii their control of the hall and that the tendency to-day is towards a team

jf •‘shiners” ill the loose. In the light of this criticism it is rattier interesting to recall the critical survey of the nil-conquering HK).> team made | v the three men who should know it best—Mr G. IL Dixon, the manager the late Mr Gallagher, captain. and All* .1 W. Stead, vice-captain. As out * iiosen forwards will once more oppose an English team on English fields it will be provocative if we find that "> the opinion of the critics the thing-* which the Homeland men may tench us are tllnso which it could have taugnt utwoutv vears ago. THE BIG LESSONOn the return from Knjdand Mr i«. 11. Dixon, made the statement that: “The one positive lesson learned wastin' value of close dribbling »« coiiipr.red with the -kick and rush stvle so prevalent in New Zealand. Ihe work of the Irish forwards was magnificent in this respect, and the Scottish wore hut little behind them. Some ten or fifteen veins ago it was common enough ■ hut the present generation has forsaken it entirely. 'I boy will have to n.*-k'iirii it though.” THE BRITISH KORAN AIM). David" Gallagher's opinion'ot the British forward play was not llattem.g. ‘•The average British forward. he said, -never dreams of picking the hall up and starting a passing rush amoiiji his colleagues, or initiating nil attach from a line-out or loose rush, lie mi* the'idea, firmly implanted in his mim that he is in the team solely for tm sake of scrummaging, line-out "'or* ami following up a drop out now am then. . ,

NOT i.ma;:inati\ k. “It never seems to dawn on him tJi:it ho is nhlo to take 11 hack’s place. fills'-’i* Ini- nttnekiiio or defensive l"l>'l ll>s “ s (litlino ;t ii v l>:ii t. or tin- till lilt*, and he theichv losos many a fine opportunity i.l scoring lor tlm simple reason that it lias liooii orouiKl into him that ho I' a forward and not expected to scoto. The harks i.iill-1 (lo that. It is their departmwit. And la- believes m leavino it entirely lo them. ~ r | |I Kill ONK Sl’Kt’l AI.ITV. “There is one depart meiit .of lorwavd plow however, where there is room tor impnraiit improvement in our team, anil in which we can take a les-oii I tnin hath our Irish and Scotch cousins, the former especially. That is m tin- use of our feet ■-dribbling, They make u specialitv of this particular kind «>l plav. anil there is no doiiht that it is a er.mil si-tlit to see a whole park of Irish forwards coinin': down the held with the hall in perfect command at their toes. It is one id the hardest forms of attack to stop, and the oppositljr hacks have to exercise all their i»('cllllitv in cettinn oat ol the d i llicu! I\ . " ‘ TF.\M fIUUTATKI). The Captain. W. C. Stead, also adds Minio lii'ht. Speakino tho strom: criticism meted out to the All lilac v forwards, he said: “The inatcll at Welliiij'ton only increased the criticism and added to the irritation of the team who to a man went on the boat deterniinnl to u|>!ml<l N«*\v Zealsmu rant >a I. especially ‘forward. Of (lie tour lie said: “liritisli eoiiserviitisni also permeates their Rtittby. Sportinn critics and old Internationals cried aloud at what they called the introduction of unorthodox tactics in our names." • •In fuel, it was with rather a patronisiun air that v.e were told how handicapped we would lie with only • even forwards against- llcir eiylit. Then our (piick In.okinp: wa- ijuile opp ,M-d IO their idea of drihblini' a hall mil anywhere aunuip the forwards’

VAIN VISIONS. U in ■ pile <■! t'.••• visions which chl-timers > on. jure tip when UilUiiifl ol till, forward play "I -•> ymrs ago that mi,' in.ist formidable team ''at- smiiit-l.-.rlv pi)*ll* in tlmt department of t li<> game in which wo are tnltl it shone. \\Y li.'U'o uaiiimniis evidence hole that tlie dribbling of the team was not up t,i i lint nf livi: intoriiat ioiial which it mot . Aml il was not ho.anso, it wall hi -oom. tin- I0 ; ln forward' jilolorroil la pink the hall lip. Pis! as lie., p.l | fiii ii anls prefer u> piok the luil tip. Till-: Till!I-!K HKHT. Clippies. il Richardson are tn lie reckoned the throe ‘•■wariest dribblers in the team: hill at their highest speed oan they travel as fast as a Itrinvnlio rush 'i MY helievo that forward play in Now Zealand “iill'erod a throw-back by the war. and that the play to-day is a retinoinont on thef ol the early part ol the century: that the loose [■laying' lorward has now route into his own.