BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1930, Page 2

BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

CAREERS OF PLAYERS

AN IMPOSING SIDE

'bho -following.; details pf the Brit-; ish ‘:Rugby . tcam .Who wijt tour New ZUd|brtd ,: ' this season- are : supplied By Major/J. P/ Jordan, London:- - * Jv.Bassett' (PppartK',/Glamorgan ant}/'. Wales).—-Oil his. folrp for this. seasoh,i he/.has proved himself to be the best: fqll-back lb tile foilr Home countries.Hie: has-a fine, sense-of position, tack-; lea and kicks.very soundly, and is' powerfully., built.' He is a - policeman by Occupation, is tWenty-fivo years old., and" pliiyefi in .every match: for his. couritry this season’ and last, . - W.’ M, Ronher (Bradford and Yorkshire).—T}ii.s reserve full-back ijjf tilt side is. a 'good kick with either loot, and -brings his man down surely. He Win play a good game as a centre three-quarter in an emergency, a fact that enables hitn to know wlieu tc start attacking movements when playing a full-back.

J. S. R. Reeve (ltugby School, Harlequins, Middlesex and England).--This Wing three-quarter is equally good .on the left. or':-the- right- He was the discovery of last season, as lie f ailec} to gain his ‘‘colours’ ’: at /school of liis ‘'blue” at Cambridge, Where ho devoted himself chiefly to hockey. He owes liis advancement .to A.; D. Stoop, the Harlequin mentor, possesses a long -stride,'and-.is the fastest wing in England, besides being a Roubd tackier, Ho is a barrister-at-law, twenty-two years of age, 6ft 2in in height and over 13st in height, C, : R, Aarvold (Durham Otimbi’idg© University, Headingley and England),—An adaptable .player who' represented 'Cambridge' at fight centre, /right wing and fullback in different’ years against Oxford. His jorig' stride is most deceptive, and his quick turn inwards will deceive the best defence. / He played eight times for JSngland before going to. the West indies /in;, connection with the wool tfode in November,', otherwise he ivoflitl have gainfid' ipor.e o‘caps. ’’ He ik/twer':6ft in Height’and over I2st in Morley'- (Newport, Monmouth hhd/Walfla)'.--An unorthodox right yfi’iig . thr&e-quartof. f 'who. is' generally coiHMefed'Hhg'. hpst'in 'Wales. His diagonal; runs', across,' the -field have led W many tries' for/'lns cluh and the only.- try for' his country against England thjs season. ITe is fast and goes h'afd,land ha's six Welsh “baps.” • '-Av' L. Novis (Epabm/v College, Oxford * University, Blackheath, Surrey > and England)Originally a. stand-off. half •at Oxford, he • has played ,in every-.position in the three : quaytef. lipe for, England... A tricky, runner with la ©Ever side-step, he combined well with his wing, defends isplm-aMy and kicks .well, He is ~rather prone to run, across,;/but .is-.spm l to better advantage in the centre than on the wing, He is a second lieutenant in the Leicestershire Regipient,' is aged twenty-five, oft Sin in height, and weighha list 61b, T, ;P, Murray (Blackcock College, Dublin Wanderers, and Ireland).— Another versatile outside who has played for his country in three different positions.. 'He is strong in attack either as a centre, or a, stand-off half, and* sturdy in defence, with a safe punt to touch,. He is fearless at stopping a rush,., and his opportunism in' dropping a goal tyon the, match for Ireland against England. M. P. Crows (Blackrock College, Dublin Wanderers ‘and Ireland), —An unorthodox and resourceful type of centre three-quarter who is quick to espy an opening, and excels in hard, straight running.. He tackles as well as anybody, and ie not afraid of going doivn, to the ball. He is a good drop-kick, - . R. Jennings (Redruth, Cormwall) and English trials),—A clever centre three-quarter who is quite capable of winning a match on his own through 'bringing off a big surprise, but lie is a little difficult to combine with. A (beautiful drop-kick, excellent in defence and a reliable place kicker, he was unlucky not to have been ‘‘capped” for England. T-. E. Jones-Davies (Carmarthen, London Welsh and Wales).—-Like Reeve, this player failed to gain a “blue” at Cambridge, but -has improved enormously since. Ho is a fine attacking centre or stand-off half, with plenty of pnee and dash, and knows how to swerve. He scored the only try for Wales against England.

T. C. Knowles (Birkenhead Park, Cheshire and English trials'!.—A stand-off half with ideas, who can develop an attacking movement from pair of hands.: He is very elusive and forms ft good link with his threequarters. B. S. Spong (Mill Hill School, Old Millhillians, Middlesex and England). \ n immensely strong and lionhearted stand-off half. Full of thrust, He would be ready to go through a brick wall. He is magnificent in de.fence, possesses a siplendid pair of hands and can take any kind of pass. He is apt to forget that he has a three-quarter line behind hiiy. hut he and W. H. Sobey form a redoubtable pair of halves. Spong is aged twen-fty-two, is oft Sin in height, and weighs list Sib. He is engaged in commerce. W. H. Sobey (Mill Hid School, Old Millhillians, Cambridge University, Hampshire and England).—Easily the best scrum-half in England, with n thorough understanding with Spong, whom he partnered at school and in club football for several years. He sends out excellent passes from the scrum, and is qhiek \to slip tluough on bis own. He has been handicapped by ill-health and injuries, but is

now thoroughly fit. A school master, aged twenty-four, he stands oft (Jin in height, and weighs 10st 71ib. H. Poole (Cardiff and Welsh Trials), —A diminutive scrum-half who is full of clever tricks and is difficult to subdue. He .g: ts The ball a Way smartly, is an adept at the reverse pass, and is sound in defence. He was a reserve for Wales. • - - •

HEAVY FORWARD PACK. 1 11. Rew (Exeter 'School. Blackheatli, Devon, the Army and England).—A hard-working front-row fprwurd who is also a gpod hooker, and goes ‘all out” from start to finish, and tackles well. He is a typical product of the. West Country, is aged twenty-three, with height of 9in and weight 13s (jib. lie is a' second-lieutenant in the. Royal Tank Corps.’ , ' : D. Parker (Swansea, and Wales). — ■A- good hooker whq has heaps of experience behind/ him. He obtained his first “cap” Six years ago, and has fen : in all. He• is excellent in the jtigiit , scrums an.d .can be depended tipou to last out the fastest game. He is a splendid place-kicker and is possessed of a: cheery personality that makes him ever popular. His brother also played fifteen times for Wales.

! W. B. Welsh (Hawick and Sc-ot-iatid).—-A splendid type of Border forward, nurd as nails and a real grafter, wljo gained his first “cap” against the Warutahs three years ago. lie packs in either the second or third lew, and. is the only Scot in the party. /B. H. Blqck (St. Andrew’s-, Grahamstown, Oxford University, Blackheath and England),—A South African' Rhodes' Scholar of English parents and |i’n liis “last year at Oxford, Be was unknown a year 'ago, but by sheer determination and hard training he won his Blue in December and his “cap” in January. He played in all four matches for England, and packs In the second row, hut often leads, a, rush. „He ~ is' a. fine tackier, an.d a good place-kicker. He is aged twenty,-three, .height Oft and weight J3st 131 b. He has passed his law degree.

J l . D. Howard (Mill Hill School and Oxford University).—ln spite of a physical handicap, this player has proved himself' one of the best forwards in the country. He packs in the middle of the back row, and excels in line-out work. He is fast in tlie open, and is always ready for a chance to- start his backs going. He is aged twenty, height fift lin„ and weight 13st 101 b, He, is an undergraduate' at 'the' University.

M. J. Runne (Oastleknock College, Lansdowne 'find Ireland).- —A fine allround forward who is, full-of dash and never; spares himself. He is very good in the 1 line-out and has played eight times for Ireland. G. R. Beamish (Obleraino Academical Institution, .Leicester, Royal Air Force and Ireland)ls probably the finest forward in the British Isles at the moment. He packs in the second row, an,d, makes use of every ounce of his great strength and weight. He is devastating at the head of a rush and tackles tremendously hard. First “capped”, five years. ago-, he was out of the game for two seasons through a broken leg, but has fourteen, “caps” in fill. He is aged with height 6ft lin and weight 15st 31b, He is a flight-lieutenant' in the Royal Air Force,

; J. I;, Farrell (Oastleknock College, Bectjve Rgngers and Ireland), -A grand 'bustling forward, who has' played in every match for the past five seasons and so has twenty-one “caps.” Hr can pack anywhere, but is best in the second row. He is a fine leader. Who never gives in and sets his men an inspiring example, and he is aged twenty-seven. .

J. M’D. Hodgson (Rugby School, Northern, Northumberland and English Trials).—Failed to win his “colours’' at school, but has developed enormously since, He is a lively.forward, well-built, and shines in ..the open, where he is a clever dribbler. He was a reserve.fpr England,. H. O’H. O’Neill (Queen’s 1 (Jniversitjj, .Belfast and Ireland).-—A young forward with /three “caps”' to his; credit. He plays a dashing, game in the| open,, and .tackles hard. : ’j .Ivor Jones (Llanelly and Wales).: —Probably, the best winging forward; Wales has produced since the war. Tall a.nd always fit, he was originally a full-back, but was “capped” as a winger six years ago, and possesses sixteen “caps.” Brilliant in the loose and very dangerous near bis opponents’ line,„he is a prolific scorer, and is also an adept at starting off bis backs. His age is twenty-nine. H, Wilkinson (Tettenhall College, Halifax, Yorkshire and England').— The son of an old international, and a very fast winging forward who lifts scored nearly forty., tries for his club and county this season. He is good with his hands and feet, tackles well, and possesses the intuition to he always in the right spot for a pass. F. D. Prentice (Leicester and England). The veteran of the side. He clayed Association football before the Great War, in which he "was wounded. He its a very strong and tall back-row forward, who makes full use of his height out of touch, and is clever with bis feet and a very good placekicker. His age is thirty-three, height Oft 3in, and weight 14st 101 b. S. A. Mart indale (Kendal, Cumberland and England).—A front-row forward of the true North Country type, solid, and ft glutton for work. He is most effective in the tight scrums, but also shows up well in short rushes.