FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1930, Page 5

FOOTBALL

NOTED PLAYER RETIRES,

RESULT OF INJURY

LOMDON, August 13

Almost at the last moment, it will bo recollected, W. W. Wakefield was unable' to go to New Zealand on accent of an injury which lie sustained while practising, early in the year. The results of the injury have proved to be more severe than was anticipated, and have decided him to retire from the Rugger field. Writing of the great loss thus sustained in Rugby circles, Mr C. W Pack ford says, in “Sporting Life”:. “Wakens” will go down in the history of the game as one of the fines*' forwards who ever stepped on the field. Whether lie can be included in a pack consisting of the eight best forwards of all time is a matter of opinion.

Remembering him at his best, I would be inclined to record him this distinction, as I would John Daniell, Charles Seale,v, “Darkie” Silvright, Maurice Brownlie, and Tom Voyce, to mention five of the men who have made the greatest impression on me during a. long and intimate association with the game.

A man of superb strength and physical fitness, and with speed much above the average, “Wakers,” in addition to pushing every ounce be possessed in the set scrums, was a veritable master in the art of dribbling, and we have seen nothing finer in recent years than when the old English captain went away* with' the ball at his feet, supported by, say. Tom Voyce. and A. F. Blaldston. They were a devastating trio, who “hunted” together with signal success to the diseoinforture of their rivals.

The career of Wakefield, is a unique one. He has collected more honours at the game than any man who has ever lived. On thirty-one occasions he played for England—eight tithes against both Scotland and France, seven times against Wales and Ireland, and once against New Zealand—l and. in addition, he captained England, the Royal Air Force, Cambridge University,.. London, Middlesex,, the Harlequins, and Sedbergh School, and but for his accident he would have added the. leadership of the British team in New-Zealand, to .this.'wonderful record. LOSS TO BRITISH TEAM. "

I shall always'think that “Wakers” was omitted'from the English team at least a season before it was necessary.' ■for it was not so much his .actual'skill that was so valuable; he was always a source of inspiration to any team. He proved this on many occasions. It was his personality and his genuine enthusiasm that carried the Air Force to victory oil the one and only occasion they defeated the Army and Navy in the inter-S'ervice tournament. He. led Cambridge to victory against Oxford when the odds were against his team, and he fulfiled a long standing promise to his great friend, Dr “Jimmy” Rus-sell-Cargill, by gaining county championship honours for Middlesex. The one consolation we have at the loss of such a magnificent fellow, from “active service,” is the thought that he will not be lost entirely from the same. Asa representative of the Middlesex Union on the Rugby Union Committee. he intends to devote much time to legislative matters, and from what lie tells me I believe he will follow in the footsteps of of “Barry” Cumberlege, who/ played with him on many occasions in the English team, and interest himself in refereeing. I can conceive no one more eminently fitted to do this. While we shall miss “Wakers,” I can assure him he will never be forgotten by the many thousands he has so often delighted with his superb skill and sportsmanship.