THAMES VALLEY V. AUCKLAND.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4439, 12 July 1922, Page 2

THAMES VALLEY V. AUCKLAND.

HOME TEAM SELECTED. The team to represen.t Thames Valley against Auckland at Paeroa on July 22 has been selected by Mr. Sprague, and is as follows: Ful’-back, K. Dean; three-quar-ters, Garry (Plains), J. Magill (Piako), G. Price (Waihi) ; fiveeighths, McDermott (Waihi), J. Gilpin (Piako); half-back, Nicols (Plains) ; rover, Goldsbury (Piako) ; forwards, L. Honey (Waibi), W. Re’lly (Waihi), W. Heath (Waihi), T. Johnson (Paeroa), Newdick (Plains), McMahon (Plains), K. Atkins (Piako). Emergencies: J. Winder (Paerba), R. Holmes (Piako), Rosenfeldt (Piako), Agpew (Waihi). CURTAIN-RAISER. A third-grade representative m,atc : i between Waihi and Paeroa will be played as a cur ain-raiser, RUGBY NOTES. (By “Old Timer.”} Another stage was reached last Saturday in the competition for the Frank Poland Memorial Cup, when the Paeroa representatives had again to lower their banner tp their opponents —this time Hauraki Plains—and they suffered defeat by tne narrow margin of three points. On the day I think the winners were a six-points better team, but Paeroa was at a disadvantage in losing the services of two or three of their best players, otherwise the scores may have been reversed. Considering the team Paeroa placed ou the field I think they did well against Plains. In the forwards T. Johnson again stood out; also Taylor, J, Benney, and Long did a lot of hard work. The front row men were new to that position, and their ignorance was not their fault, as they did not select themselves to go there. Our backs were decidedly patchy, and with the exception of Dean and Cashmore all had a day off. A couple of easy kicks at the goal were missed by Winder, and cne cannot understand why such short kicks were not given to De.an, who has proved himself a good placekick when the shot is handy to die posts. The Plains have a fine, allround good team, and several of their forwards were outstanding, apd I am pleased to see that men like Newdick and McMahon have been recognised as being fit to represent the Thames Val’ey Rugby Union .against Auckland. The backs are an average lot, but the half-back, Nicols, is worth special mention, and to my mind his play was a facsimile, of that great Auckland, and New Zealand half-back, Kiernan, who played some 15 or 20 years ago, his method of pushing his way through loose forward packs being good tp look at. Garry at fiveeighths did well, but I have seen him play better football than he did last Saturday. However, one is pleased, to see both these backs included in the big team to play Auckland, and I think they dserve their caps. In the Waihi and Piako match the former suffered defeat. This was a surprise to most people, but if such critics had closely watched the Pae-roa-Piako match, played at Te Aroha some weeks ago, they would have agreed with my previous notes oh that game, which were io the effect that Piako has this year placed in the field the best team they have had for many years. However, agaip I say that providing Paeroa can place on the field their best, team the cup may yet remain in our hands. One cannot understand why the local selector is doing so much speculating with front row men. Unfortunately G. Fisher, who is a good man in this position, has not put in an appearance at either representative game, and it is to be hoped that he trill not be selected again unless it is sure his services will be available. I think the selector, who is ,an old representative front row man himself, should - be fully alive to the fact that this position cannot be filled by every forward, more so in a representative match This is not the place to commence training men for their various positions. Among the different clubs in-Paeroa we 'have several fairly gool front row men, and why cannot they be pivked in that position ? Next Saturday will be a big match between Paeroa and Piako to decide which shall play Thames for the Peace Cup, and if available Fisher should be called upon tp play in the front row, and one woud like to see alongside him Pennell, or Morrison. These men have been tried in that position, and consequently deserve recognition. Therefore, i* Pennell and Young are selected, and Fisher and L. Benney available for next Saturday, it will allow four men to ne dropped out of the forward team which played Plains last Saturday. No denbt T. Johnson will go out to rover and three of .the pack on to the line, and, as I stated in previous notes, it should not be a hard matter for the seelctor to drop on to those who should stand down. The back division wants probing into, and last Saturday’s play proved my previous suggestion correct in that G. Royal should be dropped at once and a«junior brought up. Otherwise I don’t think the backs require much alteration, unless E. Moore is available, and for such an important evept, providing he has recovered from his injury, the selector may manage to get him out. The Paeroa junior representatives continue to meet with succes,s, nad they had a big victory over the Plains at Paeroa last Saturday. EUis at five-eighths still proves himself worthy of inclusion in a better team than junior representatives, and when one sees a vacancy in the senior rens. which requires filling badly one wonders why the Paeroa selector has not grasped the opportunity of bring-, ing him up before now. However, let us hope he will give EUis a tpyout next Saturday. I see the old Suburbs enthusiast and P.R.U. referee G. Collins has returned from his health trip to Australia. and I am sure that all nis Hikutaia and Paeroa friends are glad to see him back looking so well, and I feel sure it "will not be long before we again see him following the game with the referee’s whistle.