RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3805, 14 June 1928, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

OLD BOYS v. HIGH SCHOOL. A match, Old Boys v. High School, was played on the schoolground yesterday afternoon when Old Boys sudceeded in defeating School by 6 points to 5 after a good game. Play was very even, except that School forwards had the best of the scrums. In the backs, however, Old Boys outclassed School. At half time the score stood 6—nil in favour of Old Boys, Ball and Anderson having crossed the School line. Both attempts at goal by Anderson from difficult angles, failed.

In the second spell Murphy crossed for School and Hirini converted. Anderson crossed again for Old Boys but the try was pot allowed. The spell ended without any alteration to the scores. Mr. Chipper refereed. Old boys were represented by the following: R. Ball, C. Anderson (captain), J. Francis, K. Martin, J. Easton, L. King, B. Gay, Vertongen, Reader, Barrett, K. Matthews. AY. Hirini, B. Chrystall, and E. Stevenson. MAORIS v. PAKEHAS. Excellent conditions prevailed yesterday for the Maori-Pakeha match. The match, which was played on the Levin Domain, resulted in a win for the latter team by 19 points to 7.

The game was hard rather than brilliant, with the forwards doing most of the work. The Maoris were better side throughout and at times made efforts to open up the game, which, however, relapsed into a forward struggle. The Maoris score consisted of four tries (two converted), and a penalty, while for the pakehas L. Dalzell scored a try and Ryder dropped a field goal. In the above game, L. Andrews had the misfortune to sustain a broken nose which will prevent him from indulging in further matches for at least a month.

Taylor played good football and should find a place in the reps.

The Juniors match, Foxton v. Miranui, trill be the only game at Foxton on Saturday. Considerable interest is being evinced in the game owing to Foxton defeating Shannon. A number of Shannon enthusiasts have signified their intention of witnessing the contest.

The Foxton team will be as follows :

Huff, Williams, Thompson, Procter, H. Ross (captain), A. Stevenson, Hartley, Anderson, Burdes, Wright, Mohekey, R. Hornblow, I. Ross, G. Rankin, Chipper. Emergencies: R. Hetta and J. Newton. The team is requested to be at the practice shed at 2.15 p.m. sharp on the day of the match. A practice will be held in the shed at 6.30 o’clock this evening. A full attendance of members requested. RANFURLY SHIELD MATCHES. The Canterbury Rugby Union has decided that South Canterbury should have the first match for the Ranfurly Shield on July 14, their challenge having been in first. Wairarapa will play Canterbury on July 18. THE ALL BLACK& DEFEAT ORANGE FREE STATE BY 20 POINTS TO NIL. The All Blacks were successful in defeating Orange Free State by 20 points to nil yesterday. The team was as follows: —Fullback: Lilburne; three-quarters: Grenside, Lindsay, Robilliard; five-eighths: Strang, McGregor; half: Dailey; wing-forward: Scrimshaw; forwards: Swain, Hore, M. Brownlie, Alley, McWilliams, Ward, Hazlett. Emergencies: Carlton (back), Stewart (forward). The Transvaal Rugby Football Union has reported the Finlayson incident to the South African Rugby Board, stating that they had dealt with the matter, and now considered it closed.

“Ginger” Nicholls, brother of Mark Nicholls, vice captain of the All Blacks, expresses the opinion that the only way to beat the South Africans is by unorthodox play, as was done at Dunedin in 1921.

Questioned as to his opinion of the 1928 All Blacks, ‘.‘Ginger” said he was afraid that there were too many veterans in the team. “A Rugby player is at his best,” he declared, “round about 21. I was this age when I played in the Test match at Dunedin against the Springboks, and was never litter in my life). I could keep on collaring the big South African forwards, and never felt a bump or a knock in the match.” Questioned as to whether the 1928 team is as good as the 1924 combination, he unhesitatingly gave his vote for the team which put up the unbeaten record. “It has to be remembered,” he pointed out, “that the 1924 All Blacks contained such great players in their respective positions as George Nepia, Bert Cooke, Jimmy Mill, Jim Parker, Jack Steel, Jock Richardson, and “Son” White. Nepia, Cooke and Mill cannot be replaced; they were star players of the first magnitude.” He went on to say that New Zealand had developed a stamp of forward who were shiners in the open, and consequently did not do honest pushing in the scrums. “Forwards should confine themselves solely to their own job,” he said, “and leave the fancy work to the backs. It only upsets combination if forwards start joining in the rearguard movements.” For the

reasons he had stated, the 1921 All Black half-back was of opinion that New Zealand would be hard up against it in the Test matches in South Africa this season.